got my draino

TheBull350

Registered
Bullet,

I know your the man when it comes to this, so let me in on some secrets......(Since I hear you work for them) Just kidding. I know you get a bunch of crap over this..........

Is the Fast Cure Accelerator supposed to be in a bottle the size of two large pills? Seriously though I could swallow the bottle if I needed to! How long does it last? 4-5 drops per 2oz. I think theres only 6 drops in the bottle. LOL

Any advice would be appreciated since our busa's are the fastest colors..

:eek:

Did I say that?

just thought i'd stir things up a bit since i get feeling down when i see so many of our board members bitting the dust recently

Hope everyone gets well!

marcus
 
Ok, here's some tips...

Start with the paint as clean as you can get it. Since Zaino doesn't have abrasives or harsh cleaning chemicals it isn't going to remove anything that's on the paint. The tips on the Zaino site recommend washing with Dawn dish soap first. That removes oils and road grime from the paint. If yer paint has industrial fallout, water deposits, etc... you might want to do the clay thing next to get down to nice clean paint.

Once the paint is cleaned as much as yer willing/able to clean it, it would be a good time to go after any scratches that might rub out. For mild scratches 3M Finesse-It polish or 3M Foam Pad Polish works great. I like to Dawn wash again after I use these types of products since they are petroleum based and can leave an oily/greasy film.

Now yer ready for Zaino. If you have spiderweb lookin' swirls you can start with Zaino Z5. Works great for filling in those super ultra fine spideweb swirls. If the paint is pretty much swirl free already you can start with Z2. The following tips apply to both Z5 and Z2.

Tip #1 Use a pure white 100% Made in USA cotton applicator. Zaino's applicator pads are excellent and won't scratch. You can also make yer own by cutting pieces of a good cotton towel to the size you need. Using true, pure 100% cotton helps avoid getting the spiderweb swirls when applyin' the Zaino. Z2/Z5 it's self will not scratch paint so if you get any swirls yer applicator and/or towels are suspect.

Tip #2... Moisten yer cotton applicator with Zaino Z6 Gloss Enhancer Spray. I stumbled across this trick while messin' with my Trans Am. It just popped into my head to try it one day so I did. I'm not talkin' about dippin' the applicator in Z6 and wringin' it out, just a spritz (a pull of the spray bottle trigger across the face of the applicator is all you need). Then I take a finger and just rub across the pad to spread the Z6 evenly. Dampening the pad with Z6 really helps you get a thin even coat of polish on the paint. This brings us to what may be the most important thing of all with Zaino.

Tip #3... You want as thin a coat of Zaino as you can apply and still get it on even. A little goes a LOOOOOONG way. Look at it like this. You put a coat of wet paint on a floor and then spread just enough sand to cover the paint. When the paint dries, the vast majority of the sand will stick to and bond with the paint. You have efficiently coated the paint with sand. Now let's say that you put a coat of wet paint on the floor but this time you pile on three inches of sand over the entire floor. Once the paint dries this time you can take a broom and sweep away a LOT of sand that never had a chance to bond with the wet paint. You've wasted a lot of material and you've created a helluva job fer yerself in sweepin' the excess sand away.   :wink:

The same goes for applyin' Zaino to yer car or bike paint. Only so much of it is going to bond with the paint. Anything more is wasting time, materials ($) and effort. You want to get enough on there to cover evenly but no more. When I do a coat of Zaino I can barely see a haze when it's dry. No white hazy mess like with regular waxes. You can pile on the Zaino and get more of a haze but I believe that what you're seeing is the wasted polish that isn't doin' anything for ya.

Tip #4... How to get a thin, even coat. Dampen the pad with Z6 as I said above and then apply a SMALL amount of Zaino to the moist surface of the pad. Maybe a spot the size of a dime. Here's the meat of tip #4... Before starting to rub the Zaino onto yer paint, take yer finger and spread the Zaino around on the pad workin' it into the cotton. Doing this helps you avoid the old problem that some of you have no doubt seen using paste waxes and the applicator pads that came with them. You start rubbin' it on and it goes on really thick to begin with, then fades away. When it's dry, you see that the coat isn't really even. It is thick where you started and thins as you go.

