Polishing Help

[kaos_ss]

First off, I know there are tons of threads about polishing; I've read so many and have picked up a lot of great information. I want to polish my car but I'm not exactly sure I'm buying the right stuff. So hopefully, the Camaro community can help me out!


First the polisher:

I found the Porter Cable 7424XP (6in) on the Home Depot website for $94.36. Is this the right type of buffer to reduce the chance of damaging the paint?

Here is the link: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Porter-Ca...4XP/203054743#


Now this is where I get lost.

What is a "backing plate?" And do I need to buy that separately or does it come with the polishers?

Why are there so many different types of pads? Do I need a specific type or multiple types?

And last question, I use Adam's products on my car, it looks like they have a two step polish, is that the way most products work? Or is there an easier polish to use?


Sorry about all the questions! I just want to make sure I purchase all the right stuff cause I hate having to return stuff!!! Oh yeah, I had a silver SS and it was easy to keep clean, but now I have a black ZL1 and it is easy to spot all the tiny swirls on the paint.

And to CamaroDreams07, I bought a few products based on your product recommendation, I really like the Microfiber Madness products. Thanks for that write up.

[axis]

The 7424 is fine. The Griots 6in a little more powerful and around the same price, although $95 is pretty cheap for that XP. Both are dual action polishers, so they'll be easier on the paint.

The back plate is what the pads stick to. You NEED one if it doesn't come with one. That's probably why one you found is cheaper. A back plate runs around $15. The 5in is what most use. PC also sells a 3in backplate for the smaller pads.

Different pads have different abilities to cut. The most common size for the machines you're looking at is 5.5in.

Orange and white are the more common "correcting" pads. Black and below are used for applying glazes, sealants, and waxes because the have little to no cutting power.

http://www.autogeek.net/ccs-5-5inch-...fing-pads.html

Products vary from company to company. The most common procedure is a two step method where the first step polishes out the deeper swirls but can leave minor ones in the process. The second step cleans up those swirls to give a nice smooth finish. You can even take it a step further and "jewel" the finish with a very fine polish. It all depends on how anal you are.

[ihaveacamaro]

Originally Posted by axis

The 7424 is fine. The Griots 6in a little more powerful and around the same price, although $95 is pretty cheap for that XP. Both are dual action polishers, so they'll be easier on the paint.

The back plate is what the pads stick to. You NEED one if it doesn't come with one. That's probably why one you found is cheaper. A back plate runs around $15. The 5in is what most use. PC also sells a 3in backplate for the smaller pads.

Different pads have different abilities to cut. The most common size for the machines you're looking at is 5.5in.

Orange and white are the more common "correcting" pads. Black and below are used for applying glazes, sealants, and waxes because the have little to no cutting power.

http://www.autogeek.net/ccs-5-5inch-...fing-pads.html

Products vary from company to company. The most common procedure is a two step method where the first step polishes out the deeper swirls but can leave minor ones in the process. The second step cleans up those swirls to give a nice smooth finish. You can even take it a step further and "jewel" the finish with a very fine polish. It all depends on how anal you are.

very nice post

[CamaroDreams07]

Originally Posted by ihaveacamaro

very nice post

+1

[KBsSS]

Prepping is very important also. Claying is a good step...