Looking for high speed polishing tips/instructions
 

Anyone know where I can find some comprehensive 'how to' info on the CORRECT method for high-speed polishing? I just bought a Makita and want to learn how not to destroy my paint job. I do have a banger I can practice on until I'm up to snuff...

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Adam Nitti
ajnitti@mindspring.com
www.adamnitti.com
'85 911 Carrera Coupe
PCA member, Peachstate region

You give the impression that you are inexperienced. That machine can do a lot of damage very quickly in newbe hands. Polishing technique can not be adequately covered here. Find a car with beat-up paint and practice on it. Make every mistake possible, but only once. When you can hold a box of Marlboro two feet from the side of that former beat-up paint job and read the reflected lettering perfectly you will then be worthy of thinking about working on Porsche paint. Patience......Patience....Patience...Patience..Pat ience.PatiencePatienceCONGRATULATIONS.

What about a box of condoms? Can that be used for the test?

Be careful with that Makita. Don't know the max. speed on it, but max. revs on "hi-speed" body buffers is around 2500.

Meguiars and 3M sell great quantities of paint detailing product and should have info on detailing paint. They might even have a video for purchase. See if they have something on their website. There are several books on the subject as well.

Forget about orbital polishers. Use mothers reflections car wax, I have people asking me what in the world did you use or did you just get your cat painted!!
Try it you wont be disapointed.
10.00 at your local auto parts.
GB83SC

Also, if the lettering on the box of Marlboro or Trojans appears backwards, do not be alarmed. You may have polished quite well. This is a function of reflectivity.

(Just kidding)

When I was in high school, I worked in a detail shop and I'll tell you what... don't touch your car unless you know what you're doing. It seems simple until the paint starts blistering, you've got streaks and circles everywhere, or even removed the paint completely. Not a beginner's task.

Good luck.

Dave

I took GB83SC's advice about Mother's Reflection car polish, and picked up a bottle yesterday. I was sceptical...I mean I already have about 10 different kinds of wax and polish on the shelf. What the heck...it was only a few bux.

Last night I did a sample patch on the hood.
Now the "Blue Bomber" has pretty nice paint, but *wow*, I can't believe my eyes! The shine is amazing!
I think I can clean out the shelf now.

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'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Canada West Region PCA
The Blue Bomber's Website

Doug, i am skeptical also. when i was getting my new tires put on fri. the guys at the shop were telling me i needed a pro polishing and any hand wax wouldn't even come close to the shine quality. are you saying that this mother's stuff is pro quality? i alredy use meguilars cleaner wax, is the mothers reflection that much better?

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Daryl 964 Targa

Be VERY careful around edges, it is sooooo easy to burn thru, takes a lot of experience to buff a car correctly so you dont end up with swirls to die for...for a final Polish it is hard to beat 3M Imperial Hand Glaze...

You can hand apply or machine apply any wax you want to, but if you are applying to dirty, oxidized, stained paint, the results will only be so good. Especially in areas with high particulate in the air; urban/industrial areas. This paint must be cleaned before waxing or you'll just have a nicely protected coat of tar and paint under the buff job.

Clay bar works well for really dirty paint (notice I'm talking about dirty paint not dirty car)

If there's just a little contamination, I usually use Meguiar HiTech wash and Swirl Remover as necessary- it is a VERY light cleaner that takes care of most crud.

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Dave
1972 911T (E motor) RSR replica project
http://members.nbci.com/dtwinters/garage/

Thanks for the advice so far. However, I'm not sure that Mothers stuff is going to help me out. My car shines fine. The problem is that I have these tiny little black specs you can barely see embedded in my paint that feel rough to the touch. I tried every method by hand and just about every cleaner-type wax on the market. Zymol HD-cleanse, which is usually great at cleaning paint, can't even get this stuff out. The only thing that works by hand is rubbing compound, but after about 3 square feet, my hands are about to fall off from having to apply so much pressure. This is why I said screw it and bought a high speed polisher. I know about burning the edges and all of that... What about applying water combined with rubbing compound while machining? I heard this greatly lowers the paint temp when polishing/buffing.

