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

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Billy Baldone

I picked paint. It is the beginning and end of the whole polishing process. You can polish until your blue in the face, if your paint is not going to ever finish out, what's the point?

---

But knowing how to handle difficult paint is part of knowledge and technique.

As Mike said, there's no wrong answer, and I think ultimately he may be trying to teach us that all the answers are right, depending on the situation.

This reminds me of a class I took a long time ago, where the instructor asked us which of a few approaches to something was the best. He went around the room and got everybody's opinion, then told us everyone was right, that you have to adjust your approach to the situation.

Which still comes back to technique/knowledge being the most important, selecting the right tool/pad/abrasive for the paint and conditions/location that you have.

Great thread, Mike.

As someone relatively inexperienced to polishing paint compared to the veterans on this website, I firmly believe that the tools and abrasive technology make it easy for even the greenest detailer to produce nice results.

With that said, you can give me the greatest tools and abrasives, and I am not going to produce the show stopping that an experienced detailer will. So I voted for technique.

Im going with technique. Lets say you are trying to finish finicky paint with M205. Same tool, same pads, same speed. Two guys can absolutely get different finishes and it all comes down to technique.

I was torn between paint and abrasive. In the final analysis, at least for me, it's the paint. That is the one thing I cannot control and must work with. And more specifically, the thickness and the malleability. I only have so much to deal with and i must know how workable it is...hard, medium, soft? That determines everything i do with regard to abrasive, machine (tool), pad choices and technique.

So just pulled up a chair with Billy and mantilgh but agree with all...there is no wrong answer.

GREAT question and discussion here!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

But knowing how to handle difficult paint is part of knowledge and technique.

As Mike said, there's no wrong answer, and I think ultimately he may be trying to teach us that all the answers are right, depending on the situation.

This reminds me of a class I took a long time ago, where the instructor asked us which of a few approaches to something was the best. He went around the room and got everybody's opinion, then told us everyone was right, that you have to adjust your approach to the situation.


Which still comes back to technique/knowledge being the most important, selecting the right tool/pad/abrasive for the paint and conditions/location that you have.

Great thread, Mike.

---

I understand what you are saying. I have been presented with cars that have been repainted very poorly, to the point, nothing short of a new paint job would fix it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Billy Baldone

I have been presented with cars that have been repainted very poorly, to the point, nothing short of a new paint job would fix it.

---

Paint that nothing can fix would be out of the scope or context of this poll because it would be a moot point.

So moving forward - please assume that the 5 factors listed are for paint that can be corrected, polished and waxed. Not paint that is what I call category #11 in my how-to book,

#11 Past the point of no return.

Someone with a copy of my how-to book look this up and make sure I have the right category number as listed in the book. The first person to confirm this and ALSO post the page number the list of paint condition categories is on will win a prize!


:dblthumb2:

My vote goes for technique. I think it encompasses all of the other things on the list. Pad, product, machine, paint, abrasives, all of these things are chosen by the detailer for each particular job they are doing and to me that is "technique."

On the flip side, abrasive technology is a very close second for me. I remember when I first started polishing paint I used the Porter Cable kit from the AG website with the XMT abrasives. I knew extremely little about technique with the Porter Cable machine (didn't mark my backing plate, probably used too slow of a speed, etc...) and I was using 6.5" pads which I would never use with a PC machine now. My black Grand Prix was my test mule and when I was done the car looked AMAZING! People constantly asked me "what kind of wax do you use on that thing?"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FUNX650

Number 5: Abrasive technology

Basing my choice, (after prior and
careful introspection), upon your assessment
as that being so—as found in many of your
postings such as this:


Bob

---

Great super sleuthing Bob!


I'm leaving for Missouri tomorrow morning to shoot a new episode of Competition Ready on Monday and will be back in the office on Wednesday.

When I return I'll update this thread with my REAL choice of the 5 factors I listed.


:)

Technique.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Autogeek

Paint that nothing can fix would be out of the scope or context of this poll because it would be a moot point.

So moving forward - please assume that the 5 factors listed are for paint that can be corrected, polished and waxed. Not paint that is what I call category #11 in my how-to book,

#11 Past the point of no return.

Someone with a copy of my how-to book look this up and make sure I have the right category number as listed in the book. The first person to confirm this and ALSO post the page number the list of paint condition categories is on will win a prize!


:dblthumb2:

---

Page 37 #11.