General bufing/waxing questions...

[Mark_H]

Alright buffing guru's I have some general questions for ya...
I'm going to go to war on both my cars this weekend. I basically need to know some tried and true products and methods to get my paint cleaned up. I have some experience buffing in the past but I'm out of the loop regarding products and the best pads etc. Both my cars are from the early 90's and have pretty good paint, but I don't think either has ever had a good buff/wax job.
So, I need to know what products I can pick up locally and what pads and techniques are recomended. I'm not looking for miracles and don't want to spend a ton either. I do have a nice multi-speed buffer.
Thanks for any info!
Mark

[HondasTrail]

I do have a nice multi-speed buffer.

Rotary buffer?

[Mark_H]

Rotary buffer?

It's a nice buffer with about 6 speeds I believe.

[HondasTrail]

Sorry that answer is a little unclear to me. Does the direct drive mechanism make the pad only spin, or does it make it oscillate in a circular motion through the axis'?

[Mark_H]

Sorry that answer is a little unclear to me. Does the direct drive mechanism make the pad only spin, or does it make it oscillate in a circular motion through the axis'?

My bad, it just spins(I think).

[HondasTrail]

Hold on typing some stuff up for you.

[HondasTrail]

I usually start off by washing the wheels and wheel wells with a good soap formulated for car paint likeMeguiars Deep Crystal (http://www.meguiars.com/?car-washes/Deep-Crystal-Car-Wash) a good brush for rims (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009IQZDO/?tag=besprionl-20), and a good walmart floor scrubbing brush for tires and wheel wells. After you scrub and rinse the wheels and wheel wells apply your tire dressing of choice, let it stand a few minutes and then wipe it off with a shop towel. If this method fails then get some Safe D-Greaser (http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=241).

Now wash the car with a good quality soap made for car paint, I usually use Meguiars Deep Crystal (http://www.meguiars.com/?car-washes/Deep-Crystal-Car-Wash). Wash from top to bottom. After you've hit the paint with some soap you can hit your engine bay with that Safe D-greaser if you really want. Let it set a minute or two. For liability reasons I'm going to suggest that you cover up your alternator and any fuse boxes or any other electronic equipment if you decide to wash your engine bay. BTW after you hit your engine bay leave the hood up. Now get to rinsing, the whole car. Like washing, start from the top and work your way to the bottom.

Dry with a good quality chamois (http://www.meguiars.com/?car-drying-tools/Premium-Natural-Chamois).
Any bug or tar left on the paint can be taken off with bug and tar remover of your choice and a quality cloth towel (http://www.meguiars.com/?car-wash-towels/Soft-Buff-Terry-Towels).

You'll also want to Clay (http://www.meguiars.com/?auto-detailing-clay/Smooth-Surface-Clay-Kit) your car since it's been so long since you've washed it. Claying is very simple, get a sprayer bottle fill it with water and add a pinch of car soap. Slice off a piece of clay, about 1/4". Work the clay to warm it up, spray some water on the paint and work the clay back and forth across the paint at a medium pace with just a tad bit of pressure on the clay. Make sure to keep it moist otherwise the clay will start sticking. Fold clay after working each section and replace it with another strip if it becomes too dirty. Repeat as necessary, minimum 2 times, 3-4 passes recommended.

PAINT POLISHING

Paint polishing with a rotary buffer can be harmful to your paint. To avoid harming your paint you need to be aware of some factors:

How thick or thin your paint is, in other words how much paint is on the metal.

How hard your paint is, some paints are much more resistant to polishing than others.

Burning paint: burning paint is done by leaving the buffer on one particular spot for too long.

Dry buff: Dry buffing is done by overworking the medium (polish or rubbing compound) and thus it literally disappears or turns into a powder. When this happens defects can be instilled into the paint and you could also burn the paint.

Generally paint polishing by rotary buffer is not something that should be done with little or no experience. If you wish to not heed my advice then look below.

PADS PADS PADS! A good paint polisher is nothing without quality pads. You will need two pads for what you are going to do. Get two of the Meguiars 6.5 inch foam polishing pads (http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-W8006-6-5-Inch-Soft-Polishing/dp/B0002UQAXY). For your medium I suggest some Dual Action Cleaner Polish (http://www.meguiars.com/?pro-cleaner-polishs/Body-Shop-Professional-Dual-Action-Cleaner-Polish) and some Speed Glaze (http://www.meguiars.com/?pro-cleaner-polishs/Speed-Glaze).

To start you'll want to prime your pads so all the product doesn't get sucked up into the pad and then you have to medium buff with. Soak the pads in some clean water then stick them on the buffer and let them go for a spin.

Ideally you will still want your pads to be damp. Now set your buffer to about 1200 RPM's (good beginners speed) lay out an 8" strip of *DACP*, this strip should be good to work out 2 square foot area which is an ideal section to work. Use BLUE PAINTERS TAPE to mask off 2 square foot sections and use it to cover up body lines, the little space between panels.

Since you say you've experienced buffing before I'll assume you know how to pick up product with the buffer. Now rev up pick up your product with the buffer and start making passes in either a vertical or horizontal direction.

