Benny771

Hi :
Just looking for some pointers, or a place that has pointers. Such as speeds to be used and what the different pads are used for and when?
Just picked one up but it came with no help.
Has 2 buffer heads and no applicator heads.....

MUSSBERGER

Practice on a hood from a junkyard and go to the concours forum. Not in that order.

andy928

Good evening,

I have just bought the same one about two weeks ago.

My mate has one and the results he gets are fantastic.

He uses the 3M pads, #2 for polishing and the #1 for an aggressive cut.

He has told me that when he clay bars there is no difference in the end result....... someone may comment on this, but his end results that I have seen are great.

He only uses speed number 1, it takes two days to do a car from start to finish, but they look new.

Have not used it myself yet, and with work it may be a while, but I can’t wait.

I thought I was pretty good, however seeing the work done on here I am in awe of the masters.

I hope with the new machine I can pick up my game.

Good luck and really keen to hear how you go and what you find.

Andrew

willtel

I have one of those buffers and it works really well as long as you take your time and use high quality products with it.

I would stay away from wool pads as they are really aggressive and they can get you into trouble if you don't know what you are doing. My suggestion would be to buy a set of foam pads and a flexible backing plate to allow the pads to move with the contours of the surface you are buffing. Autogeek carries the Lake Country line and they have worked well for me, http://www.autogeek.net/lakecountry.html. The 4" pads are also very handy for working small panels and around trim.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/willtel/3716702950/http://www.flickr.com/photos/willtel/3716702950/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/willtel/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/willtel/3716701634/http://www.flickr.com/photos/willtel/3716701634/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/willtel/, on Flickr

andy928

Well i finally tried my Makita and i have to say i am very very happy with the results, i was worried to give it a go after the comments posted, however its great.

I used it on my red 1978 mini, done 78,000ks, owned by one lady owner, not Mrs Hertz but my grandma from new, always garaged.

The red had become dull but i still got a lot of comments about how well the paint had lasted, now it is almost like new.

Thanks for your post WILLTEL, it gave me the confidence to give it a go.

BENNY771, have you tried yours yet?

Benny771

I did,
But im having a problem getting (and knowing what to get) as far as pads ands soft backing plates.
I was ginger with the wool pad and it turned out well.
The wool pads seem to soak up most of the polish, and im not sure if i can wash them nor how to.

WPOZZZ

Try the detailing forums for some advice on pads. You can also get in touch with Ranney at Pakshak.com. He's local to me in Hawaii, but ships worldwide. For pads, I have 4 types: a wool cutting, a Kompressor cutting, and 2 different finishing pads. The pad usage can be distinguished by looking at the size of the foam cells.

76 911s

I used that buffer for years when I worked at a detail shop. I was never a fan of wool pads; they create swirls easily, fluff flies everywhere, etc. I really prefer the 3M eggcrate foam pads. The only time I used wool was after wetsanding, as the foam just isn't aggressive enough to buff the paint back to a shine. I tried many polishes, and found the 3M Perfect-it Rubbing Compound great when followed with 3M Machine Glaze. If there were deep swirls, or oxidation (black cars and guards red come to mind) I'd use Perfect-it Extra Cut before the Rubbing Compound.

As for technique, keep speeds low while you're learning. I usually did 2-3 for cut polishing, and 3 for glazes. Take note of the direction the pad spins - make sure your pad is spinning OFF edges of panels, and NOT into edges to ensure you don't burn through the paint. The same goes for creases and body lines.

Apply polish/glaze directly onto the car with an applicator.

andy928

I polished my work car, which is a gloss black Holden SV6, and the machine worked wonders, slow speed and a little at a time and I am very happy to get the swill marks out.

Andrew