2011 Kona Blue

Hey guys, Anybody on here use this product for detailing? I have been told it does a great job and designed so you can't jack the paint up. My car has never seen a device like this too it and it needs it. I have swirl marks all over the car and you can actually see a grayish color film on parts of the paint. I have been told that's oxidation and this product here will help get rid of it along with the right chemicals.

I have been told my car needs a three step detail process of Cleaner, Polish and Wax.

2011 Kona Blue

Sorry, here is the set I ordered

Stevedotmil

Watch all the videos on AG on how to use that thing and you should be good. Take your time and don't rush on making it perfect ONCE so that you don't have to do it again. Then watch all the vids on how to wash your car.

AlsCobra

Exactly ^^^.
Just make sure you give yourself enough time to complete it. I've said this before but it took me three days to get it right. Don't rush it and you will love the results. And don't worry about hurting your finish any. You almost have to do that on purpose. Just watch the vids and it will walk you right through. Some good lighting really helps too.

2011 Kona Blue

Thanks guys. Sounds great. How often do you fellows give your stang a polish and wax treatment along with a compound clean to remove all those swirls and any oxidation? Once a year? Twice? None like me. Lol. Shameful on my part.

AlsCobra

If you keep it protected and wash it correctly. You really shouldn't have to polish it very often. After a wash I use the PC with the gray lake pad to apply wax and it is holding up great.

2011 Kona Blue

Great. So more like wax often and wash correctly and your good too go

DaGonz

I have been using a Porter Cable 7424 in my detailing venture for longer than I can remember. I haven't touched my rotary polisher in years.

Overboost

I ordered the exact same kit a few years back. It comes with more than enough to get you started. I've found since then that the PC seems to lack the 'oomph' that other DA's, like the G110 and the Rupes polishers have, but it's a great starting point. Get comfortable with it and you'll be ready to move up.

typesredline

Kona, be very careful. I don't believe that PC is a DA. It's a rotary. The reason DA's are safe is because they "throw" the pad randomly while it spins. It also has a clutch to stop the spin on an edge. EDIT: oops it's a DA.

A rotary is just spinning and without experience you can burn edges, corners, and even flat parts it done wrong.

Lots of detailers (usually the cheap ones) use rotarys and use cheap product. The combo of heat, a "short opened" polish and typically a circle motion can make the paint look worse with holograms and such.

I would highly recommend the Griots Garage DA.

Product wise the cleaner wax is a waste of time. It's a very very weak compound. Get a good leveler/compound and a good polish which a long open time which means it stays "wet" longer to give more time to "work" the product.

I like Adams compound and polish personally. Also that two step will get out 99.9% of swirls and oxy. When you hear about a 3 step paint correction it doesn't include wax, it is wet sanding. After a two or three step you should always seal and then wax regularly.

If you do stick with the PC, you need to move in straight line "with the grain" of the paint. Think what direction they would have painted the panel and that's the direction of the grain.

typesredline

I'm not sure videos will help a first timer use a rotary without damage. Even pros use DA's now bc they have caught up in power to still be as effective as rotarys without burn.

typesredline

I agree you have to make a pretty big mistake to make errors. But it happens a lot in the detailing world bc of bad technique, bad product, or going to fast to rush through cars.

I don't mean to patronize Kona. I'm sure he can do fine. I'm just trying to help a fellow owner and detailer.

Also if that model you ordered is indeed a DA than most of what I said is irrelevant.

typesredline

First time needs a two step (compound and polish). After that if sealed and then washed, dried (a big swirl maker) properly and waxed regularly it should only need a polish (not compound) once a yearish.

Overboost

The 7424 is a DA, not a rotary.

http://www.portercable.com/products/...roductID=21436

AlsCobra

The only issue I noticed with my PC is the backing pad is small. A little bigger backing pad would allow you to use the full pad.

Overboost

Marc pointed me to one of the premium Meg's one with the holes in it. It made a big difference in pad performance.

2011 Kona Blue

The set I purchased was 225 dollars and I opted the extra 30 dollars for the heavier HD cord. If I'm not mistaken this set comes with a 4 1/2 inch backing plate and a 3 1/2 inch backing plate. I think the pads are 5 1/2 inch and some 4 inch pads.

I believe this porter cable is a DA and told it was basically dummy proof and I couldn't burn the paint. I need dummy proof. Lol. I'm completely new to this type of detailing of a car. Don't get me wrong , I wash my car, clean my exhaust pipes, clean and wax the inside of my wheels, shine the inside of dash and all plastics, vacuum but never a good polish and wax.

Over the past three years the car has developed a slight grayish film on the paint which i believe is some light oxidation. Along with swirl marks and those light scratches on top of the paint.

Glenn

so with pc you would skip the claybar step, just use some sauce, the right pad and go? It the picture it shows 4 or 5 large pads. Would you use each one of those for a complete job or would you pick and choose as needed?

typesredline

No no no no lol. Clay is very important before any leveler or polish. If not the pad will pick up the deposits and swirl the paint bad.

The pads are different thicknesses and densities. Generally orange is for cutting white is for polish etc. But sometimes companies match the color of the pad to the color of the product to use it with. So each of the pads in the pic are for a different step, wax, glaze, polish etc. When done you clean them for next time.

Remember too, microfiber for cutting and foam for polish. That will net you the best results.

DaGonz

The grayish film is from the surface contamination and swirls. Swirls cause light to be refracted rather than reflected. You should use paint cleaning clay with qucik detailer or soapy water as a lubricant, then polish and wax. Work a small section at a time using even pressure, wiping down the residue.

Do yourself a favor and get some 3M painters tape and tape off any mouldings and anywhere you do not want to get polish or wax/sealant on. 15 to 20 minutes of tapinf saves hours of trying to get wax out of mouldings, crevices, etc.