What should I use for DA unreachable parts of the car?

puma1824

puma1824

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I recently purchased the Meguiars DA Microfiber System 5" as well as 3" backing plate and MF disks. What should I use for DA unreachable parts of the car to complement this system?

Any suggestion for polish, wax, applicator(s) for these hard to reach by machine areas? I'm thinking maybe Meguiars 105 & 205. Example: inside of BMW M3 mirrors, door handle recessed section, and other hard to reach areas. (see pics)

Thanks in advance.
 
First - very nice pictures!

Second - it is common practice to do some of these hard to reach areas by hand. You can simply use a 3" pad by hand if you'd like. M105/205 are great options.
 
Can also cut up some pads into squares... I believe mike has an article or a video (on YouTube) about this let me look around


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Also you have to be careful using a DA on 3" pad. Because you can burn the paint on edges.

Its nothing like say the PC with a 6" pad where it pretty difficult to do, but not a 3" pad where it easier to do.
 
so if you have a gg6 or pc and put a 3in plate and 3.5 in pads on it, why is it easier to burn paint?

thank you
 
BlackRam said:
so if you have a gg6 or pc and put a 3in plate and 3.5 in pads on it, why is it easier to burn paint?

thank you
Click to expand...

Since pressure is equal to force per unit area, The reduced surface area of the pad makes it possible to generate much more force at the face of the pad (this is assuming you are applying the same pressure in all cases), so theoretically it is possible to do more damage..... these small machines and pads are still extremely safe though.

I explained this concept in this thread: Hand Polishing FASTER Than Machine???
 
hernandez.art13 said:
Also you have to be careful using a DA on 3" pad. Because you can burn the paint on edges.

Its nothing like say the PC with a 6" pad where it pretty difficult to do, but not a 3" pad where it easier to do.
Click to expand...

Art

Good info on the 3"

Can you give us some additional details about how you can burn the paint with this pad on a DA?

Not sure I understand completely.
 
zmcgovern45 said:
Since pressure is equal to force per unit area, The reduced surface area of the pad makes it possible to generate much more force at the face of the pad (this is assuming you are applying the same pressure in all cases), so theoretically it is possible to do more damage..... these small machines and pads are still extremely safe though.

I explained this concept in this thread: Hand Polishing FASTER Than Machine???
Click to expand...

I agree

That is also...I suspect...why Meguiar's does not make the Xtra Cut MF pads in a 3".
The 3" regular MF cutting pad probably cuts more than 6" Xtra Cut, based on the concentration of power to the smaller pad.


I was curious about what ART meant by, "you can burn the paint on edges."
 
Get you some microfiber applicators for the door handles and inside those mirrors.
 
allenk4 said:
I agree

That is also...I suspect...why Meguiar's does not make the Xtra Cut MF pads in a 3".
The 3" regular MF cutting pad probably cuts more than 6" Xtra Cut, based on the concentration of power to the smaller pad.


I was curious about what ART meant by, "you can burn the paint on edges."
Click to expand...

Paint is typically thinner near edges of body panels, on raised body lines, and that sort of thing, therefore those are usually the places that get burned/struck through.
 
zmcgovern45 said:
Paint is typically thinner near edges of body panels, on raised body lines, and that sort of thing, therefore those are usually the places that get burned/struck through.
Click to expand...

I agree, but for me....the decreased size of the 3" pad actually makes me more comfortable buffing around the edges, contoured sections and up to raised body lines than when using a 5 1/2" pad.

Looking forward to seeing how people start using the Rupes "Micro" polishers.
 
Well watching Junkman's video he talks about burning paint using the PC.

So in back of my mind knowing what Michael Stoops that you can burn paint on a PC. But wanted the swirls removed. So went at it.

I used a PC, lake country 3"backing plate and TufBuff wool pad and Menzerna FG400.

Weird part that the the paint was slightly warm to the touch and there wasn't any smoke! Like I've seen working at the body shop on a Rotary.

I didn't notice it till after after and I have never seen this type of paint burn. Probably because it was on a PC and not a Rotary like i'm used to.

