PC D/A Polisher Question

[StemagsEbenz]

Can someone advise me whether I should use some pressure when polishing with ,say,Menzerna IP or should the weight of the machine(PC 7424) be all the pressure I should use? I ask this because I have 2 yr old silver metallic MB paint,light swirls and maybe a scuff here and there. I experimented on my neighbor`s black Nissan to try and remove some slightly deeper swirls and it did bring them down but didnt remove them totally.I was thinking the Menz IP wasnt gritty enough to cut it.But what if I pushed down a bit?



In the case of my car,Im thinking that the light swirls under the normal weight and the Menz IP and FP should do the trick.Any ideas from the forum would be appreciated.

[Soarer V]

Did you push down when you were experimenting with the Nissan? Experiment some more if you have to. If his paint is not in the same condition as yours, your have to compensate.



When ready, try using the PC /product on you car in an very small area. Use the weight of the PC first, wipe off polish and inspect. Remember to make sure product has time to work in, per product instructions.



If you paint is in good condition you may not have to use certain products, use the least abrasive first.



I used #81 hand polish on a PC w/yellow pad with about 5 pounds of pressure. Just enough so that the PC was being cushioned by the yellow pad. You can see this effect, focus on the pad.



Do a search on PC usage if your still unclear.

[StemagsEbenz]

I also read somewhere that German clearcoat was,for now anyway,softer than American or Japanese coats.If this is true,then maybe I shoulda pushed down a bit.But Im new to this game,and I shall learn.

When do you stop polishing,when the product is gone or when its dry or what? :xyxthumbs

[Soarer V]

You may want to call the dealer where you bought the product, to confirm.



Using #81 I stopped when it was Almost dry and hazy. Try very little (Pea size) IP by hand/clean terry cloth, in a very little area and work it untill it`s almost dry, wipe off, notice the result, then in another area untill almost gone, wipe and see which looks best to you.



I`ve never used IP, so the above small test may help you.



Do a search on Flashing.

[BillNorth]

I wouldn`t put pressure on the machine. The whole point of using the PC is to utilize its strong motor and variable speeds. The speed is what breaks down the polish, not your body weight.



And don`t expect your swirls to disappear in one shot. You may need to go over an area multiple times to remove them.



Bill.

[StemagsEbenz]

Yeah,,,I would think the action of the throw would do the work so I agree with you Bill,,,then the answer is the Menzerna grit wasnt enough or it should be repeated.:xyxthumbs

I feel a little guilty using my neighbors car,,,not :usa



I guess I will go easy,and observe.:up

[BillNorth]

I would try the menzerna a couple of more times. You should gradually see the swirls diminsh. No need to step up to a more agressive polish. Patience with the current products you have will yield the results you are looking for. Don`t expect miracles in one shot.



Bill.

[TortoiseAWD]

I`m going to disagree a little here . . . in my experience, using some pressure on the PC for the first few passes when doing removal of heavier swirls seems to work just fine, and does get a little more cutting action from the pad/polish combo than using lighter pressure. Usually, on the first couple of passes, I`ll push down hard enough to compress the pad and hear the motor strain just a bit. On subsequent passes, I use lighter and lighter pressure until finally I`m supporting some of the weight of the PC. On the last passes, I try to support the PC`s weight enough that the pad is spinning pretty freely.



I agree that the extra pressure doesn`t have anything to do with breaking the polish down, but I do believe that the extra elbow grease in the early stages of working the polish can increase cutting ability. That isn`t to say that anyone should be bearing down on the PC with a vengance, or that using the extra pressure is always necessary; however, I do think it`s an easy way to get a little more "oomph" from your product/pad combo without bumping up to more aggressive products.



Tort

[Bobby G]

Originally posted by BillNorth

I wouldn`t put pressure on the machine. The whole point of using the PC is to utilize its strong motor and variable speeds. The speed is what breaks down the polish, not your body weight.



And don`t expect your swirls to disappear in one shot. You may need to go over an area multiple times to remove them.



Bill.

Just to add to what Bill has said, I`m beginning to receive customer care calls from people who have burned up their PC. When I talk through the issue, I get the same common feedback:



1. Using a pad larger than 7"



2. Pad/backing plate/counter weight not balanced



3. Applying significant pressure to the pad



The PC is not designed to be used under high torque conditions. When you use a large pad and apply pressure, you put a load on the motor that quickly builds heat that the armature and motor windings cannot displace.



In my experience, the PC works best at a higher speed, using a smaller pad and a generous amount of polish. In other words, make the polish do the work, not the pad.



I`m also coming to understand that flat pads produce more work with less energy than the contoured pads. A flat pad in the range of 5.5" to 7" with 1 to 2.5 pounds of loading will continue to rotate while oscillating. The gentle rotation generates more work and effectively breaks down most oxides used in machine polishes.



When you use a contoured pad, the loading required to achieve full pad contact is between 3 and 10 pounds (depending on the size and density), which effectively stops pad rotation. If you use low pressure on contoured pads, you get less pad contact, which equates to less work and far less effective use of the polish.



db

[wifehatescar]

Thanks for your $0.02 db, always appreciated!:up

[StemagsEbenz]

It seems there are two schools of thought,,but thats a good thing.When I do my car,Im gonna go easy,maybe slight downward pressure and check for results as I go.None of the swirls are deep enuff to catch my nail so I should be ok,,,a million thanks to all you experts.:up :bounce