Ultimate Compound
 

Is there any danger in applying compound by hand to a black car with alot of swirls in it? I have heard that it might look terrible if i used hand application? Thoughts and/or concerns would be appreciated.

No. You won't ruin anything by hand. You also won't get very far by hand.

Check this out, it is a GREAT comparison of man vs machine with swirls and black.

Man versus Machine - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

I tried by hand on my Explorer but had zero luck so I refused to touch the Monte with it. If you're really good you might get somewhere but for best results you'll want to make sure you have everything (old wax, dirt, etc.) off the paint. Probably the best time to claybar would be before Ulimate Compound if you haven't lately. A polisher works excellent.

I believe I didn't even go as far as Ultimate Compound on my Monte. Started out with Scratchx2.0, because it is only a chemical abrasive where as Ultimate Compound is a "physical abrasive", which can do serious damage if not applied correctly or if you press too hard etc.

I'd do quite a bit of research before hand to see what products will work best for you and which ones would be overkill. :)

Edit: Re-read your post, maybe ScratchX or SwirlX would be the best place to start if your just trying to remove swirls. Also you're going to need a polisher that can go up to 5-6k rpm to actually remove them. I recommend Porter Cable's Polisher.. works great when combined with some Lake Country Pads and the proper compound/polish/wax. Supplies may seem pricey up front but you'll thank me later!

I wouldn't try to hard with anything by hand honestly.

An orbital or a good DA is really going to help you out to get rid of those swirls.

I've tried it by hand didn't do a hole lot. Didnt damage anything either.

same problem here. Dispite its looks, my monte has swirls like no tomorrow.. I've tried the ultimate compound with no difference. I actually got to use the product with a powerball on my brothers durango, and 90% of the swirls and holograms disappeared.

I checked online first and the best way to use power applicators is with light pressure, just enough to keep it on the surface. Also, don't forget to use polish afterwards with a hand application.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...04/durango.jpg

I use all 3M products & never really get swirls when im done but u gotta have a real buffer not an orbital one

Great article to find there mike!
Thanks for posting it!

Thanks!

I can spend HOURS on that autogeek forum learning detailing tricks.

X2 on that and Meguiar's online,

Great places to find information on about all your detailing needs / questions