how do you manage the edges?

[energumeno]

I own a 2006 charger that has paint in pristine condition, i bought the DA polisher and plenty of megs products but never really used it as the paint of the car didn't need it.

Recently I bought a 1998 dakota lifted for off-road and the paint is just a mess, this is realy going to make me work hard with the polisher.

I am thinking on investing the complete day on the truck tomorrow, but i was wondering, i have always read that the pad of the DA should always be flat and in contact with the vehicle panels, but how to you manage the edges? Like the hood edge or the front of the fenders? The pad would not be completely on the vehicle surface...

Would this be ok? or should i work on this parts by hand?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: how do you manage the edges?

Because of the clutch/safety factor, it usually won't cause any harm to buff on the edges of a modern clear coat as long as someone before you hasn't already buffed most of the clear off the car and specifically high points like edges.

For most people, this is the least of their worries, you're biggest worry or task is to try to remove enough paint to remove the swirls and scratches.

That all said, it's a good best practice or habit to buff up to edges and hard body lines but not buff directly on top of them.

[AeroCleanse]

Re: how do you manage the edges?

You can also tape off as many edges as you can

[cnfowler]

Re: how do you manage the edges?

The above posts include great information and you should adhere to it. However, I don't think that's the question you are asking. I have a G100 and routinely polish parts of the vehicle that do not allow the pad to be completely flat. Painted mirrors are a great example. Try getting a 6 inch or the new 7 inch pads completely flat on a side mirror - it ain't gonna happen. It is fine to buff parts of the car where the pad isn't completely flat. The completely flat part comes when buffing flat panels like the hood, roof, trunk, doors, etc. That's when you don't want to have the pad turned at such an angle so as to be buffing with the edge of the pad. Hope this answers your question.

Colin

[Mike Phillips]

Re: how do you manage the edges?

Good point Colin,

With the G100 and also variants of this tool, if you try to buff out a thin panel say like the rail or top edge of a pick-up bed, or the A-Pillar on some cars, the thinner, more narrow panel will tend to make your pad not want to rotate under pressure because you'll have more concentrated pressure to a smaller area on the pad.

Sometimes its faster and more effective to rub panels/sections like this by hand.

[energumeno]

Re: how do you manage the edges?

The above posts include great information and you should adhere to it. However, I don't think that's the question you are asking. I have a G100 and routinely polish parts of the vehicle that do not allow the pad to be completely flat. Painted mirrors are a great example. Try getting a 6 inch or the new 7 inch pads completely flat on a side mirror - it ain't gonna happen. It is fine to buff parts of the car where the pad isn't completely flat. The completely flat part comes when buffing flat panels like the hood, roof, trunk, doors, etc. That's when you don't want to have the pad turned at such an angle so as to be buffing with the edge of the pad. Hope this answers your question.

Colin

Thanks!

Yes, that was exactly what i wanted to know