My first real job with my Porter Cable! *56k beware*

Buck-O · 06-17-03, 10:44

Here it is...my first real job with my Porter Cable.
Unfortunatly my pads havent arived from CMA yet, so this was all done using the stock PC pad. Not bad all things considered. But im sure with the CMS pads i will see alot better results. But for right now, im happy as can be with what i was able to achieve.

BIO: 2003 Blackout Nissan Sentra GXE with dealer installed swirls.

Since i got the car its alwyas had this...brownish titnt to the paint when in direct sun. Really crummy looking IMHO. Made the paint look cheaper then it already is.
Finally tonight i got ambitious and started on some of the worse spots on the car.

One of the big areas was the rear wing. It has tons of small swirls and scratches in it. Alot from closing the trunk im sure. Now only a couple of spots are noticible. The rest...completely gone, thanks to my new friend SMR2.0

For some strange reason my right rear fender was PARTICULARLY bad. Not to mentiont eh dealer, aside from giving me the swirls, also put that lovely dent in there at my last oilchange. They have the retractable air hoses on the ceiling with the rubber gromets to prevent them from retracting fully...it was one of those rubber gromets that hit the car. Fortunatly the hose fitting seems to have missed the car alltogether.

Heres the result. I think i could have done alot better on this fender. But im working with the stock PC pad, and i have no creeper, so my back started to KILL me. So i had to stop. Either way though, its a HUDGE improvment from what it was.

My next spot to tackle was the hood. It was particularly bad, with lots of verticle straking, and hazy scratch marks. Again, all courtesy of my Nissan dealer. Heres the before...all flash illuminated.

And heres the after, again all flash illuminated.

This is also the only "complete" after picture. SEPC, followed by #7, then S100. Looks like a pool of water sitting on my hood right now outside. Amazing shine.
Again i think i could have done better. But im going to wait for the orange pad from CMA, and try it again. Not to mention this is my first real test with the PC...so all things considered, im pleased with my results, and cant wait to complete the whole car.

Fr0zen · 06-17-03, 10:48

Nice Nice for your first job good work i would go over it at higher speeds dont be afraid of higher speed you cant really burn the paint with the PC unless you stay in one spot for 2 minutes just work in figure 8 patterns and you will be fine try that one spot a couple times 1-3 times should cut all the swirls out.

4DSC · 06-17-03, 11:51

Awesome job and really great before and after photos!

I bet a quick session next time will get anything you missed. I take it from your results that you've found the PC learning curve to be pretty low, as advertised?

I did myself a favour and bought myself one of those rolling work stools - it made things much easier I think.

Buck-O · 06-18-03, 12:29

Frozen: I was running the PC at 4.5 to 5 on the speed dial. Anything above that and i got a some, what i felt, more then reasonable vibrations. So i didnt want to go higher. Im running the 7336SP with the 6" balancing weight, with the stock PC pad...maybe that had somthing to do with it? Plus im also experiencing the seperation problem witht eh stock PC pad. Kinda sucks...but, oh well. My CMA pads should be here soon enough.

4DSC: Yeah, really simple learning curve. Though, it doesnt help that i worked in a cabinet shop over the summer back in highschool, and worked for two years during the school year as an intern at a metal shop learning CNC machining. So i can maching polish/orbital sand with the best of them.

But yes, overall, the learning curve is really low, and i cant help but recemend anyone else considering a PC, to get one! Once you have one, you wont regret it. Heck, it worked so well on my car that my GF thinks it was a great investment. How about that one?!

I saw a creeper stool at the local auto parts store on sale for $15 the other day, it even had a slot on the side for handing a drill...i bet with some...um..."coaxing" i could get it to carry my PC around as i scoot. (Man that sounded really dumb after i typed it)
Hopfully its still on sale tomorow when i go look for one.

jduarte · 06-18-03, 01:04

Nice work and nice photos! Congrats!

06-18-03, 05:28

looks very nice!

trying to convince my GF to let me spend over $100 on a PC isn't gonna happen now. . .soon though. . .

Shiny Lil Detlr · 06-18-03, 05:59

sweet - great work!

if the dealer put a dent in your car, you should/have made them pay to fix it!

94NDTA · 06-18-03, 07:41

ditto on the dent, but it looks great, the only thing you need to do now is take a Q-tip to the space between the trunk and the bumper

thevolvoguy · 06-18-03, 07:48

Great Job!!

Those are awesome before and afters.

Buck-O · 06-18-03, 09:06

Dont fret over the dent. The dealer is going to have the ding pulled by the local dent puller there at the auto mall.
At first they didnt want to have anything to do with it. And refused to pull it saying it wasnt there fault. So I had my GF's dad write them a little note telling them to remove it. And suddenly they where all smiles.

Oh, did i mention my GF's dad works for Safeco...and happens to be the i-Car and Pace rep in Oregon for Safeco, and is one of the board members of the NorthWest i-Car group?

Buck-O · 06-18-03, 09:09

Quote:

Originally posted by 94NDTA
the only thing you need to do now is take a Q-tip to the space between the trunk and the bumper

If you go into my album in the Autopia gallery...and read my comments, i actually made mention of the fact that i knew it needed to be cleaned in that seam. Just be glad i didnt post the picture with my brown tires!

buffer · 06-18-03, 09:27

Good work. You really took car of those swirls!

Question though guys. if using a PC the swirls are only removed temporarly correct? Only a rotary can get them completely out. Right?