Welcome!
» Log In
» Create A New Profile
Home
>
Auto Detailing: Secrets of the Experts
>
Topic
1st time on the rotary
Posted by Mark Hoffman
|
1st time on the rotary June 28, 2004 02:03AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 40 |
<HTML>Well after asking all kinds of questions about detailing and having grand dreams of doing high end cars I finally came back to reality and realized I don't know as much as I thought I did. Well I bought a Dewalt 849 and I couldn't wait to try it out. I sure as heck wasn't going to try it on my cars, what if I burned the paint 
. I instead talked my neighbor into letting me test it on his 91 Chevy S10 that he doesn't even wash anymore. Well it turned out pretty good IMO but I have some questions. I used Mequiars #3 with a poly/wool pad and about 1100 RPM. This seemed to really give it a shine and it looked good, until I got it out in the sun. It had a lot of swirl marks on it. I wasn't to concerned as it was my first time and the truck did look a lot better but what could I have done to remove the swirls? Higher speed, different product?</HTML>
Thanks
Mark
. I instead talked my neighbor into letting me test it on his 91 Chevy S10 that he doesn't even wash anymore. Well it turned out pretty good IMO but I have some questions. I used Mequiars #3 with a poly/wool pad and about 1100 RPM. This seemed to really give it a shine and it looked good, until I got it out in the sun. It had a lot of swirl marks on it. I wasn't to concerned as it was my first time and the truck did look a lot better but what could I have done to remove the swirls? Higher speed, different product?</HTML>Thanks
Mark
|
Re: 1st time on the rotary June 28, 2004 04:12AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 443 |
<HTML>You just need to finish the job(remove the swirls)..... continue buffing / polishing it out,try a less agressive compound & work your way to a fine polish & USE a less agressive foam pad....until you remove the swirls...this requires you have enough INDOOR (bright white) lighting directed properly on the surface to see(the swirls) CLEARLY AS you buff the surface to a glass-like appearance..... then apply polymer sealant(WAX) to protect the surface(clear coat) with a orbitrol buffer or by hand.
The more experience you can get with a rotary buffer,the better the quality your work will get.....this takes practice over time to perfect....JUST keep trying to improve your skills,UNTIL you master it.....GO to the junkyard for scrap practice peices like a hoods & quarter panels to practice on FIRST. I don't recomend practicing on customer cars...until your confident with your skills... IF customers are paying professional prices for this type of service, they deserve professional results without making the problem worse by damaging or removing more than 3mils of the clear coat with improper or to aggresive buffing technique.
UNTIL THEN.....Consider targeting newer vehicles in good condition that don't require paint finish CORRECTION...they just need polymer(wax) protection applied by orbitrol or by hand & a regular "maintance" detailing...keep it SIMPLE until you master the skills needed & you want to offer in your business...better not to bite off more than you can handle.....and have to pay for the damage YOU cause to a customer....GOOD LUCK !
.</HTML>
Visit my Web-Site
ColesCountyAutoDetailing.com
The more experience you can get with a rotary buffer,the better the quality your work will get.....this takes practice over time to perfect....JUST keep trying to improve your skills,UNTIL you master it.....GO to the junkyard for scrap practice peices like a hoods & quarter panels to practice on FIRST. I don't recomend practicing on customer cars...until your confident with your skills... IF customers are paying professional prices for this type of service, they deserve professional results without making the problem worse by damaging or removing more than 3mils of the clear coat with improper or to aggresive buffing technique.
UNTIL THEN.....Consider targeting newer vehicles in good condition that don't require paint finish CORRECTION...they just need polymer(wax) protection applied by orbitrol or by hand & a regular "maintance" detailing...keep it SIMPLE until you master the skills needed & you want to offer in your business...better not to bite off more than you can handle.....and have to pay for the damage YOU cause to a customer....GOOD LUCK !
.</HTML>
Visit my Web-Site
ColesCountyAutoDetailing.com
|
Re: 1st time on the rotary June 28, 2004 04:24AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 751 |
|
Re: 1st time on the rotary June 28, 2004 04:30AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 443 |
|
Re: 1st time on the rotary June 28, 2004 04:54AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 466 |
<HTML>C.M. Gaines,
Meguiars #3 is not an aggressive compund so it's not the product but rather the wool/poly pad he used.
