Polishing Close To The Trim Pieces

[sawacs]

I am about to begin paint correcting on my CTSV and have always wondered how to go about polishing up next to the 90 degree angles where the painted sections meet the trim.

How do you guys take care of the crevis where the trim meets the paint? I have thought about using a qtip but that seams a little to abrasive to be rubbing on the paint.

While I am at it, what would be the recommended way to remove fine swirl marks on stainless exhaust tips? I use Flitz to shine them up but there is not enough cutting power to remove the swirls/scratches. Flitz with a dremel tool maybe?

Advice would be appreciated,

Shawn

[Eldorado2k]

Invest in quality tape made for car detailing. I recently upgraded from using cheapo regular masking tape to this.

http://www.autogeek.net/carpro-masking-tape-24mm.html

If the areas are so tight you could always get down to basics and do it by hand. But since it's a CTS-V I'll assume the paint's probably pretty shiny as it sits, right? You might not have to worry about getting so close to the trim.

[AGOatemywallet]

Close-up Photos Please

[AZ Mike]

Invest in quality tape made for car detailing. I recently upgraded from using cheapo regular masking tape to this.

CarPro Automotive Masking Tape 24 mm

If the areas are so tight you could always get down to basics and do it by hand. But since it's a CTS-V I'll assume the paint's probably pretty shiny as it sits, right? You might not have to worry about getting so close to the trim.

Or this one: 3M Masking Tape, Scotch Masking Tapes, 3M green masking tape, auto masking tape

[cardaddy]

First of course it getting really good at taping close, REALLY close. On a lot of trim, like window trim for instance it's possible on most to pull it away just a touch, then tuck your tape underneath it, (sticky side up), then wrap the tape upwards and over the trim. Of course at the top it's still sticky side towards the trim and carefully working the tape beneath it, the wrapping it over the trim.

Second is working with a square edge pad like the CCS pads, which tend to get up to edges better.

Taping is an art form when done right. On a total correction it'll be the last thing I do on Day-1, and can take an hour or more.

Third would be to invest in the Flex PE-8 with the 1", 2" and 3" backing plates and fine edges are another fun thing to tackle.

I've actually been doing fine edge work up until now with a GG6 with a 4" CCS pad. (You know... the ones with the square edge.) Doesn't do an all bad job.

I was SUPPOSED TO GET A FLEX PE-8 TODAY! As part of a $1600 order! (The kit with all the backing plates and extra pads I mentioned above..... plus I bought a bunch more pads, even some 3½" foamed wool ones just because.) However... Autogeek took four days to ship my order! Although... as we've been told, if we WANT expedited shipping.... we just need to let them know and they'd handle it for us. Which of course I did, and stressed I needed it Friday. All that ended up doing was getting my order split into 4 shipments, that SOMEHOW all needed a signature. It went in Sunday night, and a 4 pound order arrived today, two more didn't ship till late Thursday afternoon, and the fourth I have no idea when it'll ship. Yeah... TMI I reckon.

[sawacs]

Thanks for the information..

Here are the exhaust tips that I need to remove the swirls on.

What do you guys think about this process..

1000 grit auto sand paper followed by 1500 then on to 2000 or higher. The last step would be Flitz with a dremel tool.

The pics below show a quick detailing with Flitz only.




Cheers,

Shawn

[cardaddy]

WOW... those don't look so terribly bad.

I surely wouldn't sand them! (Unless they have some sort of DEEP scratches.) Why not try one of the buffing cones/balls like from Megs or Mothers with a metal polish on it? You could stick that puppy right up in there and really do it good.

[Hoytman]

You can tape as close to the edge as you like.

You can slide the tape under sticky side up if you like.

You can not use tape if you like.



Either of the above will work. However, I must tell you...at some point you will learn to tape the trim and beyond it ever so slightly with tape being on the trim and at least a sixteenth of an inch onto the paint. Why? The gap isn't covered and compound/polish residue will find the gap. Maybe it's not so prevalent of a problem, but try using a rotary with wool a product like M105 while trying to compound paint that is horrible to the edge. The rotary will put that dust in places you didn't even know you had...on the car and on you...that is if the paint is truly horrific. It's less of an issue with foam and slower speeds.

One day, after using a product that dusts like your mother putting baby powder on your Thunderbird, and while perhaps washing your own car or worse yet having to re-wash a customer's car...you're going to start seeing water based compound/polish powder begin to come out and even possibly leave streaks of white all over the paint. It's frustrating as heck to see it, and moreso to remove it. It can continue to show up for months if you don't get the gap covered.

Cover those crevices...by taping the trim off and allowing some trim to stick onto the paint a minute amount to be determined by you. Explain what can happen to the customer and they should understand...or at least make the decision for you to polish all the way to the edge.

If if hasn't happened to you yet, it will...especially if you use certain brands that are known in the forum world to dust like your mother powdering your Thunderbird.

I like to work smart. Taping the gap is smart. Smart is better than lucky any day...unless you win the lottery.

[Eldorado2k]

@sawacs. Man, they look nice as is.

[sawacs]

Thanks everyone for the information.

With regards to polishing close to the trim, it looks like the best idea is to get close but not right up on the edge. I should be able to hand polish the tight spots along with use plenty of tape to keep the material from getting stuck under the trim pieces (thanks hoytman).

Cheers,

Shawn