POLL - What's the number one most important factor when it comes to polishing paint?

[57BORNTORUN]

"Coming from 35+ years solely in the abrasive business I favored abrasives.

If you do not have uninform mineral displacement that is consistent with every yard of sandpaper coated no matter your skill set you will be working longer and harder to get the inconsistent finishes out in the next step"

And with this statement I say, I will never use poor quality sand paper , discs or bands when polishing stainless steel trim to a mirror finish and expect the same results as more expensive products.

Sanding body work is less critical in it`s early stages then switched to higher quality more consistent grits.

Nothing worse than seeing sanding marks under paint due to poor prep.

[axel06]

"Coming from 35+ years solely in the abrasive business I favored abrasives. If you do not have uninform mineral displacement that is consistent with every yard of sandpaper coated no matter your skill set you will be working longer and harder to get the inconsistent finishes out in the next step"...Dandy98
And with this statement I say, I will never use poor quality sand paper , discs or bands when polishing stainless steel trim to a mirror finish and expect the same results as more expensive products.Sanding body work is less critical in it`s early stages then switched to higher quality more consistent grits.Nothing worse than seeing sanding marks under paint due to poor prep.

100% agreed with 57borntorun

[dlc95]

That can be flipped around as well.Take an experienced professional detailer, who knows exactly how to use a PC/DA, and the lowest end of high quality product, say Meguiars Ulitmate Compound, Polish and Wax, and have them do a 3 step correction/polish and wax. They will most likely get outstanding results.

Take a newbie (like me) give them the best polisher available (Flex 3401, Rupes Bigfoot, GG BOSS, or whatever you believe to be the best polisher. Give them the highest quality polishes/compounds/waxes (LSP). Let them work on a car with the same paint (in terms of defects, colour and hardness). Let them work on the paint as long as they want.

How much do you want to bet that the pro, with a low end polisher, and high quality, but fairly low end products, ends up with a better result? Not to mention that they do it faster and a more complete job?

Both Mike's have good points. IT is the abrasives that do the job, and products with 15 year old technology are inferior to current products. However, so some extent, this misses the point. Abrasives, in and of themselves do not do a thing. They need to be pushed around with a variety of pressures, orbital/rotational speeds, and arm speeds to work properly. Technique is what does that, and allows the abilities of the products to work as well as they can. As for the 15 year old technology statement, is is completely true. However, in the detailing world, I don't see a lot of products with 15 year old technology, outside of the 3M line. Whether it be Meguiars, Mothers, Sonax, Menzerna, Pinnacle, Griot's Garage, Wolfgang, CarPro, 3D, Ultima, Optimum, or almost any other high quality product vendor, their products are constantly being improved. Within the high quality brands, if somebody has good technique, they will get good results. Some vendor's products may be better suited to a particular polisher, or environmental condition, but a person with good technique should be able to get good to great results with any vendor's products. Conversely, somebody with sloppy/bad technique, no matter how high a quality product they are using, won't get results nearly as good.

This point was recently illustrated to me.

Poor guy could have had magic super compound on his pad, and it would have been "applied" to the paint, rather than worked in, as the pad jiggled over the paint.

Also, MP's point was illustrated as well once he got his technique down. Had be been using old, outdated technology, he would have struggled with that particular vehicle. At this point, he needed all the help he could get. Also, being in the production environment, there isn't time to "massage in" deficiencies with old products. The new stuff can get in, and get it done in much less time.

In my opinion it's an equal partnership of Technique, Product, and Pad. They sort of need each other for the highest potential of success. Companies like Rupes come to mind where they give you the very best the can in tools, abrasives, pads, and suggested technique for optimal results. This is also why I admire their, Meguiar's, Griot's, etc system approach offerings .

[KirkH]

I picked tools. You must have the correct tool for the job. Same as in any other business.

All the other things are important. But it all starts with the tool.

But the question is so vague it makes the answer impossible. If we are talking simply "polishing", then I might say product is "most important." But if by polishing we mean paint correction, I'm going with tool.

[fightnews]

Just Cuz somethings old doesn't mean it's inferior, people were getting their cars shiny 20 years ago to believe it or not. Look at show car glaze. It's 100 years old and still the best glaze around. Sometimes they can even have better old products but they have to change them because it's the chemicals are no longer allowed

[JimmyH5]

With my limited experience and an impossible question to answer with one answer, I'd have to go with paint; I think the particular paint would dictate which technique, tool, pad and abrasive technology would be best used to polish that particular paint. We are all correct , no doubt, given the question has so many variables.

[fightnews]

Abrasive technology

[Mike Phillips]

Just to chime in....


Here's a tip... don't make the question difficult. Don't read into it, don't create hypothetical situations.


When it comes to polishing paint, what's the most important factor?


For me, I know the answer. It's simple.


What touches the paint first?

[TMQ]

Easy...

I voted---Abrasive Technology!

Do I get a prize??? Grin...

Tom

[Dr Oldz]

I voted abrasives. Here's why. For example..... if I have a heavily swirled or freshly sanded paint surface and use a super ultra fine polish, it won't matter what pad, tool, technique or paint I'm working on. It just won't work. Not sure I would say abrasive "technology" tho. I would choose abrasive "selection" to fit my thinking and thoughts.



Tool is definitely out cuz I do hand polish areas(think under door handles)
Technique is overrated I feel. It's end result that matters IMO!
Paint- we can't control what we're working on. Must deal and adjust accordingly.
Pads do matter. But not as much as the buffing liquids on them.