ok.. i'm still a detailing noob compared to all of you guys.. and i've never really used power tools.. an electric screwdriver is about as "power" as I get... lol. I just normally do stuff by hand the hard way.

I've been really contemplating getting one of these though, it looks like it can do a good polishing job much quicker, and do it better, than if i were to do it by hand.

I read the article done @ autopia-carcare and it seems pretty easy to use, just need practice. I have 2 vehicles, my dad's truck and my mom's wagon to practice on before anything touches my paint, so I think I should be covered there..

I'm not a professional by any means.. I mainly do it for fun and to keep up the appearance of my car. Is a PC for me? Should I drop $159 on this ? I probably wouldn't consider this, but for father's day I gave my dad a "coupon" for a free detailing, and his truck is in pretty bad shape. Lots of oxidation and built on grime. It hasn't been washed/waxed in at least 5-7 years and its a '92 chevy. If I were to try and polish all of that out by hand it would take forever, and I probably wouldn't be able to use my arm ever again. I think a PC would make short work of it.

The products I have are NXT, #26, #9, (would probably get DACP for my dad's truck), and Klasse AIO.. do these all work ok/well with a PC?

What do you guys think?

 

Definitely spoil yourself with a PC. It makes the work go so much faster and easier. Your product choices should be good. I would recommend at least 2 yellow pads and two white pads. I do the final waxing by hand, but if you plan on doing the waxing by the PC, then pick up 2 black finishing pads also. Get yourself about a dozen microfiber towels and a couple waffle weaves for drying and you should be set. For a nice extra pop, you might want to head on down to the local Harley Davidson store and pick up some S100 wax. It goes on and off real easy and adds another depth to the color, especially on black. Good luck and enjoy.

 

Get it, use it, you'll love it, your vehicles will love you for it, your friends will be envious of you, your friends will now abuse you, your PC and your new found talents. Nuff said.

I use all of the products that you listed and many more. Those listed all work well with a PC. The promotion you listed is a good value.

Here's another one to look at though you will still have to buy pads. Either of these sites will treat you well.

http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/S...1d5+1088742895

Home Depot carries these for $109 but it doesn't include backing plate or pads. The extra counter weight is a nice touch from Coastal Tool.

Since you're just getting going these new Edge pads might be worth a look also.

http://www.premiumautocare.com/ed20dafopafo.html

The quick change adapter looks pretty slick. I would really like to try this design instead of the hook and loop. The problem here is that I've already invested a ton in hook and loop pads and can't justify the change in mid stream. If this had been available when I first got going I probably would have tried it. What the heck, I'll order some tomorrow.

 

No worries what so ever. Go for it.

The PC is a tool that takes a little bit of practice but is just about as safe as an electrical tool can be around paint. In short, you'd really have to be a major-super-duper bonehead to manage to hurt your paint. Simply put, the PC doesn't have enough power (intentionally might I add) to cause major or severe damage. Now sure, I could go out and use it to make a mess of my paint right now but, I know you're not going to toss a pad in a pile of sand and then go to try to buff your truck with it now would you?

If we were discussing a rotary, I'd have a whole different tone. That's a piece of equipment that can do some ultra-major damage in a heartbeat if you're not careful. I'm still learning that tool and hope to someday be very comfortable with it. As it stands right now, I'm about 65% comfortable.

RP

 

Get a rotary, that's the first buffer I had LOL


The PC will be a good tool to get. It'll let you do a better quality job faster. You'll also be able to get a coat of wax on your truck a lot faster than by hand. You'll also use less product too.

There is virtually no learning curve on Random Orbital buffers. Really, the only danger is getting at an angle where the back plate can hit and chip paint. Really on a concern around hood scoops or around painted mirrors/handles, etc.

 

I know what you mean Rock. I've had a rotary for awhile now but have used it very little. It's a tough tool to master, but can definitely help make an ugly duck a swan. I know some very experienced detailers that have made some mistakes with a rotary and there isn't much you can do once you burn the paint.

 

welp, i finally broke down and ordered it.. so its on the way!@

What 1st stage polish should i buy to go with it? Right now i have #9 as a final polish, but i'll probably need something stronger, especially for my dad's truck which has alot of oxidation and swirl marks. I was thinking DACP, mainly because I can get it here locally and have heard good things about it.

