random orbital buffer - 6 or 10 inch?
 

I gotta buy one of these and rub out the finish to get rid of light scratches and bird poop stains. It will be coming from Harbor Freight, most likely. I figure the 10 would be good for the big flat areas, but the 6 might be handy for the tight contours, like the front fenders - any recommendations? What's the best commonly available compound(s) to use for this project? I'm not looking for concours, just an improvement in the original 20-year old black paint. Some of the kits I've seen come with a variety of bonnets - is wool the way to go?

Thanks for any replies.

Joe

I personally wouldn't waste my time with one of those. Get a porter cable and be done with ever purchasing one again. If you really must buy a cheapy go down to Home Depot and pick up a ryobi or something along those lines, shouldn't cost much more than $25.

Try Autopia.org. More info than you could ever want.

Lawrence

I have been researching the same thing for a while and am buying a Porter Cable 7424 tonight...seems to get good reviews by most. I plan to be off next week so I should be able to post some results.

v/r
Wayne C.
83 SC

I got the Porter Cable with a 6 inch pad. I couldn't imagine wanting a 10 inch one for detailing a car. I bought a kit from Proper Auto Care:

http://www.properautocare.com/porcabpolac.html

I highly recommend Menzerna polishes.

A wool pad is only for heavy cutting. Most likely all you need is white or yellow pads. Proper Auto car also has lots of pad info on their web site.

I use a yellow pad with Menzerna Intensive Polish and a white pad with Menzerna Final Polish II. On my daily driver I finish by hand with Klasse and on my Porsches I finish by hand with P21S wax. The resulting finishes are amazing. I use the Klasse on the daily driver because it lasts longer and is less expensive.

Porter cable again -

Porter Cable. Don't be silly, that Harbor Freight stuff is cheap Chinese crap. You don't want to be burning a nice swirl in the hood of your baby do you?????

Some good info on this site. I've been to autotopia and all of the other detailing websites but I like that this one has product and info links together.

Porter Cable - possibly the most idiot proof polisher on the market, which is a good thing when you are buffing your baby.

Porter Cable with a foam pad....they last a long time too and don't need cleaning like wool pads.

I agree. The Porter Cable is a great unit. Easy to use and pretty much idiot-proof.

Get the Porter Cable via Meguiar's and get a lifetime warranty and lifetime support. Great support (emails, calls, visits for training at the shop in Irvine or when on the road).
They also match up their products with the pads, etc...

is it not more of a method thing here, than a product thing?

Yes, and no. A professional detailer or paint guy can probably use an orbital buffer and not burn the paint. For the rest of us "mortals," even a momentary mistake can cause paint damage that will require repainting. The PC random orbital polisher is pretty idiot-proof, and as long as you keep it moving you won't have any problems.

One word of caution, however. Be careful when selecting pads. Only use aggressive pads if you really need them (e.g., your paint is badly oxidized). Otherwise, the more conservative pads will generally do the job for you.

A great source to purchase supplies for your PC is www.properautocare.com. The people there are VERY knowledgeable about combinations of pads, polishes and waxes that will make your car glow.

Well, thanks for all the responses - I should have realized the correct answer was going to include the inevitable suggestion to spend MORE MONEY on the Porsche - I'm eight months into my fantasy purchase and I don't see this trend stopping anytime soon.
Plus the difference between a $25 buffer and a $125 buffer ain't gonna buy too much paint work.
I'll check the specials and order the Porter-Cable. Hope it doesn't piss off all the Milwaukee tools I already own.

Joe

The $25 buffer from HF may not be a random orbital. If it's just an orbital unit, you're asking for trouble. You seem to "get it" -- don't be penny-wise and pound foolish! Spend the extra bucks and get the PC.

If our host doesn't carry the PC, you might take a look at www.coastaltool.com. When I bought mine a few years ago, they had the best deal around.

