First car with DA

ShakingHorizons

ShakingHorizons

New member
I have my first detail with a DA this Saturday, and luckily (maybe unlucky for them!) it is a family members car. I am scared to death that I will leave holograms everywhere with a DA!


In addition to the GG6, I also ordered -


5 Inch D.A. Hook & Loop Flexible Backing Plate
3.5 Inch D.A. Hook & Loop Fletxible Backing Plate
Meguiar's M205
Snappy Clean Powder

Lake Country CCS 4" Pads -
Pad 1 : White
Pad 2 : Green
Pad 3 : Green
Pad 4 : Red
Pad 5 : Red
Pad 6 : Orange

Lake Country CCS 6.5" Pads -
Pad 1 : Pink
Pad 2 : Green
Pad 3 : Green
Pad 4 : Gold
Pad 5 : Gold
Pad 6 : Gold


I don't plan on doing anything too intensive (possible M205, maybe just AIO - the car does have swirls), but I figured this would allow me to "get my hands wet" and understand the machine.


Thoughts, suggestions, or advice?

Here is the car after I completed the detail previously -
35i6hz5.jpg
 
Piece of cake, microfiber pads from megs worked well for me when I used my PC for cut, just keep them clean between panels I use compressed air.
 
Since you got a 5" backing plate why didn't you order 5.5" pads?? You will need allot more than one or two pads of the same cut to do an entire car -- 4 pads at a minimum. Trying to do correction on an entire car with one or two pads usually leads to failed correction and melted pads. Here's an article by Mike Phillips regarding number of pads needed How many pads do I need to buff out my car? - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

Also, you only need one pad to apply a LSP (wax or sealant).
 
ShakingHorizons said:
I have my first detail with a DA this Saturday, and luckily (maybe unlucky for them!) it is a family members car. I am scared to death that I will leave holograms everywhere with a DA!


In addition to the GG6, I also ordered -


5 Inch D.A. Hook & Loop Flexible Backing Plate
3.5 Inch D.A. Hook & Loop Fletxible Backing Plate
Meguiar's M205
Snappy Clean Powder

Lake Country CCS 4" Pads -
Pad 1 : White
Pad 2 : Green
Pad 3 : Green
Pad 4 : Red
Pad 5 : Red
Pad 6 : Orange

Lake Country CCS 6.5" Pads -
Pad 1 : Pink
Pad 2 : Green
Pad 3 : Green
Pad 4 : Gold
Pad 5 : Gold
Pad 6 : Gold


I don't plan on doing anything too intensive (possible M205, maybe just AIO - the car does have swirls), but I figured this would allow me to "get my hands wet" and understand the machine.


Thoughts, suggestions, or advice?

Here is the car after I completed the detail previously -
35i6hz5.jpg
[/QUOTE You may want to get a few white & orange, grey.
Click to expand...
 
ShakingHorizons said:
To big for the backing plate, or too big in general?
Click to expand...
A bit big for backing plate, you may feel comfortable with larger pads I had to try both sizes and I started with the 6.5" I just feel it easier to control and get the best possible results with 5 to 5.5" pads.
 
Yeah the 5" backing plate is made for the 5.5" pads, not the 6.5" pads..
Sorry you got the order wrong or something...
The smaller 5.5" pads and plate are way easier to control on the D/A, and you will have your hands full if this is your first time with this.

Just concentrate on getting some downward pressure on the panel, as much rotation as possible, and work the meguiars 205 into the paint until its gone..
Meguiars M205 is not a compound but more of a polish that can be used to correct lighter imperfections, and then finish down really nicely..
It will be hard to swirl up a car with a D/A anyway, so dont worry about that..

Besides, the car is already Beautiful !! You already did a great job !!
Good luck !
DanF
 
ShakingHorizons - Do you have a plan for your technique? What I mean is, have you given thought to arm speed, i.e., how quick you move from side to side, up down? Having the tools is one thing, downward pressure is another, but arm speed is another part of the equation.

I still remember my first time. My first few passes were questionable. I had to work on that arm speed. Once I figured *that* part out, the rest fell into place. Great results followed :)

Be patient, and good luck
 
ShakingHorizons said:
:confused: :thinking I'm new and didn't research enough apparently.
Click to expand...

