Help a beginner get on track

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RyanFee

New member
Hello everybody. I've been slowly accumulating items I need to start my venture into paint correction. I have several older cars with beat up paint that I've just grown few up with. They are 1991 Mercedes Benz 190E, 1997 Chrysler Town and Country, and a 1998 Ford Ranger XLT. Does any body have experience with the hardness/softness on these manufacturers clear coats?


 


For the main question though: What do I still have left to buy, in terms of specific products? I have a Makita 9227c rotary, Meguire's M105, M205, 3M ultrafina, and small and large painters tape. What backing plates and pads/pad sizes are best? What cleaning equipment do I need? What should I do or not do when starting that I may not be aware of? From what I've gathered, I should do one panel at a time, tape it off, clay bar, and correct using buffers own weight only keeping pad flat at low speed starting from the edges in a side to side motion. Am I missing anything? When do I do IPA wipe downs? Please, come in and set me straight.


 


Thanks,


Ryan
 
Interesting video Barry made, thanks Willy. Unfortunately, all this video covers is proper orbital use. What about my other questions?


 


EDIT: I read another reply you left on a thread from February that was insightful on IPA wipedowns. And after reading many polishing threads, I feel like I have a much better idea on the polishing process (not so much finishing or burnishing yet.) I'd still like insight on my specific vehicles paint hardness, ideal pad/backing plate combo for my rotary, and suggested cleaning equipment you like best. Thanks.
 
Ryan, I am not the expert to answer all of your questions. I just know that Barry's video had helped me.


Many of your questions are situational. It depends what products you are using and the method that you are using.



Example : I wash and rinse the car, then clay, then Optimum compound, Optimum compound, then Opti Coat. Because this compound and polish is made to not leave anything on the paint, I don't need to do an Ipa wipe down. Sometimes product lines work together like this. But this makes it hard to answer your question.


Is sort of like asking how long it takes to drive to city A. We don't know what route, or how fast you are going.


For pads, is personal preference. Some like wool for cutting, and now there is wool and Foam combo pads. Some people like straight Foam pads. For Foam, there are the variable contact ones, the flat ones, and the grooved ones. Some people like microfiber pads.


Personally, I am loving microfiber pads. But, using what you have is the best.


Find what works for you, and perfect that method.


Cleaning equipment is subjective also. Some rave about boars hair brushes, while others use only toothbrushes. Lots just use microfiber towels and small paint brushes or q tips.
 
wwww-willywallywashwax- I think he's asking about cleaning the pads, like with a toothbrush or a towel.  I like compressed air but we've discussed the issue of all that abrasive dust getting everywhere....
 
I just ordered 4 Lake Country 4" foam waffle pads- 1 white, 1 orange, 1 blue, and 1 black with a 3.75" backing plate. Will that work? Assuming I'm not doing the whole car at once anyway.
 
RyanFree- Because you're using a rotary [repeat my take on that here...] the small pads might not be too good for full-panel correction.  Hard to do uniform work over a large area with a rotary and 4" pads.  I'd save those for small areas/tight spots.  I myself don't like waffle pads *at all* but I guess somebody does or they wouldn't keep making them.


 


Eh, I hate to sound so negative but oh man does your approach make me nervous!  4" foam waffle pads on a rotary + limited experience polishing with same = likelihood of unfortunate results.  Hey, I've used a rotary since the '70s and I'd never pull it off.


 


If yoiu simply *MUST* use the rotary for something, get some medium wool pads (wool runs cooler than foam, making it safer for rotary use even though it often imparts more "rotary swirls"/holograms) and use it for the most aggressive work.  Then refine things, preferably with a random orbital.


 


The Ultrafina *might* conceal the issues well enough for the vehicle to look OK for a while...you'd have to redo that when all the rotary swirls/holograms "come back" though.
 
Boy Accumulator, that's not very encouraging lol. But thanks for the honesty and very informative post. I will definitely test out a small area at a time then on my first try and will post up pictures for you all to look at. I would like to purchase some 6" pads as well here soon, so worst case scenario I just repeat process with larger pads. Would you suggest I look into an orbital in addition to the rotary?
 
RyanFee-  Heh heh, yeah...I felt kinda bad posting what I did, but I'd *really* like to head off major frustration if I can before you end up truly miserable.  With today's random orbital polishers being so good, there's no reason to miss the boat by trying to somehow become a rotary-meister (which will take ages anyhow, I'm not there by a long shot and I'm not the dullest tool in the shed).


 


Yeah, think "bigger pads" and for the rotary consider some *mild*/gentle wool ones since they run so cool compared to foam.


 


YES, BUY THE ORBITAL.  Yeah, I'm shouting :D  Seriously, I'd have it on hand before you start anything.  If you get a good one you might not use the rotary at all.  If you get an OK one you can use it to refine what you're left with after the rotary.  If you get a cheap one you'll waste your money and be unhappy, so just don't go there.


 


[Heck], I'd just sell the rotary.  You might find a use for those waffle pads on the random orbital, but if possible I'd send them back; eating the shipping/return cost would beat having useless pads sitting around.  Again, I hate to be a drag, but IMO the best thing to do here is "hit reset" and go about this whole thing correctly.


 


Best random orbital = Rupes 21.  Best affordable RO = Griot's.  Then the newest one with the Meguiar's label, *then* the XP model PC.  Then, the cheapest worth buying IMO = Harbor Freight.  I'm leaving out my old stand-by the Cyclo as it's an acquired taste.   You might look into the Flex 3401, which is what I generally use for aggressive work.  But I probably use my Griot's the most (since I don't do enough correction to justify a Rupes).
 
Great info from Accumulator.

I don't like Rotary use, and an orbital can be

used for so many different things like interiors.

Where you ordered might have a return policy.


Top of the line orbitals run 4 to 5 hundred, but

you can get a Porter cable for around 175.


When I talk to old car guys, they always criticize me

using an orbital, because they think a rotary is best.

This is old thinking, and it is why you see many holograms. They are just too powerful for novice use, and require full attention all of the time.
 
wwww-willywallywashwax- My issues with a rotary *with regard to myself* are different than my issues with somebody else using them. 


 


And yeah, I'm with you,  I just don't like using them.  Never did, really.  Though little numbers like my Metabo are a whole lot more user-friendly than the Milwaukees I used back in the '70s.


 


As for "the rotary is best!", I feel obligated to say that a true rotary-Meister like, say.. John Kleven can finish out with a rotary better than a mere mortal like myself can finish out with *anything*.  No, most people would never notice any diff, but get out a glossmeter, read it and weep.  He says he can do better with a rotary than with a Cyclo, and I'll take him at his word.


 


And ya know.....heh heh...I guess I'm getting to be one of those "old car guys" myself, though I do still feel like I'm twenty and immortal :lol:
 
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