buffing...........
11-24-2001, 07:19 AM
#1
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buffing...........
who knows how to buff their cars? is it difficult? i hear you can burn your paint easily if you make a mistake with a buffing machine?
waiting for some input,
TIA
Ray '00S4
silver/onyx
waiting for some input,
TIA
Ray '00S4
silver/onyx
11-24-2001, 07:27 AM
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Re: buffing...........
I know rotary buffers give you the best results, but do take knowledge -- you can go through the paint if you're not careful.
Orbital buffers are safer, but really don't do as nice a job cutting through oxidation.
If your paint is in good shape (not a lot of oxidation or 'roughness' when you wipe your fingers across it) you shouldn't need a rotary buffer.
I would recommend finding someone who can show you how to do it if you plan on some hardcore buffing. I use an orbital buffer (safe) and some elbow grease to get out mild areas of oxidation. I don't trust myself (yet) to use the rotary buffer -- if my paint ever gets in that kind of shape, I'll probably enlist the help of someone else.
You might refer to the detailing forum for more expert advice than this.
Orbital buffers are safer, but really don't do as nice a job cutting through oxidation.
If your paint is in good shape (not a lot of oxidation or 'roughness' when you wipe your fingers across it) you shouldn't need a rotary buffer.
I would recommend finding someone who can show you how to do it if you plan on some hardcore buffing. I use an orbital buffer (safe) and some elbow grease to get out mild areas of oxidation. I don't trust myself (yet) to use the rotary buffer -- if my paint ever gets in that kind of shape, I'll probably enlist the help of someone else.
You might refer to the detailing forum for more expert advice than this.
11-24-2001, 07:56 AM
#3
Buffing not needed...
I spent a full day with Ted K detailing my car.
We stripped the old wax, and used three different cuts of glaze and polish and then waxed with a protective wax.
Including the interior, windows, rubber, seat treatment and vacumning it took us about three hours.
We did everything! Even got the scratches out of the black plastic on the "B" pillars. It looks great!
Avoid the buffing and do it by hand. You will end up going over by hand anyway to get the swirls out...
We stripped the old wax, and used three different cuts of glaze and polish and then waxed with a protective wax.
Including the interior, windows, rubber, seat treatment and vacumning it took us about three hours.
We did everything! Even got the scratches out of the black plastic on the "B" pillars. It looks great!
Avoid the buffing and do it by hand. You will end up going over by hand anyway to get the swirls out...
11-24-2001, 09:00 AM
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Orbitals can cut through oxidation.
There are different pads available, as well as more aggressive compounds to tackle the job. I generally stick with the mild stuff because my paint is in pretty good shape. I spent yesterday detailing my father's car...not so great shape. A porter cable set to 3K rpms, and 3M Machine Glaze did a very nice job on his paint. The paint was not oxidized, but it had plenty of mild scratches near the door handles and B pillars. For those areas, I cranked up the speed to 5K rpms, and went over the areas for about 10 seconds.
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11-24-2001, 09:26 AM
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Okay, here's what we used on the whole car, and the order we did it in, etc. Let us know if you
have any questions.
1. 3M Imperial Hand Glaze - Glazes are polish with mild abrasives and fillers. Safe for removing/hiding minor surface scratches and swirl marks. Use on any pannel that has this, as long as the car wasn't painted within the last 90 days. I do this twice per year (one before winter, and once after). I usually do the entire car once, but if you have pannels without scratches you can skip them. Also, if a pannel is particularly bad, I might do it more than once with IHG. Finally, if you do get scratches in between this "twice per year cleaning" I then do just the area that is scratched.
2. I Polish twice per year with P21S Gloss Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser. Remember, polish is what gives your car shine and depth, wax is just a protectant. Do the entire car with this. Use it on your wheels also if they are painted. Will help keep brake dust from sticking and will make removal easy. Also, glazes and polishes remove all coats of wax still on the car, so use it 2 times per year on the entire car, and then after that, only use it on areas that have scratches. For normal maintenance between these "twice per year detailing" skip steps one and two and go right to step 3, waxing.
3. One Grand Blitz Wax - As many times as you want. Just leave 24 hours between coats. Doesn't chalk or leave white on the rubber (no matter how hard I try, I always get wax on the rubber around the windows.) Also, use it on your wheels if they are painted. I've experimented with both P21S Concours Look Carnuba wax and One Grand Blitz Wax. The jury is in. I'm going with the Blitz. You see, Blitz lasts longer than P21S, is less expensive, is easier to apply and remove (in my opinion), it definitely creates a deeper longer lasting shine, and it stands up to heat better so it's better to use on the wheels. The great thing about Blitz is also the more you wax the better the shine gets. After 3 or 4 coats, the shine gets to be really something. Once I hit five coats, I then just wax to maintain until the next semi-annual detailing (say once every 6-8 weeks). It's also very easy to wax the car once you've done your semi-annual detailing in steps 1 and 2 as the paint is mirror smooth. It takes me between 30 and 45 minutes to do a coat of wax, so I try to do it once a week for a month after my detailing, and then just maintain it.