Mark,
C.M. is correct in going to a less aggressive pad for your next step. Think of it like sanding. You start off with a more aggressive grit but you can't stop at a 120 grit paper or the wood piece will look nasty. You need to work down to a fine grit and then apply the stain and/or varnish.
Your first step should of been, say the #3, with a polishing (foam) pad and then see how it looked. If it looked good then finish it off by hand with your sealer. Always use the least abrasive product/pad first and then work your way up from there if needed.
Anthony</HTML>
Details, Details, Details....It's all in the details!
www.UltimateReflections.NET
Meguiars #3 is not an aggressive compund so it's not the product but rather the wool/poly pad he used.
Mark,
C.M. is correct in going to a less aggressive pad for your next step. Think of it like sanding. You start off with a more aggressive grit but you can't stop at a 120 grit paper or the wood piece will look nasty. You need to work down to a fine grit and then apply the stain and/or varnish.
Your first step should of been, say the #3, with a polishing (foam) pad and then see how it looked. If it looked good then finish it off by hand with your sealer. Always use the least abrasive product/pad first and then work your way up from there if needed.
Anthony</HTML>
Details, Details, Details....It's all in the details!
www.UltimateReflections.NET
|
Re: 1st time on the rotary June 28, 2004 05:07AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 443 |
<HTML>I Did'nt say it was AN agressive compound,I said try to use "A LESS agressive compound" THAN #3 with a less agressive foam pad.
I assume they make a less aggressive compound than #3 ?....but not familar with their products at all.....to expensive,in my opinion.</HTML>
Visit my Web-Site
ColesCountyAutoDetailing.com
I assume they make a less aggressive compound than #3 ?....but not familar with their products at all.....to expensive,in my opinion.</HTML>
Visit my Web-Site
ColesCountyAutoDetailing.com
|
Re: 1st time on the rotary June 28, 2004 01:02PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 40 |
|
Re: 1st time on the rotary June 29, 2004 02:01AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 751 |
<HTML>Mark, I dont really use many Meguiars products so I dont know what speed they suggest. I know CarBrite sometimes put suggested buffing speeds on their labels. I usually compound at around 1100 rpm when using an Electric buffer.
Foam pads can "creep" a little sometimes, I think it's just a matter of practice , and getting the right combination of speed and pressure.
Jim.</HTML>
Foam pads can "creep" a little sometimes, I think it's just a matter of practice , and getting the right combination of speed and pressure.
Jim.</HTML>
|
Re: 1st time on the rotary June 29, 2004 02:30PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>Mark:
It seems you are guessing about which product to use on the first step.
Let me give you my breakdown on chemicals and pads:
600 grit compound - very heavy for compounding after wetsanding and compounding heavily oxidized single stage paint and laquer.
800 grit compound - same as above, but it is less aggressive
1200 grit compound - a medium grit
1500 grit compound - a lighter medium grit
2000 grit compound - a light compound
MICRO FINE compond - as the name states
What I have found in 95% of the cases of the cars I see in retail stores and dealerships you only need as your main compounds the 2000 grit and the MICRO FINE.
I recommend to have a small quanity of 800 and 1200 around for tough jobs.
PADS
100% Wool Cutting Pads - not recommended for clear coats only for single stage paints that are heavily oxidized; buffing out laquer and for buffing wetsanding marks
Poly/Wool Blend Cutting Pads - best pad for clear coat finishes
Foam Cutting Pad - the least aggressive pad for use with compounds.
The trick is for you to do the following:
a. Identify the paint finish to work on
b. Identify the problem and the extent to which you think you can correct it
c. Choose the tool - in this case the rotary buffer
d. Choose the pad
e. Choose the compound
(always take the least aggressive method and work up in aggressiveness. If the combo of pad and compound is not aggressive enough then go to a more aggressive pad before going to a more aggressive compound)
That is all there is to correcting a paint finish. Most times when you use a 600 or 800 grit compound or even a 1200 you may get scratches in the paint from the compound in the form of swirls. These are not swirls, they are scratches and you must use another less aggressive compound and maybe less aggressive pad to ge them out.
Then you ALWAYS move to a polishing pad and a swirl remover as the second step
And, then to the wax or sealant.
