Meguiar's

[DanielM]

Argh my entire post cut off. Title is Meguiars Dual Action Polisher.

My dad did things the old school way using sponges, old shirts, chamois reusing old towels and doing a good waxing 1x per year etc for many years. We, I guess TRIED to take care of our cars but not the Megs way.

So I took over, started washing, waxing and using the proper tools regularly. I wash regularly with rinse-less washes with built in wax and do a 2x per year quality wax job. Basically I do a quick wash every 2 weeks now.

I finally with the help of the forum did my first real detail. I washed, clayed, polished and sealed. It looked much better than before but to my dismay in the hot bright sun, swirls, swirls, swirls. I realized that polishing by hand is mostly ineffective even when using the harshest of products.

So I was looking to getting Meguiar's Dual Action Polisher but I have 2 questions:

1. My reading say to always have the entire polishing pad pressed against the paint. Does that mean I can't use this for smaller areas like my spoiler and bumper or is it not that serious?

2. I am not going to purchase these cheap polishers but am curious as some people gave them good reviews.

http://www.lowes.com/pd/BLACK-DECKER-6-in-Single-Speed-Corded-Polisher/1207867?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-ToolsAndHardware-_-HandheldCuttingAndGrinding-_-1207867:BLACK_and_DECKER&CAWELAID=&kpid=1207867&store_code=1674&&kpid=1207867&store_code=1674&k_clickID=c4ca9c8e-07c5-4fba-a97b-5ee9b25cd245

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-ONE-18-Volt-10-in-Orbital-Buffer-Tool-Only-P435/205975768?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-BASE-PLA-D25T-PowerTools%7c&gclid=Cj0KEQjwwMi7BRDGptbvwOCDj8oBEiQAIALyDLrsyhySeypxaNHx0zm8zGArmJ--FRoJzL1EfdTU7zkaAhgu8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

Now correct me if I am wrong but it looks like the pads are fixed on these and can only be used with a bonnet. Aren't bonnets only used for removing wax and polish? It seems like these are useless no?

[BillyJack]

Re: Meguiar's

Don't waste your money on the two polishers you have linked. They are only good for application of wax. Get yourself a real polisher, such as a Meguiar's, Griot's or Porter-Cable, and a good selection of pads, so you can compound, polish and wax with one tool. A good backing plate and a selection of Meguiar's pads (I suggest the 5 inch discs) will do anything you need to do. You should always try and keep the pads flat on the surface, but it's OK if you overlap a narrow area, such as the spoiler or bumper you mentioned. I keep some 3 inch pads and a matching backing around for narrow areas, but you can do the great majority of work with the 5 inchers.
There are plenty of videos on this site to demonstrate technique, so do some searching.

Bill

[mcleod52]

Re: Meguiar's

Don't rule out the Harbor Freight DA - especially with the price point and a couple of quick and easy mods. My $0.02 worth.

[DanielM]

Re: Meguiar's

Don't waste your money on the two polishers you have linked. They are only good for application of wax. Get yourself a real polisher, such as a Meguiar's, Griot's or Porter-Cable, and a good selection of pads, so you can compound, polish and wax with one tool. A good backing plate and a selection of Meguiar's pads (I suggest the 5 inch discs) will do anything you need to do. You should always try and keep the pads flat on the surface, but it's OK if you overlap a narrow area, such as the spoiler or bumper you mentioned. I keep some 3 inch pads and a matching backing around for narrow areas, but you can do the great majority of work with the 5 inchers.
There are plenty of videos on this site to demonstrate technique, so do some searching.

Bill

That's what I thought. People gave them good reviews but it kept saying bonnet. Had to look it up to find a bonnet is for removing waxes.

Yea I am not a detailer, so I didn't want to go overboard buying 2 buffers.

Thanks

[DanielM]

Re: Meguiar's

Don't rule out the Harbor Freight DA - especially with the price point and a couple of quick and easy mods. My $0.02 worth.

I was reading about those and actually have an old Sander from them. I keep reading about mods such as changing the backing plate. Is a 5 inch backing plate really that much better than a 6? I heard that HF DA is much more powerful than most, so shouldn't that even out correction power?

[mcleod52]

Re: Meguiar's

I changed the backing plate, added more grease to the gears and moved the power switch to be on top of the unit. There are Youtube videos for all that. The HF works for me and even guys like Gary Dean use it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJZ_...4ysyOTA2MjAxNg

Stew