I'm gonna get the PC 7424XP on here

[animescreen]

There can be no exact set rule on the time it takes per given panel.

I depends on a number of factors, what the condition of paint is, and the abilities of the machine, pads and polishes in use, and of the end user himself.

As for time, and with something like a Rotary Polisher in an inexperienced person's hands, well one can do things really quick, like burn right through the paint and hit primer or metal in a matter of just a few second's time!

The D/A Polishers such as the Griots, PC, and other free wheeling machines almost make such risk impossible. That's not to say that one can't damage a vehicle or its paint with a D/A machine.

If you get Mike's Book and DVD, study them intensely. If you mimick and copy exactly his methods-techniques, you'll be fine!

So let say I polish and make those nice consisitent swirls from machine etc.. after buffing them out and see some swirlsin one section where it seems pressure wasn't applied as much, is it ok to just go over that area Or other areas that is similra and bypass the good areas? I'll be using those special lighting that shows swirl marks etc.. im guessing many don't do like two passes etc if the paint isn't too bad

[Coatingsarecrack]

Very true, but some guys (most?) that are "newbies" balk at a $375-475 machine.

Your right. I forget I got mine on a tool sale after Black Friday. The kit offered by AG was 15$ more than just bare polisher and came with 5 Griots pads, 3 high quality MF, and BF pad cleaner. plus AG threw in a 50$ gift card for purchases over $300. Was an awesome deal and made my choice pretty easy.

Even so last time I check they still had that deal and the boss pads are awesome!


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[MarkD51]

So let say I polish and make those nice consisitent swirls from machine etc.. after buffing them out and see some swirlsin one section where it seems pressure wasn't applied as much, is it ok to just go over that area Or other areas that is similra and bypass the good areas? I'll be using those special lighting that shows swirl marks etc.. im guessing many don't do like two passes etc if the paint isn't too bad

I'm a little unsure what you're trying to say and ask here with this post. Perhaps some mis-wording, and I know that after 15 minute's time, one cannot edit their posts.

When it's your own vehicle, one can then do whatever they please.

Usually when one yanks machine out to polish, they will do the entire vehicle commonly. Unless some localized damage occurred somehow and you need to address that specific area.

If you're asking due to an inconsistency of a user not correcting a particular panel quite as well as others and it doesn't quite look the same, then yes, one certainly may repeat a process.

But I'd say in an instance like this, that you've polished the vehicle with a particular Pad-Polish combo, and yes, it sure looks a lot better, but still notice some deeper sleeks, and damage that was not removed, this may mean something else.

That the Polish and Pad selected might have been a bit too mild to effectively remove all of the damage noted.

Yes, you can try to repeat a process, that might get it, but there might be times where a more aggressive polish be used, then come back again to the milder finishing polish.

That happened when I corrected my Tahoe once, started with Wolfgang TSR, was looking superb, but under close inspection still noted some deeper sleeks that TSR wasn't getting out on some areas of the hood. I switched to Wolfgang Uber Compound, a new fresh similar Pad, and that got it. Then I returned to TSR to finish.

The eye has to be the final criteria, but here's the thing with that. There can be considerable variance.

Meaning that at one end of the spectrum is the highly experienced master detailer who can judge exactly what needs to be done, what is assumed must be used-needed and how to basically get desired results. And do such in an efficient and correct manner, the right products, the right tools and processes.

At the other end of the spectrum is the "hack detailer", who hasn't a clue what he/she is doing, goes about processes in a helter skelter fashion, and has little in the way of basic knowledge and understanding of what it may take to get the job effectively done with desired results.

Most of us fall in between these two extremes.

There's other variances which toss their hat into the ring. Paint condition, paint hardness, products and tools on hand. As an old saying goes, 'When the only tool you have is a Hammer, everything begins to look like a Nail".

A professional cannot be expected to finish down a hammered paint flawlessly, when the only polish he has on hand is an Ultra Finishing Polish, and soft Pads that are more suited for applying waxes. Same applies when a paint is in very good condition, and then a harsh Compound and/or Pads was selected to do bring the vehicle to an LSP ready condition.

I reckon what I wrote in length all reverts back in a nutshell simply, is the "proverbial test spot", which many here, and people like our master detailer Mike Phillips strongly suggest and recommend as a basic beginning method and starting point to better judge what exactly needs to be done. And as Mike has so simply and logically said, you then repeat with the same processes and products over the entire vehicle.

Hope I've answered what you were asking

[Paul A.]

Again, good info from Mark.

I'll reiterate the importance of the test spot. That gives you the best idea of what's going to work around the entire vehicle. Now...

As you're working around each panel and making sure that section just completed looks as good as all the others, you may come across a panel that is worse than all the previous sections. I like to simply give it another go with what I just used. Say I got about 65% correction on it. I'll do it again and maybe get another 30% leaving only a couple deeper scratches. I'm done and don't chase any scratches that are too deep to go after.

If I want a little more bite I grab the next higher cut pad and try that with my product previously used. It is rare I change to a compound or higher cut product in the middle of a job. My test spot told me what to use BUT I may have a heavily scratched section within a section and it might need some persuasion.

Bottom line answer? Yes, by all means you can do that section again if it didn't come out like the other, less scratched sections. I like to redo it with the same process (pad/product) first, then evaluate. Just be careful of scratches that might be too deep to fully remove. When you chase those you run the risk of thinning the paint too much.