[c-grimmace]

I am about to undertake a complete stripdown/claybar/re-wax and just wanted to know if you find using your hand, or machine easier/better. If you use a machine, which one and why please

Thanx in advance

 

[Jibberish18]

machine. Simply put it a machine will do what your hand can do X100. Think about it. Would you rather try to unscrew a bolt with your fingers or would you just rather take a socket wrench to that ass? Sure you could probably unscrew the bolt with your fingers if you tried hard enough but which one would be more effective and easier?

 

[c-grimmace]

what i meant is why use a paticular type/brand of machine. I already know a machine can do it x100 better than hand. I meant. random orbit or grinder style buffer. thanx for responding though. glad somebody did.

 

[Jibberish18]

Well you asked if you use machine or hand.

I think Random Orbital Type buffers are more accepted but I could be wrong since I don't know much about buffers. Look up on google and you can find lots of info on both. I get my info from here

www.camaroz28.com

 

[Virtual_Insanity]

Typically the orbital machine buffer is better to use because it won't burn the paint.Grinder style buffers are sometimes used by professional detail shops but depends on their experience.Nobody wants to pay for a repaint for improper use.

 

[Rob G]

i've heard people say that buffer machines waste wax because you have to put more stuff on the bonnets to get the same effect as using a towel or applicator pad. i don't have first hand experience though, but it's something to keep in mind.

 

[Slackmeister]

I have one of those "slow" (one-speed) type of random orbital machines (like you might find at Sears, Wal-Mart, etc.), and it's pretty much useless except for spreading or removing wax. It's not powerful enough to do anything with paint cleaner or polish---at least nothing that you couldn't do by hand. However, from what I have read over at Autopia , a higher and variable speed random orbital can be used for removing minor defects and swirl removal. Unlike a grinder style "rotary" buffer, it's pretty user friendly.

If you're pretty happy with the condition (no swirls or major oxidation) of your paint and just want to clay it and wax, I wouldn't bother with a machine at this point.

 

[Kool_ZX3]

I do it the best way, By hand.No bufeer will ever touch my parents or my car ever.Hand buffs and applying always work better.Some thinks are better off left by doing it yourself then having a machine do it.

 

[Ray]

i've used a random orbit buffer. hell, i bought one, but i prefer to polish my car by hand. the buffer is better for larger flat surfaces, such as the doors, quarter panels, and hood... but around plastics and places you dont want to buff, it's a pain.

it's much easier to use if you buy a whole bunch of 2" masking tape and tape off the places you dont want to buff first( plastics, glass, etc)

 

[Jibberish18]

Why not just use both?

(I still don't know how people think by hand is better) *cringe*

 

[rpvitiello]

i've used a random orbit buffer. hell, i bought one, but i prefer to polish my car by hand. the buffer is better for larger flat surfaces, such as the doors, quarter panels, and hood... but around plastics and places you dont want to buff, it's a pain.

it's much easier to use if you buy a whole bunch of 2" masking tape and tape off the places you dont want to buff first( plastics, glass, etc)

Why not just use both?

(I still don't know how people think by hand is better) *cringe*

That's what I do, I use both. I use a random orbital polisher (I got it at autozone for $50) to do the big areas, the roof, hood, doors, trunk, and I go back and do all the tight places by hand, (around antenna, Windshield washer nozzles, door handles, etc.... I bought it because after the winder I had some scratches in my paint from ice, and I used a cleaner wax etc. and buffed out the scratches. Now I use it whenever I wax my car (which is rare because of time restraints, so anything to speed the process up is a good thing)

I think the results doing things this way are far superior that trying to do it ALL by hand, or ALL by machine. Also to buff out scratches you NEED a machine, I just don't see how its possible to do it by hand, allot of the things out there to remove scratches just take so much rubbing by hand, where as a machine takes a few seconds to do the same thing. I know a long time ago SpeedVision had a show where they put some scratch removal stuff on a scratched car and had someone try to do it by hand for about a minute and got nowhere, then came in with a polisher for 5 seconds and the scratch was gone.

