Hand vs Machine?

[jdthompson]

OK I have a Biltema (variable speed Cyclo basically) and a bunch of Cyclo pads on order and various products in the garage.



Assuming new factory fresh paint, would you always apply polish/wax by machine or are there circumstances where hand application is better?



I don`t have much experience with machine polishers, and whilst I can see that they probably apply more evenly than any hand ever could I`m also thinking they must cause more "wear" on even new paint?



Probably asking too many questions rather than trying it but I don`t want to stuff up!



TIA,

Paul

[Accumulator]

This is probably just a rehash of the opinions I posted on the other thread, but I do everything by machine unless I have a *very* good reason to do it by hand.



Those very good reasons are quite limited: there are some products (e.g., KSG) that I can`t apply thinly enough by machine; there are some tight spots that I can`t reach by machine; there are times when a little job isn`t worth getting the machine out.



As far as messing up the paint, with a little common sense the PC is almost as safe as working by hand. And I only say "almost" because any time you add any additional variable into the mix you increase the chances of something going wrong.

[jdthompson]

This is probably just a rehash of the opinions I posted on the other thread, but I do everything by machine unless I have a *very* good reason to do it by hand.



Thanks. Again. Can`t tell I`m nervous of using this thing can you :)

[Accumulator]

Can`t tell I`m nervous of using this thing can you :)



Oh no, never would`ve occurred to me ;)



For all the noise, vibration and other drama, you`re gonna find it`s no big deal. Get some mild product that`s easy to use, it`ll put your mind to ease right away. If there`s any 1Z MetallicPolishWax handy, that`d be ideal. *Anybody* could use that stuff on *any* car with not problems at all; a friend of mine just proved that. I`d lent one of my PCs to her husband to use on her Lexus, but he wasn`t getting around to it. So she decided to do it herself with no prior experience, no training, nothing. Turned out fine.

[superstring]

Oh no, never would`ve occurred to me ;)



For all the noise, vibration and other drama, you`re gonna find it`s no big deal. Get some mild product that`s easy to use, it`ll put your mind to ease right away. If there`s any 1Z MetallicPolishWax handy, that`d be ideal. *Anybody* could use that stuff on *any* car with not problems at all; a friend of mine just proved that. I`d lent one of my PCs to her husband to use on her Lexus, but he wasn`t getting around to it. So she decided to do it herself with no prior experience, no training, nothing. Turned out fine.





Accumulator, I`m not sure if you noticed, but hutchingsp is using a Biltema/Cyclo, not a PC. Aren`t those machines a lot more aggressive than a PC? You`d be the man to know, since you have both :)

[Accumulator]

Accumulator, I`m not sure if you noticed, but hutchingsp is using a Biltema/Cyclo, not a PC. Aren`t those machines a lot more aggressive than a PC? You`d be the man to know, since you have both :)



I suppose my example wasn`t too great (see below). Good question though, and I sure don`t want to further hutchingsp`s concerns! So:



The Cyclo isn`t really that much more "risky" than a PC, especially in the hands of somebody who`s approaching the whole thing with a modicum of caution.



IMO if the product is mild (and not something that flashes quickly like AIO) it won`t make any difference. Heh heh, the only difference will be that a Cyclo/similar user will have a more pleasant time of it ;) As hutchingsp says his machine has variable speeds, I figure it will at *worst* behave like a Cyclo (no problem IMO) and can be turned down to near-PC levels if desired. In some ways, I consider the Cyclo better for a newbie (no bogging, no worrying about speeds, more ergonomic), but then I prefer it in general; I would`ve given my friend a Cyclo if I knew she was gonna do the work, her husband prefers the PC for some unfathomable reason.



Better example: when my father was in his late 70s/eraly 80s, I introduced him to the Cyclo. He did just fine with maybe two minutes of advice from me and he wasn`t somebody who took to new things readily.



I do think that products like 1Z MP are great to use when getting acquainted with a machine though, makes it all pretty much foolproof.