Need some confidence boost/help (first time polishing)...

So I always wash my truck myself, 2 bucket method, iron-x and clay bar, and am comfortable with that. I use good stuff like Chemical Guys and 303 products. But when it comes to polishing and waxing/sealing I've always been nervous and just paid my detail guy to do it. Well honestly as a DIY kind of guy (I rebuild dirt bike engines, wrench on the truck, etc.), I'm tired of shelling out $200 1-2 times a year and want to do this myself. I've read great reviews on the Klasse Kit which is a polish and sealant which I'm gonna give a whirl. I see the kit comes with applicator pads but was wondering if investing in a orbital would be wise. My biggest concern is damaging the paint/clearcoat with an orbital and the gazzilion different pads to use or not to use. Figured I'd ask the TW homies their opinions/thoughts. Thanks in advance!

Zach

 

tl;dr - do it.



I haven't used Klasse yet, but I've also heard really good things about it.

Seriously, get yourself a polisher; you'll do a better job, get it done quicker, and your arms will thank you! Now, there are 2 main different kinds:

• Rotary (high speed) buffer - these are usually what the professionals use, but these can burn through your paint if you use the wrong settings or don't know what you're doing. However, they usually get the best results.
• Dual Action (or random orbital) polisher - these are MUCH easier to use, almost impossible to screw up your paint, and generally take the least amount of effort. You can get the same professional results with a Porter and Cable DA polisher, and the right polishing pads paired with the right polish/sealant/wax.

I'm cheap, and bought the Harbor Freight DA polisher and use the Harbor Freight polishing pads with Meguiar's Ultimate line of products, and I can get my car, truck, and motorcycle to shine in no time. When I first got my Taco, I went over it with compound, polish, and wax, and it looked like it came off the showroom floor. As long as you get a good quality polisher that'll last a long time, and the right combination of pads with polish and sealants, the cost of everything will pay for itself after your first 2-3 uses.

 

Thanks man. That's what I was thinking, 2 details $400, I could get all the stuff for half that, I'm just so paranoid about burning through the clearcoat/paint. Was leaning towards this porter cable orbiter, thoughts? Also which pads should I use with it? Thanks for the reply and time.

Orbital:

$139 PORTER-CABLE Car Polisher and Buffer, 6", Orbital, Variable Speed (7424XP)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002654I46/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

For the polish:

$14 Chemical Guys BUFX_104_HEX6 Hex-Logic Light-Medium Polishing Pad, White (6.5" Pad made for 6" backing plates), Gray, 1 Pad Included

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009902YHO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

For the sealant:

$14 Chemical Guys BUFX_106HEX6 BUFX_106_HEX6 Hex-Logic Finishing Pad, Black (6.5" Pad Made for 6" Backing Plates), 1 Pad Included

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009902Y1K/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Zach

 

That's the polisher!

Check out the AutoGeek forum. They have a treasure trove of knowledge. Here's a thread about Klasse:
https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/109662-klasse-sealant.html

I can't really help with what pads to use with what polishes and sealants, but I know Chemical Guys have a really good reputation, as well as a variety of thicknesses, densities, and "cutting power" if you will.

If you aren't familiar with how polishes work, check out this thread:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/official-ask-a-detailer-thread.8957/page-2#post-101202
Also, use the Search feature in that thread because I've seen different polishing pads being discussed (I just don't remember where lol)

Best of luck, and Happy Detailing! And remember, "Detailing should be your therapy, not the REASON you need therapy"

 

If I were you, I'd go for the Griots Garage 6" Dual Action polisher. It's more powerful than the Porter Cable and has a lifetime warranty. Get a 5" backing plate and 5.5" pads (they're more efficient than 6"). If you call Autogeek, they'd probably swap out the 6" backing plate with a 5". The Lake Country backing plate isn't bad. But I like the Griots 5" vented backing plate better. Griots also has one called the 3" HD backing plate-- so you can run 3-4" pads, too, for tighter areas.

The "Klasse Twins"...Keep in mind that they're a chemical paint cleaner/acrylic sealant (i.e. "cleaner wax"). They're not abrasive. So they won't help with swirls and light scratches. For that, you'd want an abrasive polish + sealant... or simply use an All-In-One ("AIO").

AIO's are great for new guys to learn buffer technique. There also very effective with today's abrasive technology. McKees 360 is nice (and very durable). HD Speed is another good one with some good correcting ability. The McKee's will have better durability. Follow up with McKee's Hi Def Paint Sealant for added durability or subsequent applications when the AIO isn't needed.

