DA Machine Polishing

[waxamomo]

A good valeter would never machine polish a car unless the paintwork was totally f@cked

I can produce a shine on a car thats better than any machine, all it takes is a bit of time and hard work along with the right products.

I guess I am lucky as an ex-self employed valeter, i still have all my materials and chems

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with you here, why would you not machine polish a car that had swirl marks?

Just as an example, if I bought a car tomorrow with light swirl marks and wanted a better finish, why shouldn't I machine polish it? I could do it all by hand and get a great finish but a machine polisher in the right hands would surely speed up the process?

Another example is my current car has just been in for some body work and has come out covered in holograms, it will be getting machine polished to remove them, but it will only need a very light polish with a finishing polish and it will look great again. I could do it al by hand but don't see the point?

I'm not trying to start an argument just want your point of view really?

[ramrod]

A good valeter would never machine polish a car unless the paintwork was totally f@cked

I can produce a shine on a car thats better than any machine, all it takes is a bit of time and hard work along with the right products.

I guess I am lucky as an ex-self employed valeter, i still have all my materials and chems

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with you here, why would you not machine polish a car that had swirl marks?

One reason, if the car paintwork is old...

Just as an example, if I bought a car tomorrow with light swirl marks and wanted a better finish, why shouldn't I machine polish it? I could do it all by hand and get a great finish but a machine polisher in the right hands would surely speed up the process?

you have answered the question yourself, all a machine polish will do is speed up the process, in the wrong hands it can be deadly.  If i am honest mate, any light swirl marks will come out with a bit of elbow grease, as you may tell i am old school

Another example is my current car has just been in for some body work and has come out covered in holograms, it will be getting machine polished to remove them, but it will only need a very light polish with a finishing polish and it will look great again. I could do it al by hand but don't see the point?

why are you machine polishing? all you have to do is dab some "tar &glue remover" on a cloth and wipe it off.

I'm not trying to start an argument just want your point of view really?

No worries fella, think i have answered your questions, obviously as a retailer your going to want to promote materials and products. My point of view is that of a consumer, yours if that of a retailer.

[waxamomo]

I'm in the mind of a keen detailer, not a retailer.

Tar and Glue remover to remove holograms? Holograms are there because of bad machine polishing from the body shop, they have moved the machine around too fast and not worked the polish properly.

I sort of agree and disagree with the comment about light swirl marks, but it is a hell of a lot of work and could take a couple of hours a panel. Put a DA in anybodys hand and they could do it in a fraction of the time, and a DA is not really deadly if you do a bit of research to start with.

There are many professional car valeters/detailers that machine polish cars all day everyday were the paintwork isn't f@cked as you say. I think your comment was a bit of a throw away comment which was incorrect, just look at some of the professional detailers, they machine polish brand new cars!

[ramrod]

I'm in the mind of a keen detailer, not a retailer.

Tar and Glue remover to remove holograms? Holograms are there because of bad machine polishing from the body shop, they have moved the machine around too fast and not worked the polish properly.

I sort of agree and disagree with the comment about light swirl marks, but it is a hell of a lot of work and could take a couple of hours a panel. Put a DA in anybodys hand and they could do it in a fraction of the time, and a DA is not really deadly if you do a bit of research to start with.

There are many professional car valeters/detailers that machine polish cars all day everyday were the paintwork isn't f@cked as you say. I think your comment was a bit of a throw away comment which was incorrect, just look at some of the professional detailers, they machine polish brand new cars!

Sorry mate,  when you said holograms i thought you meant the sticker type holograms!! i was referring to them even then, the holograms you refer to can be removed by hand, using a DA is really a lazy mans way of doing things.


lets be fair, how many of the joe public that go and buy a DA actually know how to use it properly and how many of those will bother to do some research?? not many from my personal experience

 :shocked:Machine polishing a brand new car!! 

If you have seen a "professional detailer" do it then it must be ok.    I would like to see that same "brand new car" in a few years time when the damage to the paintwork shows....wont look like a professional has touched it then

I dont think my comment was a throwaway one like you claim.  I speak from personal experience mate.  I have seen countless cars that have been looked after by their proud owners and the damage to the paintwork is shocking in some cases

Not arguing with you mate, I just dont like to be told I am wrong when I know I am not.

You say Tamato, I say Tomato

[musicman87]

+1 to Waxamomo -

Having watched many a YouTube video on machine polishing as a bit of a lesson, i will soon be investing in one to remove the light swirl marks on my car. I have tried hand polishing the swirls out but i cant get consistent results and although i enjoy cleaning the car, i wouldn't want to spend a couple of hours per panel, my arms couldn't hack it!

As Chris said, many of the pros on here use machine polishing to renovate the paint and prepare for sealant/wax protection. Removing 4-5 microns of paint wont do any harm to most cars as long as the paint is measured with a depth gauge first. (there is usually over 100 microns of paint on the car)

One of the most famous guys is Paul Dalton from Miracle Detail - he machine polishes brand new Veyrons, Zonda's, the lot, to get a perfect finish.

http://www.youtube.com/user/MiracleDetail#p/a/u/2/TTu626PpTUY

[waxamomo]

Here are some details with machine polishing a car that would be in pretty good shape with just a good wash:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=122672

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=152361

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=141365

Have a look at companies such as Polished Bliss, KDS, and Off Your Marks, they are some of the best in the business at detailing and will machine polish cars everyday. It is all done within the paints limits though so won't look bad or fade in a few years time.

Looks like we'll have to agree to disagree  

[stealthwolf]

A good valeter would never machine polish a car unless the paintwork was totally f@cked

There's a difference between a valeter and a detailer.

You need to have a look at Detailing World, more specifically this section: clicky

I've gone over my car with a DA several times and the result is very good. I would never attempt paintwork correction but using a finishing pad and a mildly abrasive product like Menzerna Final Finish or Dodo Juice Lime Prime removes all of the light swirls.

Machine polishing is far superior to hand polishing. I agree that for complete newbs, they should stick with hand polishing unless they're really going to get into machine polishing but with some time and practise, they can achieve fantastic results.

[KentBladeboy]

All respect to a guy that does it by hand, must have the patience of a saint.

I am doing it all day and every day, a full mop takes me 6-8 hours to acheive the results I want....would not earn a living doing it by hand   

Totally agree, do not let a novice think they can just run a mop around the paint work, but with some practice anyone can use one to get very good results, but in terms of major correction, probably best not to start flatting and sanding unless you are really condfident though.