April 14, 2008
What are Swirl Marks???
In Florida and most states in the country swirl marks are very common and very curable problem, At VehicleSpa® we are very familiar with the proper way to treat and remove the unsightly condition that plagues all vehicle owners. If you would like VehicleSpa® to help you with your swirl mark situation set an appointment at vehiclespa.com/concierge and we would be happy to help.
Conquer the Dreaded Swirl Mark
By Prentice St. Clair One of the professional detailer’s worst enemies is the swirl mark. We are either spending a lot of time and energy trying to avoid leaving them or removing those created by someone else. For those unfamiliar with swirl marks or anyone just trying to get a better understanding of the subject, here is an overview that will help you define swirl marks, find out where they come from and learn how to avoid them and remove them. What is a swirl mark? It is important to understand that a swirl mark is simply another type of scratch. In fact, swirl marks can be categorized as a type of micro-scratch. We can get into a lot of semantics here, but from a professional standpoint, the technical definition of a swirl mark is the micro-scratches caused by simple rotary polishing. Swirls appear as lines of concentric circle arcs across the paint surface and are most visible in direct sunlight. These lines of circle arcs will change position as the car passes by, creating a swirling effect like a thin ribbon blowing in the wind–hence the name swirl mark. Sunlight is a key factor in seeing swirl marks. A vehicle with heavy swirl marks can look spectacularly shiny in the shade, but as soon as that vehicle is pulled into the sun, the swirls appear. When speaking with customers about swirl marks, it is important to distinguish between swirl marks and other forms of micro-scratching such as washing scratches, polishing scratches and technical scratches. Micro-scratches are typically most visible in bright sunlight, are too small to catch a fingernail, and, if allowed to accumulate several months or years, will cause the paint surface to appear dull. Polishing scratches. Yes, it is possible to put micro-scratches into a car’s paint through inappropriate use of a random-orbital or dual-action polisher. This can happen by using pads or chemicals that are more aggressive than necessary or by using dirty pads. Technical scratches. These are scratches that are put into the paint inadvertently by the detail technician. There are innumerable ways for this to happen but some common causes are using dirty or rough towels to remove polishing and waxing residue, and using clay that is contaminated with some kind of grit. Washing scratches. Sometimes customers mistakenly identify washing scratches as swirl marks. Washing scratches look more like straight lines than the typical circular shape of swirls. In fact, washing scratches often look similar to a spider’s web and thus can be described as cob-webbing or spider-webbing. An unavoidable fact of life for the paint surface of a vehicle is that every time it is touched, it is scratched. Even the softest, most gentle carwashing techniques will scratch the paint, even if only slightly. Over time, these scratches accumulate. That’s why it is so difficult to keep black cars scratch-free. It only takes about a month’s worth of weekly washing for a pristine black car to start showing washing scratches. Other micro-scratches. There are many ways that micro-scratches can be put into the paint. Micro-scratching can result from contacting a dusty or dirty paint surface with, for example, the palm of the hand, or removing a car cover. Another common cause of micro-scratches is placing objects like handbags, coffee mugs and keys on the paint surface. As mentioned earlier, swirl marks come from simple rotary (or high-speed) polishing. When the pad of a standard high-speed polisher is flat on the paint surface, the swirl mark is created at the leading edge of the pad. It is important for the professional detailer to realize that it is impossible to completely avoid creating swirl marks when using a high-speed polisher. This is simply one of the drawbacks that comes with the many benefits to using high-speed polishers. Instead, strive to use the correct pad, chemical and technique for the situation at hand, which can greatly reduce the amount of swirl marks left behind. How to avoid creating swirl marks It is virtually impossible to completely eliminate the occurrence of swirl marks when using a high-speed polisher. However, there are a number of things that can be done to help reduce the chances of creating swirls. Is high-speed polishing necessary? I have spoken with a surprisingly large number of technicians over the years who pick up the high-speed buffer for every car that comes in the shop. If the vehicle does not need any paint correction, there is no need to use the high-speed machine. A random-orbital will work great to apply protective chemicals such as wax or sealant. Moreover, many vehicles with minor paint problems will benefit tremendously from polishing using the random-orbital polisher and a true-cut polish, followed, of course, with an application of a protective product. And since the random-orbit machine cannot create swirls, you virtually eliminate the problem. Furthermore, most surface contamination problems can be handled by using detailer’s clay followed by an application of a protective product. It used to be that surface problems such as paint overspray had to be removed using a high-speed polisher with a wool pad and compound. With the relatively recent advent of detailer’s clay, this highly aggressive combination is no longer necessary in most cases. Swirl marks can be categorized as a type of micro-scratch. Use the least-aggressive method. If the customer is demanding perfection or the paint has more serious problems that cannot be completely removed using dual-action technology, then the high-speed polisher is the best answer. However, just because you have decided to use the high-speed polisher does not mean that you have to start with a wool pad or heavy compound. Instead, test each situation, starting with a very mild combination, such as a foam finishing pad and light polish. If this removes the damage at hand in a relatively short amount of time, this is the pad/chemical combination of choice. If not, move up slightly in aggressiveness (e.g., a foam cutting pad and a mild polish), and so on. Use “true cut” chemicals. A common problem with high-speed polishing is that while the vehicle looks great immediately after the detail, after a few weeks the customer will call to complain that the damage has reappeared. This situation is often the result of using polishing products with hiding capabilities. These products will partially remove the damage but also fill