Thinnner pads are more effective than thicker pads on DA polishers. Lake Country Thin-pros and Griots BOSS pads are getting a lot of love on the forums as of late.

Thicker pads are just as effective but take a little longer for the same job. They're a little more forgiving for those new to polishing (they're less likely to stall on curved panels). Lake Country flat pads are very nice, as are the Buff & Shine flats.

As mentioned previously, check out the AG forum if you're interested in learning how to machine polish. Tons of great videos and how-to articles, as well as lots of product reviews. And it's also got a great bunch of world class detailers/forum members that really like answering questions and helping out new guys.

 

I have a da polisher and to be honest I was nervous my first time also. I can tell you from my perspective, all I did was watch a few tutorials and gave it a shot. I got great results and was happy I did it my self. My advice to you is just use good quality products educate yourself and just try it. First time I did it I did it on my dads old work truck for practice. I started doing small sections and when I saw that it was not hard I worked my way around the truck. I brought it back to life with amazing results.

You trust yourself more than paying a "professional" I know I do. I've done audio full audio install with sound deadening. Car detailing and all types of fixes to my car all by using YouTube and walk throughs on forums just like this. I love to learn and honestly just trust myself to take the extra steps and get the job done right. I plan to someday rebuild an engine when I have the work space necessary. That what I've been wanting to do for a couple of years.

In my opinion a dual action polisher gives you great results with allot less risk you face with a rotary. Give it a shot man you won't regret it.

 

Also... no need to be fearful of DA polishing. It's very safe when you follow this basic advice- use the least abrasive pad/product combo to get the job done. Always do test spots and move up in pad or abrasive only when necessary. And always use QUALITY products (everything AG sells is quality). And no I don't work for AG. Just a long time forum reader. Everything I've learned came from the forum.

And keep off raises edges (a quick pass over the top of them won't hurt anything). Just don't be stupid and hold the buffer over one spot for a long time. To be honest, you'd have to hold it there for a long time to do damage with a DA.

Rotary polishers are a whole 'nother animal and I'd stay away from them. You know when you can see "buffer trails" on a newly polished vehicle? Those spider webby circular patterns/swirls... yeah those were probably done with a rotary. How do you clean those up? With a DA polisher and a finishing polish.

 

Geeesh so much info here. Thanks guys.

 

I second the Harbor Freight DA polisher for a beginner. They have them on sale for around $40-$50 from time to time. For the price of a Porter Cable or a Griots, you can buy 2-3+ of the Harbor Freight model. Considering you're only doing this once or twice a year, you don't need the best of the best. This is just my opinion, but I'd rather throw the extra money towards mods.

 

Thanks man. I think I'll go with the McKee's all in one 360 and then finish it with the high def sealant as you recommended. Now to figure out which pads to buy, there's so many. lol.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFnmfn9mwYc

 

Thanks man! Thinking I'll go with the green pad and black pad for now.

 

You can never have too many pads.

FYI- If you're using an abrasive polish, you'll want 5-6 pads to do your truck and you'll want to be cleaning them "on the fly" (running the pad on a terry towel in between buffing cycles to clean spent polish). The one unknown for you is you don't know what pads you'll need until you do a test spot (polish vs cutting pads). Do you have a lot of swirls? Scratches? Or is it in pretty good shape?

When applying non-abrasive finishing wax or sealant, you just need one pad to do a vehicle (finishing pad).

I'd keep it simple and stick to pads with a smooth face (no dimples, cuts, or grooves). Something like the Lake Country Flats or Thin Pros.

Ideally I'd maybe do a 6 pack to start, two orange (cutting), three white (polishing), and a black (wax/sealant). Then you can do your test spot with white and orange. If white gets you where you wanna be, order a couple more (and save the two orange for deeper defects). If not, try orange and see if that does the trick. I have a feeling that after your initial correction job, white will be your go-to pad for applying AIO's.

Or you could just get 5 whites and 1 black right off the bat. The issue with orange is that it's a stronger cutting pad and it can sometimes cause a light haze (not swirls) that needs to be cleaned up with white pads. So on really bad paint, if may require a heavier cutting pad (e.g. orange) to level defects and lighter pad (e.g. white) to clean up the haze. Make sense?

