In case you don't remember it, I started this thread a couple months ago: http://www.autopia.org/forum/machine-polishing/138693-polish-not-polish.html
Well the thread from said car forum got bumped a couple more times recently with comments. Today the guy that said polishing is a waste of time made a comment (in response to a comment I made about people polishing new high end sports cars, and another guy commenting he polished paint work at a Jaguar dealer). Apparently we are ruining our paint with polishing, so you had all better stop now.
"SOME ins Co's. will pay for "color sand and buff" if the work you are to match, has already had that done somewhere.
High end exotics are re-worked, just like average production line cars on an "as needed" basis. Not by standard proceedure, of course there are hand built (non-assembly line) high end cars, that may have a team of guys give each unit special attention. These would be relitively low volume makes.
If you study (or have worked throughout, for some time) the evolution of automotive paints, you understand that at one point, ACRYLIC lacquer, was the most widely used automotive paint. Although it was not standard operating prceedure to buff ACRYLIC lacquer at assembly plants, the paint was made to be buffed in the aftermarket, bodyshop, repair biz, like the nitrocellulose lacquer commomly used previously.
The ACRYLIC enamels, were NEVER intended to be buffed, and by doing so, you would defeat properties of the finish, just like the ALKYD enamel, used prior.
Todays commonly used automotive refinish products are often referred to as "Euro Paints" because they were widely used in Europe, before the States. These are the ACRYLIC urethanes and POLY urethanes. Ironic thing....Nasa was instrumental in using Acrylic urethane on the Mecury Redstone, rocket project in the early 60's. They say Nasa stuff finds it's way into societal use.
Anyway, these urethanes became the current industry standard. They are sometimes called Urethane ENAMELS. When they first came to market there were implicite instructions not to be buffed. That was one of the big selling points. They dryed to a high gloss, like other enamels that were not intended to be color sanded and buffed. As a matter of fact, there were warning labels about the detriment of breaking the "skin" of the finish and introducing microscopic cracking in the top coat, not only from the wetsanding, but the heat from the buffing wheel as well.
I fought and rebeled against this new paint, because it didn't have the flat, orange peel free finish, that the lacquers did, after buffing. Many guys would buff ANYWAY, and it was more difficult to buff than the lacquer that was made to be buffed.
On non-clear coat, metalic colors, the paint would "scallop" as you wet sanded, again like other enamels.
So many refinshers would buff this new paint, as if it were the lacquer they'd been using for years, that I BELIEVE, the market place decided to sell the buffing supplies anyway. Eventually the paint can labels or instruction sheets began to include buffing directions for "when desired", warning to use new 2000-3000 grit sandpapers, and foam buffing pads and "low speed" buffers, etc."
Well the thread from said car forum got bumped a couple more times recently with comments. Today the guy that said polishing is a waste of time made a comment (in response to a comment I made about people polishing new high end sports cars, and another guy commenting he polished paint work at a Jaguar dealer). Apparently we are ruining our paint with polishing, so you had all better stop now.
"SOME ins Co's. will pay for "color sand and buff" if the work you are to match, has already had that done somewhere.
High end exotics are re-worked, just like average production line cars on an "as needed" basis. Not by standard proceedure, of course there are hand built (non-assembly line) high end cars, that may have a team of guys give each unit special attention. These would be relitively low volume makes.
If you study (or have worked throughout, for some time) the evolution of automotive paints, you understand that at one point, ACRYLIC lacquer, was the most widely used automotive paint. Although it was not standard operating prceedure to buff ACRYLIC lacquer at assembly plants, the paint was made to be buffed in the aftermarket, bodyshop, repair biz, like the nitrocellulose lacquer commomly used previously.
The ACRYLIC enamels, were NEVER intended to be buffed, and by doing so, you would defeat properties of the finish, just like the ALKYD enamel, used prior.
Todays commonly used automotive refinish products are often referred to as "Euro Paints" because they were widely used in Europe, before the States. These are the ACRYLIC urethanes and POLY urethanes. Ironic thing....Nasa was instrumental in using Acrylic urethane on the Mecury Redstone, rocket project in the early 60's. They say Nasa stuff finds it's way into societal use.
Anyway, these urethanes became the current industry standard. They are sometimes called Urethane ENAMELS. When they first came to market there were implicite instructions not to be buffed. That was one of the big selling points. They dryed to a high gloss, like other enamels that were not intended to be color sanded and buffed. As a matter of fact, there were warning labels about the detriment of breaking the "skin" of the finish and introducing microscopic cracking in the top coat, not only from the wetsanding, but the heat from the buffing wheel as well.
I fought and rebeled against this new paint, because it didn't have the flat, orange peel free finish, that the lacquers did, after buffing. Many guys would buff ANYWAY, and it was more difficult to buff than the lacquer that was made to be buffed.
On non-clear coat, metalic colors, the paint would "scallop" as you wet sanded, again like other enamels.
So many refinshers would buff this new paint, as if it were the lacquer they'd been using for years, that I BELIEVE, the market place decided to sell the buffing supplies anyway. Eventually the paint can labels or instruction sheets began to include buffing directions for "when desired", warning to use new 2000-3000 grit sandpapers, and foam buffing pads and "low speed" buffers, etc."
