Going to pull the trigger on my first DA

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solar07

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Hello all,

after months of reading and watching I am going to dive into the DA world only as hobbyist. I was leaning toward the PC but I'm intrigued by the reviews on the new McGuire MT300 so I think I may start with it.

Most of the posts I read beginners are instructed to start out with a 5" backing plate and a 5.5 or 6 inch pad so I believe I will start there as well using a lake country brand. Which of the lake country line up god knows as there is sooo many.

Where I am still stumped even after reading the aggressive charts is which color pad for what. My first use is going to be in applying a fine finishing polish of some sort to prep my one month old gunmetal maxima for applying a coat of either ckquartz, opti, or pinnacle. Jury is still out on which. I see there are polishing pads and ffinishing pads and colors in each category but god love me I can't pin point what's what.

So. For a fine finishing polish what color pad is recommended?

Thanks all
 
Here I am again. Get the Rupes 21. The difference in correction ability is so big, you don't even know.

solar07 said:
Hello all,

after months of reading and watching I am going to dive into the DA world only as hobbyist. I was leaning toward the PC but I'm intrigued by the reviews on the new McGuire MT300 so I think I may start with it.

Most of the posts I read beginners are instructed to start out with a 5" backing plate and a 5.5 or 6 inch pad so I believe I will start there as well using a lake country brand. Which of the lake country line up god knows as there is sooo many.

Where I am still stumped even after reading the aggressive charts is which color pad for what. My first use is going to be in applying a fine finishing polish of some sort to prep my one month old gunmetal maxima for applying a coat of either ckquartz, opti, or pinnacle. Jury is still out on which. I see there are polishing pads and ffinishing pads and colors in each category but god love me I can't pin point what's what.

So. For a fine finishing polish what color pad is recommended?

Thanks all
Click to expand...
 
I bought the Meguiars MT300 and I used it along with XMT 360 on wife`s CTS I had a Griots and this machine is lighter and a little more power. I had to get used to the trigger but I fiquired it out and went to town on car. I used MF pads from buff and shine.

As I say in my posts I am a novice and for it works great for me.

The Griots is a good machine but I decieded to go with Meguiars MT300 this time..
 
IMO You have made a great choice. If you are just a hobbyist then you should be fine. I have the PC7424XP and the Flex 3401. The Flex and Rupes are the best DA's out there, however, they are expensive.

Based on what you are doing you should just stick with what you are getting.

As for product...Menzerna FG400 and SF4000 are an excellent combo. The Wolfgang products too.

Or the Standar Megs 105/205 is great too

As for Pads if you go the Megs route are

Lake Country Orange pads for correcting
White for polishing and
Red pr black for LSP

I do not know the color pads for Megs or Rupes to give a comment on that. Stick with the 5" and 5.5" Pads for more control and finesses.

6" might be too big. As for the final coating or sealant/wax is up to you. Sealant and wax is less complicated and I prefer that. As for a coatig...I can't say as I see no reason to switch to a coating...IMO too many variables that can negatively affect the finish with a coating. Just read all the posts about them....

All this is my opinion
 
if money is an issue and you don't plan on using the DA too often, then get the GG6. it has a lifetime warranty and with the assortment of different backing plates, pads, and polishes/compounds out these days, there's pretty much nothing it can handle though it may take a little longer compared to the other more expensive DA's...
 
When it comes to tools I don't typically skimp if there is a serious difference in feel and quality. I also don't want to out tool my skill set. I figure as I get better I will use this tool more and more on our three vehicles. Heck maybe even the kubota if I'm bored one day ha.

I'm really going for ease of use for a beginner and simple. I liked the PC cause Mike Philips has tons of very specific info on using that DA. That said meguires came out with the new MT series and the way it's being described is as a nice in between for the PC, Griots and the Flex,Rupes.

The other thing drawing me into megs is their simple lineup but I dont want to lose Capability with simplicity. I was leaning towards lakes on pads but now I see megs also has a new backing plate and foam discs that are getting good reviews and I love the simplicity of three pads. Cut, polish, finish.

That said if there is something better I will pay for the best as long as I'm not out tooling my ability. ...hoping that makes sense.
 
solar07 said:
Most of the posts I read beginners are instructed to start out with a 5" backing plate and a 5.5 or 6 inch pad so I believe I will start there as well using a lake country brand. Which of the lake country line up god knows as there is sooo many.

Where I am still stumped even after reading the aggressive charts is which color pad for what. My first use is going to be in applying a fine finishing polish of some sort to prep my one month old gunmetal maxima for applying a coat of either ckquartz, opti, or pinnacle. Jury is still out on which. I see there are polishing pads and finishing pads and colors in each category but god love me I can't pin point what's what.

So. For a fine finishing polish what color pad is recommended?

Thanks all
Click to expand...

Hello,

This might help you understand pads and their intended use.

In general, polishing pads have a cut to them and they're meant for use with polishes such as Meguiars M205 or Menzerna SF4000. There's also no hard fast rule and experimenting gains you knowledge and understanding...



 
For the application you're seeking, the Blue Lake Country CCS is great. Love it on the Porter Cable 7424xp, with Meguiar's Ultimate Polish.
 
I believe that chart is a good indicator of my Confusion. If I am going to use a non abrasive fine finishing polish do you use the white polish pad, the polish finish pad, or the finish pad. Hahaha I'm sorry if I'm an idiot here.
 
solar07 said:
I believe that chart is a good indicator of my Confusion. If I am going to use a non abrasive fine finishing polish do you use the white polish pad, the polish finish pad, or the finish pad. Hahaha I'm sorry if I'm an idiot here.
Click to expand...