4. Use One Grand Show Off detailing spray to "spritz" the car or to remove bird droppings etc. This stuff is THE MOST USED ITEM I HAVE. It will deepen the shine, and you will wash your car half as much if you use this. Great for taking stubborn brake dust off your wheels also.
5. Harly Poly Guard Vinyl treatment for the entire interior, other than the seats. Good shine (not too shiny) and anti static. You'll get half as much dust on your dash when using this. I LOVE THIS STUFF. This is what Mike used to get the scuffs of his door pannels.
6. Lexol ph Cleaner and Condition on the leather seats. Use at least two or three times per year. Will keep the leather looking great!
7. One Grand Exterior Rubber and Vinyl (ERV) on the tires. NO SILICONE. That's key as silicone, which is in many other products like Meguiars Endurance, will eventually ruin your tires. ERV doesn't build up (like Endurance does), doesn't attract dirt to your tires (many other stuff, like Meguiars Endurance does) and lasts a long time. The more you use it, the better the deep, satin black finish gets.
8. Eimann Fabrik Clear Vision glass cleaner - Regular glass cleaner like Windex has perfumes, ammonia and colors in it. Perfumes and color will haze the windows after a while, and the ammonia will degrade the adhesive for aftermarket window tint if you have it. This stuff makes windows totally transparent.
9. When you wax, clean, etc., DON'T DO IT IN CIRCLES. While everyone thinks this is the correct way, its not. If you happen to scratch your car (inevitably, some scratches will appear), by doing it in circles, the scratch will be apparent from any angle. You see your eye can only see scratches when they appear perpendicular to the viewing angle. Therefore, circular scratches are visible from all angles. Therefore, wax, dry, detail, etc. in the same angle your eye looks. I do the roof, hood and trunk from front to back, and the sides up and down. Really keeps the scratches invisible. And, if I do get them, some Imperial Hand Glaze (#1 above) and some P21S polish, and THEY'RE GONE. (Always apply a coat of wax to an area where you just polished out a scratch as there will not be any wax left on that spot).
10. Use 100% cotton towels only. Polyester will scratch your paint. Also, for buffing, using the detailing spray, etc., use 100% flannel rags. Use terry cloth rags on your wheels. Use foam applicators for all your needs. Use a different one for each product, and all this can be washed repeatedly. Each time you wash, they will come out cleaner and softer than before. While you will have to invest initially, the stuff can be reused for many years. Just wash the items used on the tires separate from the rest so brake dust (which stains and is corrosive) doesn't get on the items you use on the rest of the car.
All this is available primarily from Car Care Specialists at www.carcareonline.com. Larry Reynolds who ownes the place is a certified car care nut, and judges many world renowned Concourses, like Blommington Gold, Pebble Beach, etc. This guy knows his stuff. Just keep in mind that even though you hear it from him, or anyone else, make your own decision through trial and error as it's all subjective. Shipping is free on orders over $75, and he gets it there most of the time in 1-2 days. Order during the week, and you will definitely have it by the weekend. Also, he usually throws in a free gift of something you didn't order with each order. Great for trying out new stuff.
You can get the towels from Griots garage at www.griotsgarage.com. They're kind of pricy, but I haven't found them anywhere else, and like I said, after the initial investment, your done.
The glass cleaner I get from Classic Motoring Accessories at www.properautocare.com.
1. 3M Imperial Hand Glaze - Glazes are polish with mild abrasives and fillers. Safe for removing/hiding minor surface scratches and swirl marks. Use on any pannel that has this, as long as the car wasn't painted within the last 90 days. I do this twice per year (one before winter, and once after). I usually do the entire car once, but if you have pannels without scratches you can skip them. Also, if a pannel is particularly bad, I might do it more than once with IHG. Finally, if you do get scratches in between this "twice per year cleaning" I then do just the area that is scratched.
2. I Polish twice per year with P21S Gloss Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser. Remember, polish is what gives your car shine and depth, wax is just a protectant. Do the entire car with this. Use it on your wheels also if they are painted. Will help keep brake dust from sticking and will make removal easy. Also, glazes and polishes remove all coats of wax still on the car, so use it 2 times per year on the entire car, and then after that, only use it on areas that have scratches. For normal maintenance between these "twice per year detailing" skip steps one and two and go right to step 3, waxing.
