I thought things were supposed to be easier with a DA!

[hapyhar0ld]

First and foremost I wanted to say this forum has been extremely helpful. Secondly, after getting a DA I can't imagine how big of a pain in the butt it would be to polish by hand. With that said I spent 6 hours yesterday polishing my wife's car and have gotten about 60% correction on it.

I first started off with a 8006 pad with some Swirlx on a test spot. It helped a little, but I stepped it up as there were still a lot of stains and swirl marks left in it. I went to the store and bought some UC and got about 60% in one application (4-6 full passes). I'm thinking I might have to go slower and do several applications, but they might also be too stubborn to come out. After the UC, I put a coat of NXT on it. It looks better, but I want more...what do you guys think? Step it up to 105 or just keep going with the UC?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: I thought things were supposed to be easier with a DA!

How you use the G110v2, or any power tool, is going to have a big impact on your final result.

A lot of people tend to move the tool much too quickly over the paint, work too large an area, or don't use enough pressure. Yes, a D/A does make the job easier, but it doesn't mean you can just speed through things and get a perfect finish without using proper technique. Check out the technique used in the video in this thread. The speed that the G110v2 is being moved over the paint in that video is about as fast as you'd ever want to move it. If that isn't getting all the defects out, then try slowing down your arm movements. Keep the tool at speed 5 and move at maybe half the speed you see in the video.

Paint systems vary quite a bit, so sometimes you need to alter your technique a bit to obtain the results you want. Altering technique can include changing machine speed, moving the tool more slowly over the paint, using more or less pressure, and even selecting a different liquid paint cleaner for a specific job.

[hapyhar0ld]

Re: I thought things were supposed to be easier with a DA!

Thanks for the response Mike! I'll give it another go this weekend, taking my time and going slower. Since I just put a coat of NXT on it should I do anything to remove it prior to having another go at it? Also, I've heard that I should have a minimum of two pads to do a car. When should I switch over to another pad and when will I know when a pad is done and need to be washed or replaced? Thanks a million!

[akimel]

Re: I thought things were supposed to be easier with a DA!

60% ain't bad. A year ago I probably would have encouraged you to try the M105 and attempt to achieve a swirl-free finish, but I have slowly lowered my expectations over the past year. I have a black car, and I have discovered that no matter how hard I try to wash and maintain my car properly, the swirls return. But my car still looks good, very good. Everyone who sees my Luthien sees a car that looks like new (almost). The only person who notices the swirls is me, and I only notice them when I closely examine the paint under specific lighting conditions. The simple fact is, Luthien is not a show car; she is my driving car. I have had to lower my expectations to what is practical and realistic.

I find polishing to be hard work. A full detail takes me two full days. Maybe if I were a younger man I could do it more quickly. Maybe. Anyway, my goal is no longer to remove all the swirls. My goal is to reduce the swirls. On the repainted sections of the car, I go over it with Ultimate Compound (polishing pad), followed by M205 (finishing pad); on the original painted sections, I go over it with UC or SwirlX (polishing pad), followed by M205 (finishing pad). This process does not remove all the swirls, but it does make the car look great. I do not use M105 because I personally find it too finickety--it dusts too much and too quickly when I use it. I prefer UC's longer working time, and I don't have any problems with dusting. It's an easier product for a detailing buffoon like myself to use. If I were a professional or if I were attempting to achieve swirl-free, show car results, I probably would turn to M105 more frequently; but as I said, my expectations are now lower.

[hapyhar0ld]

Re: I thought things were supposed to be easier with a DA!

akimel. Thanks for the input! I hear you 100% and I am sure I will one day reach that point (I've only been doing this for a week and I'm already tired). Until then I will push on and let you know how it turns out

PS: What's a Luthien?

[Shawn T.]

Re: I thought things were supposed to be easier with a DA!

akimel. Thanks for the input! I hear you 100% and I am sure I will one day reach that point (I've only been doing this for a week and I'm already tired). Until then I will push on and let you know how it turns out

PS: What's a Luthien?