Workin' the polish into the pad before you start rubbin' yer paint evens it out on the pad and helps you get a smooth, even coat from start to finish. After you've got it worked in, simply start rubbin' it on. Zaino's site has tips on applying the polish, ie; top to bottom in straight motions on verticle panels, front to rear in straight motions on horizontal panels. Works well, but some spots just have to be rubbed on whichever way you can get to them, especially on a bike.    :wink:

You'll be able to see the haze on the paint as you apply the Zaino. When the haze starts to look thin just spritz the pad again with Z6, apply a little more polish to the pad and work it in, then slightly overlap where you left off and keep rubbin' it on. I like to apply it to the entire vehicle/bike before I start removin' but you can work a panel at a time if you want to. Doesn't matter as long as you let it completely dry.

After you've got it applied to all the paint and whatever else yer puttin' it on (chrome, etc...) just give it 20-30 minutes (if it's above around 70 degrees). You'll see the slight haze on the paint but as long as you don't cake it on you won't see the thick chalky haze that you see with waxes and some other polishes. To see if it's ready to remove just take a cotton towel (again, the best you can find if yer serious about not havin' swirls) and wrap it around a finger tip. Swipe the finger across a spot. If it wipes away clean and leaves a gloss, it's dry. If it smears or leaves a residue give it another 20-30 minutes and try again.

I like to remove the polish using the same motions I applied it with. Just a habit but it works well. Once I remove a coat I spritz the paint extremely lightly with Z6 and wipe it down with a clean, dry cotton towel workin very small areas at a time. You want to wipe the Z6 onto the paint while it's wet. If it dries it might spot or streak, but a wet towel will remove it if it does. Z6 helps to even out the gloss in any areas that you might have flubbed up a little on and it really makes it slick.

At that point you can apply a second coat if you want to. For the first application I always apply at least two coats just to make sure I get it on the entire surface evenly. Again, Zaino doesn't have any harsh cleaning chemicals or abrasives so each extra coat actually seems to stack, making the paint a bit smoother and more glossy. Not like most waxes and polishes that contain stuff that pretty much removes the first coat and leaves a new one if you repeat your steps. At one time I think I put 18 coats of Z2 on my Trans Am in a weekend. It was unbelieveable. Absolutely looked like wet glass. :super:

Just remember to finish up with Z6 after every coat or wash job to slick it up and keep it in top shape.

The hardest thing for most Zaino newbies when I ran the detailing forum was to apply it thin enough. They were used to pilin' on the carnauba stuff and just couldn't get the hang of spreadin' Zaino on so thin. Again, important point. You want to apply enough to get a full, even coat but that's it. No more. It will prolly take a few times to get the feel of just how thin you can put it on and still get a full even coat. Once you master that, you've got it beat.

Another tidbit to keep in mind. Cold temps or high humidity can slow dry time of Zaino or any other wax/polish. If yer havin' trouble with dry times with Zaino or other stuff this could be what's holdin' ya up.

Whew! I could go on about detailing tips in general but my hands are numb from typin' this much.     :eek: Anyway, if you have any questions about these tips, or anything else related to detailing just post it here or PM me. I'll be happy to help. If Cappy keeps the board runnin' maybe we can talk him into a dedicated detailing forum for the hard core blingers.  :super:

Later dudes...
 
Is the Fast Cure Accelerator supposed to be in a bottle the size of two large pills? Seriously though I could swallow the bottle if I needed to! How long does it last? 4-5 drops per 2oz. I think theres only 6 drops in the bottle. LOL

Any advice would be appreciated since our busa's are the fastest colors..

