Porter Cable Buffer + Meguiars = Miata Bling

[HAULN-SS]

Are you sure you dont have that backwards? Ive been under the impression orbitals were the safe - easy to use for amatuers buffers. High/variable speed polishers are the ones that can eat through your paint with the quickness.

[Maengelito]

what are you looking to do Maeng?

nothing in particular. i just feel like its time to start getting equipment. if i could save money by buying a good polisher that acts as a sander as well, then i'm all for it. it seems as though its probably not good to double up on something like that. you're right though, i can buy those sanders for pretty cheap. thanks for the good info guys

[Dave]

yeah, I bought the retarded expensive Porter Cable, but it was totally worth it. I got a cheapo, 1/4 sheet sander for $20 before the painting projects and it made life so much easier when i was prepping. Definitely worth the $$ in both cases.

[white_2kgt]

Are you sure you dont have that backwards? Ive been under the impression orbitals were the safe - easy to use for amatuers buffers. High/variable speed polishers are the ones that can eat through your paint with the quickness.

I don't have anything backwards, I never said the Polisher wouldn't eat through your paint w/ the quickness. BOTH tools (sander and polisher) will eat though the paint fast. With the polisher you have more to worry about with the clear, b/c if you've polished clear through the clear then you are in real trouble. It will take a little work to get through the paint w/ a buffer.

[HAULN-SS]

hrmm, ya'll must be talking about a different kind of orbital buffer than I'm thinking about then. The kind i'm talking about would take like half a day to eat through paint - goes at...i dunno - a few hundred rpms maybe? Either way - I'd rather just pay a professional 100$ to run a high speed buffer over the car once a year, wax the shit out of it when I get it back by hand, and be done with it.

[white_2kgt]

This,


Would eat through paint in short order, what .RJ has.

This,

Would take quote a bit longer. I use that to polish.

[HAULN-SS]

ah. i see. I hate those orbitals(picture 2), i have had two of them, and never had good luck with either...I usually pay my paint guy to run a high speed(picture1) over the car - which cleans and polishes it - then take it home and put a thick coat of wax on by hand. The only thing i'd use an orbital for is applying wax, but not taking it off - it just looks a lot better by hand..imho

[white_2kgt]

ah. i see. I hate those orbitals(picture 2), i have had two of them, and never had good luck with either...I usually pay my paint guy to run a high speed(picture1) over the car - which cleans and polishes it - then take it home and put a thick coat of wax on by hand. The only thing i'd use an orbital for is applying wax, but not taking it off - it just looks a lot better by hand..imho

wax yes, polish no. If you were using the 2nd for wax I would imagine you got a shit job. Learn to use tools for their intended purpose and you might not have so much trouble w/ them .

[HAULN-SS]

pfft...i've been detailing cars since you were a glimmer in your mothers eye!

What else would you use the orbital for? I'm assuming that you used your buffing compound with the highspeed...theres really no need for anymore "polish" with a second tool. Are you suggesting applying the buffing compound with an orbital?

[white_2kgt]

pfft...i've been detailing cars since you were a glimmer in your mothers eye!

What else would you use the orbital for? I'm assuming that you used your buffing compound with the highspeed...theres really no need for anymore "polish" with a second tool. Are you suggesting applying the buffing compound with an orbital?

Uh, I'm a good bit older than you, and I've been winning 1st place trophies at Car Shows since I was 8, yes, I had a 'show car' when I was 8.

Personally I'd only use the Porter Cable for putting down rubbing compound after a fresh paint, or to clean up really old paint with some wax. They are just to fast for me to use on a regular basis.

The polisher I will use to lay down the wax and the remove it by hand. I also use it on the 'Paint Cleaner' step after a claybar.

I will then use the polisher to lay down and remove the polish (not wax, not rubbing compound), changing pads between putting down/taking off. I can do the mustang with 4-6 pads depending on how fast I want to work.

[Maengelito]

Uh, I'm a good bit older than you, and I've been winning 1st place trophies at Car Shows since I was 8, yes, I had a 'show car' when I was 8.

wow, chad's the biggest ricer out of all of us.

[.RJ]

Personally I'd only use the Porter Cable for putting down rubbing compound after a fresh paint, or to clean up really old paint with some wax

I use it for everything - no issues here Slow it down for wax applications though, and use the appropriate pad.

[white_2kgt]

Personally I'd only use the Porter Cable for putting down rubbing compound after a fresh paint, or to clean up really old paint with some wax

I use it for everything - no issues here Slow it down for wax applications though, and use the appropriate pad.

You don't keep your cars long enough to eat through the paint .

Used correctly it shouldn't hurt anything, I've just used it 'incorrectly' in the past and now I just try and stay away .

[HAULN-SS]

Uh, I'm a good bit older than you, and I've been winning 1st place trophies at Car Shows since I was 8, yes, I had a 'show car' when I was 8.

Isn't that ironic...

[white_2kgt]

Uh, I'm a good bit older than you, and I've been winning 1st place trophies at Car Shows since I was 8, yes, I had a 'show car' when I was 8.

Isn't that ironic...

why is that? That a car guy grew up in a family of car guys? how strange...

[ultimagtrlover]

Whoa, whoa, WHOA!! Things are getting confusing here. RJ's link in the first page shows a Porter Cable 7424...this is a random orbit polisher. Doesn't hurt paint! What white_2kgt shows is the Porter Cable 7336, which is a CIRCULAR polisher, which can damage your paint pretty easily within a couple of seconds. The random orbit polisher operates best for swirl-removal at a speed of 4-6, equalling to 4000-6000rpm's. The circular polisher works best at 0-1500rpm's for swirl removal. The random orbit is more flexible, capable of compounding, polishing, wax application, and removal of compound, polish, and wax residue removal via a buffing bonnet. The pad determines if you will be cutting the clearcoat or finishing it off.

[white_2kgt]

Whoa, whoa, WHOA!! Things are getting confusing here. RJ's link in the first page shows a Porter Cable 7424...this is a random orbit polisher. Doesn't hurt paint! What white_2kgt shows is the Porter Cable 7336, which is a CIRCULAR polisher, which can damage your paint pretty easily within a couple of seconds. The random orbit polisher operates best for swirl-removal at a speed of 4-6, equalling to 4000-6000rpm's. The circular polisher works best at 0-1500rpm's for swirl removal. The random orbit is more flexible, capable of compounding, polishing, wax application, and removal of compound, polish, and wax residue removal via a buffing bonnet. The pad determines if you will be cutting the clearcoat or finishing it off.

yea, you're right. I was thinking the Circular polisher when I made the comment about removing paint/clear.

[Maengelito]

so with my massive miata detailing to come this weekend, whats everyone's opinion on good car waxes, clay bars and lube, polishes, wool pads vs cotton, foam applicators vs using the random orbit polisher to apply, etc.?

keep in mind that i'm NOT going for baller car show shine, but something to make the car look nice so i can sell it. therefore, i'm limited to basically what you can find in the car care aisle at advance autoparts and products in that price range.

[HAULN-SS]

if you just want it to shine for a few days so you can sell it, i'd just use cleaner wax on it - it'll help take some of the shit off from winter, and give it enough pop to shine pretty good for a few days, and it goes on/comes off a little faster. Meguiars does a pretty good job

[HAULN-SS]

oh yeah - foam applicator on by hand, terry-cloth off however you like