How to polish around raised body lines?

[bigez]

I understand it's not recommended to polish directly on a body line or raised edge. BUT, how do you guys do this? For example, some hoods are full of raised edges/styling lines.

Do you tape it off and act like they're not there and polish like normal? Or do you polish right up to it but NOT actually touch it? Should you go back over by hand later and polish it out?

Also, do you polish on edges by machine as well? Like, the corners where it turns from hood into fender?

There..that should be enough questions..hah...

Thanks! I've watched videos and read on here, but still not sure what the proper technique is.

 

[DetailedByPrecision]

I'm interested to hear about others techniques as well.

 

[glen e]

foam pads and move quickly...with an orbital it's not much of a problem, you won't do damage...

 

[BMW]

There really isn't a right or wrong answer here. It just depends on how careful you are. High points and ridges typically have thinner coatings than flatter portions of the body...so this makes being careful an even greater imperative than just the obvious of it being a high point therefore susceptible to greater friction. The absolute safest method is to tape it off, but you can polish right up to it or even over IF you are careful.

 

[tw33k2514]

I just polish right up to the line. I do this on the DA and the rotary. Honestly though, you probably do not need to do it with a DA. I just choose to because I do not want to get sloppy with the rotary. Kind of a repetition thing I guess.

 

[ShineTimeDetail]

I understand it's not recommended to polish directly on a body line or raised edge. BUT, how do you guys do this? For example, some hoods are full of raised edges/styling lines.

Do you tape it off and act like they're not there and polish like normal? Or do you polish right up to it but NOT actually touch it? Should you go back over by hand later and polish it out?

Also, do you polish on edges by machine as well? Like, the corners where it turns from hood into fender?

There..that should be enough questions..hah...

Thanks! I've watched videos and read on here, but still not sure what the proper technique is.

Tapping always turns in to hell for me. It seems when I tape and use a rotary I always get glue on the pad then it gets on the paint then its a whole mess lol

 

[ShawnF350]

Using a DA......What does the pro do in this situation? Since I found this has been asked about. Could Mike Phillips (or anyone with experience) do a video of this method for us on YouTube? Every video I usually see is a nice flat hood.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

We taped ALL the raised body lines on the AMX we sanded and buffed... starting at 1:20 you can see Paul, Ben and I taping off the hood...

[video=youtube_share;77sROwS5QOg&hd=1"]Wetsanding a car from start to finish - Time...[/video]​

3M provided their Blue Vinyl Tape for this project and you can see it here on the raised body lines on this hood as I'm compounding after sanding.

After we finished sanding and compounding each of the panels as well as the body shell, we would remove the tape and then compound off the tape line and remove any sanding marks right next to were the tape laid. You do this carefully as you are now buffing right next to the raised body lines.

I'm not sure how much of this will be in the video Yancy is creating you'll have to wait and see...

I have a Musting coming up that we're going to sand and buff for a live broadcast and during the live broadcast I can show taping off the edges and then doing the "clean-up" buffing after removing the tape-line.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Watch the video collection here as I'm sure in a number of segments we show and talk about taping off and buffing around raised body lines...


1969 AMX Wetsanding Videos - Nebraska Help in the Heartland Project


Here you can see the Blue Vinyl tape on various edges or raised body lines...

Here's the A-pillars all sanded flat...

Nice custom touch
If you look closely you'll see Ben filled in the fresh air grills by welding in steel to smooth out the front panel before the windshield...

The passenger side A-pillar sanded flat... note the drip rail along the roof across the door line has also been removed...

Passenger side all sanded flat. In this picture the lower rocker panel below the door opening had not been sanded yet but rest assured, we did sand it as well as every inch of the exterior.

Just to note...

Autogeek will be carrying the 3M Blue Vinyl Tape on the Autogeek.net store...


:xyxthumbs:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Using a DA......What does the pro do in this situation? Since I found this has been asked about. Could Mike Phillips (or anyone with experience) do a video of this method for us on YouTube? Every video I usually see is a nice flat hood.

Here's a video and LOTS of tips for a wide variety of detailing projects...

Video: How to tape-off car trim before machine polishing

Here are some tips and techniques to tape-off and cover-up trim, felt or fuzzy gaskets like you find around some sunroofs, wheels and tires, air vents and grills as well as "The Beach Towel Tip"

How to tape-off car trim before machine polishing
[video=youtube_share;WKFdlAFgio4&hd=1"]How to tape-off car trim before machine polishing...[/video]​

Note the Guzzler Waffle Weave towels being used to cover the engine compartment from splatter...

Dedicated how-to article for protecting convertible tops

How to cover and protect a convertible top before machine buffing

I love old classics and hot rods because often time trim has been removed and if they do have trim it's chrome or stainless steel...

1971 GTO Wetsanding Project - Wetsanding, followed by using rotary buffers can be very messy...

The Beach Towel Tip

Tape it off and avoid a lifetime of ugly...


Ugly

No Ugly

Always cover and protect the shiny stuff

Not only does it prevents Splatter Dots from getting everywhere it also prevents the owner of a car to use your name as a cuss word...


Blown 1934 Ford Pick-up - Show Car Makeover - Modeled by Kristin

Next we cover-up all the brightwork and there's lots of it. Take my word for it, when it comes to projects like this you don't dare get polish spatter dots on the engine or in this example the exposed running gear in the truck bed. It's not professional and besides that it would take you hours to wipe the little dots of polish splatter off.

The Autogeek Cover-up Towel is made from soft microfiber and can be washed and re-used. This come in real handy for covering up anything you don't want to get compound or polish splatter dots onto so you won't have to detail these areas with a toothbrush after the the wax has been removed.

The soft microfiber won't scratch paint or polished metals. Simple cover or wrap around components and then use a little painter's tape to secure them in place.

Here we've covered the polished aluminum gas tank and the chrome independent rear-end...

Detailing Boot Camp Classes

Also see the video here,


The Soft Flannel Bed Sheet Tip



The Panic Parrot - 1950 Studebaker Starlight Coupe

Keeping it covered, keeps the engine clean...

Keeping it covered means no detailing the very detailed engine afterwards...

 

[ShawnF350]

Wow, what fast reples. Ok well that covers it for the taping procedure.
Are you saying that its a good practice to tape then even using a DA while removing SWIRLS. (I wont be sanding the car LOL)?
Im going to tape edges and hi body lines then 9at a minimum) before I agressively polish with the DA.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Wow, what fast replies. Ok well that covers it for the taping procedure.
Are you saying that its a good practice to tape then even using a DA while removing SWIRLS. (I wont be sanding the car LOL)?

If you car has exterior plastic, rubber or vinyl trim, like many new cars have, then you have two choices,

1. Work carefully and don't run any pads with compound, polish or wax over the trim.

2. Tape-off what you don't want to clean-up


Once in a while people ask me why I "seem" to like to work on classic cars?

The answer is because they don't have any black plastic trim, especially the worst kind in the world, pebble textured black plastic trim.

Heck I didn't have to tape anything off on these last few cars I've buffed out...


New Menzerna FG 400 - One-Step Show Car Makeover

I did tape off the foam rubber gasket on the fender skirts though...

How to use a one-step cleaner/wax to maximize profits


I don't remember taping anything off on this car...

The only thing I taped off on this car was the rain rail or rain gutter...

Im going to tape edges and hi body lines then 9at a minimum) before I aggressively polish with the DA.

I don't worry too much about raised body lines and edges on new cars when only using a PC style DA Polisher, just don't stand on them...

If the car is older and you bought it used and thus don't know the detailing history you might want to be more careful.