The original version of this dates back to 2004 on MOL
:D
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Great info as always Mike. I have Meguiar's v2 DA system with the original pads, the 5.5 microfiber pads ( 2 cutting, 2 finishing ) and I get amazing results with them everytime. Now I have been looking in getting more pads, some more aggressive ones, also light ones and jewel ones as well, Mike, which ones do you think will it work best for the system I got? Thanks in advance. Btw, your articles are amazing and well written, not boring to read at all. You always give us the information that we need and most of the time you go beyond explaining to us what works and what doesn't work. Great job.
I'd look into adding some LC 5.5" Flat pads, orange, white, black and blue. Also the Hydro-Tech pads work really well. I kind of like the Crimson pad for both waxing and finish polishing.
Sorry I just now found your post, about 7 months late...
Thank you... I try...
:)
Old thread but I still laughed at myself for my first post in this thread.
If you're new to machine polishing with any type of DA Polisher...
Be sure to read through the first post of this thread BEFORE you try to use a polisher the first time.
It will help you to avoid all the common mistakes and if you are not seeing the kind of results you hope and dream about then come back and re-read it. See if there are any areas where you can tweak your technique...
Then go out into the garage and do this...
:buffing:
This should be a print-out that's included in every dual action polisher sold with the link to this article and the title of this article included at the top of the print-out.
It's amazing what Google indexes and helps people to find with just a few key words...
:)
I wanted to add what a huge help this article was to helping me get working with a new DA polisher having no experience.
I think the biggest area I would emphasize is the amount of product and the cleaning of the pads.
I ended up ordering a few extra pads because it is so much easier to keep going when you hit your stride than waiting for pads to clean.
As a non-pro running the washing machine and waiting for the pads to air dry certainly moved this from 'an afternoon' to 'a few days' once I had the necessary pads, but not 5-6 of them to keep going one after another...
Ordering some pad cleaning solution also works wonders to break up that product in the pads. Well worth the extra few bucks.
One question I do have is on the 'hardness' of different paints that I have seen mentioned a few times. Is there any kind of a listing or resource that tries to categorize what is considered hard or soft paints over the years by manufactures?
I could always come here and ask I guess, but I already have a buddy who has asked if I could help him with his truck... which is probably the curse of all detailers...
Thanks for all the info. The threads like this and the videos did a lot to give confidence before I even started that it would be possible to do it myself.
That's the goal. It's best to read before a person starts.
Two very key factors.
More pads are better. Not only can you buff out a car faster while doing better work, (better defect removal), you're pads will last longer overall because you're not punishing them as much.
Working clean is so important considering how easy it is to scratch a modern clearcoat finish.
Not really. There is a thread here on the forum somewhere that someone started to try to create a chart but the problem with this is...
- Paints change from the paint manufacturer.
- Car manufactures change paints.
- Some cars are repainted or at least have repainted panels next to factory painted panels.
Best thing to do is a test spot and dial in a system that works. I've buffed out thousands of cars in my life without any kind or chart or reference and I do a Test Spot on any car I've never previously worked on to get a feel for how hard or soft the paint is before buffing out the entire car.
Starting a dedicated new thread for any car you're working on is a great way to get lots of good feedback fast from other forum members that often times will have experience working on the same car you're asking about.
Thank you for posting the feedback above, it's much appreciated as it shows we're successful at reaching our goal.
:dblthumb2: :dblthumb2: :dblthumb2:
***Update***
This article shares the most common mistakes people make when first starting out and the remedies to correct their technique so they get great results.
Yesterday, when my friend Curt dropped off his 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme for our class this weekend we talked about the scratches in the paint on his car. He told me he purchased a polisher from Autogeek, all the pads and products but wasn't having any luck getting the swirls and scratches out of the car.
Here's a video I took showing the current condition of the paint on his car and a Test Spot I performed using the LEAST AGGRESSIVE METHOD. I was able to remove about 95% of the swirls and scratches so that only the deepest defects remained. These deeper defects are called RIDS and Tracers.
https://www.facebook.com/Mike.Philli...2399255769581/
Before he left, I offered to show him the correct technique for using the polisher he bought and asked him to watch and see if I did anything different than what he was doing.
I did a NORMAL test spot doing 8 section passes to an area about the size of a 16" by 16" section of paint. (All the people and places that tell you to work a 2' by 2' area are simply wrong - be careful who you get your information from)
After watching me and seeing the results, here's the things he said he wasn't doing right.
- Too low of speed - he was using the 3-4 speed.
- Did not mark his backing plate - didn't know the pad had to rotate and without the mark wouldn't know if it was rotating.
- Only made 3-4 passes over the paint but not uniform overlapping passes like is standard for paint correction.
- Not enough downward pressure.
NOTE: All of the above issues are addressed in the first post of this article.
While I believe abrasive technology is the MOST important aspect of polishing paint, technique is certainly also an important factor.
:)
:updated:
Shared here,
Review: Meguiar's D166 Ultra Polishing Wax by Mike Phillips
:)