Car Buffers/Polishers

[Architect]

I know this has been hashed before...but I still have questions....http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif
I am about to purchase a polisher for my Black MM...
serveral folks had mentioned using Porter Cabel 7424...and recommended it...
I was just curious...it weighs 6 lbs...doesn't this get a little heavy after a while?
No remarkes about muscles please...http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/nono.gif Marine here...http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
Serious input needed ...Thanks....Architect (walt)http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/1zhelp.gif

[sailsmen]

SergentMac posted what appeared to be an excellent buffer w/in the past 90 days.

Do a search or PM him.

[Mike Poore]

I know this has been hashed before...but I still have questions....http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif
I am about to purchase a polisher for my Black MM...
serveral folks had mentioned using Porter Cabel 7424...and recommended it...
I was just curious...it weighs 6 lbs...doesn't this get a little heavy after a while?
No remarkes about muscles please...http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/nono.gif Marine here...http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
Serious input needed ...Thanks....Architect (walt)http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/1zhelp.gif
The PORTER CABLE's the one to get. Meguires has 'em on special sometimes. Just take our word for it, 'cause you can't do better. Ask Brutus, his black MM's as good as any you're ever gonna see. It's not heavy at all, and you'll be thrilled with the results. :sunshine:

[DeadVic]

I got one of the Porter Cable's for Xmas. Haven't used it on the MM but used it on the leased Lincoln Nav first. It's easy to use and I got great results. note, have never used a buffer/polisher in my life either.

[SergntMac]

SergentMac posted what appeared to be an excellent buffer w/in the past 90 days.
No problem...

http://www.goemerchant1.com/index.cgi?PageToView=catalog&Department=74898&Cartid=22721117662496&Merchant=detailking&ExpandedDepts=

They carry the Porter Cable too, 159 bucks, page down?

[jdando]

I know this has been hashed before...but I still have questions....http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif
I am about to purchase a polisher for my Black MM...
serveral folks had mentioned using Porter Cabel 7424...and recommended it...
I was just curious...it weighs 6 lbs...doesn't this get a little heavy after a while?
No remarkes about muscles please...http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/nono.gif Marine here...http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
Serious input needed ...Thanks....Architect (walt)http://www.mercurymarauder.com/forums/images/smilies/1zhelp.gif I have one and it is great! The weight is not an issue, generally the buffer is resting on the car. Vertical surfaces are not an issue, keep the buffer close to your body.

This is another area not to "cheap out". I went all in and got several different pads for the various compounds one may need. I also got a ton of microfiber towels and bonnets.

I ended up "practicing" on my wife's car before tackling my black MM. It went flawlessly and helped my confidence taking on a large black behemouth :).

jeremy

[Todd]

Another vote for the Porter Cable....

I like the version Griots Garage sells. I have had it for years and it works great!

I use their foam pad system and it makes polishing and waxing very easy. Below is a link to their buffer.

http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=10625

I use the red pad (no jokes guys) for wax application and the orange pad for polish. I havent used it on my Marauder because I thought the Zaino scratch and Swirl stuff would work. It didnt do what I thought so I will be stripping the 3 layers of Zaino off this summer and polishing with the Griots Garage fine polish then waxing with Zaino.

[JohnnyB]

Can't go wrong with either the Porter Cable or the Cyclo polishers.....

[texascorvette]

Be careful using the polisher/buffer. I have a Black & Decker random orbit polisher. I let it spin too long in a couple places on my wife's black convertible, and it left permanent swirl marks in the paint. She was not happy. I was using it to apply the polish, and I've never done that again. I hand apply the polish and hand buff the heavy stuff off. Then I use the power machine to finish the job. I haven't left any swirl marks doing it that way.

[Mike Poore]

Be careful using the polisher/buffer. I have a Black & Decker random orbit polisher. I let it spin too long in a couple places on my wife's black convertible, and it left permanent swirl marks in the paint. She was not happy. I was using it to apply the polish, and I've never done that again. I hand apply the polish and hand buff the heavy stuff off. Then I use the power machine to finish the job. I haven't left any swirl marks doing it that way.
The Porter Cable ain't no Black & Decker. Been there, done that, also have a Sears machine that's no longer used. The Porter Cable system and it's pads are a whole 'nother world. ;)

[texascorvette]

Thanks, I'll look into that.



