Nuvite Application Guide
Using Nuvite Polish
Use sparingly for best results. Apply a small dab the size of an M&M
candy to each head of the Cyclo polisher (after first covering the heads of the
polisher with polishing cloth). With the polisher switched off, spread the
polish around a little on the surface to be polished. Then switch the polisher
on and polish until at least 80% of the polish is gone and the surface bright
and almost dry. Then wipe off the excess polish and buff the area with a clean
polishing cloth.
Important: The most common mistake is using too much polish. It’s just
human nature to think that more is better. But use only enough to get the
surface lightly black with lots of metal showing through. If the surface turns
opaque black, you’re using way too much polish. This is true for all the grades
of Nuvite, and for the Cyclo polisher as well as the compounding type polisher.
If too much polish is used, the polish acts as a lubricant and prevents
the cuffing/polishing action from being effective. The cutting/polishing action
is most effective in those last moments when the polish is disappearing.
Check the Polishing Techniques page of our web site for more details.
Note: Nuvite is sold by
weight, not volume. The one lb cans will be about 2/3 full and the % lb cans
will be about half full.
Description of the Different
Grades of Nuvite
Nuvite G6: This is the coarsest grade.
Nuvite describes it as a smart abrasive that provides a quick initial cut and
then breaks down into a fine cut. It is used on badly corroded, chipped or
scratched surfaces.
Nuvite F7: This is the medium-coarse grade.
It has smaller sharp particles than the G6 but they remain sharp and do not
break down during the polishing. It is used on surfaces that may be oxidized
but are smooth to the touch. Nuvite describes it as “heavy cut, for heavy
corrosion”.
Nuvite C: This is the medium-fine grade. It has softer, more
rounded particles. It is used on surfaces that are in relatively good condition
with only light corrosion.
Nuvite S: This is the finish polish. It is used after the
surfaces have been brought into good condition with the other grades of Nuvite.
It brings out the mirror finish with great depth.
Which Grade of Nuvite to Use
There is no one right answer. Every piece of aluminum is different.
Different degrees of corrosion or damage. Different alloys. Different mill
finishes. Some have Alcad coating and some do not. But here are some general
guidelines.
The term “compounding’ below refers to a using a rotary-type polisher
called a compounding buffer or polisher in the auto detailing trade. It puts
the most horsepower into the polishing action and is used to quickly remove
corrosion or smooth out chips or scratches. However it produces swirl marks
that must be removed with the Cyclo polisher.
The term “Cyclo” below refers to using the Cyclo polisher, which is a
two-head, random orbit polisher. This type of polisher is used for finish
polishing. It does not produce swirl marks and must be used after compounding
to remove the swirl marks left by the compounder. However it is less effective
on corroded or damages surfaces.
Both polishers are described in detail on the Polishers page of our web
site.
The filiform corrosion referred to below is the corrosion seen in a
failing paint job over aluminum. Moisture gets in the cracks in the paint and
causes little white “worm trails” of corrosion to form as the oxidation works
its way under the paint.
Compounding with G6: Removes gray patina, orange
peal, corrosion that looks like grain, and filiform corrosion. It will round
out scratches and pits. This is a very harsh technique which will occasionally
leave some deep scratches that are difficult to polish out. Use it only when no
other method will work.
We feel that G6 should be used on only the worst areas because of its
tendency to leave deep scratches. Try compounding with C first.
If you compound with G6, you will probably have to compound with C anyway to
remove the scratches left by the G6.
Cyclo with G6: Removes swirls left by the
compounder. Removes corrosion that looks like grain (with a lot of time and
work). With a lot of time it will remove the white and black left by filiform
corrosion, but it still leaves some corrosion and pits.
You can sometimes move directly from “Cyclo with G6” to the finish grade
“5”. This is probably because the G6 starts out coarse but breaks down to a
mid-grade C during the polishing action. It may be like doing two steps at
once. But this should be tried with some caution because of the tendency of G6
to leave deep scratches.
Going from G6 to S probably won’t work on an Airstream trailer because
the large flat panels reveal the slightest scratch. But it worked fine on my
airplane, probably because its surface is more curved and broken with rivet
lines more often which may make scratches less noticeable.
