Total noob at polishing! Clue me in!

K

Kaban

New member
Hi guys,



My obsession with keeping a clean car started a while ago. I have learned how to clay, seal, and wax this year and now I think I'm ready for the next step...machine polishing!



The only polishing I've ever done was by hand which is a big PITA.



Here's some questions I have:



What buffer do you recommend?

What are some good polishing compounds?

What type of pads should I buy and what brand is good?



Keep in mind I am not a millionaire, but I also believe in buying good products the first time!



I have heard that you can apply wax using a buffer... if that is true I would definitely prefer it to using the traditional hand method. Would I need a special pad to apply wax or sealant?



I apologize if these questions are too simple for you pros, but I really don't know where to start, there are so many threads and so many opinions, my head hurts from all the information out there and I just don't know where to begin.
 
Just a little update guys....



I went to the garage and actually found a box full of pads and my dad's old buffer...

It's a Milwaukee 5460 7"/9" buffer that was barely used... the thing is practically brand new.



Do you guys know anything about this buffer? Should I try it out?
 
Kaban said:
..I'm ready for the next step...machine polishing!



The only polishing I've ever done was by hand which is a big PITA.
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Welcome to Autopia!

Before somebody tells you to "Oh, go search!", I'll give you a thumbnail sketch of the subject. Things *do* change and yesterday's recommendations might not be the same as tomorrow's.
Here's some questions I have:



What buffer do you recommend?
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Either a Flex 3401 or a Griot's 6" Random Orbital. Yeah, there are some other very nice ones (and I do love my Cyclos) but those two are the short list IMO.
What are some good polishing compounds?
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Aggressive (and yeah, you'll need it): either Meguiar's M105 or the somewhat less aggressive, but infinitely more user-friendly Optimum Spray Compound.



Milder: Meguiar's M205, Optimum Spray polish, or something from Menzerna.



OR...if you want to keep things *really* simple, you could just get a can of 1Z Paint Polish and see how you like that.

What type of pads should I buy and what brand is good?
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Most brands are OK and different people like different ones. Which product(s) you use will factor in too.



You'll need pretty many pads with products like M105 and the Optimum compound. "Orange cutting pads" from Lake Country and others are the usual recommendation, along with the newer Cyan HydroTech pads (also from LC).



You'll need somewhat fewer pads for the milder polishes. "Polishing pads" come in various colors, and Griot's sells an orange one (very different from the "orange cutting pads", don't get them confused) that's a great general-purpose pad that works well with most anything.
Keep in mind I am not a millionaire, but I also believe in buying good products the first time!
Click to expand...



Right, so buy one of the polishers I suggested :D Cheaper ones are far less likely to satisfy you long-term.
I have heard that you can apply wax using a buffer... if that is true I would definitely prefer it to using the traditional hand method. Would I need a special pad to apply wax or sealant?
Click to expand...



You use a "finishing pad", a very mild one with no cut of its own. LC makes lots of different ones (the Gold one is probably best for this) and Griot's sells a very nice red one.

I apologize if these questions are too simple for you pros, but I really don't know where to start, there are so many threads and so many opinions, my head hurts from all the information out there and I just don't know where to begin.
Click to expand...



Copy that, hence my reply ;)
I went to the garage and actually found a box full of pads and my dad's old buffer...

It's a Milwaukee 5460 7"/9" buffer that was barely used... the thing is practically brand new.



Do you guys know anything about this buffer? Should I try it out?
Click to expand...





Wooh-hooh, that takes me back :D I used one of those back in the '70s. Big, heavy thing that'll last longer than we will.



But it's a *rotary* polisher as opposed to a "dual action" or "random orbital" (like the ones I recommended) and that's a whole different animal. Tricky to master and easier to have an "oops!" with. I have a few, and have used them enough to be OK with 'em, but I absolutely recommend you stick with a DA or RO type instead. Much more user-friendly, nice steep learning curve that'll have you up to snuff in no time. The rotary is like a chainsaw and IMO you need a pruning saw.



Keep the Milwaukee for later, but get into this stuff with something more easily mastered.
 
Thank you so much for the help and taking your time out to help me with every question!



