Polishing over panel joints and curves
 

My PC is wrapped up for Fathersday and I'm getting a large box of polishes today from Adams, and I had a few last minute questions....

In the videos I'm seen the polishing has been done in the middle of a flat panel. Does the machine polishing technique charge when you are polishing over panel joints or around curve (inside and out)?

Someone told me to have the polisher spin "off the panel" to reduce heat, which is kinda confusing to me, and might not really apply to polishing with the PC.

Or would it be best to just tape off the edge of each panel?

Thanks

You don't want to polish across joints or body lines, the pad needs to maintain flush contact with the surface as much as possible to get the job done.

You can either tape body gaps, or just avoid them, either way though you'll want to keep off of them somehow so you don't end up with polish residue in the cracks and crevices or cause the pad to spit polish dust out everywhere.

As far as curves, the pad and backing plate are extremely flexible so on larger more gradual curves its not much of an issue to keep the pad in contact. On more severe body lines (like the square cut of the rear fenders on the camaro) treat the vertical part and horizontal part as separate... polish up to the edge from either direction, meeting at the body line.

what about the small part of the hood between the hood and the cowl on either side? would the focus pad be good to use on this?

That contour isn't that extreme... I've polished a number of camaros and gone right over it without issue using the full sized pads. If you have the 4" pads though thats also perfectly fine.

Thanks for the responce Dylan. So none of your reasons include damaging the paint or anything critical, they are superficial (sorry couldn't find a better word) or effectivness reasons.

P.S. Get some Adam's posters up on the site for us to buy like the one in your garage!

Yes, for the mostpart. Paint is still very thin on hard edges like that so you don't want to to tons of polishing along them. Not that the PC is capable of polishing thru without some intent in those areas, but in general you just don't want to polish edges. Can you polish across spots like that without damage? Certainly! But if you start running the machine with the line and holding it there for extended periods the chance does exist, it would just take some intent.

Any tips on getting the area where the C-pillar meets the "hips" of the car?

I'm going to break up my polishing/waxing over two weekends . . . going to do from the hood/trunk/top of hips and up and then the next weekend do the front/sides/back.

You can either just go at it like any other spot, or if you wish, tape up the black trim first so you don't get polish on it. The only really tricky spots to polish on this car are the horizontal surface above the front bumper and around the taillights. The rest is really easy with the PC. Those spots aren't even that hard, just take a little more patience and diligence.