So if you go 5 whites and 1 black, there's still a chance that you'd need the orange to really do a thorough correction. But then the question becomes- why are you using an AIO when you really should be using a stronger abrasive? See where I'm going with this? A lot of ways to skin a cat. So your goals really should be defined.

Keeping in mind you're working on a daily driver and really just wanna clean it up some (not turn it into a show-car), I'd probably just get 5 whites (AIO) and 1 black (your next coat of wax/sealer in a few months). Apply the AIO with white and it'll be a huge improvement. Sit back, enjoy, and then decide if you think you'd like to do a more thorough correction job with heavier cutting pads and an actual polish or compound in the future. You could even add one orange pad in to your order so you can experiment.

Or you could get two 6-packs and get an assortment of pads to play around with. But I am trying to keep it simple for you.

Flats: Thin-Pro: Hope this helps some. Happy to answer questions if you have any. Seriously, sign up for a AG forum account and their VIP email list (I think they'll even send you a coupon for 10-15% off your first order). Also, watch for sales- they have them all the time.

You'll also want some high quality microfibers for product removal (tip: the gold plush jr 16 x 16 can handle all detailing tasks). The sky blue edgeless polishing cloths are also really nice (12 for $20).

Oh, and be sure to pick up some pad cleaner. The McKee's is good stuff, so is the poorboy's tornado pad cleaner.

Regarding the polishers- they have an "HD model" of all of their polishers. For an additional $15 they'll put a 25 foot heavy duty cord on them. It sure beats dragging out an extension cord.

 

When you have some time check out detailersdomain.com. They have a forum section there and the shop shows great before and after pictures and lets you know exactly which products they are using. They sell products also but often you can take their recommendations and search the web and find a cheaper price. Probably the best polisher out there is the Rupes brand polishers. I have the Griots that is currently selling for around $150. Griot's now has a "long throw" polisher, with the "throw" being the distance that the pad travels when it is being used. The longer the throw the more effective the polisher and the less time it takes to work on your vehicle of choice.

As for correcting compounds, I like the Menzerna FG400 (Fast Gloss 400) I have found it to be the most effective and produce the best results. And I figure if a detailing company that works on very high end vehicles uses it then it must be pretty good.

To give you an idea of the type of write-up they offer and the work they do, check out the following detail of a Mercedes-Benz 600.

https://detailingbliss.com/threads/mercedes-benz-600-w100-this-was-a-big-one.29713/

And on this one they used the Griot's polisher so you can see what it is capable of.

 

Here's a couple good threads for new guys:
https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...backing-plate-make-easy-see-pad-rotation.html
https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...37769-da-polisher-trouble-shooting-guide.html
https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...55-why-s-important-clean-your-pads-often.html
https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/20135-how-clean-your-foam-pad-fly.html

Re. Thin pads: https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-mike-phillips-your-detailing-questions/28825-thin.html

https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...am-pad-options-your-dual-action-polisher.html

Re. Buffer speed (WATCH the 58 minute video in post #14): https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...ings-random-orbital-polisher.html#post1486803

And there are 1000+ more threads like these with additional info.

 

I've been considering doing this as well, it looks like there are some pretty knowledgeable folks here.

I have some fairly nasty pinstripes I got in Moab a couple of weeks ago, is this is what I'd need to do to try and fix them?

 

Tip: If you can feel scratches with your fingernail, they're likely too deep to remove without putting you at risk of clear coat failure. For reference, Clear coat is about the thickness of a post-it note.

Watch the video in post #14: https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...ings-random-orbital-polisher.html#post1486803

A very good intro to machine polishing.

 

Its really hard to cause damage to your paint with a DA polisher. Even for a complete boob.

Start with milder products first then move to more abraisive as needed.

I'm a little concerned you do all handwash but you still need to polish twice a year. I think you are better of firing your detail guy

 

Everything that has been posted is pretty much spot on. The only thing I suggest is that if you are going to do more than one vehicle and keep doing this, then I would get a better machine like a Rupes, Flex, or Griots other machine. Again all the machines suggested will work but the machines I recommended will work faster and usually less vibration with minimal learning curve.

 

This. Right. Here.

This is exactly why I don't recommend anyone to get the Harbor Freight DA Polisher. Yes, it works, it has variable speeds, it's inexpensive, and it's been very reliable so far. But I have to take frequent breaks while using it, and I can't do more than 1 car per day because my hands are buzzin' afterwards.