First attempt at removing scratches swirls..input needed. (pics inside)

[a5t1]

All,

I have been lurking for a little while. I have seen some amazing results and wanted to try detailing on my own vehicles and see what I could do. I ordered a PC7424 along with LCC pads and xmt products: swirl removal 1-4 and the glaze product. Here are some before and after pictures of my excursion. I think it turned out pretty well but I would like feedback on what else to try and what I can do to remove the orange peel?

This was the rear tailgate door, after washing and drying:

another shot:


after:


After using xmt 4 down to 1 and then glaze:



last one:


The other door, notice the old sticker marks that had been on there for years:







After really getting into it with the 4 and then on down...




before:


after:



So what do you all think? Looking for critiques on how to improve.

Thanks for reading.

[black bart]

Looks nice that is a big improvement.
Unfortunately all factory paint jobs have orange peel some worse than others. I don't think they have mastered the water based paint yet.

I bought a new car last fall and it looks pretty good except the trunk and it has bad orange peel.

Factory paint is too thin to do much correction you can polish some of it out but probably not all of it, depends on how bad it is.

Some will recommend wet sanding but on factory paint this is very dangerous for a novice to attempt.
Next time you polish it you will see a slight improvement in the orange peel every time you polish you are removing some paint.


Welcome to DC.

[blucpe]

looks great, i'd say you've got the hang of it.

[a5t1]

Thanks, it was rewarding to see improvment. Next task is to repair some chipped paint and see how that turns out...

[Mike Phillips]

Originally Posted by a5t1

I think it turned out pretty well but I would like feedback on what else to try and what I can do to remove the orange peel?

The best way to remove orange peel is to wet-sand, or damp-sand.

Originally Posted by a5t1

after:

Those two Scouts are likely single stage paint and if they're original then they're likely oxidized... those two trucks would be fun to buff out and you get very dramatic results in before and after when you restore the paint on a single stage paint.

[Mister B]

Lookin' good!