Polishing raised edges + mild polish

[spike]

Do you need to take extra precautions when polishing raised edges if you are using a mild polish like DG501, WG FG, M205, or Opt. Poli-seal, with, for example, a CCS white pad? Or will you still cut through the clear over a period of time if you don't take precautions?

[Flash Gordon]

Do you need to take extra precautions when polishing raised edges if you are using a mild polish like DG501, WG FG, M205, or Opt. Poli-seal, with, for example, a CCS white pad? Or will you still cut through the clear over a period of time if you don't take precautions?


Extra precautions? No. Just pay attention and don't keep the pad in one spot for an extended period of time

[oldmodman]

I always tape off hard edges like that. The paint (or clear) can be much thinner there.

And a polishing technique that is perfectly safe on any other area can go completely through the really thin clear on an edge almost instantly.

Better to be too safe than really sorry.

[Kristopher1129]

I never understood why people tape off raised edges. How do you polish them if they're taped off?

[armorrig]

I never understood why people tape off raised edges. How do you polish them if they're taped off?

Would like clarification as well. It's my understanding to be careful or avoid going to the edges or raised sections because of thinner material. Do you guys just hand polish near edges and raised areas?

[Mike Phillips]

Would like clarification as well. It's my understanding to be careful or avoid going to the edges or raised sections because of thinner material. Do you guys just hand polish near edges and raised areas?


I never understood why people tape off raised edges. How do you polish them if they're taped off?


That's called perfectionist detailing...

If you can get a customer to pay for it go for it...

IF it's your own car then it's you're own time... go for it...


I posted about that here...

Step-by-Step How-To Article using Pinnacle Products with the new PC 7424XP (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/19994-2008-lexus-250-pinnacle-detail.html)





Here we've taped-off the rubber gasket between the glass and the window frame and I'm pointing to show that there's about an 1/8th of an inch of paint that's not going to get buffed with either of the two polishing steps. After the correction steps we'll remove the tape and carefully wax these areas for a uniform look that will match the polished areas next to the tape line.

While not perfectionist detailing in some eyes, remember this is a daily driver, not a show car.

You can invest more time and just run the tape down the rubber and get it close to the edge of the panel if you want or just overhang a little like I did here. It's your choice based upon what you're trying to accomplish and how much time you want to invest.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/723/detail-141.jpg



Another factor that will affect how much time you want to invest into the "little picture" is how much you're charing for your work. Doing fine detailing to small areas is very time consuming and most detailers already struggling charging as much as they want to get...


But that's what I do... I major on the majors... and minor on the minors unless someone is willing to pay for the time it takes to minor on the minors...


:)

[Mike Phillips]

Best Practice - Avoid buffing on top of body lines and edges (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/rough-draft/20168-best-practice-avoid-buffing-top-body-lines-edges.html)


Buff up to body lines and edges but try not to buff directly on top of body lines and edges

A good best practice whenever you're machine cleaning is to buff up to hard body lines but don't buff on top of hard body lines. There are two reasons for this,

1. Paint tends to flow off high points a little after it's sprayed but before it's set-up, so paint will tend to be thinner on edges and body lines.

2. There will be increased pressure from your pad onto the paint because the body line or raised edge will be higher than the rest of the surrounding paint.

This is what can happen, if you look carefully at the hard body line on the hood of this VW you can see where someone has remove too much paint and exposed the primer under color coat. This is an older VW and has what appears to be a single stage finish but the principal behind avoiding buffing directly on top of an edge or hard body line still applies.


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/719/BurnThroughVW1.jpg


This is a little out of focus, sorry I was using my iphone...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/719/BurnThroughVW2.jpg

As Benjamin Franklin once said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.


A good best practice is to avoid buffing on top of hard body lines and edges and instead just buff up to them. You can also tape them off using thin painter's tape so in case you get your buffing pad close to the raised body line or edges you have a measure of extra protection.

This is where either slowing down and focusing on the task at hand comes into play or using smaller pads when working on thin panels.


:)

[armorrig]

Thanks Mike!

I still need to finish reading your book. :buffing:

[Mike Phillips]

If you're working on a brand new car, or you know the buffing history of the car you're working on or you don't think a Caveman has used a caveman compound on your car, then you can run a foam pad and a polish over raised edges and body lines and you shouldn't have any problems.

That said...

It's a good "Best Practice" to avoid buffing on body lines...

If you're working on a clear coated car and you turn your buffer over and see the color of the car on your buffing pad... well lets just say that's a bad thing...


Everyone can find a way that works best for them...


:xyxthumbs:

[armorrig]

Noted: Edges and "hard" body lines are to be taken up with care or better yet, avoided.

How about those curved spots? Like a dome on the hood? pic attached

Thanks.

[Flash Gordon]

That's called perfectionist detailing...



:)

I thought is was called not knowing what the hell your doing



:)

[spike]

Thanks Mike!

I still need to finish reading your book. :buffing:

I have finished it, and it's so awesome and full of info! But it just keeps bringing up more questions for me, like this one that I started...

;)