The name of his car of course!

[hapyhar0ld]

Re: I thought things were supposed to be easier with a DA!

The name of his car of course!

Hah. Oh quite clever. Someone should start a "What did you name your car thread". Some people have some very creative (and some un-creative) names for their cars.

But I'm still curious. Why do some people use so many pads on their car (ie: one per panel) and how do you know when a pad is toast and needs to be replaced?

I only have two cars to keep clean and I don't want to buy 30 pads just so each panel can have their own pad. Can't I just get away with two pads per car?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: I thought things were supposed to be easier with a DA!

Keeping a pad clean and preventing it from becoming saturated with product is important to a uniform finish. As a pad becomes saturated it gains weight, and that can slow the tool down and reduce the pads ability to cut uniformly throughout the process. After you've buffed a full panel you should start cleaning your pad on the fly regularly. With a D/A you do this by holding the tool in one hand and a clean, dry terry cloth towel in the other. Press the towel firmly against the face of the pad and switch the tool on. Keep the towel firmly pressed against the pad for several seconds and squeeze the product out of the pad and into the towel. Shut off the tool and pull the towel away from the pad.

Any excess product in the pad will be forced out into the towel - it can't go out the back side because of the backing plate. This will also remove any dried product that is collecting on the edge of the pad.

If you never do this and you use a single pad for the entire buffing session, by the time you get to the end you essentially have a different pad than what you started with - and not in a good way. Failure to do this can lead to product that starts to gum up, or creates a ton of dust, or just doesn't cut like it should.

At the very least, halfway through a full buffing process on a car you should switch to a fresh pad. Cleanliness is critical to the whole process, and a lot of people fail to address this little tidbit of the detailing game.

[sontakke]

Re: I thought things were supposed to be easier with a DA!

60% ain't bad. A year ago I probably would have encouraged you to try the M105 and attempt to achieve a swirl-free finish, but I have slowly lowered my expectations over the past year. I have a black car, and I have discovered that no matter how hard I try to wash and maintain my car properly, the swirls return. But my car still looks good, very good. Everyone who sees my Luthien sees a car that looks like new (almost). The only person who notices the swirls is me, and I only notice them when I closely examine the paint under specific lighting conditions. The simple fact is, Luthien is not a show car; she is my driving car. I have had to lower my expectations to what is practical and realistic.

I find polishing to be hard work. A full detail takes me two full days. Maybe if I were a younger man I could do it more quickly. Maybe. Anyway, my goal is no longer to remove all the swirls. My goal is to reduce the swirls. On the repainted sections of the car, I go over it with Ultimate Compound (polishing pad), followed by M205 (finishing pad); on the original painted sections, I go over it with UC or SwirlX (polishing pad), followed by M205 (finishing pad). This process does not remove all the swirls, but it does make the car look great. I do not use M105 because I personally find it too finickety--it dusts too much and too quickly when I use it. I prefer UC's longer working time, and I don't have any problems with dusting. It's an easier product for a detailing buffoon like myself to use. If I were a professional or if I were attempting to achieve swirl-free, show car results, I probably would turn to M105 more frequently; but as I said, my expectations are now lower.

I wonder if the swirls are coming from washing and wiping the car. It is probably my own technique but as soon as I apply wash mitten to the car to soap it or use microfiber towel to dry the car, the swirls are back.

- Vikas

[hapyhar0ld]

Re: I thought things were supposed to be easier with a DA!

Again, thanks for the heads up Mike. That's what I wanted to hear. I used one pad for the whole car and that would explain why I was dusting like crazy near the end. Is there a video or a picture to how the towel should be held up against the pad? I just gave it a try and the towel flew out of my hand...

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: I thought things were supposed to be easier with a DA!

I would like to add this. When you first do a neglected car. It takes forever. Besides the learning curve with the new tool, finding the right prescription for the paint and trying to get it looking great.

As you gain more experience the detail goes faster and faster. Hang in there, you will get it looking great. Bear in mind that with a daily driver some times 90% is all you can expect. Good luck to you.