Help me get rid of these buffer scratches!

[qwik]

On my 02 firebird i get alot of little scratches on the back bumper. It has a big lip and kicks up dust and other crap. Anyway, i hit it with menzerna w/ yellow pad and 7424 and it helps sometimes. I noticed it the other day and it looked bad so i strapped on a meguiars maroon pad with my fine cut and vector 7'' rotary. I unfortunatly didn't tape off the bumper's edge and burned through a bit :doh Anyway, i was under some mall parking lot lights and i noticed buffer scratches. I am still relatively new to the buffer but i work it until the pad starts to basically not want to "glide" and begins to skip. I don't know if i'm not using enough compound, a not strong enough compound or too much. I don't want to keep hitting it with the rotary because i fear i am removing too much clear (or maybe not that much i don't know) Should i follow with DACP or is my final step really just my menzerna usage? Maybe i am not letting it break down enough? Usually at like 5 i move it around until it smears a line with my finger, but doesn't break down into dust or something, is this right? Any advice would help. Thanks.

 

[Mike_Phillips]

so i strapped on a Mequiar's maroon pad with my fine cut and vector 7'' rotary.



Anyway, i was under some mall parking lot lights and i noticed buffer scratches.



Should i follow with DACP or is my final step really just my menzerna usage?

A couple of things,



A foam cutting pad doesn't tend to leave as nice a finish as a polishing or finishing pad. Take some new foam pads, cutting, cleaning and polishing and feel them with your clean hands. Which one feels the softest? Which one feels like it will leave the nicest finish?



#2 Fine Cut is an awesome product when used by rotary buffer, but doesn't leave as nice a finish as #84, or #83 all things being equal.



Re-buff the area with some #83 on a W-8006 foam polishing pad at about 1500 rpm. As an extra step, you could then use the same pad and the same chemical on a PC on about the 4-5 setting for a final polish.



Then apply a couple coats of your favorite wax, paint protectant.



Mike

 

[qwik]

Mike- thanks for the reply, was wondering is the meguiars yellow foam polishing pad around the same as the CMA yellow pad or no? I know color is not always an indication of they're ability but just curious. To my knowledge the CMA yellow pad is a cutting pad.

 

[paco]

Maroon - Cutting

Yellow - Polishing

Tan - Finishing



For a rotary, the Polishing Pad with DACP should be more then plenty. If you would like, follow-up with Swirl Free Polish with a Polishing pad and you'll have a great finish. Personally, I'd go one step further and use S100 GEC / Vanilla Moose by hand or Finishing pad on a Dual Action and stand back and enjoy.



Paco

 

[6']['9]

i have the same problem with my ta. I used a rotory with a LC pol pad and some TOL medium cut polish. if your running open headers or a cutout then your gonna have a lot of debris on that back bumber, especially with no cats. make sure when you do get those scratches out you use a good sealant to make it easier to clean so you dont end up inducing more scratches in that section good luck

 

[qwik]

6']['9 : i do run a cutout but its far from being near the back of the car. Its just such a PITA its the part of the car i had almost the most, the front probably being my first choice for hatred, considering its the most prone to F'n up my paint with rock chips.