Compounding with F7: Removes most filiform corrosion.
Can also be used to remove any deep scratches left by compounding with G6. But
in general, compounding with C will produce better results we think.
Cyclo with F7: This is a good place to start if the
surface is dull and oxidized but smooth to the touch. You can often move
straight to the finish grade S after this step, but some small scratches may
remain. It also removes swirls and scratches left by compounding with G6 or F7.
Compounding with C: This is a good place to start if
you’ve got pits, scratches or filiform corrosion. It takes a little longer to
remove the corrosion and round out the pits than using G6 or F7, but the swirls
are easily removed by the Cyclo with F7. And it doesn’t leave the deep
scratches that the G6 sometimes can.
If the C is not aggressive enough, then move to F7 or G6.
The Mannings, who are the subjects of the Airstream Polishing Project
featured on our web site, were very impressed with the performance of C when
compounded. They said it was very aggressive yet left a surface that was smooth
and easily polished.
Cyclo with C: Removes swirls and scratches
left by G6 or F7, but it does leave a network of very fine scratches that the S
finish polish does not completely remove. In practice, the F7 seems to produce
a finer finish than the C, although Nuvite rates the polishes the other way
around.
Cyclo with S: Brings up the mirror finish with
great depth.
Suggested Order of Use on Average
Skin
1. Compound
with C
2. Cyclo
with F7
3. Cyclo
with S
Some experimentation is required. Everyone’s technique is a little
different. Be careful when polishing near painted surfaces, decals or plastic
trim. The coarser grades of Nuvite will remove or damage paint. The S grade
seems to be safe to apply over good paint.
Comments from the Nuvite Factory
Representative
I asked Ron Black, the Nuvite Factory Representative,
to review this Application Guide and here are his comments:
Nuvite’s Recommended Application
Sequence: Nuvite recommends using the compounding type polisher with
only the G6, F7 or C grades. Then follow with the Cyclo polisher and the S
finish polish. Nuvite says the swirls left by the compounder polisher are
easily removed with the S finish polish, provided that the compounding has not
been done too aggressively. If you’ve compounded aggressively, then you may
need to use the Cyclo polisher and a coarser grade such as F7 to remove the
swirls before going on to the S finish polish.
Nuvite’s Recommendation for a
Compounding Polisher: Go to Wal Mart or Home Depot and get an inexpensive
($50) polisher that is designed to accept the standard automotive detailing
polishing head and pads. The polishers have male 5/8” threads that attach
directly to the polishing head. Then go to an automotive paint store and get
the polishing head (about $20) and a wool compounding and cutting pad (about
$15). Nuvite recommends the 100% wool pads made by 3M rather than the wool-poly
blend pads made by Porter-Cable and Milwaukee.
If you want to spend a little more money you can get
a variable speed polisher but it is not essential. But the polisher speed
should be no more than 1800—2600 RPM.
Use the Compounder as Follows: Apply a
tiny touch of polish on 3” centers directly on the aluminum. Use just a
fingerprint of polish, not a big gob. With the polisher off, spread the polish
around and then start polishing. The polish does not get thrown around if only
a small amount is used. Keep the polisher moving.
Move the buffer about a foot per second over the area
you are polishing. Use easy pressure and let the buffer flow around the
surface, back and forth, up and down, then back and forth again. If you move
too slowly the point of contact under the pad can build up very high
temperatures from the friction. This can cause the carrier in the polish to
flash off and leave a tea-colored or black coating on the aluminum. If this
happens, the discoloration can be removed by off by re-polishing the area with
fresh polish.
(Note: If you are using a slow speed drill for
compounding, then we recommend going slowly over the surface, about one or two
inches per second, in one direction only, with fairly heavy pressure. After a
pass down the surface, move the pad over about 4 inches and make another pass
down the surface in the same direction. We have not seen any discoloration from
the polish “flashing off” with slow speed compounding)
PerfectPolish
1333 N. McDowell Blvd., Suite H
Petaluma, CA 94954
Tel. 877.370.0269 toll free
www.perfectpolish.com