Hey guys, quick question concerning the use of a porter cable on rock chipped paint. I was concerned that the rock chips on my paint will damage the polishing pad and possible create more swirls. Has anyone come across this, or does anyone have any ideas as to how I should go about using a porter cable on rock chipped paint? thanks in advace.

 

Actually im more afraid of further chipping the paint.
If you clay the car nicely, u shouldn't however have to worry about swirls. I've clayed my car once in the fall and again today and its teh smoothest car i've evarrr felt :-D, and i use a water blade safely.

 

As long as the surface is clean and the pad is well lubricated with product, having rock chips should not be a problem when polishing or waxing in my experience. This is assuming the paint is not just flaking off the car where the chips are, which might be another problem entirely.

It should also not introduce swirls unless you are using a too agressive compound (for example to get rid of deep scratches in the clear coat) in which case you should be gradually going to a finer and finer compound anyway which would remove any maring that occured trying to get the clearcoat down to the level of the scratch.