Orbital Buffer with Pin Striped Car

[jcnassoc]

Hello all -

We just got vinyl pin striping put on our Saab 9.3 Convertible and it looks great! Now the question: When I detail it, what do I do when I get near the pin stripe? Do I use the buffer on it, or do the pin stripe manually?

Thanks.

[Jorge Sanchez]

I've ran the DA over vinyl decals and stripping and never encountered a problem. Just run the machine over the decals with a few pounds of pressure for a short period of time. The DA does produce heat but not enought to burn off the decal. Just keep the machine moving. If you happen to have some product residue on the edges of the decals, some Quik Detailer should take care of it if its fresh.

[jcnassoc]

Originally posted by Jorge Sanchez
I've ran the DA over vinyl decals and stripping and never encountered a problem. Just run the machine over the decals with a few pounds of pressure for a short period of time. The DA does produce heat but not enought to burn off the decal. Just keep the machine moving. If you happen to have some product residue on the edges of the decals, some Quik Detailer should take care of it if its fresh.

Ok, Jorge.. I'll give that a shot. Just that the pin stripe seems like it can come right off, especially at the start/end of it. I sometimes have to press it back onto the car. I'll go real easy and see how it works out.

Thanks.

[Accumulator]

I'd go the other way- I'd consider staying off the striping.

At least be careful. I've messed up plenty of decals/etc. by going over them with what I thought were mild approaches. It's all a question of how fragile they are and you usually won't know until something happens.

On m '84 RX-7 I'm gonna stay off its taped-on pinstripe, no way I'm gonna risk messing it up and I can see where the previous owner should've been more careful with it.

[Mobilejoe]

I would stay away from the pinstriping if you "just" had it installed. I hope when the pinstriping was installed that the area was wiped down with a wax remover or you could get some easy lifting of the striping until the sun has a chance to cure it to the vehicle.

[Accumulator]

Even older striping, that's firmly adhered, can be fragile. The previous owner of the RX-7 used a front-end bra when he drove the car on a long trip. Even though the striping was in great shape, and had been on there for over a decade, contact/friction from a strap on the bra shifted the tape where the strap contacted it. It's stayed in the shifted position since then- not a disaster, but not too swell either. I'd sure hate for a polisher to do something similar.

[jcnassoc]

I think when I detail her this week-end I will keep the buffer away from the pin striping. I'll detail that part of the car manually, and do my best to go easy near the edges of the pin stripe.

I will apply wax over the pin stripes when done though.. maybe that will help "hold" them down (?).

Thanks for all the advice!!!

[Accumulator]

One last thought- be careful to apply any products very sparingly when you're around the stripes. Getting a build-up of product along the edge of the striping will make for a lot more work, and it's easy to have an "oops" when trying to get it off.

[jcnassoc]

Based on the information I've gotten here (thanks to all that posted replies) I've gone manual around the pin stripes and am very careful to lift the applicator up and then down onto them, and to run the applicator along the length of them. So far it's working.

I now just need to find a way to keep the ends from curling up, which that are a bit. I get the idea whoever installed them didn't strip the existing wax off the finish first. Ugh!

[Accumulator]

I now just need to find a way to keep the ends from curling up, which that are a bit. I get the idea whoever installed them didn't strip the existing wax off the finish first. Ugh! [/B]

You might even want to consider trimming them back (very carefully with an Xacto knife). Once the tips come loose they can end up pulling back (e.g., in the wind when driving) and pull up even more.

[jcnassoc]

Originally posted by Accumulator
You might even want to consider trimming them back (very carefully with an Xacto knife). Once the tips come loose they can end up pulling back (e.g., in the wind when driving) and pull up even more.

Would it help to spray clear coat over them?

[Accumulator]

I'd only do that as a last resort. I myself would rather have imperfect pinstriping than any noticeable dabs of clear. And consider that if it doesn't work as expected, you could have a whole new batch of issues.