Spot/Scratch Repair Kit

    Here's a perfect example of what this kit can accomplish. The photo at right shows the drivers door of my wife's car after a close encounter at the grocery store. Someone hit our car's door, gouging the finish and leaving white paint from their door on our car's green paint. I tried, by hand, to remove this defect with a compound on a terry applicator pad but it didn't do anything. To repair this problem, I would have to do what a body shop would do, spot compound, polish and finish. 

Here are the steps:

Step 1 - Compounding

• Press the wool polishing disc to the backing plate and attach to your machine polisher or electric drill using the adapters (if needed).
• Work on a small area, 12 to 18 inches square, out of direct sunlight.
• Apply compound directly to the surface.
• Mist the wool disc with water.
• With the machine off, spread the compound (i.e. Menzerna Intensive Polish, Meguiar's Medallion Premium Paint Cleaner, Stoner Clearcoat Compound, etc.) over the surface using the wool disc. This coats the wool disc with compound and reduces compounding paint temperatures. 
• Press the wool disc against the paint and turn the machine on. If you're using the Porter Cable 7424, set the speed dial between 3-1/2 and 4. For a circular polisher, set the speed between 500 and 1000 rpm. If you're not sure, set your polisher's speed control to Number 1 or the lowest speed setting. For a cordless electric drill, use the highest speed setting.

Warning: Be careful using a 115 volt, electric drill. These drills can exceed 3,000 rpm which is too high for this application. Use the lowest speed setting. These pads are very easy to control and produce minimum splatter when used in the 500 to 1,000 rpm range. Used at very high speeds, these pads can be difficult to control and may produce excessive splatter.

• Work the pad over the surface in a figure 8 pattern. Go over the area in a left-to-right figure 8 pattern and then an up-and-down figure 8 pattern.

Apply compound to blemish.

Mist wool compounding disc with water.

Spread compound with machine off.

Work over the blemish in a figure-8 pattern.

• Go over the area several times or until the compound starts to dry.
  
• Inspect the results. Spray the surface with a 50/50 solution of Isopropyl Alcohol and water to remove compounding residues and wipe the area dry with a clean Microfiber towel. Run your fingertips over the surface. Is it smooth? Has the oxidation, swirl marks or paint defects been removed? If not, repeat the compounding process.

Remove residues with an alcohol/water
solution and inspect the surface.

    Compounding may leave the surface dull depending on the abrasiveness of the compound used. This is normal. This dullness is removed in the next step which is polishing.

    Polishing is done after compounding to remove compounding lines (surface dullness) or it may be a step by itself prior to waxing. Polishing removes old wax, restores surface gloss and prepares the surface for waxing.

Step 2 - Polishing

     The procedure for polishing is exactly the same as for compounding with two exceptions. 

• Use the white foam polishing pad for this step with a mild polish (i.e. Menzerna Final Polish, Meguiar's No. 9 Swirl Remover).
• Mist the white foam polishing pad with water, spread polish over the area and polish in a figure-8 pattern. 

Switch to the white polishing pad
and apply a non-abrasive polish.

•  To test for results, wipe off polishing residues with a clean Microfiber cloth and inspect the surface. (Do not spray the surface with a 50/50 solution of alcohol and water.  This would remove fillers and gloss agents that you want to stay on the surface.) 

    If the surface is still dull, continue polishing. If the surface gloss look good, proceed to finishing.

Step 3 - Finishing

    After polishing, finish with your favorite wax or paint sealant/ protectant. You can do this by hand or use the appropriate pad or bonnet for your machine polisher (not supplied in this kit). 

    When you're finished, wash all pads in a bucket with soapy water, rinse thoroughly with a garden hose and allow to air dry. Do not machine wash or dry pads.

Apply your favorite wax or sealant.

What kind of results can I expect?

    In all cases, this system will produce better results than could be accomplished by hand. Using a rotary polisher will completely remove swirls, scratches, paint defects and acid rain, water spots. Using a dual action polisher or cordless drill will remove minor swirls and visually reduce deeper swirls, scratches and paint defects. It may not be possible to completely remove deeper swirls, scratches and acid rain water spots using a dual action polisher or electric drill.

20 minutes later - no blemish!

Note: This blemish consisted of paint from another vehicle on top of the surface and gouges in the clear coat that did not go through the clear coat. If the gouge or scratch had gone through the clear coat and/or paint the area would need to be painted. Scratches or blemishes that require painting should be repaired by a body shop technician.

Our Spot Repair Kit contains:

• One 5/8 x 11, 2-3/4 inch Hooked Backing Plate. This fits all standard rotary polishers.
  
  
• A DA Adapter for using the backing plate with dual action machines like the Porter Cable 7424.
  
  
• A Drill Adapter for using the backing plate with any electric drill

• One 3-1/2 inch pre-washed lambswool compounding disc.
  
  
• One 3-1/2 inch White Foam polishing pad.
  
  
• Two water bottles.
  
  
• Three Viper Microfiber Detailing Cloths.
  

    This kit yields professional-like results when used with a drill speed of 500 to 1,000 rpm. This is perfect for battery operated, cordless drills with dual speed settings. 

    If your cordless drill has multiple speed settings, set it to the highest speed. The pads are easy to control and splatter is kept to a minimum.

Cordless drills work best.

Warning:  Care must be taken if these pads are used with a 115 volt, electric drill. These drills can reach speeds of 3,000 rpm which is too high for this application. If your AC electric drill has a speed control, set it at the lowest setting. These pads are very easy to control and produce minimum splatter when used in the 500 to 1,000 rpm range. Used at very high speeds, these pads can be difficult to control  may produce excessive splatter.

        This is a $60.85 value if purchased separately.

    Additional lambswool compounding pads and polishing pads are listed below.