The Porter Cable ain't no Black & Decker. Been there, done that, also have a Sears machine that's no longer used. The Porter Cable system and it's pads are a whole 'nother world. ;)

[Architect]

Good information as always from everyone...:beer:
Thanks for the info...I will be purchasing shortly...:D
Walt. Architect

[DEFYANT]

I only polish / wax by hand. I'm too chicken to risk using a machine.

[Tallboy]

This place has the Porter-Cable on sale for $139.95... www.premiumautocare.com (http://www.premiumautocare.com)

[fastblackmerc]

This place has the Porter-Cable on sale for $139.95... www.premiumautocare.com (http://www.premiumautocare.com)
Do a google on it... found one for $129.00! Looks like my next "mod".

[SergntMac]

I only polish / wax by hand. I'm too chicken to risk using a machine.
I hear ya, loud and clear.

Many years ago, I burned up a fresh (and expensive) paint job in my effort to refresh a '79 Z-28. Since then, I adopted a habit to have my car professionally detailed twice a year, and if the detail monkey screwed up, I had some protection through a comprehensive insurance claim, or, through small claims court. I'm happy to say, it never came to that, thanks to professionals.

Sidebar: For 20 years before June '02, I leased my daily transportation, and paid by the mile. All I came to care about was that everything mechanical was protected by warranty, or, insurance, and all I had to do was make sure the automobile in question looked "good as new" when I turned it in. Honestly, I didn't really care one bit about long term protection, whether mechanical, or, appearance. However, once I bought my MM and became an "invested owner" of my own automobile again, things changed. Hehehe, they always do, eh?

So now, as an MM owner, I had to catch up on some things. For the detail/appearance topics, I sought out advice from several professional detail shops in my area. I came to trade a few hours of work in one shop, in exchange for their "hands on" tutoring. If y'all think you know what you're doing, try being a non-paid intern for a few Saturdays at one of your local detail shops. Believe me, you'll learn things you never dreamed of.

Anyway, this is where I met the Cyclo buffer, and my first impression was that it was a very old and low tech tool, because the Cyclo my mentor handed me, was tired, IMHO. Even it's on/off switch looks (and feels) like something from Grandma's table top fan. But, my mentor showed me how it works, and how to use it. Here's my link to "The Detail King" again, and believe me when I say, this IS NOT a Porter-Cable vs. Cyclo comparasion. All I am saying here, is that I like this buffer, and why.

http://www.goemerchant1.com/index.cgi?PageToView=catalog&Department=74898&Cartid=22721117662496&Merchant=detailking&ExpandedDepts=

Okay...Once again, "all I am saying here is that I like the Cyclo buffer, and why", K?

The Cyclo at this site is 259 bucks (before shipping and tax), no accessories. For 289 bucks (before shipping and tax), you get a starter kit with two white finishing pads, two green polishing pads, two yellow cutting pads, two Velcro pad holders, two shampoo brushes, two terry cloth bonnets, and a service wrench to install them.

The Cyclo has two 4" orbital hubs, and that's an 8" wide oribital path of workspace in one pass. Maximum orbital RPM is 3200, which means it can't spin fast enough to build the heat that burns paint, or, clear coat. The three colors of silicone pads indicate degree of abraison, the white being a finishing pad for final finish show prep shine.

I was taught that the white pads should stay white for many years, and mine have stayed white for the past 3 years. Older, and tougher, clean up jobs may need more abrasion, and the green and yellow pads are more aggressive here, with higher abrasion factors that work well with faded/oxidized paint, colored cleaner waxes, even rubbing compound.

All pads attach with Velcro, and are washable. The terry-cotton mitts are perfect for buffing leather interior (you're seats are no different than your shoes, eh?), and the set of soft nylon brushes are perfect for cleaning carpeting, cloth/fabric interiors, hood and trunk liners, and clean them wet or dry. I have to tell y'all, this machine does a lot more around my home, than just buff my MM. It's not a "one purpose" machine.

The Cyclo weighs 6.5 pounds, and tends to float across horizontal surfaces under it's own weight and power, all I have to do is steer it. When I first got my own Cyclo, I did a little experiment on my black '98 Mountaineer beater. I installed the higher grit green polishing pads, and loaded up the hood with a popular "color treated cleaner wax". I didn't rub the wax in, or spread it around first. I just laid a bead of cleaner wax across the hood, and let the Cyclo rip. It walked itself back and forth, left and right, and I let the buffer work the hood on it's own. I even held it still in one place for over two minutes (timed), and all it did to my paint and clear coat, was make it shine.

