Buffing out swirl marks and scratches with your Porter cable 7336

J

JAGOWNER1981

New member
A lot of people have been asking me lately how to buff swirl marks out of the paint using a random orbital buffer(Porter cable 7336SP). I only recommend using this buffer or a similar RANDOM ORBITAL buffer, do not use a rotary, there is too much risk involved for a beginner. Also I do not guarantee perfect results, perfect results comes with practice from these basic instruction that i can provide you. This is how I do all the cars I do and I find it is the technique that works best for me. I suggest playing around a little bit and experiment (dont forget to post your results!;)) Here are the instructions for a car with a fair amount of swirl marks.



I recommend getting a porter cable 7336SP from your local lowes and buying the porter cable pad accessory kit from www.properautocare.com Also try and find a local body shop supply store that carries meguiars professional line of products. I highly recommend their Dual Action cleaner polish (#83). It is a fairly aggressive polish, excellent at removing swirls and is very easy to use, especially for a beginner.



1) I would use the wool pad that comes in the kit(if u have a lot of swirls) and make 4 dime sized drops of the product around the pad and rub it around a 2ft by 2ft section while the machine is off. (I actually suggest that you try the yellow pad first, you want to try and use the least aggresive route to removing swirls as possible, most automotive paint finishes are extremely thin so be careful!)



2)Go to the top left corner of the section, set the machine speed to 5 and start it pushing down with about 10 pounds of pressure. go side to side until you reach the bottom right corner and then start going up and down(over lap the passes of the buffer, just like mowing the lawn) still with 10 pounds of pressure until you reach the top left corner again.



3)Now lighten up pressure and keep repeating this until u see the product has almost completely buffed out (dissapeared). Now turn the machine off and wipe off the excess residue with a quality microfiber towel.



Tips: Remember to let off on pressure around edges and tops of the fender as the paint is usually thinner in these areas. Also avoid crossing body gaps with pressure, or you will get a lot of splatter. I also recommend taping off rubber/plastic trim unless u are really skilled at avoid the trim(the machine does vibrate all over the place). After u have used the dual action cleaner polish with a wool pad, I would follow up with meguiars #9 2.0 swirl remover to remove any swirls left behind or hazing created by incompletely buffing out the product. This haze is especially noticeable on a black car. Work this swirl remover in the same way as the DACP but use the white pad that comes in the kit, not the wool or yellow pad. This should leave u with a near perfect finish, dont expect all the swirls gone but a good amount of them will dissapear and the others will be diminshed. Then dawn wash the vehicle if you plan on going the Zaino route or Klasse to remove gloss enhancers and polishing oils left behind by the polish or just top it with your favorite carnuaba wax. If you have any further questions dont be afraid to ask!



I would like to thank Steve at the Guru Reports (www.gurureports.org) for helping me with this technique.
 
Very Good post. Three questions-1)I have read not to use wool pads on clear coats. Is there a safer pad to use or is wool OK 2) You mention go side to side and up and down. I have read on this site to go in the direction front back, back front only. Is it ok to go in different directions? 3) Car is faily new and has light swirls do to one auto car wash. Would they come out with 3M Swirl remover or do I need something more abrasive? Thanks for the help. Please recommend product and which pad to use if I do not want to use wool.
 
If you are using the CMA pad kit, try the 3M SMR with the white pad first. That may not do much, but we always try the least aggressive pad first. If not, step up to the yellow pad with SMR and that should take care of your problems. When using the PC, the overlapping motions of side to side and up/down are recommended. The front to back motion is for hand application. The PC motion is relatively "random" anyway.
 
yea for a new car don't use wool. If you are using 3M SMR i would either use the white or yellow pad. Just make sure u run the machine long enough to break down the SMR or you will get hazing! good luck.
 
I purchased the 7336 from Lowes and the DM-KIT from www.properautocare.com. I also purchased 3M Finesse-It II and 3M SMR for Dark. I attempted to use these products last weekend with less than splendid results. I started using the SMR with a white pad, moved to the SMR with a yellow pad, moved to the FI-II with a white pad, and finally moved to the FI-II with a yellow pad. After the last most agressive approach I found myself removing 50-70% of the swirls and scratches. But, I wasn't sure about a few things.



1) How do I know if I am using enough material? Sometimes the FI-II seemed like I had gotten it on too thin.



2) How long do you have to work a 2ft. by 2ft. section? Roughly? Some sections it seems like I was working 10-15 minutes, others it seemed like the material broke down in no time at all.



3) How safe is the wool pad for a rookie? I'm scared of it.



4) How can you tell if your yellow pad is too caked up or not. Mine didn't feel too caked up, but I noticed that it seemed shorter than when I started. When I washed the pad out it regained it's original height.



Thanks. I think I am doing something wrong. So far I spent 6 hours with the PC on Sunday, 3 hours on Monday, 2 hours on Tuesday, 3 hours on Wednesday, and 4 hours last night. I have gotten most of the swirls and scratches out (probably 80%) but I have chewed up two cutting pads and a polishing pad pretty bad. I think I really needed to use the wool pad, but I was scared of it so I kept doing multiple runs with the cutting and polishing pads.



