I want to wash/wax/polish my truck.

I've got a cheap $30 buffer that did a fine job on my older cars but I dont know that I trust it for my new baby.

So any recommendations and price ranges would be helpful.

Do you put the wax on the truck or on the buffer itself.

How do you avoid getting the wax on the plastic trim which leaves that ugly white residue.

General suggestions for purchase and usage greatly appreciated.

Thanks..

Jim

 

I don't see the point to using a buffer for wax. You'll end up using 4 times as much product as necessary and it will take longer by the time you clean up the pad. Use a buffer for polishing only.

That said, the most recommended one is the Porter Cable 7336. Easy to use and hard to screw up the paint.

 

Actually, I have to disagree. I feel that using the buffer uses much less wax, and goes twice as quick to wax the whole vehicle, from my experiences.

Anyway, the actual buffer that is most used on this site is thePorter Cable 7424 , which is similar to the one referenced above.

 

Are you saying you can apply less than 1/3 ounce of liquid wax for an F-150 in under 10 minutes? Less than another 15 minutes to remove?

 

Confused....are you saying you can wax and remove your whole truck in 25 minutes?

How is that possible. Seems like you'd be flying to me...

A few other questions for anyone.

Anyone seen the video in the above link? Is it worth it?

Hate to screw up my paint or plastics with some dumb mistake.

What do the pads mean when they are Cutting vs Flat?

Thanks for info and advice.

 

Could I do it in that frame of time (25 mins)? Maybe. It'd be really pushing it... hard.

The advantage to machine application over hand application is wear and tear on the old arm and also the ability to work some products as they're meant to be worked.

That's not to say you couldn't do it by hand but, I, personally, find that many of the polishes that contain abrasives (#9, #80, #83 etc.. etc...) all have unique characteristics and address certain problems better than their counterpart. One thing that they ALL have in common is work. I've used every one of those products by hand and have ended up hating it. It's VERY time consuming to work a product until it properly breaks down over the entire vehicle. Not to mention you're sore as heck the next day.

The product used, in my opinion, is probably slightly more for some liquid products and probably slightly less for paste products. This is an educated guess as I've never weighed/measured out what I'm using versus the body area etc...

There's a lot to be said about both ways honestly. For me, I find that machine application is, by far, easier than arming it out but, on the flip side of that coin, I find it more beneficial to hand apply some products and hand remove some products.

It boils down to personal preference. Plain and simple.

RP

 

RP,

The #s you are referring to are they on different type of waxes?

When I go in to the store I see this wax or that but they all look basically the same.

I do have the 3 step process (Mequires I think) at home.

The cleaner, wax and polish in liquid form.

I'm sure everyone has their preference for brand but should I look for the #s you mentioned?

Thx...BTW the Truck looks great....makes me almost wish I had waited for the KR....

 

I haven't seen the video but, my personal opinion is that a 7424 or 7336 is TOTALLY worth the money.

Both of these machines are known as 'dual-action' (DA) machines and thus, they not only rotate but have an 'up and down' action as well. This effectively removes nearly all of the worries that most would have with a machine applied product.

Again, I want to reiterate that a machine applied product will, in my opinion, be more consistant on the application and, in addition, you'll be able to 'work' products in a more efficient, more effective manner. It's not impossible to work a product like #9 correctly by hand but, it's very time consuming, very difficult, and very tiring. Trust me... been there, done that.

I'm not sure on the 'flat' pad but, I can tell you a little bit about some of the pads... Three general catergories and a multitude of manufacturers...

A cutting pad is a pad that, generally, has the most abrasive qualities. Generally speaking, an operator will only use this pad to apply a compounding product that has the most aggressive 'cut' to the paint. By 'cut', I mean cleaning power. By cleaning power, I mean ability to remove blemishes like swirls etc... These pads are generally not used on a machine like the 7424 or 7336 because they simply don't work well as these machines aren't designed to remove major blemishes. A rotary buffer is the machine for this pad and type of compound. You probably don't want a rotary for average use. It can inflict mega-damage when not used correctly. You really have to be a goof to screw things up in a big way with a PC.

A polishing pad is probably the most commonly used pad on the PC. You'll apply a light polishing product like #9 or #80 with this pad. It's abrasive but, not as abrasive as the cutting pad. Couple this pad with a product like the two that I've mentioned and you've got a swirl removing machine that is very easy to use and ultra-effective.

A finishing pad (this may be the flat pad -- I haven't watched the PC video) is the pad typically used to apply non-abrasive products like your last coat (wax/sealant etc). This pad's only purpose is to apply a product and not to 'clean' the paint.

As for removal, you can utilze the PC to remove some products with the use of a microfiber bonnet but, I would get the feel of the machine before using it to remove anything.

Feel free to fire any other questions that you may have...

RP

 

My local lowes sells the 7336 for $100.

RP, please convice me that it's REALLY woth the money!

http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=prod...000041735-7336

Off to check ebay...

 

Joe..

It's really worth it.





--continued--

 

SWIRLS:


NO SWIRLS:


One more for good measure...

 

Could I have accomplished this work by hand? Yes.

Would it have taken considerably longer? Yes.

Would I have been a tired dude? Yes.

Did I use more liquid product by going with a machine? Probably.

Was using more product to save time, effort, and boost effectiveness worth it to me? ABSOLUTELY.

RP

 

Wax, yes. 20-25 minutes for my Supercrew. It depends on the wax used too because some are easier to work than others. The ones I use wipe on and wipe off with little effort. Polishing, no way! Like Rockpick said, the orbital is a great time (and muscle) save for polishing.

$100 for the machine and about $50 for a pad set. Plus polishes....

 

Alright alright, you've got me sold.

Tattoo or PC, Tattoo or PC...man this sucks.

I'll probably get a PC sometime this year. I have big plans for the truck that I've listed in the appearance products forum, but I'll probably start a new thread to get everyones attention.

(Of course the final product is in the sig)

 

They are not only similar, but actually the same polisher with different accessories. The 7224, 7335 and the 7336 are all the same polisher with slightly different configurations regarding balancing weights, backing plate and polishing and/or sanding accesories. Definitely a must have for the serious hobbyist that wants to get the most out of his truck. I've always done my wax by hand, but using the polisher is very effective also.