Polishing Machine Products Help

[24DNT]

Hi Guys,

I've been reading these posts for a week now and I plan to buy a makita polishing machine. I don't think the G-100 is available in Australia (can't find it yet) hence my choice. The makita machine has variable speeds from 600 rpm to 2000 rpm (if I remember correctly) and is similar to the one in this linkMakita Machine. I've already read the topics like "What is means to remove a scratch" and how to do it with Scratch X etc... I'm always up for a challenge and the reason I want to get a polishing machine is to do the job much quicker on my weekly cleans.

I'm totally new to buffing a car but I've been using meguiars products for about 1 month now. Before that, I've been experimenting with other products to gauge the ease of use and results they give me and Meguiars have come out on top! Now my problem is I've got some water etching and some light scratch marks on my Black Mazda 3 (got the car in Nov 04). Since using meguiars, I've been doing everything by hand and recently found out how to use Scratch X properly . Still have to improve my hand technique but the scratches and water etching does come out as I've only tried it in a small area.

So my question is:

1. What products should i use to remove the scratches & water etching with a buffer? I've come across so many answers that I'm overloaded with information. I also want to reduce the amt of time it takes to do by hand (if possible?).

2. Which products should I use to maintain my car when it needs to be cleaned (I usually do this weekly cos my car is parked outside where I work and it collects dust and the occasional bird dropping). Again, an overload of information but it appears that Quick Clay and NXT Gen Wax Paste are a couple of products I should add to my product line.

I currently use M's Quick Detailer, Deep Crystal Polisher & Scratch X. I just look foward to returning to a liquid black look on my car again. Any help would be most appreciated and thanks to all the senior members who have contributed to other threads... I've learnt a ton of stuff!!!

[Mike Phillips]

Hi 24DNT,

Moving from working by hand to the rotary buffer is a big step. I've been buffing out a Mercedes-Benz off and on all day using my trusty, dusty Makita Rotary Buffer and I'm here to tell you that in order to do it correctly, it takes practice, practice and more practice.

You need a strong back, strong shoulders, strong arms, strong legs and a strong grip. It's one thing to watch someone demonstrate the rotary buffer on the hood of a car, it's another thing to buff out the entire car including all the less glorious parts like the sides of a door, front and rear bumpers if they're painted, A-Pillars, etc.

You also have to take into consideration that a professional rotary buff out will be a minimum of two steps, that is two complete times around the car. I did a 3-step rotary today, followed by a final polish using the dual action polisher and after I hit the submit key I'm going to go out and apply a coat of M21.

If the above sound like something you would be interested in doing, the by all means invest in a Makita Rotary Buffer, at this time it's my favorite but I'm dying to try out a Dynabrade.

After you purchase the Makita, find some junk cars, or some daily driver grocery getters that nobody cares about and practice on them. You can even go to a body shop or a wrecking yard and pick up a hood or a deck-lid to practice on.

I actually use to take 2-3 100' extension cords and go to a local wrecking yard just to play on different paints without having to lug car panels home. (Been going to the same wrecking yard since I was 15, dad's good friends with the owner).

The pictures below don't really do justice to how bad the paint really is, but for what it's worth, it was pretty messed up. Lots of RIDS, (Random, Isolated Deeper Scratches), Cobweb-Effect, Buffer Swirls and Water Spot Etchings.

Swirls to be removed



Cropped out section from the above photo










Paint is as hard as glass, ended up using M84 Compound Power Cleaner with a W-7006 Foam Cutting Pad for the first cut.

[24DNT]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for those tips using the rotary! Definitely will give it a go on some junk hoods as from your explanation, it gives you a good work out. Don't want that rotary to fly out of my hands and do some nasty damage!

I'm also going to buy an orbital/DA buffer (gotta look around as I'm unsure if we have any DA's in aus) as seems to be needed even if a rotary is used. It's a pity that Australia is behind in technology in some areas.

If I remember correctly (from other threads), am I right in saying that I can use any meguiars product with a non-rotary buffer? For eg, NXT Gen Wax, Scratch X, Deep Crystal Polish etc.... ? Thanks for the help!

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by 24DNT
If I remember correctly (from other threads), am I right in saying that I can use any Meguiar's product with a non-rotary buffer? For eg, NXT Gen Wax, Scratch X, Deep Crystal Polish etc.... ? Thanks for the help!

All of the paint care products in our Consumer Line can be applied with dual action polishers and traditional orbital buffers.

ScratchX is for hand use but you can use it by machine, just be aware that if it gets warm it can become gummy and then become hard to remove.

Some products in the Professional Line can be used with dual action polishers and traditional orbital buffers, but not all of them. The M85, M84, M01 and M04 are only to be applied using a rotary buffer.

[24DNT]

Just as I thought. Now it's more research for me on which Meguiars product to add to my small collection for that liquid black shine! Thanks for the help!