First time buffing

Finaltheorem47 · 02-16-08, 01:40

I tried buffing today and its horrible, spent 6 hours with a wool pad a SSR3 and still didn't finish the car! I have a Harbor Freight polisher and some LC CCS pads. I spent the entire day fighting the machine and I just got too tired to do anymore!

What postures and positions can I hold it in to give me the most stamina in this? Why does everyone use electric polishers? I'm considering buying a air one because this harbor freight one is like 15 pounds while air ones are less than 5!!!

I was planning on doing this:

wool - SSR3
Orange - SSR2.5
White - SSR2
White - SSR1
Black - Glaze

then sealant and wax. I didn't even finish the wool part today... so is there any of these steps I can skip to get the same end result? What can I do to speed this up, wont it take you guys like 4 hours only of polishing to restore an entire cars paint? What am I doing wrong? The buffer keeps pulling me around very hard too, what can I do to stop it? I keep trying to hold it in different positions and the only way I can keep it from wobbling everywhere is if I tilt it slightly and fight it while it trys to walk away, but then at least it doesn't have that horrible wobble...

toyotaguy · 02-16-08, 01:54

get a different (read as good) polisher...I think that a PC is still better than a HF rotary...I had one, i junked it!!!

air polishers are good too, but without a compressor big enough to keep up, it will bog down and as there is less air, the pressure will fade on you mid-polishing...= no good

wool and SSR3 is a pretty aggressive combo...what kind of car are you working on, and what is the condition? what kind of wool pad???

my routine is usually hitemp extreme cut on a orange pad, or a LC purple wool pad for one or two times...then something like orange and IP/83, then either a white pad or a blue pad with poliseal/FPII...if I use FPII, then I glaze and poorboys EX it and done!!!

Finaltheorem47 · 02-16-08, 03:47

Ford Mustang, had to sand it to get out pits in the clear coat and major scratches. Now I'm using the wool pad over clear coat that was sanded with 2000 grit

Wren · 02-16-08, 06:18

Sounds like your wool is getting caked up pretty bad if its fighting you all over. Do you have a spur? If not get one. Oh and if you plan on doing many more details that involve buffing out wetsanding I'd recommend upgrading your HF to something like the Makita or the like.

Curious what wool you're using too. Lately I've fallen in love with the purple wool and Presta Strata, no need for so many polishing steps, I can go straight to white/106 then finish.

BigJimZ28 · 02-16-08, 06:48

6 Hrs with SSR3 + wool

sound like you killed a lot of paint ....

Finaltheorem47 · 02-16-08, 07:03

yeah, I just spoke with one of my friends and basicly its been caked up and after him calling me an idiot a few times, he told me I need to clean it just about after every pass!! I did it once today!! so theres my problem... thanks!

wannafbody · 02-16-08, 07:34

Use an old toothbrush instead of a spur.

Finaltheorem47 · 02-17-08, 07:05

alright thanks for the tip!

elitemobile · 02-17-08, 07:36

When you attack again i would proceed with a little bit of caution. Sanding out "pitting" is usually pretty aggressive as the pits are usually pretty deep; but as stated above spur the pad each panel or so, possibly invest in another rotary if fatigue is getting to you or maybe a flex or UDM.

Finaltheorem47 · 02-17-08, 12:37

Yeah I'm going to need to repaint my car. The edges are effed, the paint is effed, one of my mirrors is broken from trying to fight the buffer, it ended up hitting it hard, and I still after all of this am having trouble... while I'm buffing the machine just shakes violently! Has anyone ever herd of the flex backing plate being bent? When I spin the machine with it off, it wobbles about 1/8 of an inch. I want to try to invest in another buffer but at this point im about ready to just give up and never do this again because of all the bad experience.

TTWAGN · 02-17-08, 03:25

... and here i am removing wet sanding marks and i'm holding the buffer with one hand.

this thread is an example of why you dont try and skimp on equipment or materials.

Lightweight Metabo rotary using meguiars solo heavy cut pads and menzerna powergloss

Also from the sounds of it you are using too much product.

If the product starts to dry or dust up, instead of adding more product i spray a bit of water onto the surface. This extends the work time and increases the time between cleaning of the pads. I find alternating between two pads helps alot. I put the pad i just used face down in an inch of water. Just try not to get the back of the pad wet.

danponjican · 02-17-08, 05:32

Try some X3 polish with the wool and finish with the same polish with polishing pads. It's A LOT easier to use than those SSR polishes. I would save the SSR line for PCs and UDMs.