PC buffing edges and ridges

[Blackmirror]

I was reading the ultimate detailing book and I read that you should not buff on and edge...only up to it. And on peaks or bumpy parts of the car you should slow down buffer speed. Does that only apply to the rotary? Is it ok to use the PC on edges or ridges and not burn the paint?

 

[tguil]

You won't burn the paint with a pc, but go to the edges and ridges too often and you'll buff off the clearcoat or or if single stage paint the color coat. A lot depends on the product you are using, the age of the vehicle, the thickness of the paint, etc.



I managed to buff through to primer on the hood of my 1990 Ford Bronco using an old fashioned Waxmaster orbital buffer. I was constantly removing paint defects -- acid rain, bird bombs, etc. It took me a long time and a lot of buffing using pretty agressive products to do so.



My 2002 Dodge Hemi had some major buffing done on the hood before delivery. I try to be very carefful with ridges, edges and the rest of the whole darned hood.



The short answer -- Be careful!



Tom

 

[Accumulator]

Yeah, it just depends on the vehicle. I usually don't worry about it at all, the PC/Cyclo is just too gentle. But I *have* cut through on older cars with thin paint. That was with a PC and one of Griot's Machine Polishes, which are *very* mild...the car just didn't have any paint left to work with.



But on newish cars with plenty of clearcoat, it's really not an issue unless you're using a rotary, and even then it just takes some common sense.