Polish/buff questions

[KaiYenS]

Hi, more newbie questions please...



Does polishing = buffing? I used to hear buffing is BAD for the car because it takes away the clear coat every time. Is that true?



I was watching Adam`s video online and he made it seem so easy with DA polishing tool. He says the DA polishing tool does not do any damages to the car so that makes me wonder if I should polish the car often? But then again, will polishing often be bad for car paint?



Finally, for the new car...when can we polish/buff so the paint/clear coat won`t get damaged?



Thank you in advance for any feedbacks/tips...;)

[KnuckleBuckett]

I always thought of polishing as cutting and buffing as removing excess product.

[imported_hockeyplaya13]

Yea I consider buffing to be just wiping off the polish/wax/sealant/glaze etc... and polishing to be using a PC/rotary/Flex, applying a polish, and working it in to remove part of the clear coat.

[Accumulator]

Hi, more newbie questions please...



Does polishing = buffing? I used to hear buffing is BAD for the car because it takes away the clear coat every time. Is that true?



Different people use some terms differently. Yeah, in this context the two words are equivalent; you have the right idea (though many would consider "buffing" to mean the removal of an applied product from the surface being worked on).



Polishing does indeed generally refer to *abrasive* polishing, which does remove some clearcoat. That`s the only way to remove surface marring/imperfections (think of it like sanding a piece of wood to remove scratches from it). Yeah, you need to be careful not to overdo this and sometimes you will have to choose between a perfect finish and preserving clearcoat thickness (so don`t mar the paint in the first place; polish it and keep it that way. Easier said than done ;) ).




I was watching Adam`s video online and he made it seem so easy with DA polishing tool. He says the DA polishing tool does not do any damages to the car so that makes me wonder if I should polish the car often? But then again, will polishing often be bad for car paint?



Gotta be careful listening to vendors ;) They`ll make it sound *SO* safe and easy (at least if you use *their* products). Yeah, a D/A polisher will be more efficient and more effective than working by hand. Yeah it`s a lot safer in most hands than a high-speed rotary polisher. BUT...no it doesn`t remove marring as quickly/easily as vendors would have you believe and no it`s not "perfectly safe", although it is safe enough for most people to use (at least infrequently) with no worries at all.



It`s always a trade-off. Think of it like the dentist polishing your teeth- he uses a mild abrasive and cleans `em up so they look nice. No problem. But if you had him do it every month it`d start to take off too much tooth enamel and eventually you`d have a problem. If you don`t have him do it at all your teeth might still remain healthy (scaling/etc. would remove the tarter/plaque and help keep your teeth and gums heathly just as washing/waxing/etc. can keep your paint healthy) but your teeth would look dingy and stained.



If you`re serious about having your vehicles look nice- a) learn how to avoid marring the paint, b) get a polisher, c) don`t expect miracles and/or perfection, d) don`t let this site and/or vendors give you unrealistic expectations ;)

[KaiYenS]

Thank you all for the feedbacks!



Accumulator, so when do you recommend a new car (black color, too) get a polish? I would assume 2 years?



And do you have a resource on how not to marring the paint???



Thanks...



John

[Accumulator]

Accumulator, so when do you recommend a new car (black color, too) get a polish? I would assume 2 years?



*I* would polish it the moment I noticed any marring. I`ve driven brand new cars home from the showroom and polished them before putting them into service, but I`m kinda extreme about this stuff :o If it`s marred, I fix it (to the best of my ability and to the extent I consider sensible).




.. do you have a resource on how not to marring the paint???



For starters, you might check my how-I-wash thread in the Hall of Fame forum. It`s title is something like "Accumulator`s Non-marring Wash Technique". IIRC the version I`m currently using (this stuff evolves...) is on the second page of the thread.



Short answer: get a foamgun to use when you wash, and use a high-lubricity shampoo. See that thread for tips on how to use the foamgun.



The general idea is to not press dirt against your paint and then move said dirt under pressure.

[blkyukon]

Thank you all for the feedbacks!



Accumulator, so when do you recommend a new car (black color, too) get a polish? I would assume 2 years?



Depends on the condition of the paint and how meticulous you are about the finish...I`ve seen new cars that need polishing that were less than a few months old.



If you maintain your finish -proper washing and drying techniques and regular application of protection (wax or sealant), you should not need more then a light/finishing polish once or twice a year.