I took it to my uncle and he said for family (me) it would be $160 for a spot repair. However, he recommended I paint my whole bumper for $250 since it has damaged from someone getting to closed to me when that person was parking.

If I don't point it out you can't tell, so taking care of some things that are more important right now.



Hope thay helps
 
Ignore the black line that is vertical that is from the last owner.

I'm talking about the horizontal grey line above my finger

Side Note: my cell phone spelling is off, probably because I am on Morphine at the hospital :laughing: :D :dunno: (true story)
 
hernandez.art13 said:
Well watching Junkman's video he talks about burning paint using the PC.

So in back of my mind knowing what Michael Stoops that you can burn paint on a PC. But wanted the swirls removed. So went at it.

I used a PC, lake country 3"backing plate and TufBuff wool pad and Menzerna FG400.

Weird part that the the paint was slightly warm to the touch and there wasn't any smoke! Like I've seen working at the body shop on a Rotary.

I didn't notice it till after after and I have never seen this type of paint burn. Probably because it was on a PC and not a Rotary like i'm used to.

I took it to my uncle and he said for family (me) it would be $160 for a spot repair. However, he recommended I paint my whole bumper for $250 since it has damaged from someone getting to closed to me when that person was parking.

If I don't point it out you can't tell, so taking care of some things that are more important right now.



Hope thay helps
Click to expand...



Well that Stinks!

Plastic bumpers do heat up quickly when compounding, but if the surface wasn't hot when you touched it....that's strange

Wool Pad may be the key variable here.

Looking forward to the input from some of the other Forum Members
 
Interesting factoid from Mike Stoops at Meguiar's....


On a lot of vehicles, the plastic bumpers and some other parts are actually painted by the supplier, not GM, Toyota, etceteras.

They are painted with different paint/clear to account for the flexing of these plastic parts.


To add to the difficulty in dealing with these plastic parts, most of us do not have a PTG that works for non-ferrous materials.
 
allenk4 said:
Art

Good info on the 3"

Can you give us some additional details about how you can burn the paint with this pad on a DA?

Not sure I understand completely.
Click to expand...
Keep the polisher moving and you'll be hard pressed to burn through.
 
hernandez.art13 said:
Well watching Junkman's video he talks about burning paint using the PC.

So in back of my mind knowing what Michael Stoops that you can burn paint on a PC. But wanted the swirls removed. So went at it.

I used a PC, lake country 3"backing plate and TufBuff wool pad and Menzerna FG400.

Weird part that the the paint was slightly warm to the touch and there wasn't any smoke! Like I've seen working at the body shop on a Rotary.

I didn't notice it till after after and I have never seen this type of paint burn. Probably because it was on a PC and not a Rotary like i'm used to.

I took it to my uncle and he said for family (me) it would be $160 for a spot repair. However, he recommended I paint my whole bumper for $250 since it has damaged from someone getting to closed to me when that person was parking.

If I don't point it out you can't tell, so taking care of some things that are more important right now.



Hope thay helps
Click to expand...
I have a feeling you keep the pad to that small area?
 
FivePoint.0 said:
Keep the polisher moving and you'll be hard pressed to burn through.
Click to expand...


I agree.


I was interested how Art did that damage with a PC, wool pad and FG400 when using proper technique.

I have seen him polish...he has excellent technique and a firm understanding of the variables involved. Surprised this happened to him. Trying to understand why.


Art indicated that the surface did not heat up, which would be a sign to me that the polisher was in the same spot too long or that too much pressure was applied.

So if we eliminate heat as a cause....
 
No I was just doing regular slow section passes, with medium to light pressure.

I should have used a 1" polisher and/or the blue 3M 1/8 vinyl tape to cover the edges.

Its ok though. I can afford to fix ir (and since my body shop family it's a lot cheaper for me, I haven't burned paint in years, years and years when I was learning at the body shop on a Dewalt! it would have been a lot and it would have cost a lot more for just a regular customer) and I am glad that I learned the lesson on my own car not a customer's.
 
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