Intimidated

[mwoolfso]

Go to the local junkyard and ask for a panel from any old car they have. You'll pay somewhere around $25 more than likely. With that, get a DA from Harbor Freight and "go to town" with some compound or polish. Once you get a feel for it and establish a base of knowledge that will challenge your instinctive response to avoid them, I figure you are going to want to ditch the Harbor Freight (on eBay) and get a PC, Griot or Flex. If you decide against it, you spent less than $100 for the experience.

[VISITOR]

purchase a DA, you'll wonder why you didn't get one sooner. with the products and pads available today, it's alot easier now to achieve professional results. it's one of the best investments you can ever make and your arms/hands will thank you later (you'll achieve better results far more than what your hands could ever accomplish). such a versatile machine, i definitely wouldn't be without one..

[TrevorW22]

Wow this certainly exploded from this morning haha. Thank you ALL for the great responses. I'll need to save up some money and pick up a DA, and now I'm pretty excited.

A coworker of mine gave me a good idea of practicing on one of my old cars, a 1997 Dodge Dakota. Now I just have to find a spot that doesn't have a failed clearcoat. I have a 2012 Mustang now and when I clean it up at work, I get a lot of compliments saying that it looks really good. But all I see is a 2012 Ford Swirlstang.

When I get my DA I'll have to do some before and after's and show my progress. Thank you all so much.

[Wheelzntoys]

I was same way, practice on a lease, rental, a beater or spare panel.

You'll gain confidence and see nothing to worry about.

[eyost]

I don't know if this is completely normal, and I hope it is, but I'm completely 100% terrified of learning to use a buffer. The thought of going anywhere near my car with a machine scares the absolute crap out of me. I know in the back of my head that as long as I am careful and follow instructions that I should be ok, but the other half of my head is like "AHH!!!" Is this normal, or am I just super weird and a puss?

A couple of months ago I went through the same fear. I have to safely say, that my fear was unsubstantiated.

I ended up getting a Porter Cable DA which the kits include a nice DVD hosted by Mike Phillips and explains why you shouldn't be scared of the DA and goes over the technique of using the tool.

If you haven't already, check out some of the how to videos where he goes over the use of the da polisher.

Using the polisher makes any corrections to the paint a lot easier, not to mention applying and removing different products easier and faster as well.

And if you get stuck, you have a lot of great folks here on the forum that are always helpful.

[BillE]

I was somewhat in the same boat as you a few years back.

I had 'learned' how to use a machine back in the late fifties. Time and many other things that affects one's life, I was away from TRUE detailing for almost 30+ years.

After I retired, I purchased a new PC and was truly scared as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. I had watched many vids, read lots on MOL over the years, but never the less, nervous WAS the understatement.

I just started with the least aggressive product I had (as to not introduce any unwanted damage) and just bit the bullet.

Long story-short...It was PAINLESS! The results were truly worth it.

Bill