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Adam Nitti
ajnitti@mindspring.com
www.adamnitti.com
'85 911 Carrera Coupe
PCA member, Peachstate region

Adam,
This is just what I was talking about. These are likely to be tar-based contaminants that have stuck to your paint. The most effective way to do this will be a clay-bar job. I'd stay away from the polisher- it's probably not going to do much without some nasty chemicals. And I don't think I would go near my 911 with a high speed, heat generating buffer, and nasty chemicals! Water will have no effect. This stuff is embedded in the paint and there's no easy way to get at it other than clay bar.

I had the same problem after leaving my 911 at a local guy's lot for sale. He was about 1/2 mile from an industrial plant that deposits this crap on all the paint- which is fine if the car is washed weekly and the residue doesn't have time to embed itself. Unfortunately he let it bake into my paint for a month with no washing. I did not do the clay bar myself, a friend owns a detail shop that did it, he billed me $135. Said he normally would have billed it at 300. Extremely labor intensive, and yes, will kill your arms and hands.

Sorry to not have a quick fix, but perhaps someone else knows something I haven't heard of before..?

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Dave
1972 911T (E motor) RSR replica project
http://members.nbci.com/dtwinters/garage/

Adam,
Forget the machine buffer. Take your car to a pro paint detailer and ask them to diagnose what is in the paint and how to treat it. It could be metal dust from ??? Any railroads nearby? If so, this will eventually rust and get under the paint and leave very nasty spots. There is a chemical solution to remove this.

Even if it's not rust but some organic material, have the pro deal with it. If you want to buff oxidized paint (without foreign objects embedded), buy a body panel from a wrecking yard and practice on that first.

Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars

Go to Meguiars.com This is a good start. Judging by your description, sounds like industrial contaminates in the paint. Try clay and see what happens. If that doesnt work try a good paint cleaner, not a cleaner wax. Meguiars and 3m make great products. Sometimes off the shelf products from the local PepBoys will work but you can also go to your local paint and autobody supply house and quiz them on your problem and they can set you up with more profesional products aswell as proper advise. We all have different techniques we use that work so it can be difficult to explain how to use a high speed buffer properly. Experience is always the best teacher. Ive been at it for awhile myself and have found out many things the hard way so if your skeptical ask someone who knows. Im always happy to help anyone on this subject so feel free to e-mail with questions....TargaEuro

[This message has been edited by TargaEuro (edited 07-02-2001).]

After seeing the carnage from the Ferrari accident I strongly recommend AGAINST high speed polishing!!! Be safe and just polish it while it's parked. http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/wink.gif

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Tyson Schmidt
72 911 Cabriolet
92 C-2 Cabriolet

The BEST high speed polisher I've EVER SEEN:
Ferd Huergas, equipped with rags and his magic compounds. Those who saw him at the R Gruppe meet in Cambria can only agree...the guy is amazing!

Hey Doug, I am glad you took my advice, please let me know when you do the whole car. I did my car a few months ago and the shine is still there!!! I am going to buy a few bottles for reserve, when the word gets out there is going to be a worldwide shortage. http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/wink.gif
Regards.
GB83SC

[This message has been edited by GB83SC (edited 07-03-2001).]

Adam! Go to autopia-carcare.com and enter the detail forum. The people in this forum are car care fanatics and discuss several products and buffers.

Huey581
86' 911 Cab

Mequiars makes a cleaner oxidation remover with no abrasives and can be used on a orbital buffer. Hand waxing is best, but if you have any oxidation or debri attached to your car, a properly used orbital buffer removes these and leaves that "showroom" smoothness that is hard to duplicate. Care is needed, but most people on this board know how to take care of their cars. After cleaning, use a finish wax and hand buff. (I wax my car about 6 to 10 times a year)!

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8 9 9 1 1, The last of the line.

I have the Rolls-Royce of polishers it a Orbitron it uses two free turning heads that counter rotate the pads are four inch wool"hats" it is not cheap the polisher is $350. and the hats are $6 each and you need several sets , one set for each compound or polish but it is The Best you can buy. It will NEVER leave any swirls or burn the paint.Steve