If you have attempted polishing a late model automobile by hand recently you probably discovered that minor blemishes don’t rub out like they used to. The reason for this is the recent improvements in clear coat technology. The final factory finish is very hard, allowing it to resist minor scratching, swirl marks and water spot.
The changes in paint technology, while very beneficial, have introduced a new problem for car owners. While it was possible to maintain automobile paintwork by hand just a few years ago, today’s new paint finishes make it nearly impossible. If your vehicle’s paintwork has minor scratches, swirl marks or water spot etching, you will need a buffer polisher to correct the problem. The good news is that the number one buffing machine for both home and professional use, the Porter Cable 7424, is very effective on even the most modern paint finishes, including the latest ceramic paints used by Mercedes-Benz.
The Porter Cable Polisher, including the 7424 and the newer 7424xp, are dual-action polishers. This simply means that the polishing mechanism orbits to mimic hand polishing. It’s different than a high-speed buffer that operates off of a direct drive center spindle. The orbital action of the Porter Cable machine completely prevents symmetrical buffing marks, paint burns and the other types of damage associated with high-speed buffers. If you use the 7424 as intended, you will never have any issues, even if you have never used an electric polisher before.
This type of electric polisher closely mimics the motion of circular hand polishing. Imagine being able to make 2,500 to 6,000 tight hand circles in a single minute. That should give you a pretty good idea of how this machine does its job. Basically it works just like you do, only at super-human speed. Plus, it never gets tired!
If you’re skeptical, don’t be. This isn’t one of those cheesy car waxers you can pick up at the auto parts store for $29. Leave those machines on the shelf. An electric car waxer will do a pretty good job spreading wax, but that’s where all similarities end. They can’t match the power or the range of foam pads and polished that work with the PC.
The secret to using a dual action polisher with shining results is choosing the right polish and polishing pads for the job. Basically polishing pads come in three grades: cutting, polishing and finishing. A cutting pad is coarse and used to remove damage. A polishing pad has a bit if coarseness, but not much. It’s used to remove very minor damage and restore full gloss. A finishing pad is very soft. It’s used to polish without cutting and to apply waxes and glazes.
As you might expect, the foam pads do not work by themselves. You need to use a polish with the pad. Like the pads, paint polishes have cut levels. For removing defects you will be using a polishing compound. Find a polishing compound that will remove 2000 to 2500 grit sanding scratches. That’s what you need to knock down heavy swirls marks, water spots and fine scratches.
If you’re confused about which polish to use to remove swirl marks, fine scratches and water spots, let me recommend Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound. It’s probably the best consumer grade product available today, and it’s easy to find at your local auto parts store.
After compounding to remove damage, you might think the finish looks great, but I recommend finishing off the job with a fine polish. Most compounds, including the new Meguiar’s product, will leave just a touch of hazing in the clear coat. All it takes to remove the hazing and restore a brilliant shine is a fine paint polish. I prefer and recommend Klasse All-In-One. It’s an amazing product that will produce a final finish that blows you away.
New automotive paints may be too hard to maintain by hand, but the solution is easy. A Porter Cable 7424xp gets the job done faster that you ever could by hand, and it’s a quality machine that will last a lifetime.
Want to learn how to use abuffer polisher to make your car’s paint shine like new again? It’s easy when you use the Guide To Detailing buffer polisher guide.