On getting started

[bulldog shine]

I am new to this site and I have wanted a rotary buffer for years. But after reading and learning here on this great site I was wondering so I do not screw up my cars if anybody would recommend going to a junk yard and getting hood or a trunk to practice on before I do my personal vehicles.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: On getting started

Definitely.

Go to the wrecking yard and tell the guy in charge what you're looking for and why as this may get you a better price, (maybe maybe not).

The hardest part is going to be to find a hood or deck lid that is fairly flat that isn't wrecked i.e. bent and crumpled-up, and the paint is still in good enough shape to buff on, often times the paint on the cars in the wrecking yard will deteriorate past the point of no return because they're exposed to the sun and weather all the time with no maintenance. (of course).

But sometimes you get lucky and you can find a black or dark colored car that was hit in the rear or the side and the hood is still in good shape. If so, that's why you want to tell the yard owner that you want it for practicing buffing techniques because as a "usable body part" (for a body shop for example), it has value in that it's straight and able to be used on a wrecked car getting fixed. (Does that make sense?)

We actually knew the owners of our local wrecking yards well enough in Oregon that we would take a couple of long extension cords and our buffer and the owners would let us go out and buff on the cars in the yard till our heart was content, this was a good way to work on a lot of different paint systems.

Also, try to find a car that no one cares about and see if you can buff it out, whether it runs or not, for example maybe your neighbor has an old car next to the side of his house or in the backyard and maybe you can buff it out for them?

Best of luck to you... A good hood out of a wrecking yard can cost up to $100.00 if it's straight and usable. Of course the more popular or exotic the car the more value it can have.

[BlueZero]

Re: On getting started

I tried to get some panels in the fall at junk yards. All the ones I called wanted over $100 per panel. That's more than I wanted to spend. I also tried a few body shops but that didn't work either. I've been thinking of picking up a few hundred dollar car and practicing on that then selling it or junking it. Or find a friend with a beater. I did manage to get a panel from a friend but it's off a step side truck so it's plastic not metal.

[Playr]

Re: On getting started

I also tried a few body shops but that didn't work either.

I was going to try the body shop angle but probably not now. My brother-in-law has his Ford Ranger that he uses for work that is really oxidized. I'll ask if I can practice on that. I can't mess it up anymore than it is (it's ok, it just needs attention). We'll see.

[bulldog shine]

Re: On getting started

Thanks for the response I did a little digging and found some hoods for $20-22 bucks a peice I haveto go look at them. I keep you posted if they look good for starting on.

Thanks again this is great site to get sooooo much information and if you have a question you get a quick answer.

Thanks again.

Matt