I'm fairly new to the art of detailing, and from what I picked up so far is that machine buffers are used primarily for paint correction, or polishing. I have a $20 orbital machine buffer that I picked up from Auto Zone; my question is this: If I have a car that is in good paint condition with no swirls or marring, should I even bother to use my machine buffer to apply my wax? My machine, being a low cost brand, does not boast of high speeds that may risk damaging the paint. What do you think? Thank you.

 

The cheap orbital machine buffers are only good for applying wax as they have not enough power to do anything else.If you need to correct any paint defects they wont do you any good at all as they are just used to speed up the waxing process.

 

You really dont need an orbital buffer to apply wax. You will need one when you need to do some paint correction.

 

Autogeek.net has all info in the world about detailing.

 

^+1

That's where I get all my stuff. Be careful, or your bank account will be empty in just a few hours of reading their tips!

If your car has been washed at car washes, or the regular way, you my friend have swirls on your paint. Maybe due to your paint color you cannot see them, but believe me they are there...

This comes from a guy who owns a OB G37...

 

what color is your car? If you have a color that shows swirl marks really easy, like black or red, then you should keep that buffer away from your car. The orbital buffer you bought is just that.... a buffer. I have two of them that I have used on almost all my vehicles. I use one to apply the wax and the other to remove the wax and then buff the paint. I probably wont use the "buffer" to wax and buff the G because this is my first black car. I will hand wax and polish until its time for paint correction and then but a real polisher like the Porter Cable unit.

 

My G is a 2008 Obsidian Black. Every colour car is owned, but a black one is a hobby. As such, I am now a detailing enthusiast and own a Flex Dual Action Polisher sourced from AutoGeek. Yes, they are a must for paint correction but dont let that fool you into thinking that is all they are good for. To properly maintain your paint, there are multiple steps required (anywhere from 3 to 6 steps) all of which CAN be done by hand. However, the entire idea of a DA polisher is to mimick the motion of waxing by hand and help speed the process of these multiple steps. I would never attempt a multi-step project by hand... anymore. I have spent 9 to 12 hrs in the garage in the past but now average about 6hrs twice/year. 4 times a year I will apply Carnuba by hand. I just prefer Carnuba layered by hand.

Also, read up on the products you can use on paint and you will soon realize it is not the machine as much as the product that does the correction. The polisher absolutely does its part to correct but, primarily speeds up the process of the work being done by the pad and product.

What you can purchase for $20 - $50 is not what I would call a polisher - as someone above stated, it is a wax applicator/remover and nothing more. These machines do not have the capability to do what the pro-level machines like a PC, Makita or Flex can do. Even the Maguiars and Griots machines are capable, though low end (these start at about $120) going upto $200 for a PC and over $300 for the Flex. The problem is the power required to keep the pad rotating and moving side to side while pressure is exerted against them. If the pad is not moving fast enough, the abrasives in some corrective polishes are digging holes in the clear coat rather than diminishing across the grooves of swirls.

If your paint is perfect I would still recommend a 3 step - Polish, Seal, wax. A fourth step would be ideal - 2nd Wax. Unfortunately, the step between most Seals and Waxes is a 12 hour wait to allow for curing.

This will ensure you paint stays slick, smooth, buttery and wet for as long as possible.

My 2 cents.

BTW, you should be posting this in the Detailing section so as to get more responses for folks far more capable than me.

 

^Looks like you know what you're doing...

I have the PC and it's great, I bet your Flex runs circles around mine...lol.

What's described above is right on target though. I used my friend's Maguiar's 150 and 250 for color correction last time, and I just got me a Menzerna kit, which one have you used?

 

Maybe... maybe not... I did a lot of research before picking the Flex and some days question my choice due to the Flex's weight. The machine does have faster speeds but most of us should probably never turn it up that high so, your PC is probably the sweetspot - good buy!!

Do you mean Megs 105 and 205 - yes, i was very close to picking these up but my paint is in near perfect condition and did not need this level of correction. I hear amazing things about this combo! If my car was winter or daily driven i would probably hit it with this every two or so years.

Currently my preferred setup is as follows:
1) Wash = P21S Bodywork Conditioner Shampoo
3) Paint Cleanser = P21S Gloss Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser
4) Polish = Klasse AIO
5) Seal = Klasse Sealant
6) Wax = P21S 100% Carnuba

This setup started a year ago after many different brands and combinations. The P21S and Klasse stuff is quite impressive and i have never seen such dramatic wetness but, that said, I have never ventured into the Menzerna line-up. Again, i hear only good things!

I used to use OTC Megs stuff and liked the look until i found the above combo. I now understand what people mean by "wet look" over "cut glass"/"Mirror". I prefer the wet look but, get both by using the above combinations.

Which Menzerna products and/or Kit are you using? Were they purchased from AutoGeek?

Cheers!

 

^^Oh yeah, Autogeek! They have so much stuff and so many types of products to suit any need and taste.

Sorry, yes I meant the 105 and 205. I had to used them because whoever had the car before me apparently washed the car with steel wool and dried it with paper towels! I thought the paint was pretty shiny as it were, but a friend of mine got me into detailing (the right way...lol) and I took my G to his garage and watched him transform the paint into this wet shiny, better-than-new glossy paint. I couldn't believe my eyes. I kinda realized how bad it was once he showed me the clay bar as he used it on the car...filthy!

Then I thought it was all good, until I discovered Glaze! Oh WOW. I didn't think clear coat could've gotten any shinier than after a good buffing, but you will be impressed once you try it. Use it after your Polish, but before the Sealant. You'll want to keep taking pictures of your car all day long! lol.

Menzerna is supposed to be of higher grade than Meguiars, and I just got mine in the mail last week and just have to make the time to do it right. I got the kit that comes with the Intense Polish, Final Polish, and Finishing Glaze, +bonus things.

I'm glad I found this forum because I find guys that are just as picky at detailing and keeping up their car, it doesn't make me feel so OCD around the ones that take their cars to the brush-carwash and smear their inside with ArmorAll and call it detailing...lol

 

Agreed at having a refuge of OCDs like ourselves here! Especially when the neighbours, wife and friends think I am crazy. I had a neighbour once come over and tell me he could see his soul in the cars paint! That was a happy moment.

Ok, I am convinced - I will give the Glaze a shot! I may pick up the Menzerna kit you have during the next sale weekend.

Cheers and Happy detailing Jon23!

 

He saw his SOUL in your car! Epic. What a compliment!

Try the glaze, you will not be disappointed! Also, don't be scared (because I was when it was brought up to me...) about this product, it is crazy good, it's so good, I call it "stupid good" lol:

http://www.autogeek.net/collinite-insulator-wax-845.html

It's one of those little tricks for maximum shine, and most of all, protection. Trust me, after you do your wash and all you do, apply glaze, then the Collinite, maybe your sealant (optional, Collinite is pretty strong) and let it dry. I let mine dry for the rest of the day and applied wax the day after. You'll have a gloss and protection that will last you at least 6 months! At least. Next time you wash it, and dry it, it'll look as if you had just finished waxing it! It repels dirt that good.

( I still wax mine after washing, just because I'm that crazy...lol)

 

What I consider to be the best PC How-To available -Machine Polishing By Dual Action Polisher, Dave KG – Machine Polishing by Dual Action Polisher - Full Guide - Detailing World

Current Dual Action Polisher (HD Polisher, Griot’s Garage 6, Meguiars®, G110v2, Porter Cable 7424XP and Shurhold) Comparison - http://www.autopia.org/forum/machine...-tampa-fl.html