Beginner to Machine Polishing and Paint Correction

C

chopper82p

New member
Hi, im new to this forum and i want to start offering paint correction services to my customers. I have never used any machine polisher and im not sure where to start. Im thinking about a Porter Cable but i have no idea what pads to use with what products. I've heard many good things about M105 and M205 but i've also been interested in chemical guys V34, V36, and V38. What pads do i use with these products? Are there other products that may be superior? Should i use M105 and M205, as opposed to V34, V36, and V38 or vice versa?



Thanks for any help
 
First let me say welcome to Autopia



[…i want to start offering paint correction services to my customers. I have never used any machine polisher and im not sure where to start.



My best suggestion is to learn how to do paint correction before trying to sell it to a customer, there are lots of article on this forum and many training videos and classes and most contributors to this forum are more than happy to answer any detailing questions and offer help
 
TOGWT said:
First let me say welcome to Autopia



[…i want to start offering paint correction services to my customers. I have never used any machine polisher and im not sure where to start.



My best suggestion is to learn how to do paint correction before trying to sell it to a customer, there are lots of article on this forum and many training videos and classes and most contributors to this forum are more than happy to answer any detailing questions and offer help
Click to expand...



What he said..



Lots of incredibly valuable info here.



http://www.autopia.org/forum/welcome-greeting-center/108836-helpful-threads-newbies.html
 
TOGWT said:
First let me say welcome to Autopia



[…i want to start offering paint correction services to my customers. I have never used any machine polisher and im not sure where to start.



My best suggestion is to learn how to do paint correction before trying to sell it to a customer, there are lots of article on this forum and many training videos and classes and most contributors to this forum are more than happy to answer any detailing questions and offer help
Click to expand...



Oh yeah, I wont sell to customers before learning how to. I've watched many videos about it, i just want to know what products to use and what products are better than the others. Thanks!
 
Go to a body shop or a salvage yard and get a damaged hood or trunk lid, with a clearcoat on it, darker color is best.

That is what you "practice" on, learn how the rotary works, what pads, what products.

You will be amazed at some things you will learn doing this, such as-

How various speeds of the buffer affect the clearcoat, how the different speeds will affect the product you selected.

You will learn how to control the angle of the buffer, do flat surfaces, edges, etc.

You experience how the different pads selected work with the various compounds, polishes.

Another thing you will have an opportunity to work with is scratches, how deep, what a rotary will do for a repair and when to "wet sand" some, etc.

That is how you learn the basic's, without damaging a customer's vehicle.

Grumpy
 
Most definitely! I wish I had a hood but I have two fenders. When I practiced with them I clamped them to two sawhorses. That reminds me, if I ever want to play with them again, I'll need to get sawhorses. The ones I had up north are long gone. I imagine the same would hold true for a hood or trunk deck. Need to prop them up on something--sawhorses,on a work bench,etc.
 
Actually, if you fasten some old carpet on the tops of the saw horses, or whatever, that is all you need.

Anyone who "moves" a large piece of a car such as a hood or trunk lid, even some fenders--way too agressive with the tool.

All we had at the Automotive International Technical Training Center was two metal, cheap horses from Harbor Frieght with some foam rubber, duct taped on to hold it down.

The hood or trunk lid being used for training didn't move and if it did, I got to slap the XXXX out of the student for not paying attention to the chat I gave as I or Tim did the hands on demo. (my favorite part of the class)

Grumpy
 
I love duct tape!! I got to get myself down to Harbor Freight soon as one more item, the saw horses, just got added to the list. Oh, and for anyone who needs a good floor squeege for the garage or a good pro floor sweeping mop, they are a great source!
 
My shop floor is pavers.

I don't sweep it, I don't mop it.

All rise for the electric leaf blower!!!!

Of course it has a few mil's of overspray on it.

Helps hold the pavers together.

Grumpy
 
Pavers are very popular here in FL I use a leaf blower for the floor too but the mop for in a pinch work. The squeege is for after in garage washes
 
Only time my shop floor sees water is if I leave the big door open when the wind blows the rain just right or like Wed, wet it down with the hose before I painted the fenders and some other parts on another old bike I am restoring.

Grumpy
 
Well the mop and squeege are two less things for you to buy



In FL it's tough to wash outside without a CRS or at least only during early morning or evening.There's always the risk of water spots baking a finish in no time unless maybe you try to marathon wash and dry in sections if you want to wash with a foam gun like I do.
 
Your in the right place to learn "Auto paint correction". REMEMBER: even if taught, that doesnt mean you can accomplish indepth "auto paint rejuvenation". As with most talents you need the knack....and its mostly about "feel" when your power polishing a panel. You need to be in tune to exactly how much drag your creating on the substraight surface. You also need to call on the proper pad and chemical. This takes experience. Paint correction is about friction. "Paintxpert" Shine Since 1969
 
I have a large car port attached in front of the shop and the parking spot in the back is shaded by a willow tree.

Of course I only wash either of the vehicles when I get bored or they are so dirty even I am ashamed.

I had a condo for years in Ruskin, south of my son's home in Riverview.

Never lived in it leased it out to some Canadian's for 7 years, then sold it to them.

Decided I just didn't want to live out my retirement down there.

Nothing wrong with it, just too hot in the summer, too humid wet in the winter and the cost of living is about twice what it is here.

