View Poll Results: Detailing: Machine Buff or Hand Buff?
Machine Buff
24
29.63%
Hand Buff
57
70.37%
Voters: 81. You may not vote on this poll
Detailing: machine or hand buff?
Guest
Posts: n/a
For emblems and cracks I recommend a camel hair brush. looks like a regular tooth brush but has soft, real camel hair bristles.
They can be picked up at auto paint/supply shops.
I would stay away from rotary buffers. My dad owned a car lot until I was 18 and I was the lot boy. I must have cut and polished no less than 500 cars. Needless to say.. I know how to use a rotary buffer with excellent results but I would NOT recomment starting out learning on a new 350Z.
One thing is for absolute sure... No matter how you apply polish, wax, glaze or whatever... the car will suffer swirl marks.
They will accumulate over time and show if the finish isn't maintained.
The trick is to maintain the finish with regular hand/machine care.
If you want to use a machine I recommend a low power orbital as mentioned above.
Always use fresh clean SOFT cloths, and lots of them.
I always go to a brushless pressure wash before I hand wash the car to remove as much stuck on grit as possible. I think the majority of fine scratches come from pushing dirt into the paint when hand washing with a mit. Try to quickly 'wash' the mit in the soap bucket water every time you go back for more suds to keep the mit clean.
I forgot what my point was but to answer your question... I think it is easier to get a better results with hand buffing until you can get experience with a machine.
They can be picked up at auto paint/supply shops.
I would stay away from rotary buffers. My dad owned a car lot until I was 18 and I was the lot boy. I must have cut and polished no less than 500 cars. Needless to say.. I know how to use a rotary buffer with excellent results but I would NOT recomment starting out learning on a new 350Z.
One thing is for absolute sure... No matter how you apply polish, wax, glaze or whatever... the car will suffer swirl marks.
They will accumulate over time and show if the finish isn't maintained.
The trick is to maintain the finish with regular hand/machine care.
If you want to use a machine I recommend a low power orbital as mentioned above.
Always use fresh clean SOFT cloths, and lots of them.
I always go to a brushless pressure wash before I hand wash the car to remove as much stuck on grit as possible. I think the majority of fine scratches come from pushing dirt into the paint when hand washing with a mit. Try to quickly 'wash' the mit in the soap bucket water every time you go back for more suds to keep the mit clean.
I forgot what my point was but to answer your question... I think it is easier to get a better results with hand buffing until you can get experience with a machine.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
From: Noblesville IN
machine buffing is fool proof as long as your using an orbital (also known as dual action) type buffer. you cant hurt the finish as long as you make sure your using clean bonnets / pads, and working on clean surfaces..
its just common sense.
granted it takes a while of use to really learn how to buff and do it quickly and well.. but your still going to protect the car while in the learning process... the other thing to note.. always toss the cord over your shoulder or what id o.. i run it over the shoulder of the lead hand on buffer (the one closer to rotating part) and then take it around backside of neck and under my back hand (the one controlling throttle) ...
unless your using a 2 handed on either side of motor on top config this works well... even if your using a gem type polisher. it still works well and keepes the cord from getting away from you
you dont want to drag the cord across the car... it picks up all sorts of nasty from the ground
its just common sense.
granted it takes a while of use to really learn how to buff and do it quickly and well.. but your still going to protect the car while in the learning process... the other thing to note.. always toss the cord over your shoulder or what id o.. i run it over the shoulder of the lead hand on buffer (the one closer to rotating part) and then take it around backside of neck and under my back hand (the one controlling throttle) ...
unless your using a 2 handed on either side of motor on top config this works well... even if your using a gem type polisher. it still works well and keepes the cord from getting away from you
you dont want to drag the cord across the car... it picks up all sorts of nasty from the ground
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 678
Likes: 0
From: NC-Raleigh area
youre all going to laugh, but the best waay to get wax off of the black plastic surfaces like trim and rubber, is PEANUT BUTTER.....<waits for laughing to stop>
Seriously, just plain old smooth peanut butter works wonders on balck trim, it is course enough to get in and scrub out the wax and has the peanut oil to help shine and restore the plastic. Try it, works great.
Seriously, just plain old smooth peanut butter works wonders on balck trim, it is course enough to get in and scrub out the wax and has the peanut oil to help shine and restore the plastic. Try it, works great.
New Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 5,563
Likes: 0
From: Earth
Cyclo Orbital Polisher
Just noticed that no one has mentioned the Cyclo Orbital Polisher. It is IMHO the best orbital polisher available. It is truely the choice of professionals. Yeah, it's big, yeah it's heavy and yeah it's expensive, but you will not find a better polisher/buffer out there anywhere.
Registered User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Va, USA
Re: Cyclo Orbital Polisher
Originally posted by jesseenglish
Just noticed that no one has mentioned the Cyclo Orbital Polisher. It is IMHO the best orbital polisher available. It is truely the choice of professionals. Yeah, it's big, yeah it's heavy and yeah it's expensive, but you will not find a better polisher/buffer out there anywhere.
Just noticed that no one has mentioned the Cyclo Orbital Polisher. It is IMHO the best orbital polisher available. It is truely the choice of professionals. Yeah, it's big, yeah it's heavy and yeah it's expensive, but you will not find a better polisher/buffer out there anywhere.
cyclo is in my opinion the best out there. i do detailing for a living and use it daily. it can also be used on carpets by switching the heads. i have done a lot of older cars w/ not to well maintained paint and it always made the job look the price. i have a car dealer that i do too and on new cars it is as fast as u can move. i do recomend that u do the small areas by hand and yes u can use a tooth brush to remove wax around ur emblomes and what not, just dont use it any where else. as for waxes u can pretty much use any hand wax. i use commercial stuff on most cars but when it comes to my own i use liquid glass. that stuff is awsome.
GOING BACK AND FORTH DOES NOT MAKE SWIRL MARKS. (THE ROUND SCRATCHES THAT APPEAR IN LIGHT) HOW EVER IT LEAVES STRAIGHT SCRATCHES BUT DONE CORRECTLY U WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THEM UNLIKE THE CIRCLER ONES 
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