Last min advice...

Devilsown · 07-01-08, 09:18

Im going to be using the makita rotary buffer polisher

what have you for the first time tomorrow on a 2001 bmw 530i. Im a little nervors

Ive been using my PC for about 2 years and have steped my game up to this to get better resaults and hopefully be able to do it in a quicker time. I did some qiuck skimming on the sticky but any advice so I dont have to read all the posts, I know I can do it I think I got the basics down, I'm just looking to avoid those nasty "holograms" swirls marks or what ever you want to call them...

Thanks in advance.

wish me luck. and Ill post before and afters...

JoshVette · 07-01-08, 10:25

I don't know what products you're using, but I always find it doesn't jump so much when I sprits the surface with a water bottle before polishing.

Also, have you practices any on junk panels or your own car??

You won't need cutting pads like you normally would with the PC, try a mild polish with a mild pad and don't go about 1500rpms since this is your first time. Stay away from edges and the lips on wheel fenders and bumpers and such till you have more experience.

Hope that helps a little.
Josh

lecchilo · 07-01-08, 10:31

I would HIGHLY advise against this if this is your first time using a rotary... yes it's possible to do a great job, but it's VERY VERY LIKELY you will catch an edge, trim, etc. and regret the decision big time

D&D Auto Detail · 07-01-08, 10:34

The first time you're using a rotary is on a customers car?

JoshVette · 07-01-08, 10:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by lecchilo

I would HIGHLY advise against this if this is your first time using a rotary... yes it's possible to do a great job, but it's VERY VERY LIKELY you will catch an edge, trim, etc. and regret the decision big time

I gave advise, but I also agree with lecchilo. I gave advise cause he's really going to need it if this is his first car to use the rotary on, I know cause I made that mistake myself....

lecchilo · 07-01-08, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshVette

I gave advise, but I also agree with lecchilo. I gave advise cause he's really going to need it if this is his first car to use the rotary on, I know cause I made that mistake myself....

Not to sound like I'm perfect, I'm not and I'm still no "expert" with the rotary, but I started using it on my car and family cars before any junk panels and never burned any trim, paint, etc.... there were so many moments for a month or so where you go "*** is going on" when the pad starts skipping around, when you can't properly polish side panels cuz yo don't know how, etc. Again, as I said above, it CAN be done, but I really don't think a car's paint, especially a client's car, should be the first thing you put a rotary on... junk panels are great and I still practice on some these days.

Josh did give you good advice OP, so if you really MUST do this, go with the mildest stuff possible just to see if you're able to keep the rotary doing what it should... if you can't control something like 106ff/white LC pad, it will be 10x worse with something a little more abrasive, especially when using a rougher pad.

Devilsown · 07-02-08, 08:29

Well I went throuh with it anyways, I used PO106FF and a green pad on the whole car, wow I really really like it alot more than the PC, It made corrections quicker and just made the paint sharper, the only issue I had with it so far is that I have just a few "spider webs" almost like I never buffed it but OVERALL the paint was amazing. I'll post up some pics. I toped it all off with s100 wax and FMJ. Also this BMW was side swiped and got repainted so there are some blemises IN the paint nothing buffing can do.

Almost forgot as someone said I did catch a handle and tore my damn pad.... just a small chunk thoungh I am now getting more and more confedent, I hope I can get another car to work on soon.

It wasnet so much a customers car, as it was a freinds car that happend to fill my gas tank in return, so it worked out well...

Devilsown · 07-02-08, 08:56

advs1 · 07-02-08, 10:25

wow that looks awesome. i used my hitachi on my own car yesterday, today and i think i finally got all the holograms out. i used pro polish and a blue pad. i started at about 1100rpm and worked that with an orange pad, then switched to blue pad at about 600 rpms. the sharpness of a rotary cant be beat. now i see the light err shine lol

JoshVette · 07-02-08, 10:28

You should tape off those door handles and other such things that stick out like side moldings and trim so you don't destroy them.

Also you can't rub the pad up against those kinds of angles and edges like door handles, you're lucky you went with such a light combo or you could have ripped the paint off the handle. No joke.

Nice job though for your first time with the rotary, you did way better then my first time with the rotary, don't even ask.....

Josh

Devilsown · 07-02-08, 11:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshVette

You should tape off those door handles and other such things that stick out like side moldings and trim so you don't destroy them.

Also you can't rub the pad up against those kinds of angles and edges like door handles, you're lucky you went with such a light combo or you could have ripped the paint off the handle. No joke.

Nice job though for your first time with the rotary, you did way better then my first time with the rotary, don't even ask.....

Josh

I did tape off all the trim, as the door handles were painted I didnt even think twice about them, I have learned... thank god with nothing bad coming of it...

Thanks for the input guys!

almost forgot to add, I hated working on the wheels, my god I thought they were never going to come clean!