Hand polish tight areas that PC cant reach

**NetBoy** · 10-20-2009, 07:31 AM

Whats the best way to hand polish tight areas that my porter cable can`t get to?

Do I use a microfiber pad by hand or can I carefully try to use the porter cable?

I`ll be using Meg 105.

I have a 08 Jet Black M3. Just bought it used with 10k miles but looks like the owner was driving on dirt roads. The side panels have a ton of swirls. Hood is in good shape and roof are in good shape.

I tried menzerna IP on a yellow, orange and white pad and they didn`t do much. But my pads and IP are about 5 years old so I ordered new pads and Meg 105.

Any tips or suggestions are appreciated.

**imported_smprince1** · 10-20-2009, 07:55 AM

I use a terry covered foam pad by hand for those tough to reach areas. Seems to have more bite than MF.

**Darkstar752** · 10-20-2009, 08:31 AM

Did you get a finishing polish?

**NetBoy** · 10-20-2009, 08:51 AM

I have the Menzerna Final Polish.

**Turbocress** · 10-20-2009, 09:17 AM

is it worth it to get the lc hand pads over using a terry applicator pad or mf applicator pad? (sorry, figured id keep it to 1 thread) ive had a few things bugging me about getting to some hard to get to areas, like behind door handles and around trim edges..... it becomes super noticeable after polishing everything else and those are then left alone.

so what compounds work good for hand polishing with a foam pad or mf/terry pad?

thought about meguiars ultimate compound, seen plenty of threads of people using it, but im wary about buying another OTC hand application product

**Accumulator** · 10-20-2009, 10:07 AM

Aggressive- cotton terry and/or pieces of aggressive foam machine pads.

Medium- foam applicators and/or pieces of milder foam pads.

Gentle- MF.

I often reach into tight spots by using a *large* pad on the polisher, using the overhanging outer portion of the pad. This works a lot better with a rotary or Flex 3401 than with a PC because the PC isn`t that powerful. But sure, go ahead and try to do what you can reach by machine.

For behind door handles, IMO Meguiar`s M105 was an absolute game-changer. Prior to that stuff I`d spend *FOREVER* fixing areas like that on Audis. Even with M105 it can take quite a while, so don`t give up too soon.

**mikenap** · 10-20-2009, 11:33 AM

I`m glad someone beat me to the punch because I was going to post this too. I polished a friend`s Chevy Colorado and am pleased with the outcome on the majority of it but certain areas like around the door handles, and between the bedliner and plastic fender flare, look awful because I can`t reach them with the PC. I tried the white LC hand polishing pad w/205, which is what the rest of the truck got, but it didn`t seem to do much for it. Plus the paint was super soft, so I didn`t want to do 105 since I probably couldn`t finish it out that well by hand.

Also, anyone have tips about getting into all the little crevices behind badges and such? The paint behind the word Colorado looks faded compared to the rest, and it`s a large badge so the paint inside the C`s and O`s is very noticeable. Thanks.

**Accumulator** · 10-20-2009, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by mikenap

..certain areas like around the door handles, and between the bedliner and plastic fender flare, look awful because I can`t reach them with the PC. I tried the white LC hand polishing pad w/205, which is what the rest of the truck got, but it didn`t seem to do much for it. Plus the paint was super soft, so I didn`t want to do 105 since I probably couldn`t finish it out that well by hand...

I dunno about the M105 not finishing out since it doesn`t break down. M105 hazing oughta be fixable with M205.

Note that working by hand takes a LOT longer than by machine. M205 by machine worked, right? Well, if you do those same zillions of orbits by hand you oughta get the same results, it`ll just take a whole lotta time.

If you were working via PC at speed six, that`d be a whole lotta orbits-per-minute and you might spend a few minutes doing it. Consider what that equates to when working by hand. This sort of thing might not get accomplished in just half-an-hour.

Also, anyone have tips about getting into all the little crevices behind badges and such? The paint behind the word Colorado looks faded compared to the rest, and it`s a large badge so the paint inside the C`s and O`s is very noticeable. Thanks.

Swabs, little pieces of foam/cotton wadding worked with whittled-down wooden sticks, little pieces held by hand. Whatever it takes to reach up inside there. This is another case where it can take a *VERY* long time to get the desired results.

**Turbocress** · 10-20-2009, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Aggressive- cotton terry and/or pieces of aggressive foam machine pads.

Medium- foam applicators and/or pieces of milder foam pads.

Gentle- MF.

I often reach into tight spots by using a *large* pad on the polisher, using the overhanging outer portion of the pad. This works a lot better with a rotary or Flex 3401 than with a PC because the PC isn`t that powerful. But sure, go ahead and try to do what you can reach by machine.

For behind door handles, IMO Meguiar`s M105 was an absolute game-changer. Prior to that stuff I`d spend *FOREVER* fixing areas like that on Audis. Even with M105 it can take quite a while, so don`t give up too soon.

good to know that m105 can take care of that by hand. so no need for another compound to use by hand?

but just to be clear, m105 doesnt break down, but m205 does break down?

**imported_smprince1** · 10-20-2009, 06:09 PM

For your reference, here`s some scratches near a door handle that were removed using M105 by hand with a terry covered pad:

Now for the afters:

**mikenap** · 10-20-2009, 07:47 PM

Roughly how long did that take w/105?

**Turbocress** · 10-20-2009, 08:40 PM

and you removed the 105 scratches with 205 and a foam pad by hand too?

**craigdt** · 10-20-2009, 11:36 PM

That is the exact method I use. 105 works wonders for that sort of thing. I always just use one of those MF applicators

**leungly** · 10-21-2009, 03:39 AM

smprince1, that`s absolutely amazing.

**imported_smprince1** · 10-21-2009, 04:07 AM

Originally Posted by Turbocress

and you removed the 105 scratches with 205 and a foam pad by hand too?

I removed the marring from the 105 by following with HT LC and a foam pad because that`s what I had. I don`t have any 205 but I`m guessing that would work fine.