Polishing My Car, How to go about it? Options

[`nT]

Hello folks,

Well, it sounds like a stupid question but I haven't got a clue how to go about it. I've tried searching through the net, reading the manuals and even looking through YouTube videos but still ain't too sure on how to go about polishing the car.

Here are the materials I have so far:




I have a buffer, two different cloth attachments to it also (One thin normal cloth and a wooly one). Not sure on what the other materials are and which should I use first. If your wondering, these are my old man's stuff. I asked him for help and he explained but he's at work most of the time and has no time to lend a helping hand.

If you can explain the steps, it would be much appreciated!

Cheers!

[clarkma5]

For god's sake man, Autopiate yourself: http://autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/8...perfection.html

The general idea order I would go in is:

1) Thoroughly and carefully wash your car (How-tos on how to do that are also on autopia, and though car-washing might seem obvious, the experts and fanatics have lots of tricks that aren't immediately apparent).

2) Clay your car (instructions also on autopia)

3) Polish your car using said instructions. Definitely err on the side of using less aggressive pads and polishes, since you can eat through your clearcoat! (ask me how I know; I did it on my last car's hood!!)

[Synesthesia]

Riiiight Clark, 'cause we all know about every freaking car forum on the internet.

[goota]

google can work miracles yo.

[clarkma5]

Riiiight Clark, 'cause we all know about every freaking car forum on the internet.

I wasn't implying that he should've known before...but he knows now, and it's a great resource he should take advantage of.

[Synesthesia]

I wasn't implying that he should've known before...but he knows now, and it's a great resource he should take advantage of.

Fair enough...you could've said it nicer though.

[`nT]

Sorry, my mistake. I should really learn to use google more...

Big thanks Clarkma!

[DaGonz]

DON"T USE THE KITTEN CUTTING COMPOUND If YOU HAVE CLEAR COAT PAINT ON YOUR CAR!

It's not made for clearcoats ( read the label) and will scratch the living shit out of it.

LIie Clarkma said.. go to Auopia.org, DEtailCity.com , Autogeek.com or Meguiars.com and learn what to use and how to use it properly!

[Frederf]

Whole shnikeys man, those are some aggressive compounds. If you have a circular polisher and do not know what you're doing, you're heading for heartache. A random-orbital polisher is going to be quite a bit weaker. My following advice goes as an Autopian.

First what you want to do depends on a few things:
1. What is the state of the car and its paint.
2. What do you want to accomplish.
3. What do you have available to throw at it.

For prep I can safely suggest the following order:

1. A wash
2. A clay
3. A paint cleaner (decent overlap with clay so it's optional)
4. Spot checking with StratchX or similar.
5. Most aggressive compound to least aggressive compound.
6. Wax or similar final coating.

Wash should not be dish soap most of the time but since you are likely giving it lots of attention right after it might be preferable. Dish soap strips a lot of whatever was on the car wax-oils wise which makes it a dumb idea for regular maintenance but can actually be a decent idea for these once in a blue moon from-the-ground-up attentions.

Claying is a bit of an art. Like other fun things in life it's necessary to have ample lubrication. Drag it along and refold it very often. Clay seems like a weird whacko option for nutters but I urge you to try it at least once to see what the difference feels like with the back of your hand brushing over the surface before and after. I'm sure you'll notice a dramatic difference. Before will be like brushing the back of your hand over unfinished wood furniture and the after will feel like an air hockey puck over an air hockey table.

Spot checking is just going around and removing tar this, spot that, using a scratch remover on this, and basically getting to know the paint and making sure there is nothing weird around.

The idea with compounds is to use the strongest one you need and work backward in 2-3 steps with less and less aggressive compounds. Just the opposite you should find out what the strongest compound you need by working up. Use the weakest one with the weakest pad and see what it does to a sample area, work up until you get the "cut" you want, do your first pass with that, then back down.

Pads are like multipliers for your liquid product. A weak pad with a weak product will do little, a weak pad with a strong product will do a little more, a strong pad with a strong product will give that nice polished metal effect ^.^ Coughcough. Also be aware that circular vs RO polisher is a huge multiplier. A previously weak substance with a RO polisher can do damage with the rotary polisher. Use the wool pad only on the strong stuff and use the foam pad for the finishing compounds is my only real concrete advice.

Polishing you want to put a rather small quarter or less sized dot on the center of the pad and either spread it around on the area to be worked on with the machine off or on a very low speed. Once the area is covered (say 2-3 sq ft) you turn up the speed (be super careful with rotary polisher) and gracefully move the pad around the area until the material is dry and dusting off. Using too much product means that it won't dry and you won't get the full range of the compound. Most compounds start by cutting hard/course wet and will cut lighter/finer as it dries. You should apply a little force down just so the pad contacts the paint surface but no more. Once that area is done, wipe it with a cloth, inspect it in the light, and move on to the next. A polish is going to be the last step after any cutting or finishing compounds. A polish is more adding stuff to the paint while compounds are for taking material away.

By this time you won't need any cleaner in cleaner wax so go for the pure stuff. P21S or it's motorcycle cousin S100 are my favorites for price vs shine vs longevity right now but I'm sure there are some newer ones since I stopped looking. Zaino is an alternative to wax that is far more durable, shinier (although lacking some depth), but requires some more research. It's a plastic like coating that might be good depending on your climate. I apply wax with my bare hand as the heat and softness are good and remove it after less than a minute, gone are the turtle wax white-dry-chalk-then-wipe days. My wax strokes are in the direction of the airflow and not swirlish strokes.