Did I over-do it? - Page 2

yakky · 10-28-09, 01:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Now somebody else chime in with how great the XP works for *them* with larger pads....and convince lvalesko to buy the thing

You rang???? I think a PC is great. Accumulator has been doing this for ages and for him, the PC is a bit slow in the correction department.

What the OP has been doing = butter knife

The PC = a hand saw

Rotary = chain saw

The hand saw can do everything the chain saw can do, it just does it MUCH slower and is much safer. There have been countless posts where people have done full corrections with the PC. It is much slower, by a factor of 3 or 4, however, as a newbie this is totally in your favor.

the_invisible · 10-28-09, 02:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by efnfast

Doing it by hand is a total waste of time - yes,it can be done, but you'll need to spend days doing what a buffer and a few hours can do, and even then chances are the quality (i.e., defect removal) won't be anywhere close to the buffer's job.

I remember when I spent like 4-5yrs polishing by hand because I believed a manchine was unsafe and a waste of money .... man, was I wrong.

Hehe, yep! It's a waste of time indeed. I figured that this is why most of the Over-the-counter products designed for hand applications are highly concentrated with fillers to hide scratches.

There are company marketing associates on other forums polishing a completely oxidized vehicle by hand just to showcase what a product could do applied by hand.

Accumulator · 10-29-09, 09:06

Heh heh, well...working by hand is a "waste of time" in that it does take forever. But it *can* be done that way, period. And the newer products (e.g., UL, M105, etc.) sure make it a whole lot easier than it was a short time ago.

But *IF* you have the money to "waste" instead, I'd rather spend moeny than time. Money is usually a renewable resource, whereas time is not

lvalesko · 10-29-09, 10:37

OK - I'm looking at the Porter Cable 7424XP with a 3.5" Dual-Action Spot Pad Backing Plate and Lake Country 4 Inch CCS Pads, (orange, white and red) - how's that set up sound for a newbie? I can get all that for around $150.

Is it OK to use the PC to apply the Meguiars Ultimate Compound, or should that be done by hand, (since that what it says it's designed for)?

I think I'll wait a few months since I just finished the truck, but when I'm ready to give it a try is this correct?:

Wash
Clay - Sonus green bar
Wash
Meguiars Ultimate Compound - using PC and orange CCS pad
IZ - using PC and white CCS pad
845 Insulator wax - using PC and red CCS pad

Just wondering how much pressure I use when I'm working with the PC? When I was doing the polish by hand I was putting quite a bit of elbow grease and pressure into it - will I do the same, or less of that with the PC?

Thanks guys - you ROCK!!!

Lori :-)

Accumulator · 10-29-09, 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by lvalesko

OK - I'm looking at the Porter Cable 7424XP with a 3.5" Dual-Action Spot Pad Backing Plate and Lake Country 4 Inch CCS Pads, (orange, white and red) - how's that set up sound for a newbie? I can get all that for around $150...

That sounds good.

Does it also come with the larger backing plate? If so, that'd be great for doing the Collinite 845IW. You just need the smaller pads for correction, with waxes/etc. there's no real "work" being done other than spreading the stuff around so you can do fine with larger pads that cover more area.

Quote:

Is it OK to use the PC to apply the Meguiars Ultimate Compound, or should that be done by hand, (since that what it says it's designed for)?

It'll work OK by PC. The PC is really just a "fast hand that doesn't get tired".

Quote:

I think I'll wait a few months since I just finished the truck, but when I'm ready to give it a try is this correct?:

Wash
Clay - Sonus green bar
Wash
Meguiars Ultimate Compound - using PC and orange CCS pad
IZ - using PC and white CCS pad
845 Insulator wax - using PC and red CCS pad

Yeah, that sounds good.

Quote:

Just wondering how much pressure I use when I'm working with the PC? When I was doing the polish by hand I was putting quite a bit of elbow grease and pressure into it - will I do the same, or less of that with the PC?

You'll sorta figure that out for yourself. I bet you'll start out with minimal pressure and gradually increase it to help move things along. It's almost intuitively obvious when you're actually doing the work: "hm...this isn't working as well as I'd expected, maybe I'll press a bit harder..." Something like that.

I'm betting you'll err on the side of caution and gradually ramp things up and I'm not too worried that you'll start out too aggressive.

lvalesko · 10-29-09, 11:04

Yep, it comes with a 5" plate... I guess I'll get those red pads in 5.5" or even 6.5".

Thanks!!!!!

yakky · 10-29-09, 11:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by lvalesko

Wash
Clay - Sonus green bar
Wash
Meguiars Ultimate Compound - using PC and orange CCS pad
IZ - using PC and white CCS pad
845 Insulator wax - using PC and red CCS pad

I'd go :

Wash
Clay
UC
IZ
Wash
845

Especially as a newbie, you are going to get polish dust/sling everywhere and it just makes sense to re-wash before you put the LSP on.

alexd10 · 10-29-09, 02:58

I wouldn't use a CCS pad. They don't correct anything from my experience. Try to get some flat 4' orange Lake country pads - that's probably your best bet. Also, the 6' Sonus yellow flat pad has worked well for me.

lvalesko · 10-29-09, 03:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexd10

I wouldn't use a CCS pad. They don't correct anything from my experience. Try to get some flat 4' orange Lake country pads - that's probably your best bet. Also, the 6' Sonus yellow flat pad has worked well for me.

H-m-m-m-m... I thought the technology behind the CCS pads made sense... but I'm open to learn more... anyone else have a thought about pads?

Thanks all!

Lori :-)

Accumulator · 10-30-09, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by lvalesko

H-m-m-m-m... I thought the technology behind the CCS pads made sense... but I'm open to learn more... anyone else have a thought about pads?

I've only used flat pads (as opposed to dimpled/etc.) and I plan to keep it that way. Glad somebody mentioned it as I didn't even think of that.

FWIW, I use 4" Sonus pads (they're a little concave, but that doesn't seem to matter much) and 4" Edge/Cyclo brand pads almost exclusively. I only say "almost" because I don't really recall what all pads I have around here...

lvalesko · 10-30-09, 12:12

I see the Lake County flat pads say they're for water based products... I don't think all of mine are water-based... is this a problem?

Also, they only have the blue and the orange, I need to compound, polish and wax - don't I need 3 different densities?

Are the CCS pads really that bad? I really like the choices and prices. :-)

Thanks!
Lori

lvalesko · 10-30-09, 04:59

OK - NOW I'm confused!!!!

Autopia has TWO Porter Cable models and I'm not sure which one to get:

Ultimate Detailing Machine XP: Porter Cable 7424 XP Dual Action Car Polisher Auto Buffer

Porter Cable Dual Action 7424: Porter Cable 7424 Car Polisher | Electric Orbital Auto Buffer

AutoGeek is selling a Porter Cable 7424XP but Autopia uses 7424 for one model and XP for the other...

Which is which and which should a beginner get??

SHEESH!

Thanks :-)
Lori