Some questions about technique following my first time with a rotary

[davidc11291]

So I've got the cheapo Harbor Freight rotary with Meguiar's 2.0 pads (cutting, polishing, and finishing pads), along with 105, 205, and D151.

I've got a heavily abused 1997 Chevy Lumina that I bout for the purpose of cleaning up and reselling. It's never seen polish or wax, and was probably only washed a few times each year. Major defects requiring heavy correction. Fortunately, it's a cheap car in horrible shape, so nothing I do will make it look any worse. I've spent 6 hours on it with the rotary, and at this point I'm just frustrated.

Using the cutting pad and the 105, I'm able to remove 99% of the surface scratches and swirls, but no matter how I try to adjust my technique, I'm putting holograms everywhere.

I prime the pad with 2 squirts of QD, use a small amount of 105 (maybe half a teaspoon), work a 16"x16" section at a time, and work the product for about 1 min before I wipe (80 degree weather and working in the shade). I clean my pad on the fly every 2 sections. I've used speed settings from 2 to 3 and a half. I've tried keeping the pad completely flat on the car, but the rotary wants to hop and go flying everywhere if I try to let it glide over the surface and don't bear down on it with some force. I've tried tilting the rotary up slightly where I'm just working with the right half of the pad (this let's me glide over the surface gently but still puts severe holograms in).

Ya know how when you're cutting you can see the holograms going into the surface while you're working the product? If I'm moving the buffer from right to left, I'm getting a nice, smooth, even action that doesn't put holograms in, but when I go on the "back stroke" from left to right, its leaving a line every time, and that's where my holograms are being created. Also, I know I'm supposed to be going up and down for 2 passes, then side to side for 2 passes, but how in the world do you control the buffer when moving forward (away from your body) then back? Every time I try this, the buffer wants to grab, bite, and jump all over the place. Should I be holding the buffer completely flat and bearing down on it with just enough pressure to control it, or should I be gliding across the surface? Should I be slightly tilting the pad and just using the right side of the pad on the paint? After I've buffed for 30 seconds to 1 min, should I spritz the surface with water and make 1 or 2 final passes? How do you effectively go front to back and back to front? How do you go from left to right?

Experts, let loose and impart some knowledge. I'm like a Sham Wow, ready to soak it up.

[greg0303]

Re: Some questions about technique following my first time with a rotary

Some recommendations to finish hologram-free (some paint systems are quite difficult to do so):

- fully wash and clay paint surface to make sure there are no contaminants present at all,
- use smaller buffing pads, like LC 5.5" diameter, which are easier to control,
- LC Kompressor pads are great to master rotary buffer skills as they prevent heat concentration (available as 6" or 7" diameter),
- flexible backing plate is extremely helpful, like Meguiar's W66,
- slower rpm allows more controled buffing experience (no higher than 1500 rpm),
- constant slow arm speed with pad flat on paint surface is the key,
- pads need to be kept clean through entire buffing process, if needed switch to a fresh and clean one,
- foam cutting pads leave less side effects than wool cutting pads but cut at slower rate,
- refine compounding step with less aggressive product and pad combo to remove swirls, holograms, hazing, etc, on slower speed,
- if necessary use dual action polisher with finishing polish (like M205) to ensure hologram and swirl-free finish,
- if working on modern clear coats take advantage of Meguiar's SMAT products,
- use small spot buffing pads (4" diameter) in tight spots, they can be used with extending adapter for easier access.


I hope it helps.

[Murr1525]

Re: Some questions about technique following my first time with a rotary

The amount of product sounds a little low maybe also, dont want to be dry-buffing.

[dtuna42]

Re: Some questions about technique following my first time with a rotary

You're getting holograms from 105 via a cutting pad if I'm reading this correctly. I don't think that is really an unexpected result for a non-expert (or even many experts). I think that's the whole point of buying the "twins" together, so you can follow 105 / cutting pad with 205 / polishing pad, and get rid of holograms, buffer haze, etc..
Did you follow up yet with 205, and if so, did you have any problems after it?

[slows10]

Re: Some questions about technique following my first time with a rotary

Should definately be finishing up with something like 205.

[opie_7afe]

Re: Some questions about technique following my first time with a rotary

ok try this, put some rings of product on your pad. will look like too much product but rub it in lightly then press in a good bit and rub it in some more, then i add 3 tiny dots of product on the pad and do a small 12x12 section at first.(im using a HF rotary as well) i spread product on speed 1 then i turn it up to speed 4(with pressure it will slow down to about speed 3) and that primes the pad evenly and breaks the clean pad in. then i add 3 pea sized dots spread it out to a 16x16 area speed 1 again, then speed 4 to buff i do 1 pass going from left to right then another pass going from bottom to top then back again, by that time the m105 drys up and i check progress but usually it is corrected. then i repeat the process to the whole car or whatever wipe off for me even with ample product i still get slight holograms, now this is meguiars heaviest cutting compound remember that. so i always follow up with m205(speed 3 on hf rotary will slow to about speed 2)(prime pad just like m105) and do about 4 passes left to right, up and down then repeat again and that should remove the compounding haze and/or holograms. if not do some more passes. m205 will work to remove swirls on some paints by its self, there both great products with a learning curve, if you get those rock hard patches (i get them every so often) of m105 keep a spray bottle of distilled water or some quick detailer/final inspection handy. spray it on and then wipe off the 105 with 105 i learned to look for a slight "trail" of polish its so translucent its nearly invisible and that wipes off very easy. i also found with m105 lighten up on pressure for your final pass and that helps reduce the compounding haze/holograms. good luck just practice with the m105 you will find a method that works for you, just remember also m105 has a short working time.