swirls in paint, need help with options
 

so my truck has always had swirl marks. nothing that catches a fingernail or anything like that just light swirls.

im trying to get most of them out without having to buy a porter cable and get serious. i have been using my vaper 6 inch buffer from advance auto and turtle wax rubbing compound, and i can get most of them out, it takes a while to do, but if i keep at it in one section it gets most of the swirls out.

my question is would i have better luck switching to rubbing compound? on the labels the polishing compound says for light to medium swirls and oxidization, and on the rubbing compound it says medium to heavy swirls and oxidization. the polishing compound is working for me, just very slowly. i was planning on doing this a section at a time, like washing the truck, then doing the roof and hood one day, and putting wax on after it, then next time i wash it do the front end and tailgate, and waxing that afterward, then eventually doing the sides.

i know this stuff is working, just very slowly because one time i got allot of scratches in a little 4 inch round area, and i used my buffer and the polishing compound and held it in that one spot over it for a good minute or two, and it took out all the scratches, and swirl marks. im just trying to find a way to work faster. i was going to get more pads, and the rubbing compound and try a section on the roof first of course.

i don't know how many rps the buffer is i can check later.
any advice is appreciated.

I would suggest stepping away from the turtle wax rubbing compound. Have a look at Ultimate Compound from Meguiars if the they are fairly heavy. You probably should start out by trying something like SwirlX from Meg's. Both are great OTC products.

The Buffer isn't really helping you out either, it doesn't really have the power to do any defect removal, it's more meant to apply and remove waxes/sealants. I would try the above products by hand first and see if you can achieve the results your looking for.

If you can post some pics, the pros on here can probably give you a more dialed in product and technique to try.

Lose that buffer and buy the right equipment. You need a DA with the right pads and products, and Turtle Wax is not on that short list.........

yeah i know its not a real buffer, but the swirls arent that bad to make me buy a porter cable. is there anything decent i can use thats not as expensive as a porter cable. i dont want to get into the world of high speeds just yet. using my buffer and polishing compound is getting me the results im okay with, so should i just try the meguiars stuff? the swirls only bug me when its in direct sunlight and i can see allot of them. if i can get 60 percent of them out id be a happy camper. its a truck after all.

i was thinking of using a scratch remover, but all that grit kinda bothers me.

is there anything decent chemical wise i can use with my buffer to get some sort of results?

I would skip the PC and grab a Griot's Garage V2 DA and some foam pads and knock out as quick as you can, Stay away from turtle wax, Go Megs UC followed by Megs 205 topped with Optimum Optiseal and it will be gorgeous and easy to maintain.

If you're hell bent on not spending the dough on a Porter Cable, try this first. I used Meguir's swirl remover, then Eagle One Nanowax. You can use the Meguir's NXT as well, same idea as the Nanowax. This made for a very nice but not totally swirl free finish, just really nice. BUT, I was tired of f'n around and got the PC 7424XP DA polisher. I was always fearful of burning the paint or just spreading around dirt etc. because I was a novice. Use it once and you won't regret it. I did with the m105 then m205 polishing compounds from Meguir's then Nanowax to seal the deal. In (bleepin) credible how nice the paint looks now, depth, gloss and durability. It is super easy to use and very forgiving. Watch a few how to's from the detailers cafe (name correct?) or youtube to get an idea of how it goes, and go try it. Try my first suggestion first but don't be surprised if you upgrade to paint correction. It really might take you a few more hours more doing paint correction than by hand anyways.

yeah id like to get the majority out with what i have. i will try the swirl x stuff first though.

and i am using nxt wax, that stuffs the bomb diggity.

id really like to try to see how well i can get it with my buffer first. if it starts to bug me ill get a PC

SwirlX works really wells and actually makes the metallic in your paint job pop...but like what pretty much everyone has said...you won't regret a DA

The problem with orbitals like yours is not the speed, but the lack of torque. unless you pick up a PC, or a Flex, by hand is going to be your best, and safest bet. As others have said, put down the Turtle wax, it is total junk.

There is really no short cut. Either buy the right tools, have a pro do it for you, or buy into spending 12 hours or so doing it by hand, a 12" square at a time.

How big an area are we talking. If it's anything bigger than a small isolated spot I think you may be putting in all that hard work for nothing. Buy a quality commercial unit and make it easy. Then you'll always have it as swirls eventually become a fact of life on a daily driver.

I've got a Griots Garage 6 which has a stronger motor than the Porter Cable and combined with the right pad and compound it makes the job so much easier. I've had good luck with Lake country orange 5" pads or Meguiars yellow soft buff pads for swirls and light scratches. For compounds I have in my arsenal Megs Ultimate Compound, Swirlx, Scratchx 2.0 and for ultra fine polishing Meguiars 205

If you're set on doing it by hand and want to keep it as simple as possible, then check out Meguiars Ultimate Compound. It can either be used by hand or machine and is very effective at getting rid of swirls and scratches, especially with a dual action polisher.

But like others have stated, you're not going to get anywhere near the results doing it by hand. A dual action polisher such as the Porter Cable 7424xp makes paint correct so much quicker and easier. If you're a big fan of keeping your truck looking nice and would like to maintain a flawless finish once you get rid of the swirls, a dual action polisher makes life so much easier.

:angel:

I see the DA mentioned. I have a pneumatic DA sander but is it the same as what you are talking about? Can you buy pads for the DA sander?
I assume ScratchX or Meguires UC can be bought at Oreilly's?

Give this kit a shot, you can get 10% off with the F150 code and at times they offer free shipping.

http://www.autogeek.net/poca74pofcop.html

No, a sander is not anything close to a DA polisher.

1. Wash and Clay Bar
2. Meg's Ultimate Compund
3. Meg's Scratch X
4. Meg's Swirl X
5. Meg's NXT 2.0 (let cure 24 hours before getting wet)
6. Meg's Pure Carnauba a few weeks later

The above combination made my '07 STX with Dark Blue Pearl look like a mirror. Your paint will look good with your 6" buffer but it will look outstanding with a DA Polisher.

My Meg's DA works really well with Ultimate Compound, Scratch X, Swirl X and NXT 2.0 Wax.