Porter Cable

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GO Dawgs

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Can anyone tell me about the Porter Cable, is this something that only an experienced detailer should use, will I ruin my new black car. Details Please!!!
 
I just bought one a wekk ago. I used it on my sons 97 Dodge hood first(he hit a deer last week). After the hood I did the entire car. I would now be brave enough to use it on my 99 Explorer (which is spotless) or my wifes new Nissan Maxima. I used the white foam pad with Klasse products. Lots of info posted by others on this site. Everyone seems to think it is ok for us beginners. Denny
 
I will be trying out my new PC on a 99 Sentra first before trying out on my Z. This is a topic that's discussed a lot so search for Porter Cable and you will get all of your questions answered. Good Luck.
 
my first time ever using a buffer was with a porter cable that i just used saturday/sunday. i used dacp, some poorboys stuff and p21s wax, the car come out perfect, no swirls, high gloss, all around sexy looking. and this was on my gs430, i didnt even try it on my cheaper cars because i knew it was hard to mess up with the PC.
 
maharaja said:
my first time ever using a buffer was with a porter cable that i just used saturday/sunday. i used dacp, some poorboys stuff and p21s wax, the car come out perfect, no swirls, high gloss, all around sexy looking. and this was on my gs430, i didnt even try it on my cheaper cars because i knew it was hard to mess up with the PC.
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Care to elaborate on your process? What pads did you use for which product? I know that I keep reading people saying that you can't possibly mess it up but I'm still scared to use it on my Z.
 
While it's good to err on the side of caution, you folks who are leery of trying the PC REALLY will be all :doh once you try one. The general response of first-time users is often "hey, this isn't aggressive ENOUGH!"



I WILL opine that a beginner might oughta start with something milder than DACP. It's good stuff, but between its strength and the nature of its diminishing abrasives, *I* would use something else when just starting out. Note that a well-regarded Autopian recently cut through the clear on a Benz with a PC/DACP/cutting pad while trying to remove a serious scratch.



Get a mild polish like 1Z Paint Polish (or maybe even their Metallic Polish, but that's *AWFULLY* mild) or 3M PI-III MG (pn 05937). Get some cutting and polishing pads. Get some GOOD MFs for buffing off the polish residue. Go at it, using the above-linked threads as a guide. Those products won't hurt anything on any normal, modern car. Yeah, a beginner could use them on a new black car. ESPECIALLY the 1z stuff- a PC with that is about as (literally) foolproof as detailing processes get. Just don't drop the machine on the car or your foot and you'll be fine. I can't resist wisecracking about it :o I'm THAT certain things will turn out fine.
 
I"m old and shakey and it's easy for even me.



You can always start out on the wifes car and then graduate to the rocker panels of yours and then move up but you'll be embarrased when you see how easy and virtually foolproof it is to use a PC. FOOL-PROOF. Even a fool can do it. Even an old shakey clumsy fool can do it.
 
i used the lake country pads, i used the countoured orange pad with DACP and the PC varying from 3-6 at times. the reason for the DACP usage was that the car had been neglected for a few months due to weather and the birds had a field day on my car. i worked the DACP in until it become mostly dry and was powdering off when i was going across it with a microfiber. its quite easy, just dont be nervous and work at it.
 
The PC is very user friendly. I believe you would have to try to damage your paint to do any harm. However, I would recommend buying a copy of Meguiars Removing Paint Defects video (about $10) before using.
 
...more forgiving on paint than doing it by hand - - the pressure is more uniformly distributed. You should have no fear with the PC. If you have never seen one, you need to check it out and then you'll understand why it is virtually impossible to harm the car with it.
 
You can order pads from www.properautocare.com or here on autopia. You will need a different pad for each product you use. Stick with the foam pads for a while. Later on you may want a lambswool pad. Using a sharpie, write the name of the product the pad is reserved for on the back of the pad. If you use several different polishes you will need a separate pad for each polish.
 
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