I placed an order for a kit on detailedimage for the Flex XC 3401 with several LC pads and an extra backing plate. Should come in tomorrow!



Again, I kindly appreciate all of your help!



I wish you the best,



Roman
 
Kaban- That Flex 3401 oughta be a good choice :xyxthumbs



When you get it, take off the backing plate and do the following:



-Locate the felt ring that's inset into the housing of the polisher. This provides a buffer between the housing and the backing plate in case you really lean on the machine, like hard enough to force the (spinning) plate into contact with the housing.



-Put a little light oil on the felt ring. Don't over do it and really saturate the thing, just apply a little. Blot off any excess with something like a paper towel. You don't need to be really precise about this, you just want some lubrication on the felt but you don't want excess oil making a mess.



-Reinstall the backing plate, making sure the mounting bolt is nice and snug (again, don't overdo this but you sure don't want it to vibrate loose).



-After some use, remove the backing plate and inspect the felt ring, this will give you a clue as to how much pressure you're applying and might help you avoid overdoing it (if it looks like the plate is really rubbing a lot then you're maybe pressing down too hard).



Oh, and when polishing, try to *NOT* apply too much pressure when the plate isn't flat on a panel. When you're working on, say... a curved fender, where part of the pad is on the panel and part is up in the air, try to not apply all too much pressure as it really *will* force the plate into contact with the felt ring/housing and might even cause more serious problems. None of this is anything to really worry about, and if any of it seems unclear I think you'll see what I mean once you start using the thing.





There were some posts a while back about taking the machine apart and lubing the gears that drive the plate, but AFAIK that was a matter of a production run that wasn't sufficiently lubed at the factory. I've never done it to mine and it's OK. But while the plate is off for periodic inspections, check the condition of the teeth on the (then-visible) ring gear. If they do start to wear you might as well get it looked at before it develops an actual problem. But again, this isn't something you really need to worry about, I'm just trying to think of all the stuff a new Flex owner might oughta be aware of.
 
Accumulator:

That's a good point about lubrication of wear points within a buffer/polisher.

Do you have any specific name-brands and their specifications (like oil weight) that you recommend??

I am really concerned about the "gear lube" grease. Could you use a silcone grease, like that used for ignition wire boots around the spark plug, or should it be a petroleum-base grease, like Mobil-1 synthetic??



On a side note, NEVER, EVER use WD-40® on high-end plastic (Rulon®) or Teflon®-impregnated plastic bearing or wear strips. These bearings are porous and the cleaning agents in WD-40 gum up the pores in these bearings and reduce their chemically-engineered (IE, built-in) lubrication. Most plastic bearing manufacturers have recommended specific lubricants (IE, their own that are expensive). One manufacturer suggested using 3-in-1 Oil® as a viable substitute, as there are no cleaning agents in this oil. I know it sounds funny to talk about lubrication on plastic, but most of our maintenance-minds have been trained to lubricate wear points (rotating or sliding interference points that create friction) and in reality, most plastics do not need lubrication. That is why they are being used to replace the bronze and brass bearings commonly used in the past. I use 3-in-1® oil on the slides of snowblower chutes, as an example.



How do I know this about plastics? I work in the mechanical engineering field, and grew up specifiying the bronze and brass bearings. New chemically-engineered bearing materials are SO much better but they come at a cost of about 3-5 times that of metal bearing materials and are much more difficult to machine. The advantange is that they need no lubrication and last longer, so maintenance replacement (IE, Labor) cost are reduced. (More than we really wanted to know!)
 
Lonnie- I haven't had to lube the ring gear in my Flex as it came with a little factory lube (looked like light grease) on it. I'd use a light grease instead of an oil, one that should be OK for plastics. I'll let *you* fill us in on what that should/shouldn't be :D I probably woulda just used white litheum grease, which I find good on all sorts of stuff, but I guess Flex/Powerhouse could probably tell us what the "official" recommendation is.



For the felt ring, I just used some old "Snake Oil" firearms lube which I no longer use for its intended purpose. I wouldn't think this to be a picky application, but yeah..I don't use WD-40 for, well....anything really.
 
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