Cut and polish your bike? You're doing it wrong, or at least I have been

[nzspokes]

looks mean man, any product names u can drop for us that like to do it at home. Cut n Polish and waxing takes a very long time to do properly, usually takes me a good 3/4 hours. but I use the standard stuff u buy in the shop like turtle wax or mothers. I found that even after a good polish and wax and its looking great that it only takes a few days or a couple rains/puddles and it starts to dull off again.

You should let us know if its still that shiny in 2/3 weeks time.. even a month..

with photo evidence

looks very good though

The shine is awesome. Im not sure how long it will last but he did give me some care tips like dont wash it for a week or so. It allows the product he used to harden properly. For me the big thing is the removal of scratches. It was covered with them. They will only return if Im a muppet. I dont know what he used but was told its not the cheap stuff. It seems the pads etc you use have a big influence on how it looks.

Will update later on. My bike lives outside so time will tell.

[caspernz]

looks mean man, any product names u can drop for us that like to do it at home. Cut n Polish and waxing takes a very long time to do properly, usually takes me a good 3/4 hours. but I use the standard stuff u buy in the shop like turtle wax or mothers. I found that even after a good polish and wax and its looking great that it only takes a few days or a couple rains/puddles and it starts to dull off again.

You should let us know if its still that shiny in 2/3 weeks time.. even a month..

with photo evidence

looks very good though

That's an awesome shine alright! Would love to hear some product names too. On my black bike I've been using a colour cut wax n shine compound that fills in the small scratches, looks ok, but nothing like that gleam you got on your Kawa!!

[ducatilover]

Moar pics!!!!%@&!!!1!

[normajeane]

"[/QUOTE]
For me the big thing is the removal of scratches. It was covered with them. [/QUOTE]

Does it remove smalldents?:

[nzspokes]

That's an awesome shine alright! Would love to hear some product names too. On my black bike I've been using a colour cut wax n shine compound that fills in the small scratches, looks ok, but nothing like that gleam you got on your Kawa!!

More to it than just the product. And i have no idea what he used, but he did use lots of different ones. I would doubt a single product would get close to this result. I think he used 3 grades of cutting compound and different ones for other areas.

Best way to desribe it is that the paint looks fluid. Almost like its still wet.

[nzspokes]

"

For me the big thing is the removal of scratches. It was covered with them. [/QUOTE]

Does it remove smalldents?:[/QUOTE]

Sadly no, mine has them also.

[FruitLooPs]

It's truely amazing what some corrective products can do, right down to cutting a bad clear coat job with light sanding and polishing back. If you have scratches spiderwebs and buffing swirls in the clear, professional products can really do a good job like on nzspokes bike

like Megs 105 ultra cut on a rotary buffer with hard scratched paint, not good for inexperienced hands and i'm not so sure how doing all the curves on a bike would go but an example:



All the DA buffers and whatnot won't give you the results, they're fine for applying various compounds/polishing but if you actually need decent scratch removal etc you have to get something a bit more full on due to their safe action (if you press down hard they just stop vibrating) but a rotary will start eating and heating the paint but if you don't know what you're doing it will burn clean through your clear and/or paint or tear edges instead of removing scratches . I'm no expert, but I did research before painting my own bike and some people work wonders alright muchos respect. It's bloody complex too with all the tools, compounds pressures taping and attachments

$100 sounds super good

Clearcoat being smoothed and polished:

From gun, pretty damn shiny but has some minor peel (warped reflections)


clearcoat partly sanded smooth


smooth sanded tank after several different cutting compounds & final polish!


from: http://www.600rr.net/vb/showthread.php?t=105576 crazy thorough post on how to do a mean paintjob/polish.

[nzspokes]

not good for inexperienced hands

Which I am.

[FruitLooPs]

Which I am.

As am I, which is why my bikes paintjob has heavy orange peel

[Tigadee]

Herman can do this work on weekends as his shop is to busy during the week, allow about 3 hours and take about $100. This includes his time and products he uses. This is a amazing deal. His number is 02108195332.

Just got my bike back from Herman and it looks like blawdy new! Absolutely brilliant and according to him, once you've allowed the compound to cure, it's low maintenance [wash once a month or so, or wipe regularly with a soft cloth or feather duster. For mud and stuff, wash first and then wipe with some silicone to maintain that mirror-like sheen]. Enough talk, here are the before after photos:

[Tigadee]

Herman's basically transformed my bike from tidy to drop-dead gorgeous! Best $100 I've ever spent! Last photo:

[nzspokes]

looks mean man, any product names u can drop for us that like to do it at home. Cut n Polish and waxing takes a very long time to do properly, usually takes me a good 3/4 hours. but I use the standard stuff u buy in the shop like turtle wax or mothers. I found that even after a good polish and wax and its looking great that it only takes a few days or a couple rains/puddles and it starts to dull off again.

You should let us know if its still that shiny in 2/3 weeks time.. even a month..

with photo evidence

looks very good though

Shit photo but it still looks great after 3 weeks. I just gave it a wipe over today with a dry rag. Thats all ive done since it was polished.

I cant recommend Hermon enough.

[pritch]

looks mean man, any product names u can drop for us that like to do it at home.

I had an unfortunate incident with a stone and a petrol tank. I took it to a paint shop I have dealings with through my employment. The owner put one of his senior guys on the job. There was clear coat over the colour but the scratch didn't reach through the colour to the metal. The guy used a succession of ever finer wheels on a small power polisher down to a grit size you couldn't even feel. When he had finished and given it a polish you couldn't see where the problem had been.

It is possible to go out and buy a product, but there is no way you could acquire the skill that that tradesman had spent twenty odd years accumulating. Sometimes it just pays to buy the skill by paying someone who has it.

[nzspokes]

I had an unfortunate incident with a stone and a petrol tank. I took it to a paint shop I have dealings with through my employment. The owner put one of his senior guys on the job. There was clear coat over the colour but the scratch didn't reach through the colour to the metal. The guy used a succession of ever finer wheels on a small power polisher down to a grit size you couldn't even feel. When he had finished and given it a polish you couldn't see where the problem had been.

It is possible to go out and buy a product, but there is no way you could acquire the skill that that tradesman had spent twenty odd years accumulating. Sometimes it just pays to buy the skill by paying someone who has it.

I cant wash my bike without scratching it. Using power tools on my paint is so far out of my skill level I would think about it.

But its nice to see a craftsman at there work.

[davebullet]

Herman's basically transformed my bike from tidy to drop-dead gorgeous! Best $100 I've ever spent! Last photo:

Damn it - my retinas have been burnt, I'm suing!!!!