Swirl removing by hand
- Thread starter dconger74
- Start date
wannafbody
wannafbody
aint gonna happen by hand. Get a cheap RO sander and a foam pad and swirl remover or step up to a PC or UDM. Do a search.
jfelbab
New member
IF you remember seeing "The karate Kid" you will have some idea what you will be up against. Removing swirls by hand is literally painful. That said, a tube of ScratchX, and an evencoat applicator (microfiber covered foam) will work. You will be very sore so buy a tube of BenGay while you out. 
You might want to just try using a product that hides minor swirls and be satisfied until you can get a PC. You might look for Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze and Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax. Both work together well and have quite good swirl hiding properties. Remember though, the swirls are still there and as the glaze evaporates and the sealer wears thin the swirls will reappear. None-the-less, you might be able to make the car look pretty good for a while with a lot less work, especially on a beater.
You might want to just try using a product that hides minor swirls and be satisfied until you can get a PC. You might look for Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze and Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax. Both work together well and have quite good swirl hiding properties. Remember though, the swirls are still there and as the glaze evaporates and the sealer wears thin the swirls will reappear. None-the-less, you might be able to make the car look pretty good for a while with a lot less work, especially on a beater.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
I agree with jfelbab, none of the other responders knows what your car looks like or what your expectations are (and BTW, I agree with everyone that you won't really be able to remove anything and if you do, you will be mighty sore), but I suggest you give it a whirl by hand and see how you like the results. To differ from jfelbab's recommendation, Pep Boys has Meg's #9 (this has some cleaners and abrasives in it which #7 doesn't), and you can use the NXT or #26 on the top.
Accumulator
Well-known member
dconger74- Welcome to Autopia.
Yeah, this isn't something that goes very well by hand, and that buffer you have might not work *as well as* doing it by hand.
Only way to approach this IMO is to use 1Z brand polishes. Use their Ultra/Extra Polish with terry cloth first. Direction/motion doesn't matter, do what's comfortable. Use it over and over, buffing off the almost-dry residue, until the scratches are considerably better (shoot for better, not perfect).
Then go over it again with 1Z Paint Polish to remove the micromarring that the Ultra/Extra leaves behind. For this, apply with a foam pad or MF. Buff off the almost dry residue with a MF cloth. Repeat a few times if you find it makes things better.
Top that with Collinite wax so you don't have to do anything but wash it for a long time.
Might turn out much more satisfactory (at least in your eyes, and that's what counts
) than some here would expect 
In places my machines can't reach, I've done some good correction by hand with the 1Z stuff.
Sources for 1Z and Collinite: Welcome to Exceldetail.com! or Aloha & Welcome to Our Oasis for All Your Auto Detailing Supplies & Accessories
Yeah, this isn't something that goes very well by hand, and that buffer you have might not work *as well as* doing it by hand.
Only way to approach this IMO is to use 1Z brand polishes. Use their Ultra/Extra Polish with terry cloth first. Direction/motion doesn't matter, do what's comfortable. Use it over and over, buffing off the almost-dry residue, until the scratches are considerably better (shoot for better, not perfect).
Then go over it again with 1Z Paint Polish to remove the micromarring that the Ultra/Extra leaves behind. For this, apply with a foam pad or MF. Buff off the almost dry residue with a MF cloth. Repeat a few times if you find it makes things better.
Top that with Collinite wax so you don't have to do anything but wash it for a long time.
Might turn out much more satisfactory (at least in your eyes, and that's what counts
) than some here would expect In places my machines can't reach, I've done some good correction by hand with the 1Z stuff.Sources for 1Z and Collinite: Welcome to Exceldetail.com! or Aloha & Welcome to Our Oasis for All Your Auto Detailing Supplies & Accessories
Milestones
New member
Accumulator is correct.
1Z is the way to go for correcting marring by hand.
It aint easy (to say the least) - but it works pretty well.
1Z is the way to go for correcting marring by hand.
It aint easy (to say the least) - but it works pretty well.
Adam's Polishes
New member
cancel your gym membership... start polishing... reap benefits on the car and in your physique :har:
willtothewong
New member
good info guys
since i am a noob, i would like some experience polishing by hand before I move up to a UDM
since i am a noob, i would like some experience polishing by hand before I move up to a UDM
Accumulator
Well-known member
willtothewong said:
Welcome to Autopia!
To be honest, I dunno if doing it by hand is really worthwhile as an intro to this stuff. Using reasonably gentle machine-based approaches is perfectly safe and will save a lot of time and effort. Heh heh, you'll still have to do tight spots by hand
There isn't all *that* much that transfers from hand to machine techniques...e.g., the breakdown and drying/"flashing off" of polishes is one of the most important things to get a grip on, and it's very different with the two methods.
The machines are really just fast hands that don't get tired and careless. Before too long, it seems like most PC/UDM/Cyclo users are talking about how they really oughta get a rotary...a far cry from what they said before they ever tried doing this stuff
If somebody can afford a PC/UDM/Cyclo, IMO they oughta just get it. If the expense and/or the (real) degree of interest in detailing makes that ill-advised, then try the 1Z polishes. I really do believe it boils down to that.