Machine polishing

[Mash]

A friend of mine has a Pogweasel-pink Corsa which I am going to try return to red for her, I've got all sorts of potions but I wondered about getting or hiring a machine polisher. Any experts out there want to recommend an opinion as to how to go about actually doing the polishing? Is there a best way of applying and buffing and so on? I know they tend to be lower rpm than angle grinders.

[capsuleboy]

Welcom to borrow mine if your near Leicester...

[Pete-M]

Clay works well on Pogweasel Pink.

[DSdriver]

Always work in a figure of eight motion with the polisher. Can't remember why though.

Halfrauds do a good cheap one which unlike the professional units is as light as a feather and doesn't cause your arms to drop off after four hours of polishing the side of a boat.

I can see the benefits of using a heavier unit on a car though as gravity will do most of the work for you.

[Pete-M]

Oh, and never stay in one plays with the bloody polisher either. Just remember that every time that little spinning wheel of doom touches your paint it's taking paint off, so if you leave it in one place you'll end up with buggered paint.

[meggersdog]

I have one of those Machine Mart jobbies.I use Farecla G3 and plenty of water.Don't dwell too long on the edges as it can very easily wear away the paint.

A bucket of water and a sponge, dampen the panel first (I usually do one panel at a time) then dampen the sponge of the machine before added G3.If you see the panel drying out add more water.I use the lowest setting for this but with a polishing head on the machine I bring it up to number 3.

It is very very messy so wear over-alls and eye protection when doing the roof.After you have mopped it hose the whole car down then dry it off to see if it's ready for a final polish.

[trigger]

Pretty much what Meggerdog said, I bought my mop from amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-Silv ... 999&sr=8-1 It's well worth the money, I then bought a bottle of Farecla G3 polish from here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FARECLA-CAR-G ... 3f0cdb2a33 and a Farecla G-Mop head from here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120720622555.

 

This is pretty much all you need, Use the mop on speed 1-2, don't dwell on one spot for too long or you burn through the paint and use plenty of water, I recommend using a spray bottle for that.

 

It is very messy so don't do it in the garden next to your washing and you'll need to wash the white spits of the car afterwards, Remember to give the car a good hand polish once you've finished as well.

 

The mop head lasts about 3-4 cars and the polish seems to last a while as you only use a small amount of it, I pour a bit out on a rag and rub it over the paintwork before attacking with the mop.

[Cavcraft]

I found the Halford's type to be useless to be quite honest. Got a Silverline one (via Amazon) quite recently and very impressed with it, used Faurecla compound and it bought my badly faded (red) Audi up a treat.

 

Where about are you Mash?

[binboy]

Hi, Im a paint sprayer by trade and the best stuff around now is the 3M range. I would use 3M fast cut plus as it is not as harsh as other cutting compounds like Farecla G3. You get a good deep gloss quickly and you don't have to use loads of water so its less messy. For a more budget way as Fast cut plus is nearly £30 a bottle, I would use T cut colour. I tryed some on a old faded ex post office van and the paint came up really well and its only £10 a bottle. You need to be careful using a proper painters mop and you can burn though the paint really easy if your not careful. I've seen a apprentice at a body shop I used to work at burn though the paint on a BMW bonnet that has just had it bumper painted.

[Morgan84]

I always found do it by hand with a good cloth - clean old handtowel ( like the ones in pub toilets on a roll ),with T-Cut and do it panel at a time. The polishing machines can't get into small places,and will soon burn through the paint.A good cut followed by a nice wax polish cream - Turtlewax is a good one will soon bring it up nicely

[Guest]

Farecla G3 by hand. End of if you're not practiced. Your not doing a mop of a new job where you can take a Micron or so off ie to get rid of orange peel. Keep it damp. Turn the cloth regular. You don't need loads of compound either. Hard work is free. Getting a re paint after burning through isn't.

[The Moog]

Just about to do this to my camper before selling it. The paint is flat and someone has touched it up with slightly the wrong colour white in the past. Ordered the Silverline machine recommended above. Will endeavour to get some photos of it all.

[wackywacerwill]

I bought a buffer machine in Lidl, it's shit. Elbow grease son, that's what you need.

[Barry Cade]

Brasso and an old towel. Try it!

[Mash]

Brasso and an old towel. Try it!

 

Funny how T-Cut and Brasso look and smell the same isn't it??!!!

 

Thanks guys, actually we've got some G3 at work - I might give it a go by hand.

[Autoplas]

Hi, Im a paint sprayer by trade and the best stuff around now is the 3M range. I would use 3M fast cut plus as it is not as harsh as other cutting compounds like Farecla G3. You get a good deep gloss quickly and you don't have to use loads of water so its less messy. For a more budget way as Fast cut plus is nearly £30 a bottle, I would use T cut colour. I tryed some on a old faded ex post office van and the paint came up really well and its only £10 a bottle. You need to be careful using a proper painters mop and you can burn though the paint really easy if your not careful. I've seen a apprentice at a body shop I used to work at burn though the paint on a BMW bonnet that has just had it bumper painted.

 

I had a concours Mk2 RS Mexico a few years back and we spent 14 hours prepping it before its first show in my ownership, machine polished with some trade only Autoglym green compound they apparently dont make anymore and then 3M. The finish on the car was incredible after the 3M, made the paintwork on my then new Focus look distinctly second rate (and to be fair the Focus Metropolis Blue was a pretty good finish).

 

As some of the guys have said don't dwell too long on an area and whatever you do don't push down into the paintwork

[Mash]

Decided to use good old elbow grease and G3. Coming on nicely although it's gone pretty far so don't know how long it'll last! Still a bit pink but at least now it's nice and shiny and not oxidised. It'll keep me busy over the next week or so!!

 

Before on the roof, after on the frame:

 

[The Moog]

Had a go with the silverline mop on the T25. Came up beautifully. Will try and get some photos of it. I used Sonus SFX 3 & SFX 2 on it which worked a treat.

[Des]

Poundland have 1/2 litre bottles of T-cut looking stuff, appears to be UK made by Tetrosyl, and won't need to try hard to be better than crappy T-cut.

[Morgan84]

Maybe a good wash with TFR would help take some of the oxidisation off