Deep Gloss Auto Salon Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 With the release and subsequent excitement over the consumer release of Opti-Coat I thought I would share the observations/tips/thoughts I have on application of the product. Paint Prep: • Polish the paint to your preference/criteria. Much like adding a clear bra, the swirls present in your paint will be “locked in” and Opti-Coat will have to be removed (by abrasion) to remedy the swirls. • Thoroughly cleanse all areas that are to have the product applied of all wax/polish/sealant etc. To do so I used Optimum Power Clean at the recommendation of Chris at 3:1 dilution. At this point your vehicles paint will be polished to perfection (or to your acceptance criteria) and all areas you wish to apply the product to will be stripped clean and ready for Opti-Coat application Using the Syringe: • The product comes in a syringe with a black cap on it. The black cap is a twist off cap. • The product also comes with a blue nozzle/tip that can be put on the syringe after you remove the black cap. NOTE: I did not use this blue tip. • Instead of using the supplied blue tip, I simply screwed off the black cap and VERY gently depressed the plunger of the syringe to allow drops of product to dispense. • I have found that to do an average sized sedan paint and wheels I use approximately 12cc’s Application Tools: • Syringe • Yellow foam pad • Proper lighting (this is key to successful results as the product is so clear) Application: • Do one panel at a time • When applying go in an up and down motion to cover the section and then in a side to side motion over the same section area to ensure thorough coverage. • Doo not be heavy handed with the product. If you barely see it going on you are using enough product - You will see the small streaks (for lack of a better word) showing you that the product is there • The “streaks” will disappear as the product flashes off and it will become clear, you will not see the product on the paint as it will become optically clear in areas that were not over applied. • After the allotted time (2-5 minutes for pro version / 30 minutes for consumer version) if you still see streaks or damp spots that is what people are calling “high spots”. Gently go over these areas with either your applicator or a soft micro fiber towel. I would call this a light “swipe” and not a “wipe off” motion. The intent is to remove just enough product to allow it to the flash off on its own. Note: This is where proper lighting comes into play. Without good lighting you will not be able to properly see the “high spots”. I cannot stress enough how important good lighting is for this. • Let product cure • Enjoy the shine! Closing comments: I, like many of you asked a TON of questions before using the product. My standard operating procedure is to ask all questions before starting a process so that when I am doing the job I am armed with all information to tackle any potential issues. After actually using the product I was (and still am) amazed at how easy the product is to use. It is essentially identical to Opti-Seal. It is by far one of the easiest products I have ever used - while my pre-application questions did help to give me a sense of confidence I realized that with the ease of application most of my apprehension was in vain. I have all confidence that if you follow the above guidelines with patience, meaning do not rush through the process you will have a very successful Opti-Coat application. This is what has worked for me and I hope it helps with questions people may be having regarding the product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blitztomato Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 thx for your write up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperiorShine Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Nice write up, I have applied Opti-Coat to over 30 cars in the past few months and find it extremely easy to apply. One thing to note is DO NOT apply this even on a slightly warm panel, even if its not in the sun. Otherwise it will haze up instead of drying clear and can be very hard to remove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perfections Detail Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Nice write up thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLR Detailing Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Very informative and detailed post Deep Gloss, Thank you for sharing! Your write up helps to eliminate the "fear" of using this great product for 1st timers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02heritage Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 nice write up. I have been using opti-seal, sounds like I need to switch to opti-coat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deep Gloss Auto Salon Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 Glad this write up was found to be useful for some. Joe: great observation about warm panels and one that should be more widely talked about as mobile guys do not always have the luxury of cool panels. Thx Sent using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Thanks for the "tips'. I think I'm ready to give it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Blake Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Not too sure about the drying times listed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEE DOG Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Not too sure about the drying times listed... I agree, I know thats what seems to be published everywhere but that is not what I found with Opti-Coat 2.0 Awesome product though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfisti Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 What are the correct drying times? Even ball-park figure. I've just received my OC2 and need schooling! Joel, what's your distributorship? How can I get it from you and what are the criteria? Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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