Thanks again.
 
Smitty said:
I purchased the 7336 from Lowes and the DM-KIT from www.properautocare.com. I also purchased 3M Finesse-It II and 3M SMR for Dark. I attempted to use these products last weekend with less than splendid results. I started using the SMR with a white pad, moved to the SMR with a yellow pad, moved to the FI-II with a white pad, and finally moved to the FI-II with a yellow pad. After the last most agressive approach I found myself removing 50-70% of the swirls and scratches. But, I wasn't sure about a few things.



1) How do I know if I am using enough material? Sometimes the FI-II seemed like I had gotten it on too thin.



2) How long do you have to work a 2ft. by 2ft. section? Roughly? Some sections it seems like I was working 10-15 minutes, others it seemed like the material broke down in no time at all.



3) How safe is the wool pad for a rookie? I'm scared of it.



4) How can you tell if your yellow pad is too caked up or not. Mine didn't feel too caked up, but I noticed that it seemed shorter than when I started. When I washed the pad out it regained it's original height.



Thanks. I think I am doing something wrong. So far I spent 6 hours with the PC on Sunday, 3 hours on Monday, 2 hours on Tuesday, 3 hours on Wednesday, and 4 hours last night. I have gotten most of the swirls and scratches out (probably 80%) but I have chewed up two cutting pads and a polishing pad pretty bad. I think I really needed to use the wool pad, but I was scared of it so I kept doing multiple runs with the cutting and polishing pads.



Thanks again.
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wow I hope u didn't do the whole car that many times with all those abrasives. I like to test one spot first to try the product to see if the swirl came out. first of all here are the answers to ur questions.



1) I usually apply 4 dime to nickel sized blobs around the pad making about a 3 inch by 3 inch square. Do not use a lot of product it will make ur life harder.



2)Yea Finesse it 2 will take about 10-15 minutes per panel, thats why i hate it so much. I prefer meguiars dual action cleaner polish because it has about the same strength as Finesse it 2 however it breaks down VERY FAST within minutes! I love it, it is by far my favorite abrasive, perfect for newbies.



3)The wool pad is very safe imo, I highly doubt it will thin your paint, I don't recommend using it ofter however using it this once will not damage your paint. Actually i find using the wool pad is easier on the wrists.



4)Using the yellow pad on an average sized car, it should be still ok to buff. It will get caked and loose some height but I find it will usually be just as effective as when u started. Just make sure it doesn't get dirty.



In your case i would have probably used the wool pad. but make sure when u finish all your hard work deswirling your car that u purchase David Bynon's Ebook and read his washing technique! Washing is the number 1 cause of swirling imo. So if you spend all this time taking out swirls and go and wash it at the local car wash, I say dont buff it. However if u plan on taking the time to hand wash it with a quality mitt and 2 bucket method, spend the time buffing it right. Also when u finish buffing follow up with a quality wax or paint sealant, if u do a search on the site you will find many product reviews and comparisons on all different sorts of waxes and paint sealants. Good luck!
 
"Polishing pads, these are the only pads to use on a clearcoat finish. DO NOT USE A CUTTING PAD ON A CLEARCOAT FINISH". This was taken from a tread by David Bynon. Now I am really confused. I purchased the 7336SP over the weekend and I am going to call and order the pads. But I planned on using the yellow pad with either 3M Swirl remover or the Meguiars Dual Action that you recommended. THe last thing I want to do is screw my paint up because I don't really know what I am doing. Could I have an action plan to take out light swirls (Scratchs) most likely caused by one machine car wash or by the dealer that they covered up. These are the kind you can only see from a certain angle in bright light. Also, I have Pinnacle Paint Cleaner, Sov wax, 3M IHG. How would you incorporate this products into the perfect detail with the PC over a weekend. Again the car looks very good (Dark metallic blue) but like most of us on this site, we are anal perfectionists that want our car to look its best. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.:nixweiss
 
Would like your opinion on this Recipe for removing swirl marks and minor scratches on a less than one year old clear coat.

1) use PC 7336SP with a white polishing pad.

2) buff 2' by 2' foot sections with 3M perfect it Paste Rubbing Compound Fine Cut (1200 grade) for no more than 30 seconds on each section in various directions (don't push down, let weight of PC work in the compound), speed no greater than 2. Wipe off with micro fiber towel.

3) Buff out haze made by compound with Meguiars No 3 Machine Polish using PC and another white polishing pad. After this process you should not see any swirls and your finish should look great.

4) follow up with 3MIHG and Soverign Wax. Car should look great???



OK Autopia experts, let me know what you think. Will this work? If not, why? Main goal is to get rid of these minor swirls that I can only see in the brightest of lighting and most importantly, not do harm to my paint... I have concerns that the rubbing compound might be to aggressive for my problem, but a guy at CMA said this will work. I have yet to try and am waiting for the products to arrive in the mail. Your opinion is appreciated.
 
