Avoiding holograms after polish
 

I am still failing to understand what creates those holograms in paint after polish. So I keep my pad as flat as possible, don't spin it too fast, moist surface and still get those. What causes it? Too much/little compound, or too much/little lube? What is it really and how to prevent it from happening?

An aside: can I hand remove those holograms with Scratch-x?

I'm assuming you are using a rotary buffer?

Try to go with the grain of the paint and not go against it. Unlike a random orbital, you can do north south, east west.

When you go against the grain of the paint, it's more likely to put swirls/holograms into the paint, or more likely to have the swirls you could potentially put into the paint, be seen.

Also,what I like to do is spray a bit of spray wax on the pad to moisturize it before adding any compounds or polishes.

Watch out for how much pressure you are putting and how fast you are moving the buffer as well.

Hope this helps!

There are a few things that will cause holograms when polishing...

- Using an abrasive product to remove scratches and not following up with a finishing polish
- Using too high a speed
- Using an overly aggressive polishing medium i.e. wool pad vs foam
- Not keeping the polishing pad parallel to the paint surface. Tilting the pad slightly can cause holograms when using a rotary.
-Even pressure, consistent arm movements and proper pad/polish choice are essential to being successful with a rotary. Depending on the paint type, some cars are damn near impossible to finish down perfectly with the rotary because of how soft the paint is. Subaru, Infinity and Porsche tend to fall into this category. It takes years of practice to get perfect results with a rotary. For enthusiasts, a dual action polisher like the Porter Cable, Griots or the new Rupes are a way better choice. Almost impossible to produce holograms under any conditions.