New to detailing - Looking for a beginner polish

g33tar · 06-29-09, 08:28

Hey guys..heres the scoop...

Ive never done any detailing, but I do appreciate a clean car. After drooling at some of the work ive seen you guys do and some other detailing forums, I figured I need to at LEAST try to be like you guys.

I went out the other day and picked up one of the 30 dollar harbor freight buffers with a 2 year warranty..Couldnt pass that up...I figured itll get me into detailing.

The thing now is...Ive recently painted a car hood to practice using an air gun and the wetsanding process. Ive got it wetsanded right now to 1000 grit and plan on wetsanding it down tomorrow to about 1500 after another light coat of paint.

I cant afford 45 bucks for a bottle of polish or 4-5 pads with 4-5 polishes to go with them or anything rediculous like that, so id like to know what a good SINGLE polish that will get me from 1500 grit to shiny for affordable. Extra points if you can recommend a product thats available at an autozome, carquest, pepboys, etc. Thanks for any help guys!

-Alex

craigdt · 06-29-09, 09:28

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you will find your buffer useless for paint correction and polishing.

It will be useful for spreading waxes and sealants but thats about it.

If you really want to get results like *us* then you need a real polisher, such as
the Meguiars G110 or PC 7424XP.

Then, if it were down to one pad and one polish, I would get a white Lake country polishing pad and use some Meguiars Ultimate Compound that you can pick up at Autozone.

g33tar · 06-30-09, 10:48

Oh. I saw this video of this guy on youtube that used the harbor freight polisher to polish rustoleum to a pretty nice shine...I was kindof going to try to do that.

YouTube - 50 Dollar paint job O YEAH Part 4 CUT AND POLISHED

The meguiars ulimate compound seems to be pretty good from what ive read/seen in the past few minutes. Thanks for the help sir!

GS4_Fiend · 06-30-09, 02:44

Save some money and get a PC. Some 4 inch LC Green Pads, white, and blue. And get Menzerna P0203S. Very easy to use and less dusting too.

BigJimZ28 · 06-30-09, 07:22

guys I think he has a rotary ...so it should be ok

IMO go to Walmart and grab a bottle of of MEG's Ultimate Compound
and a bottle of Meg's Swirl-X (only about $7-8 each)

g33tar · 06-30-09, 07:28

Yea its a rotary...Im sure its not the best in the world, but for ~40 bucks with a 2 year no questions asked warranty, i figure ill get 40 dollars of use out of it in 2 years. Its this one.

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

I swung by pepboys this afternoon and picked up the ultimate compound and 1500 and 2000 grit sandpaper. Sanded down to 1500 and plan on putting 1 more coat on and then sanding down to 2000 grit tomorrow. Im pretty excited to see if this ultimate compound will polish 2000 grit wetsanded paint to a shine. For someone who has never done any detailing, it almost seems like it wouldnt be possible. Thanks for all the help guys.

bill57 · 06-30-09, 08:47

I think he has a rotary, also. And I always believed one shouldn't use a rotary unless experienced with one, or could cut too much in places.

08StangGT · 07-04-09, 09:14

He is practicing on a hood he painted as practice. Sounds like good way to get experience to me.

gofastman · 07-04-09, 10:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by g33tar

Hey guys..heres the scoop...

Ive never done any detailing, but I do appreciate a clean car. After drooling at some of the work ive seen you guys do and some other detailing forums, I figured I need to at LEAST try to be like you guys.

I went out the other day and picked up one of the 30 dollar harbor freight buffers with a 2 year warranty..Couldnt pass that up...I figured itll get me into detailing.

The thing now is...Ive recently painted a car hood to practice using an air gun and the wetsanding process. Ive got it wetsanded right now to 1000 grit and plan on wetsanding it down tomorrow to about 1500 after another light coat of paint.

I cant afford 45 bucks for a bottle of polish or 4-5 pads with 4-5 polishes to go with them or anything rediculous like that, so id like to know what a good SINGLE polish that will get me from 1500 grit to shiny for affordable. Extra points if you can recommend a product thats available at an autozome, carquest, pepboys, etc. Thanks for any help guys!

-Alex

Im not trying to be rude, but if you dont fork out the money for decent tools, pads, and chemicals, you're gonna piss yoursellf off and get mediocore results.