Porter Cable 74017" Variable Speed Polisher

E

EscapeVelocity

New member
Hello,



Im a newb.



I have access to this for use. Is this pretty safe for use on cars?



I have a 2002 Toyota Camry with white paint that is very dull. Owner has used Dawn repeatedly to wash the car, with very little other care, no waxes and sealants. I was thinking of trying ColorX or maybe Meguiar's Ultimate Compound, in conjunction with the PC 7401. I guess I will need to get some pads for it, but which ones?



Comments on the PC 7401 Polisher and products to use for bringing the life back to the Toyota Camry paint appreciated.



Thanks in advance.



Should I use a somewhat agressive chemical cleaner first, before breaking out the PC 7401? If so, what to use?
 
EscapeVelocity said:
.... Is this pretty safe for use on cars? ...
Click to expand...

Not exactly.



The PC 7401 is a rotary polisher. No rotary polisher is "pretty safe" unless/until you know how to use it correctly.



It's a skill that takes time and practice to learn.







pc.
 
the other pc said:
Not exactly.



The PC 7401 is a rotary polisher. No rotary polisher is "pretty safe" unless/until you know how to use it correctly.



It's a skill that takes time and practice to learn.







pc.
Click to expand...



Oh! I didnt know it was a rotary.



Maybe I should get something else. The PC 7401 is freely available for me to use though.



Ill try an aggressive chemical cleaner first.
 
Porter Cable 7401 7" Variable Speed 1-6 Polisher it says. I have it sitting right here. Its a brute, quite heavy. Has the side grip handle and what appears to be a 7" backing plate. Says 1500-2000 rpm. Weighs about 10 lbs.
 
PC 7401:



pc-7401.jpg




807f170b-30c3-4cdb-8d3f-784876017a5b-000001.png








EscapeVelocity,



When white looks dull it's usually a combination of oxidation and embedded dirt.



If you have the ColorX or Ultimate Compound do a test spot by hand. If it works you're good to go. If not it should still give you some idea of how much harder it will be to do. From there you should have a better idea if you'll need a machine.







pc.
 
You do know that the Toyota white has no clear coat, so you will have a lot of oxidation on your pads. Work clean.
 
No clear coat on Toyota white circa 2002 or 2003. No, I didnt know that. Thanks for the info.



This Camry looks really dull. Regular (non cleaner) wax doesnt do much to improve the dullness. My guess is that oxidation is the primary culprit.



Ill try just a chemical cleaner wax, (apparently a 1 step product not just a cleaner wax) Colorx first and see how that does. Ill pick up the Ultimate Compound when I pick up the ColorX....as I want to work on a Maroon 2000 BMW 330i as well (take the swirls and minor scrathes out). I guess Ill need a clay bar, though Ive never used one as well.



Thanks for the advice. And thanks for taking the time to help a newb out.
 
Hand applied ColorX to half of Trunk top. Looked an improvement in the diminishing light. Did the Hood and Roof, will check out tommorrow in the sun. I also picked up Ultimate Compound.
 
lostdaytomorrow said:
Doing it by hand, I bet you'll like the UC way more than the colorX. Let us know how the UC works out by hand.
Click to expand...



The hand applied ColorX provided a definite overall improvement vs the side panels which received only the Eagle1 NanoWax that I sprayed on them. Whiter white, the side panels look dingy off white compared to the top panels. Also greater gloss/shine. Still a bit dull and scrathes swirls galore. But a definite improvement. Owner/driver is delighted, but she doesnt know how bad it is, or rather just is thrilled with the improvement and doesnt think it can be returned to near new shine (or how good it can be). Overall disappointed in the ColorX myself with regards to this particular situation (not the product per se).



I heard Nu Finish is a pretty aggressive cleaner/sealant. Might give that a try on one of the side panels. Along with cheap cleaner wax Zymol. Good time to do some experimenting.



Im probably gonna acqure a Griot's Orbital, but Ill try the UC by hand first.



Ill keep you posted.
 
Trying the Meguiar's Ultimate Compound with a hand application. I did about a 3x3 foot section on the panel adjacent to the trunk where I had done the ColorX. About one minute of polishing in circles, and checker patterns verticle and horizontal and in x's....using a cotton terry applicator and a hand knob backing plate. Im very happy with the results. Brought the shine and lustre back. I still have scrathes and swirls, but its not dull at all. I can see my reflection with details clearly in the paint. With just spray on Eagle Nano, no reflections whatsover. With ColorX, I could see my outline but no small facial details...with increased reflectivity and lustre and shine.



This will be satisfactory for the time being. Very happy with Ultimate Compound and the hand application.
 
I think Im going to try the Zymol and Nu Finish still, for experience and knowledge sake.



I guess I did this right with your help, using a less aggressive solution first, the ColorX, which is a great product, but it just wasnt enough for my super dull paint....then moving to a more aggressive solution, Ultimate Compound, when the ColorX proved to not be quite enough. Ultimate Compound seems to be on the list of many experienced detailers as a favorite OTC product.
 
Thanks for continuing to update us on how your are doing! I have and enjoy using both UC and ColorX. Your findings mirror my experience as well - UC for initial removal of the thick stuff while ColorX is great for minor oxidation and one-step maintenance. With any single-stage correction, be sure to use new pads often or have a high-frequency of cleaning the existing pads. Blow the applicator with some compressed air or scrub the applicator surface with a brush to remove some of the dead paint.



My parents had a white 2003 Camry with single-stage paint that was hard as a rock. Fairly straight forward to remove oxidation but rather on the tougher side to remove physical marring such as scratches and cobwebs.
 
So after buffing off the Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. I wiped down with Eagle One Wipe & Shine, then applied Duragloss AquaWax. It looked fantastic. Then I topped it with Eagle One Nanowax Spray 24 hours later. Really nice looking. The paint has a dimpled look to it, which was original. Excellent lustre. Very clean white, no off grays or other discoloration that was apparent throughout the cars neglected paint. I almost cant believe it.



Im woring my way around the car a few panels at a time.



What should I use as a more durable sealant/wax on Toyota single stage white paint, after Im done with the Ultimate Compound?



Im thinking Duragloss 105 topped with Collinite 845 after it cures.
 
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