Polishing small areas by hand?

[rypkr937]

I'm getting ready to do a paint correction for the first time and may have overlooked some things.

Last week I order a GG6, a bunch of lake county pads, some meguiars ultimate polish, as well as ultimate compound if needed. I have lots of good microfibers and other non-paint correcting specific supplies.

However, I really didn't give it much thought how I'm going to be polishing the tighter areas on my car like the around the front grill/bumper area (car is a 2015 mustang gt). I went with a 5" backing plate for the GG6 and corresponding pads. Will I be able to just use one of these by hand for anything particularly tight that I don't feel comfortable jamming the DA into? If not, is there anything available over the counter at advance or autozone that I can just use by hand to achieve the same results as the DA and pad?

My other questions is if I can polish plastic that I'm not sure is painted. I'm pretty sure my rear deck lid is just a glossy plastic and doesn't really appear to be painted to me. If so am I safe going over it the same as a body panel? Here's a link to a similar deck lid (just no emblem).
https://www.google.com/search?q=2015...2F%3B950%3B650

Thanks,
Rory

[Zelfiris]

There are a couple of options:

- You can cut a pad up and use it by hand. I don't really recommend this since your pads are brand new
- You can purchase a smaller backing plate (3" to 3.5") for your GG6 and get smaller pads. There will be areas you cannot effectively polish with 5" to 5.5" pads
- You can purchase something called 'handjobber' which is a handheld rubber with a velcro and it comes with a few pads. I forgot the sizes for this but it is what I use where my 3" pads can't reach.

For plastic, there is Meguiar's plastic polish called PlasticX (haven't tried it myself). If you have a gentle polish (not compound), you can try an area and see if it works

[Ccrew]

- You can purchase something called 'handjobber'

Is it in the aisle next to the $5 Boom Boom?

[Audios S6]

Another option is the harbor freight 2" pneumatic DA sander, you can get 2" hydrotech pads and microfiber pads for it. You do need an decent size air compressor

[MilesTeg]

I'm getting ready to do a paint correction for the first time and may have overlooked some things.

Last week I order a GG6, a bunch of lake county pads, some meguiars ultimate polish, as well as ultimate compound if needed. I have lots of good microfibers and other non-paint correcting specific supplies.

However, I really didn't give it much thought how I'm going to be polishing the tighter areas on my car like the around the front grill/bumper area (car is a 2015 mustang gt). I went with a 5" backing plate for the GG6 and corresponding pads. Will I be able to just use one of these by hand for anything particularly tight that I don't feel comfortable jamming the DA into? If not, is there anything available over the counter at advance or autozone that I can just use by hand to achieve the same results as the DA and pad?

My other questions is if I can polish plastic that I'm not sure is painted. I'm pretty sure my rear deck lid is just a glossy plastic and doesn't really appear to be painted to me. If so am I safe going over it the same as a body panel? Here's a link to a similar deck lid (just no emblem).
https://www.google.com/search?q=2015...2F%3B950%3B650

Thanks,
Rory

I had the same question as you last fall before detailing season ended form me (no indoor work space for me). This weekend, weather permitting, I am going to be using some pinnacle swirl remover and these pads:

CCS Euro Foam Hand Polish Applicators - Hand polish, hand detail, foam applicators, CCS foam pads, polishing pad

to try to work out the swirl marks on pillars and other spots I am not comfortable using even a DA near (since I am very inexperienced). To start I am going to mask off the C pillar about half way and test things out. If the weather holds and I can get a decent pic, I'll post the results and some details about how long/how much effort.

My vehicle is a '13 mustang with deep impact blue paint, which I have found to be almost worse than black for swirls marks. So, it should be a good test.