New To Buffing and Need Some Advice

[Quatakai]

So I've had the tools to buff for a while now, and never really got around to it because I've never had the experience. I've watched some videos on here from Mike Phillips and as much as watching videos can help, it still leaves a pretty good gap if you don't have hands on experience (at least in my case it does).

I recently bought a Black 2012 Honda CR-Z. And I noticed that there were a lot of swirls in the paint right off the bat. I know why, because Dealers usually wash cars for customers, using the same brushes FOREVER until they get too nasty to wash cars with. So I attempted to buff them out one weekend.

I thought I was doing well enough. I could see the swirls disappearing, but my lighting situation wasn't perfect, so I couldn't see that I was just putting buffer swirls into the paint.

I used these products:

Porter Cable 7424 XP

Hex Logic Orange Buffing Pad:

SCRATCH & SWIRL REMOVER BUFFING PAD

And V38 Optical Final Polish

How To Use Paint Polish and A Paint Polisher for Long-Lasting Shine

And this is basically what happened.

I have a variety of pads, and could purchase different compounds if necessary. But if anyone could possibly lend me some advice as to get rid of the buffer swirls, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Perfections]

Buy a jeweling pad, and try the same polish. If that polish isn't finishing down good enough, cant say as I've never used it get something like optimums finish polish, pinnacles advance finishing polish, menzerna po85rd or I think the new name is menzerna 4500.

 

[octane]

how many pads are you using, cleaning them on the fly every panel?

 

[Perfections]

how many pads are you using, cleaning them on the fly every panel?

I usually use 2-3 pads if I'm jeweling the paint. Cleaning them on the fly after every time that pad touches the paint. Black you have to take as much precaution as you can and after every panel usually doesn't cut it.

 

[DaveT435]

Definitely try a polishing pad with the V38 and you should see a big difference.

 

[Quatakai]

Thanks guys, I'll make sure to do another try this upcoming weekend, and I'll post the results

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Honda paint is known to be on the soft side and this means it will haze easy with too aggressive pad or product and for sure both.

What I see in the picture is DA Haze.

Like others said try a softer pad and don't push too hard for the finishing passes...


If nothing else, I've had really good luck with Menzerna polishes on softer paints...

 

[Quatakai]

Thanks a lot for the advice once again! I can't wait to get back to it, super rainy today though

 

[ReflectiveAuto]

Thanks a lot for the advice once again! I can't wait to get back to it, super rainy today though

Just take your time...technique is very important..Cant wait to see your before and after pics...take alot of them from different angles. Good luck

 

[mpjustice]

This is what scares me, I have my order on its way and will try to buff my spider webs out of my new car. I hope I do not make it worse!

 

[Becciasm]

Just take your time...technique is very important..Cant wait to see your before and after pics...take alot of them from different angles. Good luck

This is what scares me, I have my order on its way and will try to buff my spider webs out of my new car. I hope I do not make it worse!

See above. Just take your time. I'm learning as well, currently tackling a black 2010 ford escape. Just take your time and frequently check your work, start with a test spot.

Good luck!

 

[Quatakai]

This is what scares me, I have my order on its way and will try to buff my spider webs out of my new car. I hope I do not make it worse!

I'm not really scared, I know this can be corrected, I'm sure if it was a customers car I wouldn't really be too happy with myself. Sure I'm disappointed in myself, but I believe now with some questions answered I can go back and fix it.

I'll be starting on this today, wish me luck! rops:

 

[Quatakai]

Some progress...Still could use some practice, though! But I'm a lot happier with how this came out, there are still some buffer swirls on the doors, a lot harder to see.

 

[octane]

looking a lot better!!!

 

[DaveT435]

It does look much better now.