Been there done that, not to worry they work but not as good. Also you can put them aside for doing SUV roofs (can get a 6" backing plate to make them work a little better). I now use my 6.5" pads on my new flex 3401 (more powerful machine with forced rotation) on roofs and on the hoods of our trash trucks. I got a 5" plate and 5.5" flat or thin pads for my GG6 on my second order they are way easier to use and also work better as the machine can more easily keep that pad moving and rotating. the 6.5" pad tends to absorb more of the machines movement and the thicker pads (1-1 1/4 ") are even worse as the pad can deflect (lean) so the pad face moves less in comparison to the machine face. Live and learn its the name of the game. Wait till you try using it a few times and see how much difference it makes in your paint even if you only achieve 75 percent correction. Then wait till your eye gets more discerning and you can see some passes look better then other passes and trying to figure out why, is it to much product or a dirty pad or a saturated pad or a pad that's to dry, or is it just technique, or is it the wrong pad and product combo or just that it really needs a 2 step correction. Dont get discouraged the car will look awesome but it is one those hobbies that you could always chase perfection and never reach it so you must learn to live with it looking perfect from 10 feet 5 feet 3 feet???
 
Stokdgs said:
Yeah the 5" backing plate is made for the 5.5" pads, not the 6.5" pads..
Sorry you got the order wrong or something...
The smaller 5.5" pads and plate are way easier to control on the D/A, and you will have your hands full if this is your first time with this.

Just concentrate on getting some downward pressure on the panel, as much rotation as possible, and work the meguiars 205 into the paint until its gone..
Meguiars M205 is not a compound but more of a polish that can be used to correct lighter imperfections, and then finish down really nicely..
It will be hard to swirl up a car with a D/A anyway, so dont worry about that..

Besides, the car is already Beautiful !! You already did a great job !!
Good luck !
DanF
Click to expand...



Thanks for the compliment, I am looking forward to expanding my skill set!
 
JustJesus said:
ShakingHorizons - Do you have a plan for your technique? What I mean is, have you given thought to arm speed, i.e., how quick you move from side to side, up down? Having the tools is one thing, downward pressure is another, but arm speed is another part of the equation.

I still remember my first time. My first few passes were questionable. I had to work on that arm speed. Once I figured *that* part out, the rest fell into place. Great results followed :)

Be patient, and good luck
Click to expand...


I have a plan based off of youtube videos I have seen - but I plan on taking it slow.
 
trashmanssd said:
Been there done that, not to worry they work but not as good. Also you can put them aside for doing SUV roofs (can get a 6" backing plate to make them work a little better). I now use my 6.5" pads on my new flex 3401 (more powerful machine with forced rotation) on roofs and on the hoods of our trash trucks. I got a 5" plate and 5.5" flat or thin pads for my GG6 on my second order they are way easier to use and also work better as the machine can more easily keep that pad moving and rotating. the 6.5" pad tends to absorb more of the machines movement and the thicker pads (1-1 1/4 ") are even worse as the pad can deflect (lean) so the pad face moves less in comparison to the machine face. Live and learn its the name of the game. Wait till you try using it a few times and see how much difference it makes in your paint even if you only achieve 75 percent correction. Then wait till your eye gets more discerning and you can see some passes look better then other passes and trying to figure out why, is it to much product or a dirty pad or a saturated pad or a pad that's to dry, or is it just technique, or is it the wrong pad and product combo or just that it really needs a 2 step correction. Dont get discouraged the car will look awesome but it is one those hobbies that you could always chase perfection and never reach it so you must learn to live with it looking perfect from 10 feet 5 feet 3 feet???
Click to expand...


On my first car, 5-10 foot "perfection" would be amazing!!!

Thanks for the post!
 
Thanks for the tips and tricks everyone - the car turned out alright!

I did run in to one issue though. As I mentioned in a previous thread, this car only receives car-wash washes (unfortunately), and is riddled with hard water spots. I tried the LC CCS yellow pad with M205 and saw no difference, I then tried Zaino Z-PC Fusion Dual Action Paint Cleaner Swirl Remover with another CCS yellow pad and that made no difference either. Do I need a heavier compound (M105?) or was I doing something wrong?
 
Water spots can be a tricky thing. Sometimes they come off with a simple DA, sometimes they are more difficult. It seems to me it really depends on what's underneath them. For instance Some cars that roll through my work have been waxed and such. Therefore the water spots are just on the outside of the LSP and come off rather reasonably. Cars that have rarely been well taken care of or maintained those water spots will fuse directly onto the paint and are considerably more difficult to get out. It also depends greatly on the quality of water and such. High mineral content = really hard water spots. Where I live I couldn't care less if it rains on my car. Those water spots come off when I wash it. However the underground sprinklers I tend to worry about.
 
Probably need a heavier compound, but don't go with 105 as it's not beginner friendly. HD Cut is very easy to use as it has a long working time, little to no dust and removes easily. Megs Ultimate Compound would also be a better choice (not as much cut as 105) and you can get it OTC.

Are you doing test spots before doing the entire car? You should get your technique, product and pad combo set with test spots producing the final look you want before embarking on the whole car.
 
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