In short for you to do the kind of work you want to do requires you have the compounds and pads and swirl removers and polishing pads. Unless you simply work on one type of car paint.
Hope that helps clarify it for you.
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
It seems you are guessing about which product to use on the first step.
Let me give you my breakdown on chemicals and pads:
600 grit compound - very heavy for compounding after wetsanding and compounding heavily oxidized single stage paint and laquer.
800 grit compound - same as above, but it is less aggressive
1200 grit compound - a medium grit
1500 grit compound - a lighter medium grit
2000 grit compound - a light compound
MICRO FINE compond - as the name states
What I have found in 95% of the cases of the cars I see in retail stores and dealerships you only need as your main compounds the 2000 grit and the MICRO FINE.
I recommend to have a small quanity of 800 and 1200 around for tough jobs.
PADS
100% Wool Cutting Pads - not recommended for clear coats only for single stage paints that are heavily oxidized; buffing out laquer and for buffing wetsanding marks
Poly/Wool Blend Cutting Pads - best pad for clear coat finishes
Foam Cutting Pad - the least aggressive pad for use with compounds.
The trick is for you to do the following:
a. Identify the paint finish to work on
b. Identify the problem and the extent to which you think you can correct it
c. Choose the tool - in this case the rotary buffer
d. Choose the pad
e. Choose the compound
(always take the least aggressive method and work up in aggressiveness. If the combo of pad and compound is not aggressive enough then go to a more aggressive pad before going to a more aggressive compound)
That is all there is to correcting a paint finish. Most times when you use a 600 or 800 grit compound or even a 1200 you may get scratches in the paint from the compound in the form of swirls. These are not swirls, they are scratches and you must use another less aggressive compound and maybe less aggressive pad to ge them out.
Then you ALWAYS move to a polishing pad and a swirl remover as the second step
And, then to the wax or sealant.
In short for you to do the kind of work you want to do requires you have the compounds and pads and swirl removers and polishing pads. Unless you simply work on one type of car paint.
Hope that helps clarify it for you.
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
|
Re: 1st time on the rotary June 29, 2004 06:49PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 466 |
<HTML>Mark,
Bud gives some very useful tips and what I can add to it for the jumping pads is to not over extend yourself, as in try to keep your shoulders square to the work area, try to keep your center of balance over the buffer and see that you don't reach out to far with the buffer as you can lose control of it and you will also tend to lean on one side of the machine.
Most paints respond well at 1100 to 1400 rpm's. Anything higher than that and you REALLY need to be carefull.
Anthony</HTML>
Details, Details, Details....It's all in the details!
www.UltimateReflections.NET
Bud gives some very useful tips and what I can add to it for the jumping pads is to not over extend yourself, as in try to keep your shoulders square to the work area, try to keep your center of balance over the buffer and see that you don't reach out to far with the buffer as you can lose control of it and you will also tend to lean on one side of the machine.
Most paints respond well at 1100 to 1400 rpm's. Anything higher than that and you REALLY need to be carefull.
Anthony</HTML>
Details, Details, Details....It's all in the details!
www.UltimateReflections.NET
|
JUMPING FOAM PADS June 29, 2004 11:21PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 3,550 |
<HTML>Mark:
In addition to what Anthony suggests in terms of technique I forgot to mention that we offer both a cutting pad and finishing (polishing) pad in what we call "spaghetti" foam strands.
One of the reasons detailers like this pad is that it feels more like a wool pad and is easier to control. You might want to consider this pad as opposed to the flat foam pads.
You can see them on your website
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
In addition to what Anthony suggests in terms of technique I forgot to mention that we offer both a cutting pad and finishing (polishing) pad in what we call "spaghetti" foam strands.
One of the reasons detailers like this pad is that it feels more like a wool pad and is easier to control. You might want to consider this pad as opposed to the flat foam pads.
You can see them on your website
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS</HTML>
buda
|
Re: JUMPING FOAM PADS July 03, 2004 03:32AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 166 |
<HTML>Mark, With meguiars you need to wet buff the product ,that is stop when it has broken down in to the polish stage and almost no residue is left. Over buffing or drying out the product will give you the jumping .I use nothing but meguiars pro line and pads, expensive yes,but you get what you pay for!</HTML>
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.