Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 7
How to do final polishing of fresh paint for show car results
After wetsanding by hand and then by machine and then using a rotary buffer with a wool pad with an aggressive compound the next and last step is the final polishing step.
What does the final polishing step do?
Great question. Anytime you cut with a wool pad, the FIBERS themselves from the pad can and will cut the paint and leave in the paint holograms swirls. By re-polishing with a foam pad and an orbital polisher you can remove these holograms swirls and create a defect-free finish perfect for waxing or sealing with a synthetic sealant or a ceramic paint coating after 30 days air cure.
What do you need?
1: Orbital polisher - Any brand, free spinning or gear-driven
2: Foam pad - Try to stick with foam polishing pads. Foam cutting pads may leave their own mark and foam finishing pads may not be aggressive enough to remove the swirls left by a wool pad.
3: Quality polish - The most important factor as it relates to the final results is the abrasive technology used in the last step polishing step. Be sure to use a brand name you trust and always do a test spot to a small section and inspect the results before buffing out the entire car.
4: Lots of microfiber towels - Also be sure to visually and via your sense of touch - inspect your towels before wiping off polish residue. It takes hours to machine polish a car and only seconds to put scratches into the paint using contaminated towels.
The final polishing step...
Glen is using a FLEX 3401 with a Lake Country Hybrid Foam Polishing Pad
Craig is using a FLEX 3401 with a Lake Country Hybrid Foam Polishing Pad
Jordan is using a FLEX 3401 with a Lake Country Hybrid Foam Polishing Pad
Arthur is using a FLEX 3401 with a Lake Country Hybrid Foam Polishing Pad
Here's Steve using a FLEX 3401 with a Lake Country Hybrid Foam Polishing Pad
Here's Frank tackling the tops of the frame rails using the RUPES Nano
You're truly using the RUPES BigFoot 21
Here's the team - a few guys left early and Frank was next door in the lobby picking up an order
Final results...
After wetsanding by hand and then by machine and then using a rotary buffer with a wool pad with an aggressive compound the next and last step is the final polishing step.
What does the final polishing step do?
Great question. Anytime you cut with a wool pad, the FIBERS themselves from the pad can and will cut the paint and leave in the paint holograms swirls. By re-polishing with a foam pad and an orbital polisher you can remove these holograms swirls and create a defect-free finish perfect for waxing or sealing with a synthetic sealant or a ceramic paint coating after 30 days air cure.
What do you need?
1: Orbital polisher - Any brand, free spinning or gear-driven
2: Foam pad - Try to stick with foam polishing pads. Foam cutting pads may leave their own mark and foam finishing pads may not be aggressive enough to remove the swirls left by a wool pad.
3: Quality polish - The most important factor as it relates to the final results is the abrasive technology used in the last step polishing step. Be sure to use a brand name you trust and always do a test spot to a small section and inspect the results before buffing out the entire car.
4: Lots of microfiber towels - Also be sure to visually and via your sense of touch - inspect your towels before wiping off polish residue. It takes hours to machine polish a car and only seconds to put scratches into the paint using contaminated towels.
The final polishing step...
Glen is using a FLEX 3401 with a Lake Country Hybrid Foam Polishing Pad
Craig is using a FLEX 3401 with a Lake Country Hybrid Foam Polishing Pad
Jordan is using a FLEX 3401 with a Lake Country Hybrid Foam Polishing Pad
Arthur is using a FLEX 3401 with a Lake Country Hybrid Foam Polishing Pad
Here's Steve using a FLEX 3401 with a Lake Country Hybrid Foam Polishing Pad
Here's Frank tackling the tops of the frame rails using the RUPES Nano
You're truly using the RUPES BigFoot 21
Here's the team - a few guys left early and Frank was next door in the lobby picking up an order
Final results...