:eek:

Did I say that?

just thought i'd stir things up a bit since i get feeling down when i see so many of our board members bitting the dust recently

Hope everyone gets well!

marcus
Yep, it's in a really small bottle but I don't think I'd try swallowing it. :eek: but once you see just how little the drops are you'll see that there's plenty in there if you use the right amount.  :wink:

As for havin' the fastest color... You do know that Zaino reduces wind drag coefficient, thus makin' the fastest color even faster, right?!? :super: :laugh:
 
No problem, man. If I can help just hit me up. :beerchug:

Oh, and disregard the PM. I sent it before I saw that you had replied here. :wink:
 
I put another coat on today. :cool:

shot_013.jpg
 
Ok, here's some tips...

Start with the paint as clean as you can get it. Since Zaino doesn't have abrasives or harsh cleaning chemicals it isn't going to remove anything that's on the paint. The tips on the Zaino site recommend washing with Dawn dish soap first. That removes oils and road grime from the paint. If yer paint has industrial fallout, water deposits, etc... you might want to do the clay thing next to get down to nice clean paint.

Once the paint is cleaned as much as yer willing/able to clean it, it would be a good time to go after any scratches that might rub out. For mild scratches 3M Finesse-It polish or 3M Foam Pad Polish works great. I like to Dawn wash again after I use these types of products since they are petroleum based and can leave an oily/greasy film.

Now yer ready for Zaino. If you have spiderweb lookin' swirls you can start with Zaino Z5. Works great for filling in those super ultra fine spideweb swirls. If the paint is pretty much swirl free already you can start with Z2. The following tips apply to both Z5 and Z2.

Tip #1 Use a pure white 100% Made in USA cotton applicator. Zaino's applicator pads are excellent and won't scratch. You can also make yer own by cutting pieces of a good cotton towel to the size you need. Using true, pure 100% cotton helps avoid getting the spiderweb swirls when applyin' the Zaino. Z2/Z5 it's self will not scratch paint so if you get any swirls yer applicator and/or towels are suspect.

Tip #2... Moisten yer cotton applicator with Zaino Z6 Gloss Enhancer Spray. I stumbled across this trick while messin' with my Trans Am. It just popped into my head to try it one day so I did. I'm not talkin' about dippin' the applicator in Z6 and wringin' it out, just a spritz (a pull of the spray bottle trigger across the face of the applicator is all you need). Then I take a finger and just rub across the pad to spread the Z6 evenly. Dampening the pad with Z6 really helps you get a thin even coat of polish on the paint. This brings us to what may be the most important thing of all with Zaino.

Tip #3... You want as thin a coat of Zaino as you can apply and still get it on even. A little goes a LOOOOOONG way. Look at it like this. You put a coat of wet paint on a floor and then spread just enough sand to cover the paint. When the paint dries, the vast majority of the sand will stick to and bond with the paint. You have efficiently coated the paint with sand. Now let's say that you put a coat of wet paint on the floor but this time you pile on three inches of sand over the entire floor. Once the paint dries this time you can take a broom and sweep away a LOT of sand that never had a chance to bond with the wet paint. You've wasted a lot of material and you've created a helluva job fer yerself in sweepin' the excess sand away.  
wink.gif


The same goes for applyin' Zaino to yer car or bike paint. Only so much of it is going to bond with the paint. Anything more is wasting time, materials ($) and effort. You want to get enough on there to cover evenly but no more. When I do a coat of Zaino I can barely see a haze when it's dry. No white hazy mess like with regular waxes. You can pile on the Zaino and get more of a haze but I believe that what you're seeing is the wasted polish that isn't doin' anything for ya.

Tip #4... How to get a thin, even coat. Dampen the pad with Z6 as I said above and then apply a SMALL amount of Zaino to the moist surface of the pad. Maybe a spot the size of a dime. Here's the meat of tip #4... Before starting to rub the Zaino onto yer paint, take yer finger and spread the Zaino around on the pad workin' it into the cotton. Doing this helps you avoid the old problem that some of you have no doubt seen using paste waxes and the applicator pads that came with them. You start rubbin' it on and it goes on really thick to begin with, then fades away. When it's dry, you see that the coat isn't really even. It is thick where you started and thins as you go.

