Anyone know how to buff?
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Anyone know how to buff? - 11/13/2007 5:27:33 PM
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wdb4719
Posts: 13
Joined: 10/21/2007
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Hi,
I am new to the forums. Tried searching google and around here on the forums. My question is if there is a good how to article anyone knows about on buffing. I just bought a buffer today and plan on doing some car cleaning over thanksgiving break. I think i understand the general conept. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips or advice.
Thanks,
Wells
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 11/13/2007 5:49:27 PM
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blznlowxtreme
Posts: 1471
Joined: 3/20/2007
From: tennessee
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if you want to see what buff really looks like i can send you a pic of myself. lol. the main thing is cover evenly and make sure you dont burn through the clear. try to keep just a portion of your pad on the body you dont lay it flat on there
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2001 blazer xtreme
true bass 8's massive p1500.1 amp
20's wrapped in 245/35r20
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 11/13/2007 5:56:07 PM
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wdb4719
Posts: 13
Joined: 10/21/2007
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Please excuse my ignorance, but how do i "burn" through the clear. I am not even entirely sure what the "clear" is. I mean, i don't even really understand what buffing is to be entirely honest. I think its basically just waxing, but with a buffer. I may be wrong though. Please forgive me, i am a total nooby to cars.
Thanks,
Wells
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 11/13/2007 7:03:33 PM
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WhiteTie BlackJacket
Posts: 386
Joined: 6/8/2007
From: VA
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The clear is the clear coat, its sprayed on over top your paint to protect it. If you hold your buffer in the same spot too long, it will burn through the clear coat, and then it will be just your bare paint exposed, and its a lot easier for it to get messed up. So apply your wax with something BESIDES your buffer, a clean towel or you can buy pads specificly for it at autozone or advance, maybe even wally world. After it sets for a couple minutes ( it will feel kinda dry to the touch) go over it with your buffer to take it off. Be sure to keep it moving, just go back and forth with it.
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 11/14/2007 6:30:37 AM
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EuroGoldLS
Posts: 3121
Joined: 2/9/2007
From: Princeton, NC, USA
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I don't like to use buffers. It produces light swirl marks over time and makes the paint look like it has spider webs all over it. I have always gotten better results with a foam/cloth applicator and a microfiber towel to take it off. Thats not to say you can't get good results with a buffer, I use it on large vehicles (ahem, Suburban). But thats only to save a little time.
What kind of buffer do you have? Orbital, circular, or grinder attachment?
< Message edited by EuroGoldLS -- 11/14/2007 6:31:55 AM >
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 11/14/2007 12:45:51 PM
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igot10pinitis
Posts: 470
Joined: 6/3/2007
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what kind of buffer did you buy? I would be its a 20 buck thing from wal mart right? those are junk, just electric waxers. blznlowxtreme you were wrong with you say just use an edge of a buffer, THATS how you burn thru the clear coat. You need EVEN pressure on the panel, not just 1 spot of the edge of the pad. If you bought a REAL buffer such as dewalt /blue point ect. (which i don't think you did) then you have no business using it if you don't even know what clear is. You will do more harm than good.
euro: the trick to not getting swirls is to use swirl remover. Only problem good compounds are expensive
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 11/15/2007 3:39:15 PM
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blznlowxtreme
Posts: 1471
Joined: 3/20/2007
From: tennessee
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i llove using a buffer but like 10pinsaid the good compounds are expensive
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2001 blazer xtreme
true bass 8's massive p1500.1 amp
20's wrapped in 245/35r20
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 12/1/2007 2:15:47 AM
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89K5
Posts: 18
Joined: 11/4/2007
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Actually igot10 if you buff correctly you wont get swirls no matter what. You want to keep enough EVEN pressure on the whole thing not just 1 spot. You ride the edge of the buffer or the pad watch out. You're going to have major problems and then you're going to need a paint job. You don't need a real expensive compound just a descent 1 and I use Mother's. And Euro the spider webs are from using a rag to wash or dry your car. It's best to use a microfiber towel of if you have air tools or have access to them use a air gun to dry your car with a towel. The more you use a towel the more of a chance you have of scratching the paint cause something's on the towel that you can't see or you get the spider web looking crap on the car.
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 12/1/2007 6:34:41 AM
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igot10pinitis
Posts: 470
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well. your wrong.
When you use compounds with grit and a wool pad. You will get swirl marks, NO MATTER WHAT. I'm a painter for a living, and if you tell me you can buff a dark car without getting swirls your crazy.
I can get away with just buffing down silver/gold/white cars with no swirl remover, but with darker colors you need to use the heavier compounds because the sand scratchs from when you sand the clear down are harder to get out.
also. If you buffed and didn't get swirls, why would they make swirl remover? lol
your mothers compound is not very good, . 3M makes great products for buffing
quote:
ORIGINAL: 89K5
Actually igot10 if you buff correctly you wont get swirls no matter what. You want to keep enough EVEN pressure on the whole thing not just 1 spot. You ride the edge of the buffer or the pad watch out. You're going to have major problems and then you're going to need a paint job. You don't need a real expensive compound just a descent 1 and I use Mother's. And Euro the spider webs are from using a rag to wash or dry your car. It's best to use a microfiber towel of if you have air tools or have access to them use a air gun to dry your car with a towel. The more you use a towel the more of a chance you have of scratching the paint cause something's on the towel that you can't see or you get the spider web looking crap on the car.
