Need serious help buffing/compounding!!!

[Pdog]

I just purchased a Porter Cable 7424 buffing machine. The 87 SS I recently purchased was repainted probably at least 10 years ago and needs some serious work. It is a typical single stage paint without any clear. I plan on getting the car repainted in the future, so if I were to screw up it would not be the end of the world.

I have purchased 3 separate foam pads, 1 for fine cutting (using Meguiar's #2), 1 for swirl marks (using Meguiar's #9) and one for polishing (using Meguiar's #7).

Starting with the compound, I cannot tell when to add more compound. I put a quarter size drop of Meguiar's #2 on the hood, and use the foam pad and work back and forth at about 1500 rpms. Should I run this until almost all the material is off the hood and I see a shine? I have been working a 3'x3' area for a few minutes, then use a 100% cotton terry cloth to wipe it off. The cloth does not seem to take it off too well. That is why I thought maybe I should keep buffing until the material is not visable, but I do not want to burn the paint.

After I wipe it down, it almost looks like hard water spots on the paint. It is very smooth to the touch, but looks like **** in the light. Though shiny, it looks horrible.

Here are some pics, sorry for the poor lighting. Any advice on this, and also how to tackle some of the major scratches on the car would be greatly appreciated.

[Mini-T]

Are you sure its a single stage paint? It looks like some of the scratches in the third and fourth pictures have gone though a clear coat leaving the edge of the clear coat and the base coat exposed.

I may be wrong but I'm sure one of the other guys that know more can tell you whats up.

[Jbirk]

I am thinking for best results you probably need to get this car repainted.

[Pdog]

Yeah, I figured repainting is necessary, I was just hoping to make it look a little more attractive until I can save the $$$ for a paint job.

Maybe I should not be using #2 Fine cutting with the PC. Should I be using either the #82 or #83? I thought these are more for cars with a clear coat.

When I compound an area and wipe it clean with a cloth, the cloth turns black. Same goes if I wet sand, the water is black. This made me think there is no clear coat. Would that be a good assumption?

[Murr1525]

I think #2 may be meant more for use with a rotary.... and you may be having a hard time breaking down the abrasives in the #2 then.

I think #83 is about the strongest product that is usualy recomended with the PC. Also, it is recomended to use the 8006 Polishing pad with the #83. Using the 7006 cutting pad can leave some swirls behind.

This link may help you some:

Product and Pads/Ssettings

Based on your pads turning black, it sounds like no clear coat to me. Or at least its not there anymore.

[Pdog]

I think you are right. I plan on picking up some of the 83.
Thanks.

[the other pc]

Re: Need serious help buffing/compounding!!!

to MOL Pdog!

Originally posted by Pdog
I have purchased 3 separate foam pads, 1 for fine cutting (using Meguiar's #2), 1 for swirl marks (using Meguiar's #9) and one for polishing (using Meguiar's #7).

As Murr1525 points out, Meguiar's doesn't recommend their W7006 cutting pad be used with a PC. If you're using somebody else's pads, that's a different story. You would normally use W8006 pads for both #2 and #9.

Originally posted by Pdog
I put a quarter size drop of Meguiar's #2 on the hood, and use the foam pad and work back and forth at about 1500 rpms.

As a DA polisher the PC moves in orbits not revolutions (thus opm not rpm like a rotary). Adjusting the dial from 1 to 6 changes the speed from 2500 opm to 6000 opm. When using cutting products the speed setting of 5 is recommended (don't know what exact speed that is, speed isn't linear with dial position).

Originally posted by Pdog
I cannot tell when to add more compound.... Should I run this until almost all the material is off the hood and I see a shine? I have been working a 3'x3' area for a few minutes, then use a 100% cotton terry cloth to wipe it off. The cloth does not seem to take it off too well. That is why I thought maybe I should keep buffing until the material is not visable, but I do not want to burn the paint.

Meguiar's compounds, cleaners and cleaner/polishes should be worked until the diminishing abrasives have broken down but should not be worked till dry. When the abrasives break down sufficiently the product will turn translucent, almost clear on the surface but still be slightly wet. Try working a smaller area, less than 2' by 2'. A PC with proper pads and products can't generate enough heat to burn the paint.


#2 has been reformulated since the chart was created. The new #2 can be used by rotary, DA, orbital and hand. Check your bottle. If says "use with rotary only" it's the old formula.

New #2 and #83 behave somewhat differently but are fairly close together in terms of aggressiveness. If you have new #2 and didn't get too far with it I wouldn't expect to get a whole lot farther with #83.

You mentioned you wet sanded. Neither #2 nor #83 is strong enough to remove sanding scratch with a PC. If you have sanding scratches or swirls/scratches of similar depth I wouldn't expect either to remove them. If you used fine paper (like Meguiar's Uni-grit, #2000 or higher) then maybe they'd work with a rotary. Normally you'd expect to use #85, #84 or #4 with a rotary to remove sanding scratch.

From the pix I think your finish is in very rough shape. I'm sure you can make it look better but it's likely to take some heavy duty work/products to do it. To make it look really good will require a re-spray.


PC.

[Pdog]

Thank you for all the advice. I will check to see if I have the old or new #2.

It figures, the typical parts stores around here do not carry Meguiars pads or #83. I went to a place listed that sells the professional line of products, and he did not have any 8006 pads. I will have to go to the guy by my work that closes early.

As much as I want to go out there right now and try the #2 on the 8006, I have been using the 8006 for the #9 swirl out, don't want to mix the pads and products. I had been using the 7006 because I watched Meguiars little video of their buffing machine and they recommended using it or wool for medium cutting. I will pickup another 8006 tomorrow.

I think the speed may have a lot to do with it also. For some reason I thought the number cooresponded to the speed in 1000 rpms. Meaning I was on 1.5.

I will try the higher speed as you mentioned, hopefully should help.

[Pdog]

I checked my bottle of #2. It does say it is ok to use with a DA, so I assume I have the newer formula.

Well, I could not wait until tomorrow. I tried the #2 with the 7006 pad and a setting of 5 on the PC. What a difference. I really noticed it cleaning up a lot of the imperfections. I only did 1/4 of the hood. I am going to wait to finish until I get the 8006, don't want to create more issues. I also used the #9 after the #2 and it got rid of the swirl marks. That in combination with using a detailing spray and microfiber to wipe it down really cleaned it up nice (well at least as nice as this car could get )

Not sure if I am going to get the #83 tomorrow, but I will get the 8006.

Thanks again.