Just got a Makita buffer

wash_me

wash_me

New member
I know I should be posting this in the newbe form but I though here would be a better place to post this. I saw Jason is learning how to use a high speed buffer and hoping for some tips on how to use one too. The products I am using are the Pro Car Beauty Line, Clear Cut Compound, Swirl Eliminator & Polish and Satin Creme Wax. I don't have anyone as of yet to teach me how to use a High Speed Buffer so I'll be heading down to the junk yard to get a hood to pracite on, then my wife car :D



Can I just apply wax with the buffer without worrying about making swirls?



Any other tips you can give me would be great.





John Rose

Wash Me Mobile Car Wash & Detailing
 
ok, you really need to practice on a lot of hoods before you even go near your wifes car. If you never used one before they are very powerful and can harm your cars paint andc objects on the car.

Things you should know about rotary buffing

1. faster is not better, i never go past 3 with the mikita. Trust me never go past 3. In case you missed what i said, NEVER GO PAST 3!! you are in the danger zone and depending what product you are using it can swirl the paint and burn the paint.

2. When you first start out, besure to tape off all the moldings, handles, mirror, and anything else attached to the car. The rotary can knock them off the car and/or damage them

3. Dont use a wool pad, learn with a foam waffle pad

4. never stay in one spot, keep moving on the panel using the weight of the machine for pressure. keep a level surface the best you can.

you need to first learn the power of the rotary and what it can really do.

wax by hand, it faster then the rotary and cleaner too.

hope this helps, i am sure you will get some more great tips on this post.
 
Dont use a wool pad
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I think this depends on the pad. I use a 100% genuine Lambswool pad that is leather backed and it's perfectly fine to use on modern clearcoats. In fact it produces less heat then many foam pads. Real Lambswool (not white washed) is not overly agressive and the leather backing provides lanolin oils that let the pad "shine as you buff". Very good pad, and perfectly safe on modern clears.



Wash Me,



As NY said faster is not better, you should never go above 1750 RPM.



Stay away from the edges untill you get a feel for the machine, then use around a 3 degree angle at the edges.



Practice, Practice, Practice.



:xyxthumbs
 
Intel486 said:
Also, Should I go above speed 3 on my Makita?
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you should bring it up to around 6 using a metal grinding pad with diamond cut compound...:shocked



:nono <-- this guy is great, love the middle finger
 
NY detailer said:




you should bring it up to around 6 using a metal grinding pad with diamond cut compound...:shocked



Thanks NY you solved all my problems, I tried the metal grinding idea and it worked great. I can't beleive how dirty my truck was, all this time I thought it was black but now that I have ground all the dirt off it is a nice delorean(sp?) silver...



thanks ;)
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One other important thing that I had to learn the hard way, and maybe others do it differently, but move the buffer from bumper to bumper. Try to avoid going up and down on side panels, especially with darker colored vehicles. You won't see it in regular light, but when you get out in the direct sun, you will see swirls.



I'm still learning too, but that was a biggy for me.



Just my 2 cents.
 
I was at a body shop the other day and they were fixing a 1/4 panel. They had taken off all the paint and primer off and it was to the bear metal. look really cool and bright. I asked the owner of the shop why doesn't he take a car sand it down and smooth it out and have a silver metal car, was told it is against the law as when the sun hits it, it will blind all the drivers.
 
When turning off the buffer do you pull the buffer away from the paint or keep the buffer on the paint and turn it off but keeping the buffer moving?
 
Here is one thing I can add to the great info already provided, but the metal ginding disk, speed of 6, and diamond cut compound is scary!



I learned stopping the buffer and getting it off a panel the hard way. You ALWAYS want to take the buffer off the panel to the right. Never stop. With the PC you can do this but with a rotary you might burn the paint. The head moves in a clockwise manner so to prevent burn marks as you reach the right edge of a panel, slow down the buffer and then turn it off as you take it off that panel's edge.



Hope this helps,



Jason
 
Well I try the buffer out on my wife's car, don't worry her car is a POS. I can see why you need to tape off the edges, the paint come's off very easy there. There was lots of micro scratches and swirl's so it made hard to see if the buffer add more swirling when I apply the compound. I apply the swirl remover but I could still see the swirls in the hood while the sun was sitting. Is there a trick to removing swirls and mirco scratches?
 
It depends on the swirls, are they on the paint or in the paint

if they are in the paint you can buff all day and get the same results.

Using the rotary this is what i like to do....

1. 3m perfect-it III, i think this stuff is great- 1500 rpm

2. 3m- SMR

3. machine glaze (just like to do double work)

4. polish - with PC or hand

5. wax- by hand
 
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