cardaddy
New member
- Nov 20, 2012
- 3,937
- 0
I think if BY HAND.... that's ALL I'd do! There is simply no way to make that truck 'coating ready' by hand, not gonna' happen.
Hammer at it by hand for a week, then top it with Megs ULW or even M21 2.0. Then after every wash go over it with Megs 156 (get a gallon) when drying.
Agreed!
What about just getting the HF DA, and a dozen 5½" pads? Say 4 orange, 5 white, 2 blue, 1 black. That'd allow for plenty of cutting power, plenty of polishing power, and a black pad for applying any sealants. :xyxthumbs:
Get the DA and never look back. You'll be surprised at how many different uses you can find for it! But whatever you do, DO NOT think you can get away with only 6 pads, can't do it. That paint is fairly hard, but being new it likely doesn't need a yellow pad. So.... go with at least 4 orange pads for compounding/heavy polishing. Why 4? Because they heat up and you'll trash them trying to do the truck with 2 or even 3. Personally I'd get 6 orange, 6 white, 4 blue, 2 black as a starting point. Later on you can adjust as your needs change.
Do remember that you can put a brush on the DA and do carpets, do tires, it's a true multi-use tool.
Or, you can look seriously at the Meguiar's Microfiber Correction System. Get 4 cutting pads (not the heavy cutting pads) and 4 finishing pads. Then they have D300 correction compound, (that works GREAT and finishes out LSP ready on hard paints), D302 (it's new) and it is made to fill in between D300 and D301. D302 is a light polish that's made to really work down fine using microfiber pads. Then of course there is the D301 Finishing Wax that is a VERY light polish with a wax built in. Finishes AWESOME!!! :dblthumb2:
What I *WOULD NOT DO* is try to attack that monster by hand. You'll hate it, you'll hate yourself for doing it.
Sure, washing and waxing the old school way, under the shade tree, grabbing a cold one (or 3) makes for a nice relaxing day. BUT.... that's not going to get you to the point of having it ready for ANY permanent coating. 
If you're not going to machine polish the paint, I'd seriously not put a coating on it. You can put any number of excellent sealants on it, then you can top them AND it'll look freaking AWESOME. Megs M21 2.0, let it cure overnight (at least) then top it with M26 liquid wax and you will not believe how good it'll look.
All that aside:
Shopping list?
OMG!!! (Pssst.... do you have a credit card your wife doesn't know about?)
Can you skip this year's vet visits for the puppies?
I say that as my 80lb Doberman girl lays at my feet. She's a female dog, what do they call female dogs? OK, got that answer? Now, her name is Karma, and Karma is a B**tch. :laughing: Sign on the front door, "Warning, spoiled rotten Doberman inside, doorbell doesn't work, KNOCK LOUD." By the time she gets done barking and we get to the door, whomever has knocked, has retreated from the 40' rocking chair front porch and is standing on the walkway out front, looking for the quickest way back to the street! :bolt:Oh.... the shopping list.... yeaaahhhhh..... hmmmmmm.....
Wanna' try a DA before you buy a more expensive one? I've been told that the Harbor Freight is the one to try. Were it me, I'd get the Griot Garage and a 5" backing plate. That machine can be had at 15% to 20% off almost all the time at Advance Auto Parts.
Plus you'll also get in on one of their "spend $50 get $25 off your next $50" coupons, or if you're really lucky they'll have one spend $100 get $50.Then get ALL 5½" pads because not only do they spin better, but they are cheaper. (Although the GG6 spins the 6½'s just fine.) Do NOT buy 105! You probably don't need it anyhow. If you DO need big cut, step up to M101, (some may say M100 (that's made for a rotary) although I've not tried it on a DA). Good chance you can do what you need with Megs Ultimate Compound and Ultimate Polish, both available over the counter locally. Also Ultimate Liquid Wax you'll find locally. Funny though, Advance has one (the compound I think) but DOES NOT have the other. Go figure!:dunno: Have to go to OReilly to get the polish! :dunno: You can get 205 if you like, it'll cut less than UC but more than UP.
You really don't need but one good compound, one good polish, and of course one good sealant. And yeah, whatever you want to top that sealant with. (M26 looks AWESOME!)
But; at this point you've done some paint correction, (at least once) and have tried that nice slick, sexy, tactile, silky sealant. Then you start thinking, "Self, I need me one of those "coatings" all those boys are talking about." That's when you get the Black Label kit. Pricing kills everything else out there. Chances are durability is on par with everything else as well, (although it's not been tested for years like some have, at least not yet). You do, as with some others, want to get the "booster" it seems.
First things first, I'd get me a buffer, a bunch of pads, and start practicing. You will NEVER regret it. Think of it this way, (the buffer that is). You can spend ALL FREAKING DAY one Saturday by hand just trying to get the hood done, (and if you're lucky, and spend 12 hours at it.... you'll get the front fenders done too). Then Sunday morning, if your arms still work, you can start on the roof, move to the drivers door, then realize you can't feel your arms anymore. Next thing you know you're inside and giving up until next weekend, hoping you don't have to cut the grass, go to a kids sporting event, or worst case.... work on the "honey do list". Finally you'll get it finished, maybe 3 weeks after you started, (if you're just working on it on the weekends). Starting to get the picture? :help:
Rather than all that punishment, you can knock it out on a single Saturday. Call your neighbors over to look at how crappy their cars look and how nice yours does. Go out to the movies that Saturday night, then enjoy the day the Lord made come Sunday.
