Machine Polishing - starter help needed for an amateur

[jmsheahan]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice on tidying up the paintwork on my Tornado red Mk2 Golf. I'm really not a detailing connoisseur but do know a few basics. I've finally decided to to take the plunge and buy a machine polisher (an entry level DAS-6 Dual Action) and really don't know where to start with suitable pads etc? Basically, I know nothing about it. I've been reading up on a fair few points however the likes of 'detailingworld' and the more hardcore cleaning techniques scare the hell out of me and I just glaze over! I need things in basic English 

The paint is 21 years old (other than a rear quarter that had a blow over) and really not in the best of conditions up close with oxidation, watermarks and general years worth of swirls and scratches. I'm really paranoid about burning through the paint and causing more damage (hence a dual action rather than rotary polisher) and am just looking to basically freshen up the paintwork in general. Not expecting a flawless finish, just something that'll breathe some life back into the car. Polishing and waxing etc by hand just doesn't cut the mustard anymore.



Can anyone more experienced recommend a few pads or kit I may need to get me started on a sympathetic polish for an old girl?  Current kit includes SRP, Red Moose Glaze, Britemax Resto Max cutting compound and Jetseal 109.

I'm assuming I'll need:

1 pad for heavier correction/polishing with the britemax (something like Chemical Guys Orange 5.5" Hex-Logic Pad?)
1 pad for final buff (open to polish recommendations here, all I have is the Autoglym SRP - Meguiar's Deep Crystal?)
1 pad for the glaze?

Wax I'll do by hand.

Many thanks!

[MonkeyP]

Mate i am an amateur too but one thing i learnt from here and detail world is to always check the clear coat thickness on older cars before using any machine for polishing!

Regarding what pads to use CG Hexalogic are highly recommend but i cant help in the chemicals and procedure. try this link, found them very helpful

Dual Action Polisher
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=63859

Good luck sorry i cant help more.

[jmsheahan]

Thank chap, will study the link.

That's the thing yeah, I don't want to damage the paint further but I'm not spending £150 on a paint depth gauge  I was under the impression it was a lot less easy to burn the paint with a DA rather than rotary but I guess it's still more than possible if used incorrectly.

Good to know on the pads thanks 

[MonkeyP]

Thank chap, will study the link.

That's the thing yeah, I don't want to damage the paint further but I'm not spending £150 on a paint depth gauge  I was under the impression it was a lot less easy to burn the paint with a DA rather than rotary but I guess it's still more than possible if used incorrectly.

Good to know on the pads thanks 

Well to remove the swirl marks with a DA and rotary you will have to take a layer of the clear coat off. therefore if your clear coat is too thin then it will go through to the paint layer or you can cause the very thin layer of clear coat to start flaking off.

Everything is explained in a lot more detail in the link.

[waxamomo]

It's a hard one for recommendations as you say your a newbie but everyone has got to start somewhere, right?

Personally, i'd recommend the machine but I wouldn't go so far as a heavy cutting compound as you've mentioned. Get the machine Dodo Juice Buff Daddy cough cough  but just go with a polishing pad and a fairly middle of the road polish, this way you are fairly safe (i'd get shot for saying that on some forums but you've got to be realistic).

If you start with a DA as stated, something along the lines of a Meguiar's Polishing Pad (Yellow)/Hex Logic White/3M Yellow Pad, then a polish like Meguiar's 205/Wolf's WP-3G/Meguiar's No. 83 then that would be as much "cutting" as I would recommend for a beginner. None of these will get rid of every swirl mark, and to be honest you may be a little disappointed with the results, but 2 or 3 go's with a combination of the above is a lot safer than going 1 hit with a hard cutting pad and a harsh compound.

After the "safe" polishing above, then i'd go with a finishing pad and your Red Moose Glaze, this will really add some shine after the polishing stage. Then onto the wax by hand.

A few nice clean microfibres to buff the residue and then after a hard earned rest, sit back put your sun glasses on and enjoy the shine 

[jmsheahan]

Cheers guys, much appreciate the advice (and the fact it's in layman's terms)

I best put the Britemax away for now then until I've got a bit more experience. That's fine if it's not 100% perfect, it's 21 year old paint when all said and done, I just want to improve it a bit and feel I've gone as far as I can with the paint by polishing by hand. I already have the DAS-6 machine but I'll check out the Waxamomo site for the extras 

So those three polishes will be safe for me to use then - is there one in particular you'd recommend? As I say the only other polish I've used is SRP. I'm more picky when I come to the wax stage (I love collinite 476  ).

[waxamomo]

In cut levels, Meg's 83 has the most, then Wolf's 3G, then Meg's 205.

SRP is very filler heavy which means it hides the swirl marks, you think you've done a great job then a week/wash later and your back to square one. SRP is probably closer to the Red Moose you have than any of these 3 polishes mentioned above.

[jmsheahan]

I see thanks. Indeed, looks great when I've spent the entire day cleaning/polishing but then a few weeks later all the mark are back etc.

So if I got the heaviest cut (the 83) would I still be able to cause damage easily or is it fairly safe in the hands of a beginner?

[jmsheahan]

Forgot to ask as well if I went for 83 would I need to use another finishing polish afterwards for shine before the red moose and wax etc? Sorry for all the questions