How long does it take you guys to polish a car with a DA machine?

P

prince_ramses

New member
Hello all,



I just used my DA machine together with Speed Glaze for the first time last weekend. It took my approximately 8 hours to do the entire car (5 series BMW). I was following the instructions on the meguiars website on how to use the DA machine.



By the time i broke down the panels into several smaller section, with around 3 minutes per section and resting in between, i spent the whole day on the car. Am i doing something wrong? It does not seem to be as easy as most of you guys have described.



Also, the vibration on the DA is quite severe. I've almost got blisters just holding on to the DA machine for the whole day. Is that right, or is there something wrong with my machine?



Would greatly appreciate some feedback.



Thank you



Prince
 
In reverse order: Yes the vibration can be a killer. I am assuming you are using the PC, which kills my wrists after a while using it.

No you are not doing anything wrong...it takes time to get faster at polishing. Maybe fewer breaks in between sections :D just kidding.
 
You shouldn't get serious vibrations with a PC. To me it feels like a gentle electric massage.



Are you using the side handle or holding the head?
 
At what speed do you feel the vibes get serious? Which pads do you use?



I have the Megs branded PC...I'm not sure which counterweight it comes with.
 
A typical midsize car takes me about 1.5 - 2 hrs. It all depends on the condition of the car though. Sometimes you need to make more than one pass.
 
I used to use it on speed 5-6...with pads from all sorts of vendors, it still is the same. It is the 7336 model with the correct counterweight. I dont mind at all really anymore though...the rotary and cyclo replace the pc ;)

The PC is really now only used for cleaning carpets in minivans and suvs.
 
i would say it takes me about twice as long with pc that with my rotary;). but really, one polishing phaze with my pc took me about 3 to 3.5 hours on a bigger sedan like yours.



Vernon
 
It can easily take me several days to polish out a car with the PC. I break it down into sections now because it takes so long. I will do the hood one day than the roof etc. I don't see how people are doing entire vehicles in 3 hrs. I have spent that on a hood alone.



As for the vibration, I use a 6 inch counter weight and 5 inch backing plate and 6 - 6 1/2 inch pads. Of all the combos I have tried this produces the least vibration. Also hold the PC by the head not the handle this really cuts down on the vibration. I can polish a car all day on 6 and feel no discomfort.
 
As for the vibration, I use a 6 inch counter weight and 5 inch backing plate and 6 - 6 1/2 inch pads. Of all the combos I have tried this produces the least vibration. Also hold the PC by the head not the handle this really cuts down on the vibration. I can polish a car all day on 6 and feel no discomfort.
Click to expand...



I used the same set-up...holding onto the head or the handle produced the same results. dunno. :nixweiss
 
Hello guys,



Thanks for the feedback.



I bought the PC from autopia, so i'm not sure which counter weight was provided with the machine. I tried using the handle and holding directly on the head, the change in vibration was minimal.



Yes, i'm surprised to read how some of you guys can finish a car in 1.5 to 2hrs. I spend like 3 minutes in one section(ex: i break down a door panel into 3 sections). Am i spending to much time in one section. I'm using Meguiars Speed Glaze. I'm afraid if i don't spend enough time polishing, the diminishing abbrasives will not breakdown and will leave some micro-marring.
 
I figure about 4 hours to polish a decent black car to near perfection, or 2 for a white one, via cyclo. About the same time to get a rough one to mediocrity. If I one-step it and do a mediocre job, I could probably get away with 45 minutes or so. Maybe double that by PC, I tend to find myself using more fillers and less pure polishes via PC.
 
prince_ramses- IMO you're doing fine. Unless you're under the gun because you're doing it professionally, I'd just take as long as it takes to get the results you want. I always seem to spend days on an exterior detail, at least if I really care how it turns out (and I have a rotary and a pair of Cyclos besides the PCs).
 
It took me about 7-8 hours to do my black car (and its a smaller car). So 8 hours doesnt sound unreasonable for a midsize car.



On a side not, I usually hold my PC by the back where the cord is, on the little black end cap and part of the grey body, and just kind of let the PC float under it's own weight. I've tried using pressure before, and doing it this way, and the only difference I seem to find is that leaning on the PC just drives the product further into the pad and uses more product. I dont see any real time savings. Also, if you hold the pc "by the tail" and just kind of direct it, it feels to me like it vibrates a lot less. But, then again, even when I do hold it by the head and on speed 6 I dont think the vibration is as bad as when I use the weed-wacker on the lawn. So take from it what you will
 
1) A pro will use a rotary rather than a PC because it's much faster. An amateur (like me) will use a PC because it's safer, but still faster and easier than by hand.



2) You have to stop and check your progress occasionally. Don't just go by the clock.



3) I too break up the job into parts, otherwise the wife would really start to resent my hobby. This makes it a bit more complicated, keeping some kind of protection on the car during the weeks when I'm in a polishing cycle, but that's what AOS wax is for.



(any old stuff) :-)
 
prince_ramses said:
Hello all,



I just used my DA machine together with Speed Glaze for the first time last weekend. It took my approximately 8 hours to do the entire car (5 series BMW). I was following the instructions on the meguiars website on how to use the DA machine.



By the time i broke down the panels into several smaller section, with around 3 minutes per section and resting in between, i spent the whole day on the car. Am i doing something wrong? It does not seem to be as easy as most of you guys have described.



Also, the vibration on the DA is quite severe. I've almost got blisters just holding on to the DA machine for the whole day. Is that right, or is there something wrong with my machine?



Would greatly appreciate some feedback.



Thank you







Prince
Click to expand...



You are doing fine. My first compound and polish with a PC on black sedan took 12 hours. Much faster after 10 cars.
 
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