Buffer Burn Experience

Z

zey

New member
Hi everyone, I finally experienced buffer burn on the paintwork yesterday while using a rotary polisher. The clearcoat was gone and leaving a rough/blur surface spot. Still feeling heartache due to this incident :(. How many of you had experienced buffer burn before? Please also state out what have you learned from this experience. Thanks.
 
Product used: Meguiar's #83 Dual Action Cleaner/Polish

Pad used: Meguiar's W-8006 Polishing Pad

Buffer make: Makita 9227C

Buffer speed: 1200rpm

Damaged area: C-pillar edge, near to the roof



Paintwork around the damaged area is flawless now, factory orange peel being removed, gloss is maximum, clearcoat texture is very fine.
 
#83 is fairly mild and a diminshing abbrasive so I'm surprised. Did you have the pad flat against the paint or were you using the edge or if tilted, what angle?
 
Due to tight corners, I had to tilt my pad abit in order not to touch certain parts. Could it be it's an old paint (4 years+) and the clearcoat thickness had been reduced over the years?
 
Total "contact area" matters. When polishing pillar's, contours, etc-, the amount of surface being contacted can be critical. If you are buffing an area where the pad is making contact with a small area, that contact area can heat up more rapidly than predictable, due to the increased friction in a limited spot. Result is a burn or a bad swirl. I have learned this the hard way, and in more than one instance ! :sosad Now my practice is to "pretend" to buff certain areas of a car, to simulate my movements before I start. This might seem a little "brain dead", but I am forewarned of where I might tend to mess up at.:xyxthumbs
 
I always try and do the job with @ 600 rpm initially, then bump it up slowly to 900rpm. Due to the humidity (80%), I can never get above this rpm level without the product drying too fast.
 
I have figured out some reasons why I did the mistake:



1) The burn spot is at the welding point, paint could be thinner over there.



2) I didn't put enough of #83, less lubricity increases friction. The increased friction heats up the paintwork quickly and causing the clearcoat to breakdown.



3) I didn't move my arm fast enough. I think I should swing it 50cm/second?
 
Ha! Ha! Then I better reduce to 15cm/second. What I noticed in Meguiar's How to Remove Paint Defects video is, they move their arm abit too slow for my paintwork. At that rate, I think my paint could have burnt especially with the maroon cutting pad.
 
I have one of those pads and they are firmer than the LC Orange (which I though was pretty firm).



I have it from back in the day but find now if something needs that kind of attention I'll use wool instead.



Has this car every had any body work done to it? Maybe that area was repaired and repainted?
 
Sure I've burned and gone through. A rotary is much more prone to it than a random action unit, though both are quite capable.



What have I learned? Stay out of the tight spots, work off the top, not from the valley up, stay off the high spots, keep moving.
 
I'm not sure of others opinions but I personally wouldn't use a cutting pad with a rotary-a polishing pad and a middle range abrasive polish SHOULD be all you need
 
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