DA paint buffer advice

[SVSooke]

Been looking at these 2
http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/6-In/6-in-Orbital-Palm-Buffer-Polisher/8336877.p
and
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...3P/Jobmate+Palm+Polisher,+6-in..jsp?locale=en
For the extra $10 the second on comes with a real short 2' cord.Look to be the same unit otherwise.Thinking the clear on all the 85 750 EF might be a bit much to do by hand.

In it's precleared state.Anybody used this or a similar buffer?

 

[nvr2old]

You can get a nice little buffer attachment and the three pads you will need at any auto paint store for a power drill, too. 3M makes them and they work very well. Lots cheaper, and every bit as efficient.

 

[SVSooke]

Thanks Larry,I will look into that.

 

[GateKeeper]

Careful on the attachments that go on the drill, drills are much faster than these hand held orbital units, and you could burn your clear coat very quickly if your not paying attention and you leave the wheel in one spot for too long....

I have the one from PA and works well on the cars for detail work, and much easier and faster to apply and remove the wax or detail polish....

.

 

[nvr2old]

A variable speed drill actually works really well. I use one all the time on small parts, even at full throttle. Higher speeds are necessary in the beginning stages with a wool pad and compound, then slow it down for the foam pads and final polishing. You do have to have a soft touch, though, because as mentioned you can burn the paint, off edges, especially.

 

[SVSooke]

The more I thinking about it the better the PA buffer makes more sense to me for exactly the reason GK says.I can lack ......finesse when doing this kind of stuff.For $30 I'm probably better to get that.

 

[nvr2old]

The only downside to that tool, is it's more of a polisher, then a buffer. It's great for light polishing and for waxes and stuff, but won't create the rpm's you need in the first rub out stage. Heat is actually required to make this paint product shine. There's a fine line between just enough and too much, and I understand your reluctance to burn the paint. It's not easy, but you just gotta have the heat if you want the final results to have shine and depth. Polishing is a mult-step process, and each step has to be done with care starting with 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 grit sand papers, then a coarse compound with a wool pad and progressively finer compounds and foam pads to finish with. If you skip any of them, chances are you'll never get the previous scratches out. I might be more persnickity then most, but I also know (aside from spending a little more time) that if done this way, the job is actually made much easier and the results are way better. It all boils down to the level of finish you're satisfied with. A lot of people are satisfied with not even sanding and polishing, and that's up to each individual to decide.

 

[SVSooke]

Your results speak for them self Larry.Yes you are more persnickety than I will be.Mine will never be show quality paint but I'm good with that.That being said you make a good case for looking for the drill attachment and spending the left over on some finer polish.Sending a PM your way.

 

[SVSooke]

Well I took Larry's advice,sort of.

The place I got the clear didn't have the 3M pads but these seem good.The stuff in the paint mixer is Norton Ice for the initial buffing with the "wool" buffer pad. Recommended the Meguiar's fine cut for the other pads.Knew I had some but couldn't find it,sure enough bought it and I found the "old' bottle .Thinking I'll exchange it for some swirl remover.

 

[Guest]

I have a cordless and corded DA. If you can shoot clear without getting dirt in it when it dries, you won't need to do any buffing or wet sanding. Just rub it out.

 

[silverhorse47]

Could you explain the role of heat in compounding a paint surface, please?

Thanks,

S.

 

[SVSooke]

I have a cordless and corded DA. If you can shoot clear without getting dirt in it when it dries, you won't need to do any buffing or wet sanding. Just rub it out.

Dirt,runs and orange peel.I had all 3this is the second time I've used a spray gun and I'm not very good.

Could you explain the role of heat in compounding a paint surface, please?

Thanks,

S.

Have to say I'm not sure,I know it's important though.Read that the mistake lots of people make is to add polish as soon as it starts drying out and gets a bit harder to do.That is when the polish actually starts to work,when I used that I noticed it's true.

 

[nvr2old]

Well I took Larry's advice,sort of.

The place I got the clear didn't have the 3M pads but these seem good.The stuff in the paint mixer is Norton Ice for the initial buffing with the "wool" buffer pad. Recommended the Meguiar's fine cut for the other pads.Knew I had some but couldn't find it,sure enough bought it and I found the "old' bottle .Thinking I'll exchange it for some swirl remover.

Those pads are exactly what I was describing. They'll make your job much easier.

 

[nvr2old]

Could you explain the role of heat in compounding a paint surface, please?

Thanks,

S.

It's really as simple as the heat "melts" the finish to a point that it smooths out and shines.

 

[SVSooke]

Those pads are exactly what I was describing. They'll make your job much easier.

I was looking for 3M as that's what you said,was hoping these where good enough.A bit small for car work but just the right size to do MC work.:clap:

 

[SVSooke]

All the bits I've gotten done so far.





Not a paint job up to nvr2old standards but I'm not Larry either.I just take all the advice I can and do my best.

 

[silverhorse47]

It's really as simple as the heat "melts" the finish to a point that it smooths out and shines.

This I didn't know. I thought that polishing compounds smoothed the surface until it was smooth enough to reflect light, and that it was wax that melts with heat, fills pores and surface imperfections then came to a shine.

What type of paint responds to heat by melting and shining up? I've always been confused about the difference between 'compounding' and 'polishing'.

Thanks,

S.

 

[nvr2old]

Urethanes are what respond to heat. Lacquers and enamels do the same but not quite as efficiently as the urethanes. Compounding is a much more course application with a wool pad. Polishing is bringing up the final shine with a fine compound then a soft pad and a swirl remover, followed by wax..which shouldn't be applied to fresh paint for at least 90 days. There are finishes designed to take the place of wax for that amount of time and don't contain any silicons that would trap air, thus, not allowing the paint to breathe and cure properly.

 

[Guest]

Polishing is bringing up the final shine with a fine compound then a soft pad and a swirl remover, followed by wax..which shouldn't be applied to fresh paint for at least 90 days. There are finishes designed to take the place of wax for that amount of time and don't contain any silicons that would trap air, thus, not allowing the paint to breathe and cure properly.

Said by an expert!!

 

[nvr2old]

All the bits I've gotten done so far.

Not a paint job up to nvr2old standards but I'm not Larry either.I just take all the advice I can and do my best.

Those parts look WAY better now. Nicely done. Might hit em with the yellow pad and fine compound a little more, followed by the swirl remover and black pad again, and then you should be good to go. I'm proud of you for sticking to it, man..way to go