AGAIN THE PORTER CABLE.Get the one with the variable speed
and foam pads. I use Mothers cleaner, polish and solid carnuba wax. I apply and take off the residue with the buffer. higher speed when cleaning and lower speeds when you are buffing it out. I even have a microfiber bonnet to take the last of the wax
off and even the finish. No swirls and a long lasting fly ass busting finish.

Keith Epperly

87 slant nose turbo look carrera cabriolet

I second billroth - Autopia.org Their e-zine is definitely worth reading. Got my Porter Cable & other products from them (chose to use sealant rather than carnauba after reading up on the subject while my SC was in the paint shop). Fair prices, great service and response to questions.

I'd get one made for cars with (I think) a 5/8-11 thread so you can use the standard pad holders from a automotive paint shop.

I went all out and bought a Milwaukee 11 amp Polisher a few years back. Gets the job done quick, right, with ease. I paid $199.99 for it, but for me, it was well worth it. I did this professionally in a paint shop, and detail shop of a auto dealer for a few years.


http://s7.sears.com/is/image/Sears/00927796000

You can use both a 6in, and 10 pad, and get the same results. The 10in just covers more area when your on the hood, sides etc. For the small, tight spots, use a cloth and a your fingers, that way your not burning your rubber moldings, or tearing up your pads.(yes, you CAN burn your rubber using a foam pad). You should get one that also has a speed adjuster. That does tend to matter with what products your using.

BUT, the first thing to do, if you have never used a polisher, is to practice on an old car, or something other then your pride and joy, so you can get use to the polisher in your hand. You will need to learn how to and not to apply pressure to the area your working.You can, and will burn your paint right off if you apply to much, and you will do double the work if you don't use enough pressure. Its really not a hard thing to learn, and use, and once you master it, you will kick your self in the butt for all the years of hand waxing you've done.

Bill, that's a good idea to practice on on old car before doing the Porsche, I have just the car in mind - my 95 Accord work car. I've had it for 5 years and it's never been waxed. You might say the finish is a little dull. Do those pads last awhile, or should I buy an extra set to do two cars?
Thanks guys for all the replies to my re-post. The Carrera looks good now but wait until I give it the 'treatment'.

Joe

as a side note.,,.,.,.,Be Warned : If you are using these type of polishers on a factory paint job, know most manufacturers only put 1 layer of clear coat on the car. You will burn that off in a hurry if you don't keep the polisher moving. If your polishing a car that has been professionally painted, you probably have 2 to 4 coats of clear, if done right. You still don't want to leave the polisher in one spot for too long, but you do have less of a chance of burning threw to your paint

I was informed by another Pelican that 85s have no clear coat - is that right? The same thing had occurred to me, if it had a clear coat it would likely be old and burn off easy.

Joe

Yes, the pads can last a while, just as long as you take care of them. Keep them clean (follow the steps shown at the website posted in this thread.). Out of the 5 cars I have, I drive, and polish only 3 of them. Each car has there own pads. so I have 3 sets, plus brand new sets in the cabinet for each.

This is precisely why I will never use an orbital polisher like the Milwaukee. Bill is a professional, and knows what he's doing. For the rest of us "weekend warriors," the Porter Cable is much safer -- it's virtually impossible to burn the paint.

Its really easy to pick up on how to use these type of polishers. When I started out on them, I was polishing cars that were going back out to the used car lot. Also had to polish the imperfections in the new cars. So thats what I learned on. It takes a short time to get a handle how to use them. The hardest thing to learn was to know when to use which pad, for which job. But there is sooo much info on the web today, its pretty easy to figure out.

Heck, maybe I should hold a class.,...,. Polishing 101.:D

Here's a trick. Let the polisher do the work. All you should be doing it guiding it.You dont put any force onto the polisher, no need to. The speed(rotation) of the pad, the pad type, and the polish your using should be doing all the work.

And I am by no means suggesting everybody go out and buy a pro polisher. I'm just saying they arent that hard to use. Just like the 915 tranny, once its in your hands long enough, you get full understanding.

Bosch also make one.