Workin' the polish into the pad before you start rubbin' yer paint evens it out on the pad and helps you get a smooth, even coat from start to finish. After you've got it worked in, simply start rubbin' it on. Zaino's site has tips on applying the polish, ie; top to bottom in straight motions on verticle panels, front to rear in straight motions on horizontal panels. Works well, but some spots just have to be rubbed on whichever way you can get to them, especially on a bike.    
wink.gif


You'll be able to see the haze on the paint as you apply the Zaino. When the haze starts to look thin just spritz the pad again with Z6, apply a little more polish to the pad and work it in, then slightly overlap where you left off and keep rubbin' it on. I like to apply it to the entire vehicle/bike before I start removin' but you can work a panel at a time if you want to. Doesn't matter as long as you let it completely dry.

After you've got it applied to all the paint and whatever else yer puttin' it on (chrome, etc...) just give it 20-30 minutes (if it's above around 70 degrees). You'll see the slight haze on the paint but as long as you don't cake it on you won't see the thick chalky haze that you see with waxes and some other polishes. To see if it's ready to remove just take a cotton towel (again, the best you can find if yer serious about not havin' swirls) and wrap it around a finger tip. Swipe the finger across a spot. If it wipes away clean and leaves a gloss, it's dry. If it smears or leaves a residue give it another 20-30 minutes and try again.

I like to remove the polish using the same motions I applied it with. Just a habit but it works well. Once I remove a coat I spritz the paint extremely lightly with Z6 and wipe it down with a clean, dry cotton towel workin very small areas at a time. You want to wipe the Z6 onto the paint while it's wet. If it dries it might spot or streak, but a wet towel will remove it if it does. Z6 helps to even out the gloss in any areas that you might have flubbed up a little on and it really makes it slick.

At that point you can apply a second coat if you want to. For the first application I always apply at least two coats just to make sure I get it on the entire surface evenly. Again, Zaino doesn't have any harsh cleaning chemicals or abrasives so each extra coat actually seems to stack, making the paint a bit smoother and more glossy. Not like most waxes and polishes that contain stuff that pretty much removes the first coat and leaves a new one if you repeat your steps. At one time I think I put 18 coats of Z2 on my Trans Am in a weekend. It was unbelieveable. Absolutely looked like wet glass.
super.gif


Just remember to finish up with Z6 after every coat or wash job to slick it up and keep it in top shape.

The hardest thing for most Zaino newbies when I ran the detailing forum was to apply it thin enough. They were used to pilin' on the carnauba stuff and just couldn't get the hang of spreadin' Zaino on so thin. Again, important point. You want to apply enough to get a full, even coat but that's it. No more. It will prolly take a few times to get the feel of just how thin you can put it on and still get a full even coat. Once you master that, you've got it beat.

Another tidbit to keep in mind. Cold temps or high humidity can slow dry time of Zaino or any other wax/polish. If yer havin' trouble with dry times with Zaino or other stuff this could be what's holdin' ya up.

Whew! I could go on about detailing tips in general but my hands are numb from typin' this much.    
eek2.gif
Anyway, if you have any questions about these tips, or anything else related to detailing just post it here or PM me. I'll be happy to help. If Cappy keeps the board runnin' maybe we can talk him into a dedicated detailing forum for the hard core blingers.  
rock.gif


Later dudes...
Took me a minute to find these instructions again, but it is worth it. Now that it is a little warmer, it is time to zaino the truck. The Busa will be next. Both will be blinging in time for Laguna.

wink.gif
 
BulletTrain

You are the man.

I got my Zaino last month and used the instructions from the web site to do my bike. Ohh it looked great, but I think adding your methods as well will really make the bike look bad a$$.

Thanks for the tips.
 
Back
Top