You're not an idiot at all. At first, choosing the right pad and polish combination can be overwhelming but do not panic! :laughing:

Polish

All polishes contain abrasives and believe it or not can be used with both a polishing pad and a finishing pad. A polishing pad and polish will be slightly more aggressive than a finishing pad using the same product.

Also, don't confuse a chemical cleaner with a true polish. Both of the polishes I mentioned above contain fine abrasives. Chemical cleaners such as Klasse AIO contain no abrasives. Klasse AIO is a truly great product but does not remove finish defects..

Once you get some trigger time under your belt you'll see how easy it is to dramatically improve the finish on your car or truck....:props:
 
solar07 said:
I believe that chart is a good indicator of my Confusion. If I am going to use a non abrasive fine finishing polish do you use the white polish pad, the polish finish pad, or the finish pad. Hahaha I'm sorry if I'm an idiot here.
Click to expand...

Forget about 3 stepping - compounds like 101, 100, HD CUT HD ADAPT, finish so well, that you can go from cutting to finishing, unless you have some jet black paint.
 
I think my biggest concern with this project is on my maxima it has near perfect paint Being only a month old and a direct order so I could make sure dealer would not touch it. I do want to over polish the paint, more just deepen and pop the gunmetal paint to prepare it for a coating or sealant depending on the route I decide. I've been talked in and out of coatings today haha. I just want to match the right product with the right pad.

My truck is silver and will Def need some good decon and swirl work done so I won't be as scared and hers is a lease so I won't be scared at all on it :)
 
PS: Pads - if you run into "soft" paint, using very soft finishing pads will chew up the paint. In that case, you want to use a polishing pad - not white, but blue. All this will come with experience.
 
solar07 said:
I think my biggest concern with this project is on my maxima it has near perfect paint Being only a month old and a direct order so I could make sure dealer would not touch it. I do want to over polish the paint, more just deepen and pop the gunmetal paint to prepare it for a coating or sealant depending on the route I decide. I've been talked in and out of coatings today haha. I just want to match the right product with the right pad.

My truck is silver and will Def need some good decon and swirl work done so I won't be as scared and hers is a lease so I won't be scared at all on it :)
Click to expand...

Who talked you out of a coating? Please use common sense. Do you want a swirl free finish? Use a coating. Don't mind swirls? Use a sealant.
 
If your finish is swirl free now, just use a finishing polish with a blue polishing or black finishing pad. Very simple really.
 
For the Maxima, use Menzerna SF-4000 on a gray pad and speed 4.

Work an 18 inch or so square, step back then see if it meets your expectation. Use slow arm speed and overlap strokes in a cross-hatch pattern...
 
Have to echo the recommendations on a DA machine over the Rupes. Rupes is an excellent machine, but I would not advise getting one if its your only machine. The DA units are much more versatile. I have both Rupes and DA, and if I could only have one it would be a DA like the GG6 (which I have) or the MT300, which seems like an excellent machine. I don't think you could go wrong with either DA. The claims on the Megs unit is that it is smoother and quieter than the GG. Don't personally know since I don't have a MT300, but if it is noticeable smoother and quieter than the GG, it would be worth the extra money.

One of the benefits of the DA over a Rupes is that you can use different back plates and pad sizes. Having the ability to use a 3.5" backing plate with 4" pads in addition to your 5.5 pads is extremely valuable because there are panels and curves that you just can't get to with only a large pad. When you buy a machine, get a 3.5" backing plate and some 4" pads along with the 5.5's you are planning to get. Those two sizes will give you all the versatility you will likely need.
 
On the polish and pad part of your post, the recommendations in this thread are very good. Even though the car is new, I would still use IronX and a very fine clay like the pinnacle poly clay to remove any contaminants. Even without dealership "detailing" it is still very possible that the car has accumulated bonded contaminants during the shipping and delivery process. There are a lot of good threads here about new car care.

For polish, I would suggest you start with HD Polish. It is insanely easy to use, you don't have to worry about making sure you break it down and polish until it flashes, etc, like you do with DAT products like Menzerna. You don't need to worry about how many passes you need to make, as a SMAT product just do a couple and if its not getting you where you want, do a couple more. HD is an awesome product. Its light enough that you don't need to worry about how much you are taking off with new paint. You can't screw up.

With a black (grey) pad it will give you a ton of gloss and remove very light towel or wash induced marring. With the LC white pad it will remove swirls in softer paint. It wipes off super easy.

PS - mods, I know we couldn't discuss HD products on this forum previously, but now that PBMG sells the line, at least on the sister site, I took the liberty of bringing it up. If not appropriate, please delete this post with my apologies. - RMD
 
I'm learning the acronyms but DAT and SMAT? Could you explain ?

I can't thank you guys enough for all this wisdom you giving me. Truly speechless. I wish some of you lived in Ohio, beers would be on me.
 
Now i'm a little confused. I always thought the Rupes was a DA (dual action) machine just with a longer throw of the oscillating orbit? Sorry in advance if i misunderstood what you were saying rmd.

For solar07, DAT is an acronym for Dimishing Abrasive Technology. These are a type of abrasve used in the product that breaks down as you use it on the paint. Basically it starts out as a larger particle and then breaks apart as you work it almost into a powder. This is a desirable function as it cuts a little more aggressively at first and then breaks down to cut and refine as it progresses into smaller and smaller particles. These types of polishes have a longer work time as you need to get the full benefit of the smallest, finest state. My favorite DAT - Menzerna's. SMAT is Super Micro Abrasive Tech and the clumps or particles don't break down while worked. These keep their size and as such are much more abrasive and stay that way. As such, you don't work it for a long time and finish using when you like what it did. My favorite SMAT - Meg's M105. Mike P has an excellent article on these two abrasives.

Hope this helped and with that info, maybe re read what rmd said.
 
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