Taping sections for DA polishing

A

alw6589

New member
Hey guys,



Appreciate all of your support, please pardon the newb question as it was very hard to find the answer via searching



I've seen numerous videos of pro detailers taping sections on the hood / panels before polishing. Not just taping trim which I understand, but breaking the hood into sections



Why is this? Is it necessary, or can you eyeball sections instead? Doesn't the tape leave residue you have to clean before continuing, or if you don't remove the tape wouldn't there be noticeable lines that haven't seen buffing?



Thanks, and again sorry for the dumb questions :)



Alex
 
If you break off a piece of tape then stick it your pants a couple times it'll remove some residue helping it leave much less residue left over on the paint. It also leaves a clean line for a 50/50 comparison, it's not as much for breaking it into sections which you can eyeball but more so for doing a test spot and seeing if you're achieving the desired results.



No dumb questions :thumb:
 
It is a way to compare different combinations of polishes and pads side by side. Sometimes the differences are very subtle. It also helps show the contrast between the before and after.
 
alw6589- Welcome to Autopia!



For practical purposes, just forget about the "sectioning" with tape. Eh, I can't recall *ever* having done it in the dozens of years I've been detailing.
 
Accumulator said:
alw6589- Welcome to Autopia!



For practical purposes, just forget about the "sectioning" with tape. Eh, I can't recall *ever* having done it in the dozens of years I've been detailing.
Click to expand...



I think it's more for capturing 50/50 pictures. When I do test spots on cars I don't plan on photographing I likely wont tape off sections either. ;)
 
I will do it when figuring out my pad/polish combo because it's easier to see the before/after. Sometimes I will do it to show my customers the difference the compounding/polishing is going to make and to show the difference between a one-step vs two-step, etc. Also if I plan to take before /after pictures. If just doing a one-step or even a two-step already knowing what product your using and no customer to show it to, no need.
 
I always wonder "What if?" What if I get that one customer who asks for a correction, then at the end claims they don't see any difference and doesn't want to pay? I always take a 50/50 shot to show the improvement, even if it is the only photo I take. A minute or two can save a lot of time and headaches later. Usually the photos are used to show to the customer to get them excited about the results, particularly on one-steps where there might still be significant marring left behind.
 
Thanks, and again sorry for the dumb questions
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