Questions regarding Polishing and reccomended products. NEWBIE

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Sorry I been creating new threads but I found new hobby and it will help be more cleaner person and more responsible once I get my detailing fundamentals down. Then i like to contribute more to the forum with my own experiences etc.

So questions I have regarding polishing and recommended products I can get

1. I remember back in the days when I detailed my mazda3 I never had chance to polish it due to not having like porter cable polisher/waxer etc.. I remember many talked about porter cable being best. Is there something else out in market or (even was good as porter cable back in the days) to get. Something many of you guys swear by? It will be something that I will be stuck with for awhile so bit important.

2. Should I practice on my mazda before doing it on my new x3 or is it pretty straight forward and machine and videos on here will be sufficient.

3. How long does polishing with machine usually take for one car and doing it in garage should be fine right?

4. After I polish the whole car and then inspect it with light (ones you get on here which i got) and see swirl marks on certain areas, is it ok to just polish that area only and then buff it out and recheck etc?

5. How often can I polish the car? I think I read one time a year is enough for lifetime as each time it takes off some clear coat (not sure if that's myth).

6. I'll be doing quick rinseless washing depending on weather and then general 2 bucket/foam gun wash 1x a week. I'm sure new swirl marks will come up with my inspected light I got and wondering if new swirl marks do show up.. Can I just take a circular mf pad applicator and polish it by hand in that area (or new areas when it appears) so scratch or swirl marks disappear?
 
Mike Phillips' "The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine" will have the answers to most if not all of your questions in regards to maintaining and enhancing your vehicles appearance, it's the greatest $19.99 you will ever spend in regards to detailing a car and quite frankly is probably the most important tool in your tool bag...it's his knowledge that he has shared which is priceless (especially for newbs!)! It is a very easy ready that goes into detail on every single step to maintaining your vehicle. It's also a very good "go to resource" when you're in the middle of a job and not sure of a certain step or process, just like the forum.

As a newb myself, I often refer to the book before I start something that I'm unfamiliar with to make sure my process/technique is correct as well as to confirm what I just did. I'm about to to do a two or three step on my best friends car in the next week or so and you bet I'm reviewing everything in the book to make sure I have all of the knowledge to confidently blow him away with the results!! You'll also find some of the professionals/veterans here on AGO that do mind blowing/jaw dropping work refer back to the book themselves.



Jay
 
Nice I think I’ll check it out. I did come across it and was thinking of getting it then I realized YouTube and here is good. But then everyone has different styles so nice to have one steady boook to refer to. I’ll get it


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Jayfro said:
Mike Phillips' "The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine" will have the answers to most if not all of your questions in regards to maintaining and enhancing your vehicles appearance, it's the greatest $19.99 you will ever spend in regards to detailing a car and quite frankly is probably the most important tool in your tool bag...it's his knowledge that he has shared which is priceless (especially for newbs!)! It is a very easy ready that goes into detail on every single step to maintaining your vehicle. It's also a very good "go to resource" when you're in the middle of a job and not sure of a certain step or process, just like the forum.

As a newb myself, I often refer to the book before I start something that I'm unfamiliar with to make sure my process/technique is correct as well as to confirm what I just did. I'm about to to do a two or three step on my best friends car in the next week or so and you bet I'm reviewing everything in the book to make sure I have all of the knowledge to confidently blow him away with the results!! You'll also find some of the professionals/veterans here on AGO that do mind blowing/jaw dropping work refer back to the book themselves.



Jay
Click to expand...


But still would be nice to get some of questions I answered lol took bit time to write lol


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Buy a Griot's Garage 6" random orbital, they're relatively inexpensive and have a great warranty. Go for the HD version which has a 25ft, heavier gauge cord vs. 10 ft. for the standard version. And add on a Griot's 3" conversion kit for the small/tight spots. You're out the door for $215 or less during a sale (polisher does not qualify for discount but the conversion kit does).
 
I'll try to help.

Going way back in time, decades in fact, there was a time where there weren't many options. All, and like myself had two options, a Rotary Buffer, and a Orbital "Waxing" Machine. A Rotary was notorious for burning paint if not well experienced, and as well a quite lovely machine for creating Buffer Trails, known more commonly today in the detailing world as "Holograms".

I can recall way back, Porter Cable did once make an Orbital "Waxer", probably the best of those types of machines, but still no Cigar in comparison to the better more modern D/A Machines that can be gotten today. Waxcoa made them, and some were rebranded with the Craftsman name, and there were quite a few others.

If there's areas on your vehicles where stubborn swirling persists, there's no foul about going over a specific area again with a Polish and machine. But yes, you are correct that even the more gentle and more forgiving D/A machines can slowly remove paint, which today is the worry about the removal of the precious clear coat top layer of paint.

That is why yes, polishing a paint with a machine is not a process where every weekend, you go out, and polish repeatedly over and over. Yes, swirls, hazing, lack of flawless shine will return, because of touching the paint, In other words things like washing. That's why one must learn to be as careful as possible when washing, use good techniques and products. (Two bucket washes help, people use foam guns, pressure washers, good towels, avoid automatic car washes, etc)

I would say start to finish, even on a small car, it may take an actual good number of hours to complete a full machine polishing with a machine. And that's taking into account doing all the needed processes beforehand in preparation to the machine polishing steps.

Those are of course washing, drying, Claying, then some even like using the Iron Removers such as Iron-X by Carpro right after, and then again a full wash and thorough dry. These processes alone can take up a good part of a day all in themselves So, account for those processes to be done beforehand.

Then, masking should be done, many do, thus covering certain areas of a vehicle such as Trim, Badges, areas where you may not want Polish Residues to intrude such as Wiper Cowl Vents, headlights-tail lights, and any parts that may be susceptible to polish staining, or marring from the polish-polisher.

Once all that's done, masking completed, then it's now time to set oneself up for the Polishing Step. Have a bench, or chair, an area where you have everything right at your hand, your Tool, Polishes, the needed Pads, so this step is then made easier as you go. Many like having overhead lights such as in a Garage, and some will use lights on a stand, for better lighting and seeing side panels as you go around a vehicle.

Comfort and the allotted time further help a person better accomplish these tasks.
 
I've seen show winning cars that never see the street ever, again slowly but surely can get minor sleeks, and very fine scratches, just from putting on and taking off a car cover. Or when doing final wipe downs with a detailing spray. On a black car especially such is more easily noticable, not easy to see from afar, but very close up still there none the less.

My buddy Butch's fully restored, best in show winning all black 1968 SS396 Chevy Chevelle is one example.

The Porter Cable 7424XP, and Griots GG6 machines are two examples of two good entry level machines. Today there are many more, and usually more expensive as well, such as Rupes, and Flex, both company's lines are sold here at AG, as well as the PC and Griots.
 
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