Plus all my old buddies I like to drink with live here, that's a biggy! LOL!

I lived all over this country, just found I like the 4 seasons, heck I even like winter.

Snow is fun, if you got a Jeep, which I do, parked somewhere, only get it out when 6 inches or more of snow falls.

Back to the thread, it is really important that anyone who is going to use a rotary buffer follow what we have been posting.

All the video's, all the threads, etc, don't provide near what getting one's hand's on a buffer, using different pads, etc.

Grumpy
 
Ron Ketcham said:
Go to a body shop or a salvage yard and get a damaged hood or trunk lid, with a clearcoat on it, darker color is best.

That is what you "practice" on, learn how the rotary works, what pads, what products.

You will be amazed at some things you will learn doing this, such as-

How various speeds of the buffer affect the clearcoat, how the different speeds will affect the product you selected.

You will learn how to control the angle of the buffer, do flat surfaces, edges, etc.

You experience how the different pads selected work with the various compounds, polishes.

Another thing you will have an opportunity to work with is scratches, how deep, what a rotary will do for a repair and when to "wet sand" some, etc.

That is how you learn the basic's, without damaging a customer's vehicle.

Grumpy
Click to expand...
Thanks, that's a great idea, will do!
 
I'm new to both aspects as well. Luckily for me, I have two vehicles with very poor paint conditions. I'm going to use my 2000 Saturn SL2 (that I'll NEVER sell) as my test dummy (poor little Saturn lol). Paint is in definite need of a full decontamination wash, claying, and hopefully it'll make it to a polishable surface. It also has 1 scratch (car was keyed prior to me purchasing) that I'll look into dealing with eventually. Autopia is a great resource for my project. Tools that I know of that I'll be using on this detail are listed below (in case anyone is interested). I'll probably make a thread detailing the process when the time comes).



- Meguiars Gold Class Wash

- Iron X/Valu Gard ABC system (not sure which one yet)

- Meguiars Clay Kit

- Undecided Polish

- NXT Wax



- PC 7424XP

- Lake Country 5.5" Flat pads

- Tons of towels!
 
Taj5944 said:
- Meguiars Gold Class Wash

- Iron X/Valu Gard ABC system (not sure which one yet)

- Meguiars Clay Kit

- Undecided Polish

- NXT Wax



- PC 7424XP

- Lake Country 5.5" Flat pads

- Tons of towels!
Click to expand...



Some quick (personal) opinions on your choices:

-Gold Class shampoo is, IMO, barely acceptable. You can do a lot better, say....DuraGloss. IME better shampoos cut downon wash-induced marring

-IMO the IronX is *not* a substitute for a full ABC-style decontamination. And I consider the "C" part of that to be a waste; it's only so-so and IME most any regular shampoo (e.g., the DuraGloss) can substitute

-What polish(es)/compound you'll need will depend on bunch of factors

-NXT isn't really bad but it doesn't last very long. I'd use Collinite instead, hands-down



Do you already have the PC?
 
Accumulator said:
Some quick (personal) opinions on your choices:

-Gold Class shampoo is, IMO, barely acceptable. You can do a lot better, say....DuraGloss. IME better shampoos cut downon wash-induced marring

-IMO the IronX is *not* a substitute for a full ABC-style decontamination. And I consider the "C" part of that to be a waste; it's only so-so and IME most any regular shampoo (e.g., the DuraGloss) can substitute

-What polish(es)/compound you'll need will depend on bunch of factors

-NXT isn't really bad but it doesn't last very long. I'd use Collinite instead, hands-down



Do you already have the PC?
Click to expand...



Thanks for the advice! I do already own a PorterCable 7424XP, just got it. Will be making one large autogeek order within the next week or so. Was looking at the ValuGard ABC system as well as Iron-X. What would you suggest? I'd prefer to order it all together through autogeek but am open to suggestions. I've heard great things about the Collinite 845 especially on white vehicles (Artic White is the paint surface I'm decontaminating/claying/polishing/etc.). Still need to order some pads/grit guards/ONR/foam gun/bunch of stuff. Any help is much appreciated
 
Taj5944 said:
Thanks for the advice! I do already own a PorterCable 7424XP, just got it...
Click to expand...



I'd set it up with the appropriate backing plate to use 5.5" pads.



. Was looking at the ValuGard ABC system as well as Iron-X. What would you suggest?
Click to expand...



I'd probably just get the "ABC" and skip the IronX, don't think you'd really need both. Actually, I'd see about just getting the "A" and "B" as the "C" is merely a normal shampoo of mediocre quality.



I'd order some clay too, something pretty gentle is good to have on hand.



I'd prefer to order it all together through autogeek but am open to suggestions.
Click to expand...



OK, they're fine. Not sure what polish(es) to recommend as I'm not familiar with Saturns.



I've heard great things about the Collinite 845 especially on white vehicles (Artic White is the paint surface I'm decontaminating/claying/polishing/etc.).
Click to expand...



The 845 is good and I even use it on black plastic trim.



Still need to order some pads/grit guards/ONR/foam gun/bunch of stuff. Any help is much appreciated
Click to expand...



I'm not a fan of either grit guards or ONR, but that's just me. *I* would get a Montana Boar's Hair Brush to use with the foamgun (for the initial passes before switching to a mitt, also used in conjunction with the foamgun), but again, that's just me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top