If I'm not totally mistaken, I believe that DavidB was referring to wool cutting pads which are much more aggressive than the yellow "cutting" pad from CMA. I've used the yellow pad with SMR/FI-II and had good results. /it was the only thing that could tame my dealer installed swirls. My clear may have been thinned a little, but 30+ coats of Zaino will give it a helping hand.
 
Thanks for the great post AlB :up. I've wondered about Meg's DACP and if it would get those few remaining spots that #9 didn't but was heistant to use it since I'm a relative newbie and certainly a novice. I also wondered if I was using the #9 correctly by running the PC till the product was almost gone.



Thanks again.
 
"Polishing pads, these are the only pads to use on a clearcoat finish. DO NOT USE A CUTTING PAD ON A CLEARCOAT FINISH". This was taken from a tread by David Bynon. Now I am really confused.
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I was too! So I wrote david, and asked him how come he PROscribes its use here, and yet PREscribes its use on his video. His answer should help clear it up for you, as it did for me:



"Sorry for the confusion. I did not go back and read what I wrote, but I have a basic rule, which is to never do high-speed buffing with a wool bonnet on a clear coat finish. With an orbital it does not matter because it does not generate enough heat. Wool on a clear coat finish can be a quick disaster with a high speed buffer.



On my 911 I needed more cutting power because the surface was badly pitted when I got the car. The wool help round off the pitting so it's not as noticeable.



Unfortunately, I have to be very careful what I recommend to people in a book. There are so many variables, skill being the greatest unknown. I try to be as cautious as possible."



So, bottom line is using a wool pad is fine with the PC...Just to put your mind at rest, I used it on speed 6 with my PC on my Alpine White M3 and the 3M FCRC last week using plenty of body weight with it too, and it didnt even leave any hazing! I was able to go right to the wax afterward!
 
paul e said:


So, bottom line is using a wool pad is fine with the PC...Just to put your mind at rest, I used it on speed 6 with my PC on my Alpine White M3 and the 3M FCRC last week using plenty of body weight with it too, and it didnt even leave any hazing! I was able to go right to the wax afterward!
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Wow, you learn something new everyday! :cool: Thanks for going to David and clarifying this Paul (and trying it out too).



So from the sounds of it, wool pads still have some misinformation surrounding it. Much like the "buffers will ruin your paint" idea outside of Autopia. General opinion here before had been to stay away from wool all together unless you wanted something like sandpaper!
 
With a PC 7336, what should the OPM setting be for the following. Or does the setting really matter at all:



(1) Light Scratches

(2) Heavy Scratches

(3) Swirls



I read through all the threads I thought may have had this info, sorry if I missed it. I've also read that Random Orbit polishers have their limits for more extreme situations. (that would be my wife's car) Can an orbital attain the same results as a rotary with the right compounds, etc? If not I may look into getting a rotary too. Thanks in advance.
 
>>With a PC 7336, what should the OPM setting be for the following. Or does the setting really matter at all:<<



Generally, unless you have very mild surface scratching, I mean VERY minor, what youll want to do is start applying your polish around speed of 4. After youve rubbed it in, then turn it up to 5-6 to really work it. Youll know by how serious the damage, and how youre progressing with lesser settings. On my Alpine White '99 M3, I find this works the best. For Heavy scratches, I move right up to the wool pad, on a speed of 6, using something like 3M Fine Cut Rubbing Compound. Despite how this sounds, it leaves NO telltale scratches, and DOES do a pretty damn good job at taking out damage I thought Id have to relegate to the rotary. Re swirls, if theyre light, treat 'em as light scratches. If theyre not so light, treat them as you would scratches of the same category. Thats what they are, anyway.



REmember, its a combo of pad material/aggressiveness, and product aggressiveness. They work together, ranging from a 100% carnauba applied with finishing pad on speed 4 Porter Cable, to a wool pad with 3M Med Cut Rubbing Compound to Rotary at 1500 rpms and woolpad and the MCRC. Everything else will fall in between.
 
That answers my question perfectly. Just compensate the less agressive behavior of an orbital (in comparison to a rotary) with more agressive compounds. I was really leery of the horror stories about rotaries but I was willing to try it out for perfect results. I've read a rotary is completely safe @ 1000 RPMs, but how effective is it in this range... Thanks for your help Paul e. Very much appreciated!:xyxthumbs
 
>> but how effective is it in this range.<<



Quite, actually! Youd be surprised what a rotary at 1000 rpms will do... Dont believe that this is not enough speed to do damage. Its absolutely enough to produce swirl marks if used with aggressive products, even at that speed. Actually, Id say that in general, with a rotary, you dont really want to use it over 1250 rpms, except for very unsual cases by very skilled users. Most damage you can get out with a Porter Cable. IT'll take longer, but it'll create less damage too. I reserve the rotary for stuff that absolutely will not come out with the PC, and theres not too much that fits this category. Good Luck.
 
I'm definitely going to invest in a rotary. I've been finding some irresistable deals on the net!:) I'm sure I'll need one sooner or later anyway! Happy waxing.:D
 
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