When you cover 2 square feet with a one directional pass then it's time to go the other direction. Keep alternating directions until the product your working with becomes a thin transparent film. It's important that you don't buff beyond this. When you reach this point wipe off the excess product with a good quality Microfiber (http://www.meguiars.com/?car-wash-towels/Supreme-Shine-Microfiber-Towel) you'll need at least six towels. Any towels that hit the ground HIT THE TRASH, do not question this, do not think washing it in the washer will work. Just throw it away. Fold the towels into quarters to get the most use out of them.

When you cover the whole car with DACP then it's time to move onto the speed glaze. Apply speed glaze the same way you applied DACP. Use a separate Microfiber to wipe off different products.

Rate of speed which the buffer is moved
Don't move the buffer too fast or the product won't be able to do it's job and you'll still have defects after all is said and done. Also, don't move too slow other wise you'll burn paint. If I really had to guess on a speed to move the buffer, I would say cover 2-3 inches every second (a nice medium pace, I think). Rate at which you move the buffer is kind of a touchy feely thing.

WAX
Now apply a thin coating of your wax of choice using an Applicator Pad (http://www.meguiars.com/?specialized-tools-applicators/Soft-Foam-Applicator-Pad). Wait at least 30 minutes before wiping off excess product, some people like to wait up to 12 hours but 30 minutes is good. repeat as desired, 2 coatings should be the minimum, there really is no maximum for some people.
For wax I use something similar to NXT Generation Tech Wax (http://www.meguiars.com/?liquid-car-waxes/NXT-Generation-Tech-Wax)


Product categories and their reference number
The Meguiars products I have listed here fall into two categories: Professional series and Consumer Series. Consumer series are products that you should be able to pick up at wal-mart or any other automotive retail chain such as vato zone or rice boys. Professional series are those products that you will have to go to a specialty store for, and even then they might not carry it. To find such stores go Here (http://www.meguiars.com/dealerlocator/) type in your zip code and select professional products on the right. For ease of finding products I will list product names and their reference number under each category. *Note* Generally you'll only need the reference number for pro products.

Consumer Products:
Supreme Shine Microfiber towel ref #: x2020
Deep Crystal® Car Wash ref #: G10464
Meguiars Soft Foam Applicator pad ref #: X3070
NXT Generation Tech Wax ref #: G12718

Professional Series:
Safe D-Greaser ref #: D-10501
Dual Action Cleaner Polish *DACP* ref #: M83
Speed Glaze Ref #: M80
Meguiar's Polishing Yellow foam pads 6.5" ref #: w8006

[M@]

My bad, it just spins(I think).

Does it spin like this (http://www.meatspin.com)?

^^ NWS ^^

[HondasTrail]

Asshole

[M@]

I said NWS. Duh.

By the way, pun intended on that comment? :rofl:

[HondasTrail]

I said NWS. Duh.

By the way, pun intended on that comment? :rofl:

pun intended

[yoojeankim]

if i was u , id get a WW mf towel. instead of those chamois... much better on the paint

and seeing that it might have been awhile since you've given these two cars a nice wash. i would get some meg's claybar and claybar the whole car after

after all that see if autozone or any auto place has some nice polish so you can work into your scratchs then get a nice wax you'd put on after.

oh and if you need pads and such theres a place called detailers paradise that sell everything you need

[HondasTrail]

if i was u , id get a WW mf towel. instead of those chamois... much better on the paint

and seeing that it might have been awhile since you've given these two cars a nice wash. i would get some meg's claybar and claybar the whole car after

after all that see if autozone or any auto place has some nice polish so you can work into your scratchs then get a nice wax you'd put on after.

oh and if you need pads and such theres a place called detailers paradise that sell everything you need
AHHH yes the clay bar I forgot the claybars thank you! As far as Chamois' I have had no problem with chammy's from Meguiars as long as they never hit the ground. If they hit the ground they hit the trash.

[Kwando]

you should go visit nick at detailers paradise and he will help you... i would definately recommend a porter cable. and claybar.

[HondasTrail]

Part 2 added
/end essay
also:
you should go visit nick at detailers paradise and he will help you... i would definately recommend a porter cable. and claybar.
:werd: nick will be able to help you much more in person than I can over the internet, and a porter cable is so much safer for paint.

[Mark_H]

Part 2 added
/end essay
also:

:werd: nick will be able to help you much more in person than I can over the internet, and a porter cable is so much safer for paint.


Thanks alot for all the info, I appreciate it!
Mark

[HondasTrail]

np man

[yoojeankim]

let us know how it works out! ur supra was awesome

[Mark_H]

let us know how it works out! ur supra was awesome

Thanks a lot. Myself and 1 of my roommates washed and buffed the the
300ZX, it turned out pretty well. Clay barring it would have helped I'm sure, but I'm happy with it for now. I'm going to do the Supra this weekend most likely and will clay bar it for sure.
Mark
The Z:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p8b7b3b83e13a96a1aa04a16733af2401/e9846112.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p613a47387d669b6a05c9c1411c2761eb/e9846099.jpg

[HondasTrail]

You don't really need a whole clay to clay a car. You can just cut off 1/4" strip off work it in your hands until it's warm and then start using it. So I'd say go ahead and clay the Z to when you get the chance.