View Full Version : Why do I keep instilling tiny chip marks when detailing?
seaz4
09-18-2007, 02:34 PM
I noticed an issue in my past 3 details (2 of them were family cars). It seems as though I somehow make tiny chip marks into the paint. The locations of them vary, 1-2 on the hood, on the the quarter panel, etc. Usually it`s like 4-5. I can`t figure out why I do so. I keep my pads clean and don`t use them if I drop them on the ground. I use a Makita rotary and LC wool and foam pads.
I.e. I was doing a pass on an Altima last week with my wool pad and noticed a chip that wasn`t there on previous passes.
Please help:think:
Is it just from the wool pads or does it happen with the foam pads?
mikebai1990
09-18-2007, 03:26 PM
Polishing can`t possibly create chip marks... A rotary works by spinning, so the worse you`d be doing is creating severe rotary holograms or swirls, not chipping the paint. How big are these chips? Like stone chips?
Unless the clearcoat was cracking or something, there`s no way your rotary polishing will produce paint chipping.
Adam's Polishes
09-18-2007, 04:39 PM
Possible that there was some small pre-existing damage in these spots (i.e. - stone chips) and passing over them with the buffer just pulled a little more paint away.
I`ve also seen something like this when detailing cars that customers have used "filler" type waxes on before... the chips are barely noticeable before I start, but then all of a sudden, mid detail, I can see them clear as day.
Accumulator
09-18-2007, 05:04 PM
No way I can imagine the rotary actually causing that type of damage either, so I agree with Dylan06SS. When I rotaried my (very used) M3 I suddenly saw a *lot* of pitting that I never noticed before. I suspect that whatever the seller had applied concealed this damage and I merely uncovered it through my aggressive rotary work. Areas that would be *very* hard to chip didn`t have it, areas that are subject to stone chips and "normal damage" did have it.
coupe
09-18-2007, 05:08 PM
Rock chips ussually stand out more after polishing, its not anything you did or your tools did.
imported_themightytimmah
09-18-2007, 05:29 PM
Rock chips ussually stand out more after polishing, its not anything you did or your tools did.
+1, I always notice a few dings/chips after polishing, due to the removal of all other imperfections, so they become more noticeable.
seaz4
09-18-2007, 07:34 PM
whoo thanks guys. It has seemed to happened before with both foam and wool pads. I`m still a little concerned and will be sure to do a much better pre-cpompounding/polishing inspection.
salty
09-18-2007, 07:48 PM
+1, I always notice a few dings/chips after polishing, due to the removal of all other imperfections, so they become more noticeable.
Also they can collect some polish to make them stand out.
corvettecrazy
09-18-2007, 08:32 PM
Also they can collect some polish to make them stand out.
Exactly what I was going to say. Once a little polish gets in the edges of the chip and dries to a lighter color it highlights the chips a LOT.
namegoeshere
09-19-2007, 02:59 AM
Yup. Agree with everybody. The polishing is revealing pre-existing chips.