Help a newbie!

**R4IDER** · 08-21-2013, 02:13 PM

And another post like this

Please help me choose the right tool for the job

I have never used a machine
I plan to first experiment on spare parts - my car - friends cars
I plan on building a business

What i want?

The safest-fastest best swirl-free finishes i can get from a DA

My choices for now are

Griots polisher
Menzerna and Wolfgang compunds
A glaze and a sealant
already have waxes spray sealants and coatings

Still have little clue on the pad subject

Also would be good hearing some feedback on the meguiars DA microfiber system, as i see its a solid system but may not cut it for what im after.

Thx in advance

**Evan.J** · 08-21-2013, 02:27 PM

Well the polisher is a great choice first off. Now the Meg's MF system is absolutely great and os definitely something your shouldn't discard as not being up to par.

The citing discs are the most aggressive thing you can have next to a rotary and a wool pad so they certainly can cut and fast too. So if your looking at removing some heavy swirls and scratches that would be a great choice.

Pads I would go with the 5.5" pads and look at the LC flat pads and the hydrotech pads these are both solid pads.

Menzerna polishes utilize the DAT system Diminishing Abrasive Technology. This means you have to work in the polish just a bit more as your really pulverizing the abrasives in the polish.
Menzerna makes the Wolfgang line as well so just keep that in mind.

If you want a glaze the Poor boys BlackHole is a great option along with Meguiars M7.

As for a practicing you will have a very hard time doing any damage on paint with a DA as these are user friendly and very safe for you and the vehicle you working with so no real need to go out and buy junk panels. Do cars of your friends and family. It makes for great practice and they will all love having a shiny car when your all done.

One thing that I will stress is always do a test spot on every car you work on. Every paint system is different and every cars paint has been subjected to something different.

Finally don't forget the saying "The least aggressive method to get the job done!"

**R4IDER** · 08-21-2013, 04:44 PM

Thx evan for such a thorough response!

Ill have to read more about menzerna and dat systems then.

What i didnt get is the citing discs ?

So if i got it right my best option is :

Griots
Pads 5.5 LC and hydrotech
2 diff compunds 1 more abrassive than the other? or thats just down the the type of pad used and number of section passes

**Evan.J** · 08-21-2013, 06:53 PM

Hahaha cutting discs the Meguiars Microfiber discs.

There are different levels of compounds just like polishes. So lets say your looking at the Menzera line. The most aggressive compound is FG400 it has a great cut and leaves behind a wonderful finish. So if you went with something like that the you would want to follow that up with PF4000 this is a finishing polish that will remove any marring that you might have done with FG400 it will also add and enhance the gloss of your paint.

Now you can also alter the level of cut with pads. You have your light cutting pads polishing pads and finishing pads.

You can try a lets say PF2500 this is a mild level polish that has a good bit of cut but also finishes down well and leaves that paint in a state that is ready for a sealant or wax, you can use a polishing pad for this and check your results. If they aren't cutting it you can try it with a cutting pad though you will need to follow up with a polishing or finishing pad to refine the paint and get the flawless finish.

So there are many combination that a person can do to alter the aggression if you have to.

**R4IDER** · 08-21-2013, 06:58 PM

saw some very good results with the meguiars microfiber discs , what im afraid of its that they would not cut it for heavily swirled paint.

but maybe's for the polisher as i seem to prefer the griot's over the meguiar's

/goes to do more research

**Evan.J** · 08-21-2013, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by R4IDER

saw some very good results with the meguiars microfiber discs , what im afraid of its that they would not cut it for heavily swirled paint.

but maybe's for the polisher as i seem to prefer the griot's over the meguiar's

/goes to do more research

Look up some of the show n shine with the Meg MF discs they cut like no ones business!

**R4IDER** · 08-22-2013, 12:59 AM

So maybe a griots with a microfiber kit will be a good bet?

what i dont like ( at least for some jobs ) its the 2nd step polish with wax, as many would prefer a sealant or a coating , and un cant have a wax on there. So wich compound ,polish and glaze would work well with the MF pads?

I hear good things about the WG total swirl remover 3.0

Mike Phillips · 08-22-2013, 06:27 AM

What are you working on?

**R4IDER** · 08-22-2013, 01:20 PM

Nothing yet mike , why are u asking? im in the research freak mode right now , any inputs would be great!

Mike Phillips · 08-26-2013, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Autogeek

What are you working on?

Originally Posted by R4IDER

Nothing yet mike , why are u asking?

Well the reason I'm asking is because I've answered your question about a million times in my life on forums where I'm going to type out answers, includes links, pictures and videos and sometimes it helps to know what a person is working on to give them the best help possible.

A lot of people new to machine polishing have the same types of questions. Some people just want to take care of their own cars or cars in their household and some people not only want to do this but also entertain the idea of buffing out cars for money.

Here's a good primer for you...

How to choose the right polisher for your detailing project