FromZto5

EDIT: Added buffing of wife's car

Went ahead and clayed and buffed the wife's car too. So far, orange pad and Chem guys V36.

Before


After




Post done pic, driveway, but no sun










Vid


Alright… buffing all done, then sealed with Blackfire Sealant. Sun peeked out.












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You guys started the claying and cleaning and buffing of your daily drivers from winter, yet?

I did. Always so nasty after 4 months of automatic washes amidst salt filled streets.

Pics show before claying, after claying, my Flex and V36 and V38 polishes, then the finished product. I have to do my wife's car yet

Before claying, nasty



After, much better



My flex and Chem guys v36 and v38



All done and ready for sealant and wax



I still have to give Marilyn her spring light buff.

=HYPERDRIVE=

I just got the new MT300 Meguires DA polisher with a 6" backing plate.
My paint is flawless from the day I bought the car, so I will only use it to apply pre-wax cleaner, and then paint sealant, maybe even to remove them but I could do that by hand. I got the whole polishing how to DVD from Autogeek a while back, so will start to watch it this month to know what pads to purchase for specific jobs.
I'm still hesitant about using it, even tho knowing and watching people use DA polishers and that they wont damage anything.

Stevedotmil

I have yet to repair the daily driver, stolen car, road racing damage from the last year. I haven't buffed her out since last year. I'm already commissioned to do the wife's ride before mine too so it might be a while.

To add to that my home based business license from the Army Garrison here should be approved so I can legit start advertising my detailing services. I already manage to make up some pretty good business just word of mouth. More money for Europe travel and car parts when I get back to the states. Who knows, if I start making enough money I may end up doing some of my suspension before I get back.

SplitSecond

I just ordered a Porter Cable 7424XP and a kit with a variety of Chemical Guys pads, and I am also terrified to use it. My Roush's paint is pretty good, but it was on a dealers lot for a two months before I bought it and you can tell the wash jockeys there havent a clue how to do it right. I have light swirls in my paint mostly of the hood and roof. No one notices them but the are enough to bother me and I cant get them out by hand. But im not going near the Roush with that thing until I get some practice on my winter rig that I will be selling in a couple of months anyway.

FromZto5

Steve, I'm sitting in my wife's car right now waiting for her to get back from the store. Trust me, it's filthy and dirty. I just can't get it in me to devote the detailing time just yet. Argh. I need to clay and buff still

Maybe tomorrow? Next week????

The PC is the easiest machine of all DA buffers to use. You literally can't mess up. The only way you'd ruin the paint is if you dropped the buffer on the paint lol.

Seriously. Use it. It's what I used when I first got started on detailing. Slap a pad on, apply polish, turn on, buff, turn off, wipe off. Done.

I don't use the pc anymore because I've moved on to better and faster equipment. But for a starter kit, it's ok.

FromZto5

Went ahead and clayed and buffed the wife's car too. So far, orange pad and Chem guys V36.

Before


After




Post done pic, driveway, but no sun










Vid

FromZto5

Alright… buffing all done, then sealed with Blackfire Sealant. Sun peeked out.

MadGT

that looks very good. well done.

2011 Kona Blue

What device do you feel is better and faster over the PC?

FromZto5

Thanks a lot sir. It was a loooong morning and early afternoon.

There are a few newer ones that are really good, for example rupes and torq. I use my beloved Flex VRG. Difference is it's beefy and torquey, so when you depress the foam pad, it doesn't stop turning/working. This means getting the job done in fewer passes. Also, it's less vibration and thus less fatigue on your arms.

2011 Kona Blue

I've heard about this Flex and Rupes you mention! Do they do a better job than PC 7424 XP at bringing a cars paint back to like new. I only ask because I do detailing on the side for customers and have a PC 7424 and seems to do a nice job.

Can I get even better results with the Flex or Rupes? Are there negatives to them over the PC?

FromZto5

PC is great for beginners, because it's low power and torque, so can't really mess up anything. I run a detailing biz too, so time is money

With the Flex and others, you can do what you do with the PC in 1/2 the time plus get better correction. That's biggest diff.

2011 Kona Blue

Really! 1/2 the time saved. Time is money. I like what I'm hearing! I have been using my PC DA now for around a year. In your opinion and recommendation, what should I step up to?

Are you using an orbital/dual action or rotary. I only ask because I see Flex and Rupes makes an orbital as well

GrnT

I need to get around to my clean up duties. Great write up Burton. Gets me motivated.

FromZto5

I use DA always. Rotaries are faster, but require a better hand and skill set to use. I'm no major pro by any means, I prefer the DA.

Anytime Mark! Let me know how your detailing goes! I want to see that legend lime beast swirl free!!!

CCTking

I used a Rotary once and only once so far. I was actually nervous but i felt it got much better results due to the fact i did passes vertical, horizontal, and diagonally across each panel. Yea lots of work but i still prefer the DA since it really cuts down on time. Still need to buy my own lol
Burton got any extra DA's you could let me borrow for spring season????

SplitSecond

Zto5, and well everyone else who is more experienced with DAs, you guys seem to like Chemical Guys polishes, sealants, ect. How do you like their pads? I'm looking to get a set of a variety of their Hex Logic pads. Any thoughts on these?

I received my PC 7424 today, and hoping to order some pads and a backing plate so I can get to work buffing my Subaru next week/weekend.

2011 Kona Blue

Their Hex Pad sucks! Stick with Lake Country Pads for foam at least. I just ordered a few Hex pads and used the orange hex pad. Not even half way through the car and look at this $hit. The pad is brand new and never been used. The foam pad is splitting apart.

The same thing happened with some detailing pads I got from Harbor Freight a while back. Never has this happened with my Lake Country Pads.