3. One Grand Blitz Wax - As many times as you want. Just leave 24 hours between coats. Doesn't chalk or leave white on the rubber (no matter how hard I try, I always get wax on the rubber around the windows.) Also, use it on your wheels if they are painted. I've experimented with both P21S Concours Look Carnuba wax and One Grand Blitz Wax. The jury is in. I'm going with the Blitz. You see, Blitz lasts longer than P21S, is less expensive, is easier to apply and remove (in my opinion), it definitely creates a deeper longer lasting shine, and it stands up to heat better so it's better to use on the wheels. The great thing about Blitz is also the more you wax the better the shine gets. After 3 or 4 coats, the shine gets to be really something. Once I hit five coats, I then just wax to maintain until the next semi-annual detailing (say once every 6-8 weeks). It's also very easy to wax the car once you've done your semi-annual detailing in steps 1 and 2 as the paint is mirror smooth. It takes me between 30 and 45 minutes to do a coat of wax, so I try to do it once a week for a month after my detailing, and then just maintain it.
4. Use One Grand Show Off detailing spray to "spritz" the car or to remove bird droppings etc. This stuff is THE MOST USED ITEM I HAVE. It will deepen the shine, and you will wash your car half as much if you use this. Great for taking stubborn brake dust off your wheels also.
5. Harly Poly Guard Vinyl treatment for the entire interior, other than the seats. Good shine (not too shiny) and anti static. You'll get half as much dust on your dash when using this. I LOVE THIS STUFF. This is what Mike used to get the scuffs of his door pannels.
6. Lexol ph Cleaner and Condition on the leather seats. Use at least two or three times per year. Will keep the leather looking great!
7. One Grand Exterior Rubber and Vinyl (ERV) on the tires. NO SILICONE. That's key as silicone, which is in many other products like Meguiars Endurance, will eventually ruin your tires. ERV doesn't build up (like Endurance does), doesn't attract dirt to your tires (many other stuff, like Meguiars Endurance does) and lasts a long time. The more you use it, the better the deep, satin black finish gets.
8. Eimann Fabrik Clear Vision glass cleaner - Regular glass cleaner like Windex has perfumes, ammonia and colors in it. Perfumes and color will haze the windows after a while, and the ammonia will degrade the adhesive for aftermarket window tint if you have it. This stuff makes windows totally transparent.
9. When you wax, clean, etc., DON'T DO IT IN CIRCLES. While everyone thinks this is the correct way, its not. If you happen to scratch your car (inevitably, some scratches will appear), by doing it in circles, the scratch will be apparent from any angle. You see your eye can only see scratches when they appear perpendicular to the viewing angle. Therefore, circular scratches are visible from all angles. Therefore, wax, dry, detail, etc. in the same angle your eye looks. I do the roof, hood and trunk from front to back, and the sides up and down. Really keeps the scratches invisible. And, if I do get them, some Imperial Hand Glaze (#1 above) and some P21S polish, and THEY'RE GONE. (Always apply a coat of wax to an area where you just polished out a scratch as there will not be any wax left on that spot).
10. Use 100% cotton towels only. Polyester will scratch your paint. Also, for buffing, using the detailing spray, etc., use 100% flannel rags. Use terry cloth rags on your wheels. Use foam applicators for all your needs. Use a different one for each product, and all this can be washed repeatedly. Each time you wash, they will come out cleaner and softer than before. While you will have to invest initially, the stuff can be reused for many years. Just wash the items used on the tires separate from the rest so brake dust (which stains and is corrosive) doesn't get on the items you use on the rest of the car.
All this is available primarily from Car Care Specialists at www.carcareonline.com. Larry Reynolds who ownes the place is a certified car care nut, and judges many world renowned Concourses, like Blommington Gold, Pebble Beach, etc. This guy knows his stuff. Just keep in mind that even though you hear it from him, or anyone else, make your own decision through trial and error as it's all subjective. Shipping is free on orders over $75, and he gets it there most of the time in 1-2 days. Order during the week, and you will definitely have it by the weekend. Also, he usually throws in a free gift of something you didn't order with each order. Great for trying out new stuff.
You can get the towels from Griots garage at www.griotsgarage.com. They're kind of pricy, but I haven't found them anywhere else, and like I said, after the initial investment, your done.
The glass cleaner I get from Classic Motoring Accessories at www.properautocare.com.