hi guys. i have done little research about detailing and decided to go with the porter cable. which one is the easiest to use and safest?? i am a NOOB when it comes to detailing, and dont wanna mess up my paint. im planning on washing, claying, then putting a couple coats of megs. nxt with a porter cable. thanks very much guys..

 

I got the 7336SP from Lowes.

 

I asked DavesZ#3 (he seems to know everything about detailing) and he said that you only need the P-C to remove swirls (i think). I'm getting the Zaino total package and he says that everything can be applied by hand, otherwise you will waste a ton of the material in the P-C pad.

 

i do.... have swirls

 

ok.. can someone teach/tell me the steps i need to take to take off the swirls and tiny scratches. wash/clay bar/ then what? polish? wax? which is it? and i cant afford a detailer right now... so i guess i have to try it myself first.

 

Here's what you need in order to polish/wax a car with a ROB.
1) Porter-Cable 7336SP
2) 6" Velcro backing plate: http://www.topoftheline.com/porcabvelpad.html
3) 7½" Lake Country VC foam polishing pads: http://www.topoftheline.com/7durvelpad.html
I use the Yellow, White and Black pads. You'll probably want two, maybe three of each.
4) Polishes: I use 3M Medium Cut Rubbing Compound (39001); 3M Swirl Mark Remover (39009); Zaino Z-PC Polish/Cleaner.
The compound is for removing moderate scratches, deposits on paint, rough spots, etc.
The SMR is for removing swirl marks, hazing caused by the compound or other polishes.
The Z-PC is for use in place of the SMR on a Zainoed car.
5) Helpful instructions on how to use the Porter-Cable:
http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14421
http://www.roadfly.com/magazine/7/po..._buffer.1.html
http://forums.roadfly.com/forums/det...1430487&page=1

The P-C can be bought at Lowes for $109. The backing plate and pads come from www.TopOfTheLine.com. The 3M products I get from a local CarQuest Paint Store. It's a special version of a CarQuest parts store that sells professional paint supplies and equipment. The 3M products are pretty widely available in any case.

 

There are several ways to teach yourself about detailing and techniques for swirl removal. My other post has links to sites that explain the technique to using a ROB like the P-C.

First and foremost, sign up at http://autopia.org then download the free eBook: The Autopia Guide to Detailing. It's an excellent source and guide to the whole process of detailing.

A couple of other "how-to" sites...
http://www.bettercarcare.com/index.php
http://www.melncal.com/detailing/
http://www.web-cars.com/detail/index.php
http://www.properautocare.com/

 

thank you. very helpful information!

 

one more question.... my carbon fiber hood is fading. i heard i have to buff it out with a rubbing compound? can anyone tell me what i need to do for this one also? thanks!

 

Everything Dave suggested is good, I would just like to point out a few areas I would do differently. Instead of 7 1/2" pads which many on autopia would agree are too large for the PC to do its best at correction, aim for 6" pad instead for a good balance between correction ability and time. I personally use the Edge 2000 pads which don't need a backing plate, and are double sided. For the polishes, 3m is kinda hard for beginners to use because its slightly finicky and dusts. Optimum would be a better line IMO as it doesn't dust at all and has a very long work time.

 

All I have to say to anyone who has never used a power device on their paint is BE VERY CAREFUL. Noobs can easily burn through their paint if they are not super careful.

 

how about the carbon fiber hood fading problem?

 

That's why we recommend using the Porter Cable Random Orbital Buffer rather than a high-speed buffer that a body shop would normally use. It's virtually impossible to burn the paint with a ROB type machine.

 

Gotcha.

 

about the cf hood?

 

get the one from meguiars... it's got a lifetime warranty and it's really a nice piece of equipment

 

what product do i need to buff the cf hood with??? it looks like the clear coat is fading..