Newbie advice for first DA detail

[ThongPocket]

Hello all. New member/first post. I've done alot of searching and browsing and got some great info here but wanted to get feedback for my specific situation.

I'm about to take on my first project with my new porter cable kit. My car is a pearl white Nissan and I'm having a lot of trouble seeing the scratches in the clear coat. They are minor but present. I already clayed the car and will be cutting, polishing and waxing using the products below. Any advice on how many passes for light scratches? Any suggestions on getting a nice deep finish on the pearl white?

Planned actions:
Cut with Meguiars ultimate compound and hex logic orange pad
Polish with Meguiars ultimate polish and hex logic blue pad
Wax/seal with collinite 845 and hex logic black pad (2 coats, 12 hours apart)



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[Powerwheels]

I just bought a DA polisher 2 weeks ago. Don't be nervous about using a polish to take that out, It's a piece of cake.

Just watch a few videos on YouTube by experienced detailers first. Wash, clay, use the least agressive polish to get it out, then wax it.

[ThongPocket]

So you think skip the compound and just polish?

[Powerwheels]

If the scratches are very minor yes otherwise go to a compound.

[ThongPocket]

Thank you. I'll try polish alone first and see what happens.

[Desertnate]

My first bit of advice would be to not use the compound unless you absolutly need it. One of the things Mike always teaches is use the least agressive approach first. Do a test with the polish and see if it gets you where you want to be. I rarely ever have to use a compound on my vehicles unless there is a bad spot I'm trying to work out.

To see condition of the paint, put your eyes as low to the paint as possible and look towards your light source. That might help the defects appear.

[ThongPocket]

Excellent advice. Thank you.

[MarkD51]

Welcome to the forum, and enjoy your stay!

I think DesertNate is right on, always use the least aggressive methods and products first, and see where they get you. You can always do again, and up the ante with a more aggressive polish and/or pad combo if need be.

Or a repeat process with the exact same products again. Better to do too little, than too much. Swirls, and light scratches are like rust, "they never sleep", and there will most likely come a point in your vehicle's future where the good ole PC7424XP will need to be employed again for correction.

Not sure what "Kit" you've gotten but the PC7424XP will work best on the larger panels with a 5" Backing Plate, and 5.5" Pads.

As for Section Passes, watch intently on Mike Phillip's, our forum guru's vids, and watch him do the rudimentary 6 section passes, speed of his arm movement, how he holds the machine, and his down pressure upon the machine and pads. And as always, first try the "test spot", tape off a section, and try what you have.

If satisfied, then you continue on with everything staying the same for the rest of the vehicle. If not, then it's back to the drawing board with a possible choice of another polish, and/or pad combo.

I would suspect the Meg's Ultimate Finishing Polish is a consumer bottled version of Meg's Pro #205, and you should get some very nice end results.

Going on the cheap, one of those cheapo 500W Halogens on a tripod stand from Home Depot will greatly help you see what you are doing, especially on side panels, and lower areas.

Yeah, you'll need some Coppertone Suntan Oil, cause these little 500W suckers can throw some serious heat, but with the stand, you'll be able to position the light on the hard to see side panels, etc, as you go, and the better you can see, the better you will work, and better accomplish your tasks at hand.

[MarkD51]

Don't forget all the other little tips with the use of the machine. To first prime the clean pad, then add a few drops. Always make sure you start and stop the machine "on the paint" Otherwise, you'll learn the hard way like we all have with polish slug all over your vehicle! It truly is a "Oh Crap" moment for sure!

Keep in mind not to overload the pad with product though, have a good number of pads of any type on hand, they get grungy, swap them out, then continue on.

Learn one of Mike's tips of cleaning the Pad 'On the Fly" with a clean terry towel.
It helps rid the pad of spent product, and nasties you're pulling off the paint.

Masking Tape!

There's no good detailer worth his-her salt, especially here in this forum who previously does not mask off trim moldings, badges, and even light housings if close-right next to paint, rubber, etc before going at it with a machine, and abrasive polishes-compounds.

You can check your area for a auto paint supply shop, and they'll usually carry a vast selection of good 3M Green Painter's Tape. If not, even the big box auto parts stores, and even wally world should carry some widths of decent tape in their automotive dept you can use.

Good to have a few rolls of a few widths on hand minimum.

[Powerwheels]

Yep, I slung polish once. Won't happen again!

[brettS4]

I'll bet you $50 it'll happen again. Eventually. LOL