 

DACP is an excellent product to have in your arsenal. With DACP, SFP and maybe a finishing glaze like Clearkotes Vanilla Moose or S100 SEC and your choice of Wax, you'll be set. If you want to go with a sealant, I have heard good things about Poorboys EX-P and if you want a Carnubau, then S100 wax (can be found at most Harley Davidson stores) works very well and can be used as a topper over EX-P to add to the finish Good luck. You're ready for some fun..

 

You know, up until recently I was doing the #9 and/or DACP thing as necessary prior to waxing. But since I've switched to a synthetic product (Four Star UPC / UPP) on the wife's SUV, I also decided to make a switch to Poorboy's SSR (Swirl and Scratch Remover) products. I bought a bottle of SSR #1, #2, and #3 and have been very pleased with the results I've obtained using them. The SSR #1 is a little lighter cut than Megs #9, the SSR #2 is a heavier cut than #9, but a lighter cut than Megs DACP, and the SSR #3 is a probably equivalent to DACP. Another positive to using the Poorboys products is that the SSR products contain no silicones or other additives like #9 and DACP so they can be used under any wax product, synthetic or carnuba, wihtout issue.

If your into trying new products (like I am), give the Poorboys SSR line a shot.

-Mike-

 

DACP, Speed Glaze, or even Swirl Free polish will work nicely with the PC. Although, it takes a while to work DACP properly with a PC.

If you have lots of oxidation, you might want to try a good paint cleaner like Medallon Premium Paint cleaner first. Also, you may want to try a bit of a long shot product.............. Meguiar's ColorX. This is a very good product if you don't have a lot of scratches to deal with. It will clean up the oxidation nicely and leave some protection, and a nice shine.

On a side note............ like Big Deal, I've pretty much switched to Poorboy's line of polishes. They are very easy to work with, and perform extremely well. There are no waxes, siliconces or fillers in the SSR line. Therefore, when the spider webs/scratches are gone.......... they are gone.......... not temporarily hidden. Big Deal gave a good explanation of the agressiveness of the SSR1, and SSR2. The SSR3 is actually a bit more agressive than DACP, and I prefer to use a rotary with the SSR3, but you can use a PC. Poorboy's new SSR2.5 is very similar to DACP in aggressiveness, but is a bit easier to work with when using a PC.

 

Ok, well since I've already bought #9 and haven't even used it yet I'm not gonna bench it yet, lol. I think I might check out that SSR #3 or #2.5 instead of DACP though. What makes DACP so tricky to use? Is there something from 3M that is as good as those PoorBoy's products? I'd really like to use stuff I can get locally cause I hate waiting, lol. If the quality and ease of use is noticably better, then I don't mind waiting.

 

I hear ya! Don't get me wrong, if you are using Meguiar's products, you are using some great products.

As for the DACP............ it has some significant abrasives, and uses Meguiar's diminishing (buffered) abrasive process. To work the product correctly (to get the abrasives to diminish) requires some heat during the application. The PC doesn't generate a lot heat. However, it can be done. You just need to work and area for a few minutes until the product has broken down properly. With a rotary buffer, DACP is a cinch to use, as the rotary delivers a lot of heat during application.

I'm not a fan of many of the 3M products, as they were a little tougher to work with in the past. However, I've heard that they have changed many of their products in the last couple of years and they are easier to work with................ can't vouch for any though.

If I were you, and you want to get products locally, I'd stick with Meguiar's.

 

What Boss said.

 

hmm.. i was checking out poorboy's website and thier SSR #3 says its a heavy duty compound. I don't know about you guys, but those 3 words are scary to a newbie Is this stuff really that powerful? I don't want to haze and ruin my dad's paint with a rubbing compound.

 

I don't know much about SSR#3 (in fact, I know very little) but, if it's anything like some of the products that Meguiar's has in the heavy compounding line (AKA: #85, #84), *YES*, they're heavy duty and *YES*, they can do more harm than good in the wrong hands.

To put it into perspective, I've utilized 84/85 to remove 1500 grit sandpaper marks and still had to follow with 83 and then 9 to get it back to par.

My bet is that it's VERY agressive.

Futher, the heat needed for a product of this sort to work effectively will most likely not be able to be produced by a PC.

RP