Not trying to hijack, but I have a question for Doright or Chris. Do you use the Dynabrade attachment on the final buff or can it be used with 3m super duty compound and 3m black foam pad then I believe 3m ultra machine polish 3m blue pad. Just don't know if it used for the cut and the buff. Thanks. and sorry if I interrupt the tread.

jammer wrote:Not trying to hijack, but I have a question for Doright or Chris. Do you use the Dynabrade attachment on the final buff or can it be used with 3m super duty compound and 3m black foam pad then I believe 3m ultra machine polish 3m blue pad. Just don't know if it used for the cut and the buff. Thanks. and sorry if I interrupt the tread.

Hi Jammer
Sorry about not getting back to this thread
You can use the Dynabride attachment all the way through the process.

I bought and tried the complete 3M system Trizact sand disks for the DA and all the different pads and polishes I am not impressed with the results, they make it look easy in there training videos though. I find the system to complex with too many steps.

I sand the car out nice with 1200 grit then hit it with Presta Super cut compound and a wool pad then switch too a white foam pads same compound, then a blue pad with the Presta Ultra Cutting cream and then use same cream with a Black pad, works good for me, I'm done.

Presta now has the ultra cutting cream and Ultra cutting cream Light and another new one Ultra 2 step cutting compound I am gonna have to try them all I haven't tried these yet but if there as good as the others their gonna work great.

Keeping the pads Clean is a big issue, the compound builds up in little balls of compound with foam as the pads wear and it sticks to the pads causing swirls, at least that's what I have noticed, Wool does the same thing.
Also I use water in a spray bottle a lot while Buffing keeping panel cooled down and the compound working, the pads suck up a lot of compound water keeps it working.

I think guys try refining the previous scratch to soon stepping up finer and finer to soon to fast, and not washing there pads out enough along the way with too many steps. making the process more complicated than it needs to be, Why sand the car out with 1200 then again with 2000 When their are compounds that are designed to take out 1200 grit scratch out?
When I started buffing cars I only had Wool pads to work with and a single compound and then wax. Then I started using McGuire stuff its really good stuff too.

3M has there old shop Brand of compounds that is a lot cheaper and meant to be used in production shops which is only a couple steps as well, When production shops do it with less steps that should tell you something.
Ok well the race has started I gotta go watch my Boy Earnhardt mess up again by not staying in the draft and no one working with him when he tries breaking away.
Should have went to town to watch it in person

Doright, thank you for all the information. Always good to learn how to do it right.

I use Presta and 3M. If using Presta for example it's simple if you have no experience, just follow the company pad and compounds recommendations for the process and let it rip. I use just a rotary and don't get holograms, neither do other people who know how to buff. I also don't stop at Ultra like Doright does. I follow Ultra with Swirl Remover and then 3M Ultrafina for an even better finish, especially on black. I begin with a wool pad and finish with foam. If you want a glass finish start with 1000 by hand with a hard block, follow with 1500 and optional 2000. Trizac works fine if you know how to use it. I don't stop at 1200 grit. For production trike jobs and other non-show work I denib with 1500 for reduced labor time. There's a video on Youtube by someone from another site that is comprised mainly of professionals that shows the steps to easily achieve a great finish, even on black.

Simple job. Pay attention to what you are doing and the results will be positive.

Done as I described

Good enough for this in a field of oh I dunno 100 cars

I think my reflection in the paint and the trophy speak for themselves, i would have taken first but the hood release was stuck and the engine couldn't be judged cost me 75 points in judging.

Took me less than 2 minutes to get it opened once back home and back on the lift true story.

SWEET RIDE!
Betcha wouldn't wanna. Sit down in that and throw your arm on the window frame. After sitting in that sun.
Awesome finish!!

Reflections in black or other colors are no big deal or that impressive. Even less so when the bodywork sucks. For some reason many think it's the greatest thing. An out of the gun finish, even one that's not that great will produce a reflection . You can have a good reflection and still not see swirls or cobwebs if the lighting is not right. Get the car out in the sun and take a shot the right way and swirls will show if it was not buffed right. Or throw a sun gun on it indoors.

Presta Ultra with wool then Ultra with foam. Followed with Presta Swirl Remover then 3M Ultrafina. Rotary. No big deal, just another job, move on to the next.

How does one know if a finish can't be better or more easily obtained if you don't use all the products in a system?

Nice car nice job

The work involved to make those cars look that good. Awesome job.