Thanks. We don’t endorse any specific brand of paint gauge. There are several quality options available. The particular one in this video is made by Extech.
any chance you could go further into a discussion of sanding vs. compounding deep scratches? If you talk to enough detailers, you will see it's a 50/50 issue of preferred technique....often hearing some say sanding produces less heat and stress on the paint - while others say if you can't buff it out, why would you put harsh sandpaper on your paint. I've seen it done effectively both ways; but I also love to learn the tiny details that differ one technique from another. Could you do a follow-up? thanks
Glad you liked the video. A headlight restoration video is on our 'to-do' list, but for now the process outlined here is essentially the same. The only difference is that you'll likely start with something much more aggressive than 3000 grit in most cases (800 or 1000 grit) and then work up from there before buffing out. Apply protection, ideally a coating with UV protection, to prevent the yellow from coming back.
Very informative channel. Quick question though. If the scratch is too deep (beyond clear but not beyond the paint layer) to wet sand or compound out, would it be possible to improve the panel by simply sanding that spot with 2000 or 3000, spraying on a coat or two of clear coat from a spray can, then wet sanding to remove orange peel and any dust nibs and then finishing off the panel uniformly with the DA coarse or fine as might be required.
One of the best tools been recommend tool for me as newbie - one of a very best understandable video how to - my question sir - since we have clear the defects got a good result after using compound... do i still need to do polish? or no need? i saw some competitor after getting result still buff with polish using polisher...
The choice would be dependent on the situation. In many cases the finish after the compounding stage alone will be sufficient to meet the customers expectations. If it is not, then you perform a polishing step. Every situation would be unique.
@@RUPES thank you for your reply. Im buying your product soon, im opening carwash shop and detailing probably End June will be operational. Im sure ill be a happy owner and detailerbusing your product. More power and God bless Rupes😊👍
Q, Advice for removing factory orange peel? Hey Rupes Team, Long time fan, avid detailer for friends/family and of course my own car. I always buy the best used car I can afford and enjoy the task of restoring paint back to factory gloss and beyond. My current e90 3 series is a final edition M Sport in Black Sapphire Metallic and the paint is pretty tough! I detail outside, one day hope for a new garage but for now remain outdoors. I am confident using a DA machine and have a Duetto and 75e to compound and polish and have applied ceramic coatings too. I wish to further my skills and get my trusty 3 series as an example with a mirror finish, the factory orange peel is noticeable to my eyes and as such I want to remove or reduce it. So far I have completed removed it from the boot lid using a film disk, followed by 3000 and 5000 foam pads. It looks reflective, very glossy and reflections are mirror like, however I feel the Black colour now has a grey tiny to it, I feel I may have microscopic sanding marks but genuinely cannot tell. I am wondering if the clearcoat is so hard that I am strugging to remove sanding marks. I have a paint thickness gauge and only removed a few microns in the whole process, from 130 down to 125. I know OEM orange peel isn’t recommended but I want to get it flat. Following your recent video on sanding, do you have any advice for removing orange peel? Thank you and keep up the great videos!
James, First - thanks for watching and commenting. We appreciate it. Your question has a lot of layers to it and there is far more than we can reasonably respond to here in the comments of TH-cam, but here is some basic information: The type of abrasive being used determines whether or not you are removing texture. A foam backed abrasives (like recommended in this video) will not level texture. A film backed abrasive will. This doesn't mean you discontinue use of the foam interface, the substrate of the abrasive determines whether the abrasive disc removes texture or not. So again - foam backed = maintains texture, film backed = level texture. In your case, you state you used foam abrasives it isn't really possible that you leveled the texture, maybe smoothed it out to a degree by rounding off the highest spots, but not leveled. As for your gray appearance in the sanded areas, nearly impossible for us to say without seeing the specific condition of the paint. Haze or grayish appearance on black can be a symptom of so many things. It could, to your point, be a sanding artifact. It could also be that the choice of pad and compound were too aggressive for the finish. It could also be that you removed too much material and have begun to see the effects of the clear coat being too thin. Virtually impossible for us to know which is the case here. In the end we do not recommend leveling factory texture for a number of reasons. If you plan to proceed with the rest of the car we suggest exercising extreme caution and maybe even consult a local trainer or expert for help before proceeding.
@@RUPES [semi-pro detailer here] Wow, I'm amazed. Not just basic support but well-educated and knowledgeable reply... I'm wondering who from your team is in charge of comment section :) You are great company to deal with, guys! :)
Thank you. There are a few of us helping out here in the comments. We believe it is important to have technically knowledgeable support available via all channels so you get correct/complete info. Have a great weekend! 👍🏻
Any information on troubleshoot steps when polisher malfunctions? For instance, my 75e mini polisher stopped running when placed on the surface and starts running automatically when lifted off the surface. This happened quite a few times and then I decided to dismantle and check what was wrong. But I couldn't dismantle much so I just cleaned up little bit on the parts I could dismantle and reassembled it. It runs fine now. But I have no idea what was the problem.