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 12/1/2007 7:45:13 AM
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blznlowxtreme
Posts: 1471
Joined: 3/20/2007
From: tennessee
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i agree w/ 10 pins. 3m make alot better product and if you can buff w/o getting swirl marks you must have a golden touch
_____________________________
2001 blazer xtreme
true bass 8's massive p1500.1 amp
20's wrapped in 245/35r20
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 12/2/2007 2:17:52 AM
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89K5
Posts: 18
Joined: 11/4/2007
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I can buff a black car and get no swirls. If you don't believe me you can go to CarMax and ask if you can watch the detailers buff. I think they have like 184 steps to detailing a car. And they make swirl remover for a quick result. I'll have to try 3m, and I have a hard time finding good compound that actually works.
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 12/6/2007 5:47:47 AM
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EuroGoldLS
Posts: 3121
Joined: 2/9/2007
From: Princeton, NC, USA
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I'm backing 10pin on this one. You cannot buff and not have swirls. A waffle pad wil cut down on swirls and a microfiber pad will cut out swirls altogether, but using a microfiber pad defeats the purpose of buffing, like 10pin said, its an "electric waxer".
_____________________________
My theory is that every disrict in the USA tries to send their lying scumbags to either prison or Washington D.C. -rivereye
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 12/9/2007 7:55:48 AM
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Birk21883
Posts: 5
Joined: 12/8/2007
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I guess i can put my two sense in, You can or can not have swirls when you buff a car. depends on what you are using, wax or compound, or polish, or glaze, and depends on the pad, there are almost 15 different pads to buff with, the only way you dont get swirls, is if you are using a foam pad iwth a polish, if you are using any kind of cutting pad with any compound what so ever, you will get some kind of swirls. To ensure the proper steps in buffing, there are close to 7 or 8 steps of buffing, each pad uses a different wax, and put your swirl remover on after your one shot but before your first light polish. always finish with a paste wax. I love detailing, its what I do for a living, and I have learned alot. I've never burnt through paint, and honestly, if you want to learn to buff, learn from someone who does it, not from an article. Go to a detail shop.
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 12/12/2007 12:13:21 PM
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MP525i
Posts: 4
Joined: 11/12/2006
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hmmm, different sets of information here. i think we have to try and organize the information.
there are typically two types of buffers:
rotary's: they rotate in a circle that could burn the paint if you don't know what you're doing.
random orbital: porter cable makes a good one. 7424 is the one i have. no matter how long you leave the buffer on the paint, it will not burn (hence the name, random orbital). this is good for any beginner starting out as well as the people who have been detailing longer than others.
the next step are pads and products. typically, there are different grades of pads. my two hardest pads (yellow and orange) are used with compound and cutting agents. yellow for scratch-x, orange - meg. heavy cut cleaner.
your white and blue pads are for swirl removing and polishing. i typically use white pads and klasse all-in-one. followed with a blue pad of nxt 3.
the final stage is the glaze or wax. there is a black finishing pad for this, but i just use some s100 carnuba paste wax. it does WONDERS for dark colored cars/trucks (metallic and non-metallic).
regardless of the buffing portion in the detailing step, ask any professional detailer and they will tell you the hard work is in the prep. bug and tar, a good wash and claying are the major steps. if you don't do these 3 steps properly, the rest of the detail won't turn out as good.
i hope this helps.
-mike
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RE: Anyone know how to buff? - 1/1/2008 6:05:06 PM
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sdm1234
Posts: 40
Joined: 12/28/2006
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^^VERY GOOD INFO! I've been working with show cars for quite a while now and I can tell you that's the best information I've heard here in a while. A good polish/wax is all in the prep. Also, I've noticed many of you have been using the term "buffing" all wrong. Buffing is what you do to remove recently applied wax/polish, using a microfiber towel or 100% cotton cloth. Most of you are talking about "polishing." There are two types of polish: abrasive and non-abrasive. Abrasive will cut microscopicly into the paint/clearcoat to remove swirls. These polishes include: Meguire's Scratch-X, Mother's Swirl Mark Remover, Tutrle Wax Rubbing Compound, 3M's Polishing Compound... Basically, anything that says "Rubbing compound" is an abrasive polish. Non-abrasives will use micro-fillers to "fill in" swirls. These aren't permanent, and the swirls will eventually show again after a while. These products include both Mothers and Meguire's Stage 2 Polish, Turtle Wax Ice Polish, 3M's Hand Glaze, Black Magic Polish... Most of your over-the-counter polishes are non-abrasive to protect newbs from damaging their paint. To properly polish your car, you must first prep the surface using a de-oxidizer and strip old wax. Afterwards, you can then polish the car to bring out the brilliance in the paint. Most people confuse the difference between polish and wax. Just as stated, polish will enhance the brilliance of the finish's natural color. Most advertisements use these words: "Deepens the color/Richens the paint." Wax, on the other hand, only adds reflection to the surface by maintaining surface consistancy of the outer-most layer. It gives the finish a "wet" look or "mirror finish." On top of that, it protects the finish so: A)The paint doesn't become oxidized again, which causes a hazy, dull finish (most obvious on 1st gen Blazers), B)non-abrasive polishes don't wear off after a rain and C)Air contaminants don't settle into the finish and scratch it. New-age technology has made synthetic wax the preffered choice, due to it's ability to endure the natural elements much longer and stronger.
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