My understanding is we can polish until we're blue in the you know what's before going through.

Can somebody offer some insight?

 

To answer my question I just received an e-mail back from eShine. Chris said with a Porter Cable I could compound it about 500 times before going through.

 

thanks for the info.

 

Really, even if that answer is off by half it would take a long time. Good info Thanks.

 

Well, I don't know if that answer includes how many passes you make per detail, or if he means 500 details all together.
If it includes passes, well I made a ton of passes on my first detail with compound the other day to get all the imperfections out before following up with the final product.

 

Guess we need to start keeping a tally.

 

Only the use of a paint thickness gauge can answer that.

 

Have you ever used one, and what were the measurements after how many details?

 

Nope. Just going on what I've heard.

 

Unfotunately a paint thickness gauge will only tell the total thickness of the paint, not just the clearcoat.

 

Better question is what does Chris consider a compound?

That is somewhat of a generic term in detailing...it can mean many things.

 

My question to him was in regards to OC2.

 

Here's an informative reply I just received from Chris:

"If you were using a rotary polisher it would have took one pass. The Porter
Cable is a VERY mild polisher, it removes about 1/10th as much (Using the
same compound and polishing times) as a rotary.

Rick, I use a paint thickness gauge on my Cobra to monitor how much paint is
coming off. Although most paint thickness gauge do not tell you how thick
the clear is, knowing how much paint is coming off at least gives you an
idea. My PTG does actually tell the thickness of each layer (Positector 200)
An example is my Cobra. I do one major detail in the spring which includes
total swirl removal using an orange pad, Menzerna SIP and then a white pad
and Menzerna Nano on my Flex 3401. After the initial detail The car sees a
minor polishing weekly. I have to keep the Cobra looking perfect at all
times being it represents my company. Last year the car was stuffed in the
garage where is would get scuffed, dusty and needed swirl removal almost
every weekend I would usually hit it with Optimum Poli-Seal and a white
pad and in some spots I would use Optimum Compound first using the Porter
Cable. After the whole summer the reduction on my paint thickness gauge was
non-readable. The gauge would flicker between the same reading at the
beginning of spring (12.4 mil, car has been repainted) to either 12.4 or
12.3. I measure in the same spot(s). When the season began I was not able to
get it to read 12.3 so my guess is that it has removed about .05 mil. That
was after about 30 polishes. Most manufacturers say not to remove more than
.5 mil before you experience clear coat failure. Of coarse every detail is
different, if you need to hit the car with a wool pad and a heavy compound
every week then the reduction of clear will happen quicker. After your
initial job with just maintaining the paint lets say monthly with a mild
swirl remover and a white pad, you will get hundreds of polishes before any
problems. Hope this give a better idea.

Chris Pace"