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Towels and Zaino

Old Feb 29, 2004 | 07:26 PM
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Default Towels and Zaino

This weekend it was finally warm and dry enough for me to put some Zaino on my new Z. I had already tested out the Zaino on my two other cars and it went on and off very easy. Which leads me to my question/problem.

Friday afternoon, after washing and claybaring, I applied a coat of Z-5 without ZFX and left it on overnight to dry. The temp. on Friday evening was about 60 but dropped down into the 40's. By Saturday it was back up into the 60's when I polished off the Z-5. I used a couple of 16" sq. microfiber towels. It damn near wore me out trying to get the Zaino off. I wasn't sure if it was because I left it on all night, it was the towels or it just didn't dry enough as the temp was not much over 60.

I treated it with Z-6 which went on and off without a hitch then applied a coat of Z-2 with ZFX. Waited and hour and polished it off and it too was hard to remove. When I did my other cars it was somewhat warmer and a lot more humid but it took little or no effort to remove the Z-5 and Z-6. I did use a cotton towel on those cars, not a MF towel.

Today I applied another coat of Z-2 with ZFX and used the cotton towel and it seemed to come off a lot easier than yesterday.

Does anybody else use MF towels to polish Z-5 and Z-2? Should it be that difficult? Should I use the cotton towels to remove Z-5, Z-2 and save the MF towels for the Z-6? Was the difficulty in removing the Z-5 & Z-2 due to the temp being only slightly over 60?

Also, I found that the Z-5 and Z-2 left streaks on the plastic front and rear bumpers. Anybody else notice that?

All and all, I still love how it came out. I just want to be able to get at least two coats on in a day without killing myself.

Thanks,
Dave
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Old Mar 1, 2004 | 06:10 AM
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I use DF micro fiber towels myself, where did you get the MF towels you used?
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Old Mar 1, 2004 | 07:05 AM
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From: Zainoland
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If you use ZFX you often don't even need to wait an hour. By the time you are done putting it on the car, it is ready to take it of.

Also, the most common "error" in using Zaino is that most people use too much. Put it on REALLY thin for the best results. I too use the df towels and don't have to work hard at all to take it off.
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Old Mar 1, 2004 | 07:50 AM
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Originally posted by Kevin Overall
I use DF micro fiber towels myself, where did you get the MF towels you used?
I tried both the "Soft and Plush" from PremiumAutoCare
and the Viper Microfiber Detailing Towel from
ProperAutoCare (CMA).
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Old Mar 1, 2004 | 07:52 AM
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Originally posted by Dr Bonz
If you use ZFX you often don't even need to wait an hour. By the time you are done putting it on the car, it is ready to take it of.

Also, the most common "error" in using Zaino is that most people use too much. Put it on REALLY thin for the best results. I too use the df towels and don't have to work hard at all to take it off.
Doc:

I thought I put it on thin enough but that could have been part of the problem. I was just concerned that a regular MF towel was not doing as good a the big old cotton towel.

Thanks
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Old Mar 1, 2004 | 08:43 AM
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I used the same viper towels to remove the zaino on mine, also without zfx, and while the very first coat was not as easy to wipe off as the following coats, it wasn't that difficult.

I really like the viper mf sponge applicators from properautocare. they came with my menzerna polishing compounds.
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Old Mar 7, 2004 | 03:09 PM
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You can do an entire application with less than 1/2 oz. of Zaino polish. Some people get 2 applications from 1/2 ounce.
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Old Mar 8, 2004 | 04:15 AM
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Originally posted by Kevin V
You can do an entire application with less than 1/2 oz. of Zaino polish. Some people get 2 applications from 1/2 ounce.
If that's the case, then I'm definitely putting it on too thick. I usually mix a little less than half a 2oz bottle and apply that. There may be a little left but certainly not enough for a 2nd complete application.

I don't see how I can put any less on the applicator and not get spotty coverage.
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Old Mar 8, 2004 | 06:13 AM
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Make sure you dampen your applicator first. I use water but some guys have been using a few squirts of Z-6 mist.
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Old Mar 8, 2004 | 03:59 PM
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Originally posted by Dr Bonz
Make sure you dampen your applicator first. I use water but some guys have been using a few squirts of Z-6 mist.
I had tried that the first couple of times but then I stopped to see if it would help or make a difference. It probably makes a diff initially but once enough of the Zaino starts to coat the face of the applicator it seems to go on the same either way.
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Old Mar 8, 2004 | 07:46 PM
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I know, but I think you'll be using less polish if the applicator is damp.
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Old Mar 10, 2004 | 06:00 AM
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Default Learning to use less

It really helped to soak the cloth wrapped sponge applicator from Zaino with water, then squeeze all the water out, then put on some Z5 or Z2 onto sponge, work it in..... then use the Z5 or Z2 w/ZFX in small dabs. After second go around, I can now do two coats of Z5 with about 1.3 oz, but only one coat of Z2 with same amount. Takes an hr or less to dry, enough time to clean up your tools, straighten the garage and drink two beers before you buff it off.
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Old Mar 10, 2004 | 12:56 PM
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Use less than one ounce to cover a Z car, 2 ounces is way, way too much. Put a little pressure on the applicator pad and it will spread thinner...............
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Old Mar 20, 2004 | 11:02 AM
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A followup to my original post....

I ordered a DF Towel from Kevin Overall and received it last week. I finally got to try it out this morning and the good news is that it works a lot better than the microfiber towels I tried before. The DF towel is a lot like a cotton terrycloth towel in that it has large loops of thread unlike a regular microfiber towel. It IS very soft and did a good job of removing Z-5 and Z-2.

The bad news is that you better not use it near any sharp edges on your car (Emblems, front grill, door handles, etc.) The threads are easily snagged by an edge and they pull very easily. After one days use, mine looks like hell. The threads do not appear to be tied very tightly or with a know that won't run and pull more loose. I'm worried that after I snip all of them off, I'll have huge bald spots.

All things considered, I'm very happy with the way it worked out. Thanks Kevin and Dr. Bonz for the feedback and recommendations.
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Old Mar 20, 2004 | 11:30 AM
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From: Zainoland
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I know what you mean but I have had the same trouble with ANY towel I use around the "Z" of the 350Z emblem on the rear hatch! That darn Z has been caught on so many towels it eventually came loose and I had to re-stick it on with DS tape.

That thing eats towels like crazy!
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Old Mar 20, 2004 | 12:57 PM
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If you get a snag on the DF towel just do as Leo suggests on the web site and instructions and take a pair of scissors and snip off the pulled out thread, just don't pull on it any further...
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