Hard to say. Could be carbon brushes need replacement, could be a weak connection at the cord. The repair process varies by region, so if you need assistance send us an email and we can point you in the right direction www.rupes.com/contact-us
You certainly could. The only thing that is different with an abrasive that you'd use by hand or an abrasive that you'd use by machine is the shape. Obviously you'd need to follow the same guidance on hand application using a block with an integrated interface, or add an interface. There are even hand blocks out there that are round like a backing plate to accommodate machine discs by hand.
Video on Prep fluids? What works best and what is safe? I've personally done alot of testing and was vary surprised at how ineffective IPA was from 12% all the way up to 50%.
Good suggestion, but probably not one we're going to get into. We're not commercially involved in that part of the market and there is a lot of variability in terms of what does or doesn't work. Isopropyl alcohol and alcohol based prep wipes are only effective on some contaminants. With many products today including durable fillers more aggressive solvents can often be required to remove everything from a surface. There is also the fact that most of these fluids are manufactured/offered by coating companies and they have specific requirements as parts of their systems which we would not be qualified or comfortable making specific statements about. Its a topic best left to those involved in that part of the business specifically - we'll stay in our lane ;)
Similar. You would likely start with a much more aggressive grit to cut the yellowing from the lens and you would also need to finish with a UV protectant to prevent it from rapidly degrading again.
Any random orbital tool can be used for sanding, and this includes the 21. The main thing to remember is that orbit dictates the rate of material removal. The sandpaper dictates the depth of the scratch pattern. In keeping with that thinking things will happen VERY fast with the 21, so sand in short bursts and monitor progress because you'll be pulling material at a pretty quick pace.
Where can I get the foam interface pad? I ended up purchasing just the x cut discs thinking the foam was enough. Tried looking on auto obsessed, eshine, and carzilla and I can’t find it anywhere. Am I not able to use it without the interface? Just using it on flat panels and never getting close to an edge.
A foam interface can be purchased any number of places. Check with local auto body/paint supply stores. We recommend an interface be used 100% of the time when sanding topcoat. It takes the human error/variable out of the equation and is insurance against edge-cut, pigtails, and other issues.
@@RUPES thank you!! I just checked Amazon and they sell 3M foam interfaces. Picked one up for 3 inch and 5 inch. Super grateful that you posted this video as I assumed the foam on the disc was enough!
Completely doable. 125mm interface and xcut discs are available and the LHR15 can be used in the same way. The risk of pigtails goes up substantially the larger the area you work, so take appropriate measures to mitigate those.
Pigtails are a sanding defect. They can be caused by a number of things like clumps of paint on the abrasive, a particle of dirt or debris, or the velcro hooks telegraphing through the abrasive and putting an impression into the paint. They're not scratches, but more indentations. They're called pigtails because they are continuous curly loops, sort of like a pigs tail. If you create them they can be a real challenge to remove because they are often 4-6x the depth of the surrounding sand scratch.
Yes... the Duetto at 12mm of orbit is great as a sander or polisher. The challenge in some markets tends to be access to abrasives. 125mm (5”) is not a common size for the automotive aftermarket.
FWIW it may be useful to capture the product details here in comments or below your descriptions for easy access possible purchase them. While i get it the purpose of RR is educational it's a value add service to some v. stop the video write the part # and play on... js 🤷🏻♂️
![How Thin Is Too Thin? - [RUPES Replies Episode 028]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/IjARKtK7X3o/mqdefault.jpg)
![How Thin Is Too Thin? - [RUPES Replies Episode 028]](/img/tr.png)
![Polishing Difficult to Finish Paint - [RUPES Replies Season 02 Episode 02]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/WsdRlEliM7g/mqdefault.jpg)
![How To Do a Test Spot - [RUPES Replies Episode 026]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0Z79_1h2SyA/mqdefault.jpg)
No doubt I love the thumbnail 😂💪💯
Thanks. We had some fun making that one 😂
Great video! Also please add the thickness gauge under products used in the video. Thanks!
Thanks. We don’t endorse any specific brand of paint gauge. There are several quality options available. The particular one in this video is made by Extech.
@@RUPES ok I figured that was the case. Thanks for sharing. Again, awesome video.
any chance you could go further into a discussion of sanding vs. compounding deep scratches? If you talk to enough detailers, you will see it's a 50/50 issue of preferred technique....often hearing some say sanding produces less heat and stress on the paint - while others say if you can't buff it out, why would you put harsh sandpaper on your paint. I've seen it done effectively both ways; but I also love to learn the tiny details that differ one technique from another. Could you do a follow-up? thanks
Absolutely - you’ll want to tune in for tomorrow’s video release.