And do you have a resource on how not to marring the paint???



Thanks...



John



Proper washing/drying techniques & use of quality soaps, microfiber towels, wash mitts/sponges are the first and most important way to prevent swirls and scratches in the paint.



Search Accumulator he has some great write ups on proper washing and drying techniques...my website also has a section on proper washing and drying too:



Paintcare & Detailing - Enthusiasts guide to detailing (http://paintcare-n-detailing.com)

[KaiYenS]

Accumulator,

Thank you once again! You mentioned `high-lubricity shampoo` for the foam gun. Is it ok if I use Adam`s car wash? How much do I need to put in there and mix with water? Also do I use the foam gun when the car`s dry or do I wet the car first then use the foam gun?



Blkyukon,

The info on your blog is awesome! I love the video. I think you mentioned you use 1/2 soap and 1/2 water in your foam gun??? So for 1 gallon of car wash (such as Adam`s) will only last you like 2 or 3 washes if that`s the case?



Thanks.



John

[blkyukon]

Accumulator,

Thank you once again! You mentioned `high-lubricity shampoo` for the foam gun. Is it ok if I use Adam`s car wash? How much do I need to put in there and mix with water? Also do I use the foam gun when the car`s dry or do I wet the car first then use the foam gun?



Blkyukon,

The info on your blog is awesome! I love the video. I think you mentioned you use 1/2 soap and 1/2 water in your foam gun??? So for 1 gallon of car wash (such as Adam`s) will only last you like 2 or 3 washes if that`s the case?



Thanks.



John





Always pre-rinse the vehicle to remove as much loose dirt and debris before washing.





Thanks...That is the ratio that works best for me at the 1 and 2oz/gal setting on the foam gun....this ratio gives me great coverage without using too much soap. I only fill the qt. container half full and it lasts about 5 washes at this setting. Each soap is different, so experiment with different ratios and settings for the soap you are using....I think Adams soap is a high foaming soap so you might be able to increase the water to soap ratio.

[Accumulator]

KaiYenS- Sorry, but I`ve never used the Adams shampoo :nixweiss



I mix my Griot`s Car Wash up in a gallon jug and fill the foamgun from that. I generally mix my stuff up pretty mild, but FWIW I use ~6 ounces of shampoo and the rest water (some regulars here will notice that I`m mixing it a little stronger recently...it`s a *bit* harder on my LSPs but cleans better during the winter). I then use the weakest dilution setting (at the gun) for most jobs, with the option of cranking it up for rocker panels/etc.



Note that the way I use the foamgun I`m *always* spraying it when my wash media contact the paint, so I go through a fair amount of shampoo mix. I usually do a presoak, then a pass with the BHB/foamgun, then, after rinsing, at least one pass with a mitt/foamgun. That`s a lot of foaming and hence a lot of shampoo. I consider shampoo a renewable resource (unlike clearcoat- if that gets marred I`ll be polishing it away to get a perfect finish again) so if I go through a lot of it. But if I avoid marring my paint as a result, that`s OK with me.



Besides hosing things off before you start washing, I keep everything wet all the time. If a panel starts to sheet/dry/etc. I spray it with the hose before I spray it with the foamgun.

[KaiYenS]

Thank you, gentlemen. I think I need to get the foam gun first in order to see what you`re talking about. I think I`m missing something here without seeing it/using it.



How about bottom 1/2 of the car..all the road residuals/tart/other black stuff...etc... how do you `scrape` them off? What`s the `proper` way to get them off during washing?



Thanks...



John

[imported_hockeyplaya13]

Woah! No scraping! That would induce marring. I use bug and tar remover, but if that doesn`t work I leave it til the next time I need to clay.

[Accumulator]

KaiYenS- Heh heh, can you tell that "scraping" is a dirty word around here :chuckle: As is "scrubbing".



If something doesn`t come off with my very gentle wash methods, I use detailing clay to remove it, or a solvent as hockeyplaya13 suggested. He and I just approach it differently, as I go for the clay before I reach for a solvent (clay may/may not remove my wax but a solvent certainly will).



Last time I washed my wife`s A8 it had some nasty tar on its othewise fresh coat of wax. I got it off with some Sonus Ultra-fine (green) clay and was able to do it so gently that I didn`t compromise the wax.