Is it possible to polish with my dad`s old polisher?

[3puttjay]

I went and borrowed my dad`s 20 year old Wen random orbital polisher to try and get out some swirls on my cars. I was wondering if it does a good enough job to get rid of the swirls and scratchs that are on my car. My wife would go ballistic if I went and bought a PC or a Cyclo (evidently I have too many tools already). I want to purchase some polishes and compunds as well. I am looking at the optimum line as well as the Menzerna line, but if there are other easier to use stuff for newbies, I am all ears. I currently use Turtle Wax platinum car wash, interior protectant, leather conditioner, and tire dressing (all good stuff and cheap at Odd Lots), Collinite 845 as my wax, FK 425 as my QD, and mothers clay bar. I`ve got 4 kids so I don`t really want to spend every week detailing ( FK 425 only takes about 15 minutes per car, I love the stuff). I get nice comments on my cars but after coming to this forum, I know I can do better. I used to golf regularly and got my handicap down to a 4, but now with 4 kids, I golf maybe 2 or 3 times a year ( down from about 100 times), so I need something else to obscess over but doesn`t occupy more than a hour a weekend. I also do woodworking but I don`t feel all that safe letting my kids help me with the power tools, so it looks like maintaining my car is it. Any help would be appreciate it.

[Big Leegr]

I would say it isn`t going to do much for swirls/scratches/cobwebbing. It takes bonnets, right? It can help you spread wax or glaze thinner or more evenly than you might by hand, but it really won`t correct marring.



As an aside, since you mention you do woodworking, the PC is a sander as well as a polisher, so maybe if you mentioned the versatility of a PC your wife might be more willing to consider letting you get a new toy. ;)

[the other pc]

^ What he said. :up



Also, maybe it’s time to try hand tools. Nothing like hand cutting and fitting dovetails to keep kids busy. :D





PC.

[3puttjay]

I thought I could do it on the cheap with this wen polisher, but I guess I was wrong. I have a friend that sells cars and details them too, I will probably borrow his cyclo. Hand tools are fine to build things with if you have plenty of time ( which I don`t). If you have kids like mine, then hand tools aren`t any better ( my son was using my japanese chisels to dig for worms and my english dovetail saw to cut up his sisters dolls). I guess I will probably purchase the ultimate detailing tool when it comes out soon ( I need to hide the purchase from the wife). Maybe I can sell some of my extra putters on E-Bay ( got a huge collection, because they are responsible for my poor putting, not me).

[GlossyTundra]

Time to get a new wife if she wont "let" you have a PC. It`s only like $130 total, and you can tell her if she is nice she can get her car done.

[coupe]

I thought I could do it on the cheap with this wen polisher, but I guess I was wrong. I have a friend that sells cars and details them too, I will probably borrow his cyclo. Hand tools are fine to build things with if you have plenty of time ( which I don`t). If you have kids like mine, then hand tools aren`t any better ( my son was using my japanese chisels to dig for worms and my english dovetail saw to cut up his sisters dolls). I guess I will probably purchase the ultimate detailing tool when it comes out soon ( I need to hide the purchase from the wife). Maybe I can sell some of my extra putters on E-Bay ( got a huge collection, because they are responsible for my poor putting, not me).





If i ever played with my fathers tool like that i would have gotten a whoopin

[3puttjay]

Brandon - a new wife is out of the question. I`ve just broken in this one. And coupe, the kids are doing what comes naturally to them ( they just want to play with your stuff just like you do). I can`t get too mad once they smile at me ( I melt, my wife hardens). All my handtools can be cleaned up and made whole with a little work, so that isn`t a big deal. They do like to wash the car so I got them some buckets and sponges to do the lower panels and wheels. They go crazy with the woolite/water mixture in a spray bottle on the interior. I just put them inside the car while I do the outside, and for the most part I just have to clean the inside glass with Stoners. After looking at some of the pictures in the click and brag, I feel the compunction to make my cars all that they can be.

[the other pc]

... my son was using my japanese chisels to dig for worms and my english dovetail saw to cut up his sisters dolls...See, they already like using tools, now you just need to show them the right way. Before you know it they’ll have a Shinto shrine built in the garden. ;)





PC.