I think y'all, should take note something else too. This web site I linked to ^ there, is not just a detail supply house. It's a business geared towards advancing the detail market and grooming future professionals. Detailing is not as simple a task as presumed. It's one thing to throw a coat of wax on your ride one Saturday a month, and it's quite another task to run a professional detail service, where you get intimate with a lot of automobiles considered precious by their owners.

When you lay a buffer on another man's paint, it's serious business with big money involved, so, mouse around at this site, and you'll see that the Cyclo is the tool for the novice detail man, and this should give y'all an idea of how "dangerous" this buffer can be to paint and clear coat.

AweGee...I did it again, didn't I.

Sorry...

[Tallboy]

[QUOTE=SergntMac] If y'all think you know what you're doing, try being a non-paid intern for a few Saturdays at one of your local detail shops. Believe me, you'll learn things you never dreamed of.[QUOTE]

You are correct. I have been doing this exact thing. A friend of mine owns a detail shop/supply company. I've been hanging out with him after hours to learn how to confidently and properly detail my black MM. What I'm learning is nothing short of amazing. Next week we are doing a PGA tour member's Porsche. I am enjoying myself so much, I feel like I should be paying him.

[SergntMac]

I am enjoying myself so much, I feel like I should be paying him.
Yeah...That's my feeling too, like I stole something from my teacher, because I didn't pay for what he taught me. But, I did what he told me to do, and learned what I wanted to learn from him, while we both got some cars moved out his door looking fine, so, we're even.

I learned that you don't need to spend hundreds of bucks on special wax, or, dedicated tools. Just spend some time learning about what you're trying to do, the rest will fall into place.

[John F. Russo]

Architect,

Did you finally get the Porta-Cabel 7424 buffing unit a few years ago?

I'm doing some paint repair and it is tedious.

I've had success with

-fill paint chip hole with touch up paint.
-let dry thoroughly
-Wet sanded the high spot down as well as I can with 3M 1000 grit
-follow with 2000 grit
-Old Dupont #7 heavy duty polishing compound
-followed by polishing compound #7
(I didn't read the label at first and noticed it said that I should use
#7 clearcoat polishing compound (I probably should check the heavy duty polishing compoiund can too I've had for more than 10 years.)
It took a lot of heavy duty compount to get it good enough for the #7 polishing compound to do its job. Maybe I should have used a finer
grit sandpaper before I went to the heavy duty compound?
-Finally the spot I did came out well after I checked it out by usingd Mequiar's wax to prove that I prepared the surface properly. Of course I'm removing some of the clearcoat off. What do I do about this?

It takes too long!

So I'm considering a buffer.

Please let me know about my procedure.

P.S. I haven't found a shop that will do this work unless to paint the entire door, of trunk, etc.

Thank you all.

[erainsford]

Try Griot's Garage (www.griotsgarage.com) They have Porter cable machines for your polishing needs. I've been using one for years. Something to look into

[John F. Russo]

Thank you very much.

I get Griot's garage magazine.

How about my paint touch up procedure?

Any resources for me?

[boatmangc]

I use the Porter Cable exclusively, no compound, just polish.I tried the Dr colorchip for road rash, so far so good.

[J-MAN]

I use the Flex, RO forced rotation most of the time. More power than a PC type machine. Only drawback is only one backing plate size. If Flex didn't exist, would get the Griots most likely. I use a Griots 3" for tighter spots.

[John F. Russo]

Thank you all for your input.

Are there any booklets available about touching up scratches etc. on cars like ours?

[J-MAN]

Go to one of the detailing forums, autogeek, autopia, etc., they have how to articles or join and just post the question. I've had fair to good results on my own, but I see the repairs that others don't.

[John F. Russo]

Go to one of the detailing forums, autogeek, autopia, etc., they have how to articles or join and just post the question. I've had fair to good results on my own, but I see the repairs that others don't.

Great info!

[John F. Russo]

Go to one of the detailing forums, autogeek, autopia, etc., they have how to articles or join and just post the question. I've had fair to good results on my own, but I see the repairs that others don't.

I went to both websites. The first sells products mainly. The second is really great! It gives me a great start and it might be the only site I need to visit to learn about repairing paint chips etc. on my car.

I have already downloaded a few specific articles.

Thank you to another fellow Marauder owner of our community.

[J-MAN]

Did you go to the forums on autogeek as opposed to their sales site?

[boatmangc]

I learned a lot from the autopia site. lot's of good info and people willing to offer advice.