ASTRA: Meguiars #105

[Epoch]

Following a recent detail the full post for which can be found here (Link to: ASTRA:The Detail). Here’s a mini review of a new product from Meguiars USA.



Meguiars #105 Ultra Cut Compound, also shown a new W500 double sided wool pad.

Here’s the blurb from the Meg’s site:

Exclusive, super-micro abrasive technology FEATURES: • Ultra-fast cutting removes 1200 grit or finer sanding marks • Super-micro abrasives leave best in class finish • Also great for removing scratches, defects, acid rain and severe swirls/holograms

The previous Megs scale of abrasiveness had #85 at 10 - the top of the scale. For this product they have altered the packaging to make way for a higher scale #105 measuring 12



The product is based on the non diminishing abrasive technology first developed for the Megs #86 Solo polish. The idea on this one being that you polish out the defects, cutting for as long as necessary then remove the marring with a finishing polish.

Meguiars state the product is only suitable for use with a wool pad on a rotary, however owing to my W500 having a 5/8 threaded adaptor and my custom converter adaptor not being ready in time, all of the testing we did was with Meguiars pads by rotary and G220 or by hand (oh yes, get ready for the future!)

First up to say, this is a classic Megs style polish, feeling in use very similar to all the range, kind of like an old friend, just with a huge ability to cut.

L200 Steve was merrily polishing away the oxidation on the side of the ASTRA, using two to three hits of Megs #83 achieving a very high standard of finish using his trusty Metabo and a W7006 polishing pad when I suggested it was time to try the #105. He switched over to a set with the #105 and managed to achieve the same level of removal and finish in one set.





Following this discovery, he switched the W7006 cutting pad on to the G220 and also found the product to be very effective. Working on the relatively soft single stage paint on the ASTRA, working by G220 and a W7006 cutting pad, 5 microns of paint was removed with only a few passes. Yes marring was left, but product removal was greater than 4000 grit wet and dry.



G220 handle not just a sales gimmick



I then took over with the G220 and a 4 inch SFX 2 yellow pad cutting in the boot and other tight areas making light work of the oxidised paint.

We then tried the product by hand similarly finding its level of cut was impressive to say the least.



The finish left showed a lot of marring but this could easily be polished out in the soft Vauxhall single stage with Menzerna PO 85RD.

When I first enquired about this product with Tom at Megs UK, he had said Megs UK are not currently intending to bring the product in to the UK owing us not being a wool pad loving nation and this product being designed to work with a wool pad.

This is a shame, on the findings made, more testing is needed I agree but so far it looks a phenomenal product.

Lets hear from Steve

Most defect removal jobs have always been polished using a couple of hits of Megs #83 first, and only if the finish after these two sets with #83 have been unacceptable, have I moved up to either Meguiar’s #84 or Menzerna Power Gloss. Infact, I’d much rather do many hits of #83 or #84 than have to use Power Gloss, I do not find that this compound suits my style of polishing.

The new #105 compound, on a polishing pad did something that I didn’t think that it would. It stayed quite wet through out it’s use, giving good lubrication to the pad, and you could see the difference that its strong cut was making as you made each pass over the surface.

With us using it first on an oxidation job, you could see the colour improve each pass that was made. The #83 for example needed many passes to make the slightest of differences in comparison.

We did a couple of ‘quick’ sets, doing only a few sets of passes per set, the finish left restored in colour, but exhibiting the marring from the coarse polish.

We then did a couple of longer sets, doing more passes per set to see if the polish was breaking down – The same polish induced marring was still visible. There was no visible sign of any reason to try and extend the set for the sake of the finish left. Instead, as soon as you see that the defects have gone, the set is finished.

The PTG showing us that a couple of quick sets with the #105 was removing about the same amount of total thickness as my previous combination of multiple #83 sets. The only difference being just how quickly the #105 enabled me to do the defect removal – Less than a minute of total polishing time per set.

The marring left behind by the #105 was easily removable by my final polish using Menzerna PO85RD on a Megs finishing pad. The marring seemed no worse, and probably a lot better than the finish left by 4000 grit W&D.

The time savings through using this product were very noticeable, even when using Power Gloss to cut out deeper defects, I tend not to see any savings in time spent polishing.

When using the #105 by Meguiar’s G220 it took slightly longer to get the result we were looking for, 2 minutes per set perhaps, but still we were able to easily remove the oxidation and swirls with the minimum of effort and leave a finish ready for the PO85RD Menzerna.

#105 will prove to be a real time saver, and is a product that is as easy to use by both rotary and PC and Meguiar’s products such as #80.

It still needs to be tested on clearcoated finishes, but I don’t think that it will take long till we do, then I will be adding a bottle of this to my kit as soon as Meg’s UK add it to their stock list.

[L200 Steve]

My first go with the Meguiar's #105 by Metabo using a Meguiar's polishing pad.

A bit of hop, but nothing experience couldn't help with -

Youtube video

[L200 Steve]

My first go with the Meguiar's #105 by Meguiar's G220 polisher. Meguiar's said it couldn't be done

You tube video

[L200 Steve]

Epoch's first go with the Meguiar's #105 using the Meguiar's G220 and a 4" sonus spot pad

Youtube video

[matt1263]

Just watched the vids, very impressed.

[gmblack3]

I have not used the M105 with foam yet, just with some yellow edge wool. I apply 2 dime sized blobs to the 8" wool pad, work it in a bit on low speed, then crank it up to 1700 for 15-20 seconds. If too much product is used it will gum up the pad quickly and leave a "nasty" polish residue on the surface that is hard to remove. Also if you work it too long, it will start to marr the paint again with the wool.

After 3-4 passes with M105 this is what the door looked like on a black corvette, which has very hard clear:



Then after 1 pass of 3M UF:

[GlynRS2]

Very interesting stuff - a great product review.
It would be very nice to have a nice heavy cut alternative to Power Gloss. It will also be interesting to see how you find it with the wool pad, what gmblack 3 has achieved is impressive.

[Finerdetails]

thats some cut! Great review guys, hope we only see this used in extreme cases.

[Epoch]

Originally Posted by Finerdetails

thats some cut! Great review guys, hope we only see this used in extreme cases.

It isn't an LSP ready type all in one that's for sure!

[drive 'n' shine]

Megs #105 the Spinal Tap of polishes

Sorry guys couldn't resist - Paraphrased for artist licence

L200 Steve: The numbers all go to twelve. Look, right across the board, twelve,twelve,twelve and...
Epoch: Oh, I see. And most polishes go up to ten?
L200 Steve: Exactly.
Epoch: Does that mean it's got more cut? Is it any more aggresive?
L200 Steve: Well, it's two more, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most blokes, you know, will be polishing at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your cut scale. Where can you go from there? Where?
Epoch: I don't know.
L200 Steve: Nowhere. Exactly. What we do is, if we need that extra push over the cliff, you know what we do?
Epoch: Put it up to twelve.
L200 Steve: Twelve. Exactly. Two louder.
Epoch: Why don't you just make ten more agressive and make ten be the top number and make that a little more agressive?
L200 Steve: [pause] These go to Twelve

Btw great posts guys