in the damage at the same time, making it appear to the technician that the damage has been removed. After a few washes and a few weeks in the hot sun, the filling chemicals evaporate, exposing the remainder of the damage that was not completely removed to begin with. These types of “combo” products can also hide swirl marks as they are put into the paint. To avoid this problem, it is recommended that you use polishing products that do not have any filling, hiding or glazing capability. These are called true-cut products–what you see is what you get. That is, when the damage appears to be removed, it actually is removed instead of just being filled in. Pad management. The depth of swirl marks can be enhanced by using old, worn-out or dirty pads. It is critical to keep your pads clean before, between and during high-speed polishing. Use a stiff-bristled nylon brush for foam pads and a cleaning spur for wool pads, and place these tools against the pad while it is spinning on the machine. Clean the pad of excess chemical during the high-speed polishing session, perhaps before moving to each new section of the vehicle. Store pads in a plastic bag after use to prevent dust and debris from lodging in the pad. Replace foam pads that have any divots, slices or holes since imperfections in the pad surface can create deep swirls. Don’t be cheap about replacing old pads. Your pads should be in excellent condition, even if it means using a new pad for each vehicle. If you are trying to save a few bucks by over-extending the useful life of the pad, you are increasing the chances of leaving swirls behind by using old, worn-out and damaged pads. For example, a foam finishing pad can become as aggressive as a foam cutting pad over time as the finishing foam wears down and the pad surface becomes worn. Keep in mind that high-speed polishing yields results that should command a higher-than-normal exterior detailing price, which should more than cover the extra expense of using pristine pads. Technique. Perhaps the most important element in avoiding swirl marks is using correct polishing technique. With the knowledge of how the swirls are created and by controlling the machine, one can reduce the amount of swirls that are created. A discussion of proper buffer technique is an entire article-length topic in and of itself. Hands-on training from a recognized industry leader is recommended here, even if you have been high-speed polishing for a while. In short, keep the pad parallel to the surface whenever possible. Work only a shoulder-width area at a time. Cut the edges of the panel before buffing the main body of the panel. Let the trigger hand do most of the work and relax the other hand. Use a “reverse-E” motion instead of a snake motion across the panel. Removing swirl marks Should you come across a car that already has swirl marks, there are some specific approaches to reducing their appearance. As mentioned earlier, swirl marks are simply a type of micro-scratch and can be removed like any other type of micro-scratch. Test an area of the vehicle where the swirls are most prevalent. Start by using a random-orbit machine, medium-cut pad and a mild true-cut polish. Polish the area slowly and thoroughly, then remove the residue and check for any remaining swirls. The check should be done in direct sunlight. If this method is working in a reasonable amount of time, use it on the remainder of the vehicle. Follow the polishing step with application of a protective product. If the random-orbit machine will not completely remove the swirl marks, it may be necessary to use the high-speed machine. Again, use the least-aggressive combination of pad and chemical that removes the damage in a reasonable amount of time. And you, unlike the previous technician who left swirl marks on the vehicle, will use correct technique, fresh pads and a true-cut product to help minimize the amount of swirls you leave behind. And, of course, follow your polishing with the application of a protective product by hand or preferably use a random-orbit machine with soft pads. Machine-wary customers “I don’t want you to use any machines on my car!” Have you ever heard this from a customer? Often, this type of attitude comes from a previous bad experience. This type of customer probably had a vehicle detailed by an individual who did not know how to correctly use a high-speed polisher, leaving behind swirls and burned edges. Or the customer has heard painful stories, myths or rumors of the “potential damage” that can be created by polishing machines. As detailing professionals, most of us realize that polishing and even waxing a car by hand is inefficient and wasteful. We will–at least–be using a random-orbit “machine” on the vehicle, so it is important to be able to allay the fears of the machine-wary customer. Start by empathizing with the customer, perhaps by saying something like, “I understand your concern over the use of polishing machines. Unfortunately, there are some detailing technicians who don’t take the time to learn the correct use of polishing machines. When used correctly, these machines can be incredibly effective at perfecting the paint surface, simultaneously saving a tremendous amount of time compared to working by hand. The less time I have to spend–without, of course, sacrificing results–the lower the cost to you.” If you plan to use a random-orbit machine, you can continue by saying something like, “It is virtually impossible for this type of machine to create swirl marks or otherwise damage the paint. It simply imitates hand motion but at a much faster pace. The random-orbit machine provides more-even results and allows you to do the work without excess fatigue, yielding a much better result for you and the customer.” If you have determined that the best course of action on the vehicle is to use a high-speed polisher, explain this to the customer. “The best and most thorough way to remove this damage in the paint on your vehicle is to use the high-speed polisher. If you want perfect results, this is the way to go. Rest assured that I know how to do this, and I offer an excellence guarantee so that if there is something you don’t like about the job, I’ll fix it without charge.” Of course, you need to back these kinds of statements up with proper education and training and a certain amount of hands-on experience in the correct use of the high-speed polisher. In order to understand swirl marks, the professional detailer must have an understanding of what they look like, how they are created, how to avoid them and how to remove them. Your ability to communicate this information to the customer is also important in making decisions on how to approach the paint surface in order to yield a great-looking vehicle and a delighted customer.
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