@@RUPES Great! thank you
What speed did you use?
Thanks for the tip,what about a tutorial video how to restore yelow headlights?
❤rupes
Glad you liked the video. A headlight restoration video is on our 'to-do' list, but for now the process outlined here is essentially the same. The only difference is that you'll likely start with something much more aggressive than 3000 grit in most cases (800 or 1000 grit) and then work up from there before buffing out. Apply protection, ideally a coating with UV protection, to prevent the yellow from coming back.
Very informative channel. Quick question though. If the scratch is too deep (beyond clear but not beyond the paint layer) to wet sand or compound out, would it be possible to improve the panel by simply sanding that spot with 2000 or 3000, spraying on a coat or two of clear coat from a spray can, then wet sanding to remove orange peel and any dust nibs and then finishing off the panel uniformly with the DA coarse or fine as might be required.
One of the best tools been recommend tool for me as newbie - one of a very best understandable video how to - my question sir - since we have clear the defects got a good result after using compound... do i still need to do polish? or no need? i saw some competitor after getting result still buff with polish using polisher...
or we just spray and wipe with a polishing spray instead paste agent polishing?
The choice would be dependent on the situation. In many cases the finish after the compounding stage alone will be sufficient to meet the customers expectations. If it is not, then you perform a polishing step. Every situation would be unique.
@@RUPES thank you for your reply. Im buying your product soon, im opening carwash shop and detailing probably End June will be operational. Im sure ill be a happy owner and detailerbusing your product. More power and God bless Rupes😊👍
Nice video, what speed did you compound on with the wool pad, I have the 12e duetto will be nice to know as i need to wetsand a car very soon.
Q, Advice for removing factory orange peel?
Hey Rupes Team, Long time fan, avid detailer for friends/family and of course my own car.
I always buy the best used car I can afford and enjoy the task of restoring paint back to factory gloss and beyond.
My current e90 3 series is a final edition M Sport in Black Sapphire Metallic and the paint is pretty tough!
I detail outside, one day hope for a new garage but for now remain outdoors.
I am confident using a DA machine and have a Duetto and 75e to compound and polish and have applied ceramic coatings too.
I wish to further my skills and get my trusty 3 series as an example with a mirror finish, the factory orange peel is noticeable to my eyes and as such I want to remove or reduce it.
So far I have completed removed it from the boot lid using a film disk, followed by 3000 and 5000 foam pads.
It looks reflective, very glossy and reflections are mirror like, however I feel the Black colour now has a grey tiny to it, I feel I may have microscopic sanding marks but genuinely cannot tell.
I am wondering if the clearcoat is so hard that I am strugging to remove sanding marks.
I have a paint thickness gauge and only removed a few microns in the whole process, from 130 down to 125.
I know OEM orange peel isn’t recommended but I want to get it flat.
Following your recent video on sanding, do you have any advice for removing orange peel?
Thank you and keep up the great videos!
James,
First - thanks for watching and commenting. We appreciate it.
Your question has a lot of layers to it and there is far more than we can reasonably respond to here in the comments of TH-cam, but here is some basic information:
The type of abrasive being used determines whether or not you are removing texture. A foam backed abrasives (like recommended in this video) will not level texture. A film backed abrasive will. This doesn't mean you discontinue use of the foam interface, the substrate of the abrasive determines whether the abrasive disc removes texture or not. So again - foam backed = maintains texture, film backed = level texture. In your case, you state you used foam abrasives it isn't really possible that you leveled the texture, maybe smoothed it out to a degree by rounding off the highest spots, but not leveled.
As for your gray appearance in the sanded areas, nearly impossible for us to say without seeing the specific condition of the paint. Haze or grayish appearance on black can be a symptom of so many things. It could, to your point, be a sanding artifact. It could also be that the choice of pad and compound were too aggressive for the finish. It could also be that you removed too much material and have begun to see the effects of the clear coat being too thin. Virtually impossible for us to know which is the case here.
In the end we do not recommend leveling factory texture for a number of reasons. If you plan to proceed with the rest of the car we suggest exercising extreme caution and maybe even consult a local trainer or expert for help before proceeding.
@@RUPES [semi-pro detailer here] Wow, I'm amazed. Not just basic support but well-educated and knowledgeable reply... I'm wondering who from your team is in charge of comment section :)
You are great company to deal with, guys! :)
Thank you. There are a few of us helping out here in the comments. We believe it is important to have technically knowledgeable support available via all channels so you get correct/complete info. Have a great weekend! 👍🏻
Any information on troubleshoot steps when polisher malfunctions?
