Porter Cable model question

[RandallNeighbour]

A guy who sells them online has been emailing me today. He was quite emphatic about the use of softer buffing disks and letting the buffer do the work, not the user. I bet those folks with burned off paint put far too much elbow grease into the use of the buffer and didn't do the job slowly and with a light touch.

I bet a cautious user like yourself would do fine with it. Check out this page I found on how to use it step by step with pictures:

http://www.properautocare.com/meninpol.html

I tell you what. I'll try mine out as a total nooby without anyone showing me what to do and post the results good or bad, with pictures, even if it's embarassing... but I'll start on my wife's old Honda and not my Boxster. I'm no idiot!

[trube78]

If you have a darker car and want to make (and keep) it looking great a PC is the way to go. (It works great on white/lighter cars too but ... they are less susceptible to visible swirls.) The autopia website has a great how-to as does the roadfly detailing forum. It makes the detailing job faster/easier/better. It can be done wrong but takes some serious stupidity to do so. Most buffer induced night mares are from rotary buffers. ROs are more forgiving. The PC and Microfiber are must haves for modern detailing. Obviously IMHO.
ATB,
Tom

PS Its use can be addictive though.

[donv]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

I tell you what. I'll try mine out as a total nooby without anyone showing me what to do and post the results good or bad, with pictures, even if it's embarassing... but I'll start on my wife's old Honda and not my Boxster. I'm no idiot!

I did just that, but on my DD Subaru - you can see the before/after comparison in this thread.

It does get addictive. Do be careful on the edges - I used low tack masking tape on the panel edges and actually managed to eat through the tape in one place (paper is paper after all) where the seam was slightly off between two panels. Use the tape and you'll have nothing to fear about seams/edges. Working on the body of the paint is much easier and less risk if you're not doing something like putting all your weight into the tool.

I used the Poor Boy's World polishes combined with Lake Country 6.5" "Variable Contact" pads - Yellow (#46-576VC), then White (#46-676VC).

BTW, I've not had time since to finish the hood, so I'm still daily seeing the before/after comparison... will fix this weekend.

[slogans7]

St. Louis - There are two popular types of polishers. The Porter Cable 7424 is an orbital buffer. Then there's the rotary buffer. The PC is far safer. Just use the Sonus or Lake County pads, erring on the side of caution when using a heavier duty polish or swirl remover - try the softer pads before moving to the firmer "cutting" pads. I got this from the Meguiar's site:

(The orbital buffer is) specially designed to run in an eccentric circular motion. This safe, random pattern doesn't apply torque to the surface, and assures the buffer never concentrates its energy in one spot, unlike your hand or a regular rotary buffer.

If you use a rotary buffer and are not skilled in its use, you can easily apply too much pressure to the paint and burn right through it, requiring a new paint job. For the same reason, do not use buffers that are attached to power drills.

You'll be fine with a PC. It's great for your car and was really designed for sanding. So if you do any woodwork, you'll again have the perfect tool.