Lately having problems buffing please help!

Discuss anything after that final masking comes off.



Settled In
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:45 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 10:43 am
So lately I started buffing a lot more and started to have a few problems. I wasn't buffing my paint finish but some friends cars that were faded, oxidized, surface scratches and swirls. I do this inside my garage and I do have climate control (keep it around 70 degrees). I wash everything with dawn dish soap before beginning. I use 3m compound and polish with standard foam pads and a chicago electric buffer. When buffing lately I have had problems with the compound caking up while buffing a panel. ( I usually try to do about a 2ft area at a time). Also it has been leaving a hazy finish (sometimes). I went to buff a black car and it left these bright swirl marks. From what I read the hazing can happen if the compound isnt buffed into the paint all the way and the swirl marks can also happen if I buff to long? Now I do wash my pads and microfiber rags. Any help or advice would greatly be appreciated!

User avatar

Settled In
Posts: 45
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 7:40 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:00 pm
How fast are you setting your machine to? Could be too much product too. You can help save product by using an applicator pad to get a thin, even amount on the surface and then load the pad.



Top Contributor
Posts: 1396
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:16 pm
PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 6:35 am
after washing the vehicle down, its a wise idea to claybar the vehicle. that removes contamination washing cant.
keep yer pads clean.I clean my pads after every panel.
when buffing, more product isn't better. .
if im not mistaken, compounds aren't buffed INTO the paint. at least the megs products I use aren't.
also, I use the back of my hand to make sure im not overworking an area, that is, building up too much heat.



Settled In
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:45 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:55 am
bbenson04 wrote:How fast are you setting your machine to? Could be too much product too. You can help save product by using an applicator pad to get a thin, even amount on the surface and then load the pad.


Usually depending on the surface I would set the machine to 17-18k rpm. I was also (priming) the pad before starting. Laying on a thin layer of compound to make sure the buffer doesn't hit the panel dry. Do you mean to lay the compound on the panel using a pad and than buff?

tomsteve wrote:after washing the vehicle down, its a wise idea to claybar the vehicle. that removes contamination washing cant.
keep yer pads clean.I clean my pads after every panel.
when buffing, more product isn't better. .
if im not mistaken, compounds aren't buffed INTO the paint. at least the megs products I use aren't.
also, I use the back of my hand to make sure im not overworking an area, that is, building up too much heat.


I have not used a claybar before. I will try that. So I should most likely try less product than. How exactly do you wash your pad after every panel? Water and soap? Also when switching to polish from compound should I wipe the excess compound with a rag (microfiber). or rinse off the car?

Thank you for the replys!



Top Contributor
Posts: 1396
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:16 pm
PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 11:56 am
on the fly with foam pads I take a few microfiber towels and push the pad onto the towels, letting the towels absorb excess product. when they are dry, I knock them against a dowel to loosen and remove a lot of the dried up product, then a nylon brush against the buffing/polishing surface, then put em on my rotary and crank it up and let centrifugal force remove what it can.
theres others ways to do this. I used to put em all in the sink with a lil dawn dishsoap, then rinse em, but it seemed I got Velcro separation when I did that.


for wool pads, I use a spur wheel.

I wipe down each panel after im done with a pass, then again before starting witht he next product.

User avatar

Settled In
Posts: 45
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 7:40 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 11:35 am
At work we put a couple lines of compound on an terry applicator pad and spread that over the panel. We then load the pad by throttling it and making a quick pass over the panel. We spread it out to make sure there is enough to get the job done, but there is probably some waste since you can usually work a small amount of the compound for a few minutes.

So, you can try turning down the speed to the lowest recommended setting on the compound label, or use less compound and see what works for you. Personally, I use the low end of what the label says.



Settled In
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:45 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 9:19 am
Thank you for all the help! To remove the swirl marks would I need to re buff the vehicle?

User avatar

Settled In
Posts: 45
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 7:40 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 9:07 pm
Are you talking micro marring(scratches) or holograms? If your talking scratches, then yeah you will need to use a Swirl Remover (or a 2nd stage in a 3 stage system) to remove them. You might have to use a wool pad and a cutting compound to distort the scratches first, then move on down the line of compounds.
If you are just talking about holograms, then just use a polish (3rd stage) and it should get rid of them.



Settled In
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:45 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:56 pm
bbenson04 wrote:Are you talking micro marring(scratches) or holograms? If your talking scratches, then yeah you will need to use a Swirl Remover (or a 2nd stage in a 3 stage system) to remove them. You might have to use a wool pad and a cutting compound to distort the scratches first, then move on down the line of compounds.
If you are just talking about holograms, then just use a polish (3rd stage) and it should get rid of them.

I think its just Holograms. Only in the correct sun light can you see the bright swirl marks. So this week im going to finish using 3m rubbing compound on it and than use 3m polishing compound.

User avatar

Settled In
Posts: 45
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 7:40 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 8:24 pm
mbfinatic wrote:
bbenson04 wrote:Are you talking micro marring(scratches) or holograms? If your talking scratches, then yeah you will need to use a Swirl Remover (or a 2nd stage in a 3 stage system) to remove them. You might have to use a wool pad and a cutting compound to distort the scratches first, then move on down the line of compounds.
If you are just talking about holograms, then just use a polish (3rd stage) and it should get rid of them.

I think its just Holograms. Only in the correct sun light can you see the bright swirl marks. So this week im going to finish using 3m rubbing compound on it and than use 3m polishing compound.


Super easy to fix. Get any good (name brand) Finishing Polish, if using 3M its the Blue compound, and a soft pad (black). Don't load on the polish or you'll splatter all over the place and its just a waste. You can probably get away with a 4" bead for a 18"x18" work area.
Next

Return to Cut, Buff, Polish & Detail

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 59 guests