For instance, my 75e mini polisher stopped running when placed on the surface and starts running automatically when lifted off the surface. This happened quite a few times and then I decided to dismantle and check what was wrong. But I couldn't dismantle much so I just cleaned up little bit on the parts I could dismantle and reassembled it. It runs fine now. But I have no idea what was the problem.
Hard to say. Could be carbon brushes need replacement, could be a weak connection at the cord. The repair process varies by region, so if you need assistance send us an email and we can point you in the right direction www.rupes.com/contact-us
Can you use your sanding discs by hand?
You certainly could. The only thing that is different with an abrasive that you'd use by hand or an abrasive that you'd use by machine is the shape. Obviously you'd need to follow the same guidance on hand application using a block with an integrated interface, or add an interface. There are even hand blocks out there that are round like a backing plate to accommodate machine discs by hand.
Video on Prep fluids? What works best and what is safe? I've personally done alot of testing and was vary surprised at how ineffective IPA was from 12% all the way up to 50%.
Good suggestion, but probably not one we're going to get into. We're not commercially involved in that part of the market and there is a lot of variability in terms of what does or doesn't work. Isopropyl alcohol and alcohol based prep wipes are only effective on some contaminants. With many products today including durable fillers more aggressive solvents can often be required to remove everything from a surface. There is also the fact that most of these fluids are manufactured/offered by coating companies and they have specific requirements as parts of their systems which we would not be qualified or comfortable making specific statements about. Its a topic best left to those involved in that part of the business specifically - we'll stay in our lane ;)
@@RUPES Good call.
hello with this process its able to use for hedlights restoration?
Similar. You would likely start with a much more aggressive grit to cut the yellowing from the lens and you would also need to finish with a UV protectant to prevent it from rapidly degrading again.
What are your guys thoughts on using the LHR21 to sand. Is the 21 mm orbit at higher risk for pigtails?
Any random orbital tool can be used for sanding, and this includes the 21. The main thing to remember is that orbit dictates the rate of material removal. The sandpaper dictates the depth of the scratch pattern. In keeping with that thinking things will happen VERY fast with the 21, so sand in short bursts and monitor progress because you'll be pulling material at a pretty quick pace.
Thanks for the video, could you please put a link to the paint gage tool used in this video?
Thanks. That particular gauge is made by Extech
Thank you!
Where can I get the foam interface pad? I ended up purchasing just the x cut discs thinking the foam was enough. Tried looking on auto obsessed, eshine, and carzilla and I can’t find it anywhere. Am I not able to use it without the interface? Just using it on flat panels and never getting close to an edge.
A foam interface can be purchased any number of places. Check with local auto body/paint supply stores. We recommend an interface be used 100% of the time when sanding topcoat. It takes the human error/variable out of the equation and is insurance against edge-cut, pigtails, and other issues.
@@RUPES thank you!! I just checked Amazon and they sell 3M foam interfaces. Picked one up for 3 inch and 5 inch. Super grateful that you posted this video as I assumed the foam on the disc was enough!
What grit was the sandpaper used
at exactly 1:30 in the video Nick states "3000 grit x-cut sanding discs"
Same idea with the LHR15 for large surface area sanding like a hood would be killer.
Completely doable. 125mm interface and xcut discs are available and the LHR15 can be used in the same way. The risk of pigtails goes up substantially the larger the area you work, so take appropriate measures to mitigate those.
@@RUPES What are pigtails and how do you correct them? A novice at polishing.
Pigtails are a sanding defect. They can be caused by a number of things like clumps of paint on the abrasive, a particle of dirt or debris, or the velcro hooks telegraphing through the abrasive and putting an impression into the paint. They're not scratches, but more indentations. They're called pigtails because they are continuous curly loops, sort of like a pigs tail. If you create them they can be a real challenge to remove because they are often 4-6x the depth of the surrounding sand scratch.
@@RUPES Wasn't part of the Duetto's use intended for sanding?
Yes... the Duetto at 12mm of orbit is great as a sander or polisher. The challenge in some markets tends to be access to abrasives. 125mm (5”) is not a common size for the automotive aftermarket.
I bought a lhs 15 mark iii and the dial for the speed is free spinning its not staying at any set speed is that how rupes polishers work
Sounds like the dial may have broken. Get in touch with us and we’ll make it right.
www.RUPES.com/contact-us
FWIW it may be useful to capture the product details here in comments or below your descriptions for easy access possible purchase them. While i get it the purpose of RR is educational it's a value add service to some v. stop the video write the part # and play on... js 🤷🏻♂️
Great suggestion - relevant part codes have been added to the description. 👍🏽
thx !!!!
Happy to help
👍🏼✌🏽☘️