 

[Kool_ZX3]

It's alot to do it all by hand but when i see cars done by hand compared to buffers the jobs done by hand look alot better.If u take your time u cna see a difference

 

[onebadassvt]

Well I am on that prof. detailing bussines for a while and Im going to give you my 2 cents..
If you know how to use a high speed buffer/polisher/sander, then you have a lot of choices..Makita, Milwaukee, Snap On,
Bosch, Hitachi and my advice...try to stay away from Black an Decker.(please, that one will ruin your car)

Next, as you know (if you do) mask all the trimming or black parts(mirror corners, window trimming, and black bumpers,not painted ones), be carefull with corners, and plastics(corner lights etc),
never under the sunlight..always at a shadow spot(never after a rainy day,the wax will never dry).

...Type of bonnets...go for 3m "Perfect It" foam bonnets..
...Wax..3m "Perfect It" II or III products(pro talking)you can find them at the car paint and body shop suppliers, if not available...then Meguiars..(the best finish always is Meguiars Gold Class)..so as I've said after you do a polish by machine on your car finish it by hand...that's to seal the polishing.

And like all the jetters have said, yes finish it by hand, the only good reason of doing it by polisher it's that it will last longer than by hand..and you will clean the paint deeper and better.

Be carefull with compounds...they are abrassives and they will "eat" your clear coat or paint if you use them.

Clay bars work nice..I like the way they clean.
Sorry for the long post...I hope every one take something of it, good luck and be carefull a paint polish cost a hundred or so...a car paint costs lots of hundreds and headaches..!!

MAO

 

[Rodewaryer]

Buffers do exactly what you'd expect them to do, speed up the job but have the drawbacks most here have mentioned. Using up boatloads of wax, taking chances with scratches and damage to adjacent surfaces plus missing many contours and places the buffer head can't reach properly. The answer is to do it by hand. The biggest mistake I see people make when waxing is to try to apply to areas too large, and let the wax dry. I get way better results waxing smaller areas and buff it off before it has the chance to dry and leave swirl marks.

I know I'd rather have a massage by hand than by a machine, wouldn't you?

 

[svtjoe]

Hey just my 2c. but one misconception a lot of people have is to put too much wax on.....you just end up wiping it off anyways. I use the porter cable orbital and products from www.griotsgarage.com. you can't go wrong. I can wax (just wax) my car and remove the wax in about 1hour now with the orbital.Anyways, check out the site, i swear by the products and techniques now.

Joe

 

[Oofast focusoO]

i use stuff by ardex which i get from the local vw dealership(i got connections) Its call dymond cut/polish. i use that with a buffer then i follow up with liquid wax.i waxed my car in like 5 min with this stuff by hand

one downside is it only last for a week

 

[FociD00d02]

I might be doing this all wrong... but this is what I do. I use turtle wax stuff. I apply it by hand... wait about 2-7 minutes depending on temp outside...I then use my orbital buffer thing... to clean the wax off and then rub by hand to create a good shine

is this right?

 

[silvermach]

I wax my car by hand. IMO you can get into places easier.

 

[98GTPDriva]

I am about to undertake a complete stripdown/claybar/re-wax and just wanted to know if you find using your hand, or machine easier/better. If you use a machine, which one and why please

Thanx in advance

First off, it is not possible to replicate what a machine can do by using your hand. I polish, seal and wax my car with a Handi-Grip applicator. This is by far the easiest applicator to use. You get a much better grip and it's rather cheap too ($1.99 each @ Autozone).

But for machine use, I would go with a Porter Cable 7424. This is by far the easiest and safest thing to use on your car's paint. I was leary at first to use one, but it makes all the difference. It is definitely easier that using your hand, because you are using much less power. In terms of being quicker, I would say they are about the same, but the PC 7424 will do a superb job. It will get rid of swirls and hide scratches much better than by hand. Also, it is virtually idiot proof. So it's almost impossible to ruin your paint. Here are some links that will help you out. I hope this helps.

The best place/price for a PC 7424.

What is a PC 7424?

How to use a PC 7424.

 

[Motive]

I've always done it by hand. I admit it takes the whole damn weekend to clean my car inside and out. My car is silver so I don't have quite the same issues with paint care as you folks with dark colored cars. (I almost bought a black one though...hehe)