Hand or PC Applied Polish?

[beeser]

Is there any advantage or benefit in applying Meguiar's #45 Polish with a PC? Will I get the same results applying it by hand?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Hand or PC Applied Polish?

Generally speaking, machine application produces better results. Even pressure over the face of the buffing pad and the machine never gets tired.

For a pure polish like the M45 use a yellow foam polishing pad on the 4.0 speed setting.

[beeser]

Re: Hand or PC Applied Polish?

Mike - I hope you don't mind if I ask the question why polish is better applied by a machine. If the purpose of the polish is to "restore valuable oils to the finish" doesn't it penetrate the surface when it is merely applied? In other words, there doesn't seem to be any abrading of the surface going on so why is it necessary to work the product as you would with the Oxidation Remover? It seems logical to me that just applying it like a wax and wiping the excess and residue off is sufficient. Sorry for being so anal about this but after spending as much time as I have recently working on my RV the mind has a tendency to wander.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Hand or PC Applied Polish?

I did start with,

Generally speaking...



If the goal is to introduce the polishing oils to the surface and then to whatever level possible work them into the material, then a foam polishing pad attached to a machine that never gets tired and can maintain a pre-determined oscillating speed will do a better job faster.

This is especially true over large real-estate projects likes RV's when you take into account the human gets tired factor.

This,




Or this,





Also, when you work by hand you're working with 4 pressure points about the size of nickles as you can see by the accumulation of more pigment where the finger tips were positioned on the pad. When buffing by machine you have even pressure spread out over the entire face of the buffing pad working for you.







It's also personal preference, it can be rewarding and relaxing to work by hand.