Technique for detailing area's where the pad cannot lay completely flat

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

So I had 3 hours to work with today and I did the driver's side with my Griot's 6" w/ microfiber 6.25" pads.

My technique is good on the areas where I can lay the whole pad flat. I'm getting 99% of light swirls out. Use the cross hatch, 2 moderate pressure passes, followed by 2 light pressure passes.

However on the areas such as below the side windows, and the angle at lower part of door, I'm not getting the same results. Maybe 50%.

Has to be my technique. These areas are far to small to cross hatch, unless you have a 1" polisher.

What technique works in these areas?

[CamaroDreams07]

You should be using smaller pads for small areas. However, the technique is the ensure your pad is flat to the part you're polishing, even if that means the other half of your pad is off the paint.

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

Can a 3" be installed on the Griot's without changing the counterweight?

I watched a video on You Tube entitled, "How to buff out concave and convex curved panels by machine", by a guy named Mike Phillips. He mentioned your technique, and said to roll the body of the machine to conform to the curve to get the most possible pad coverage.

I am actually taking a break after 1st step of doing passenger side today, and this method did work good on the bottom of the door, kind of hard to get much pad on the area below the window.

I'll keep working this technique and try to limit the areas I need a smaller pad as much as possible.

I appreciate all the help and advice, as a beginner to machine polishing, getting advice from someone who has the experience shortens the learning curve.

Perfection is a tough idiosyncrasy to bear at times.

[CamaroDreams07]

Yes you can, you just need the backing plate.

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

Originally Posted by CamaroDreams07

Yes you can, you just need the backing plate.

Ok I measured the housing on the griots that encompasses the counterweight. It's 3.5" in diameter, with a 3" backing plate, and the microfiber pads I'm using would be (Meguiars DMC3) which is 3.37 inches.

Wouldn't it be dangerous to use with any pressure as the circumference of the pad is smaller then the housing? So I'm thinking I need a pad that's at least 3.75" or 4"??

I just don't want to rub the housing against the car.

[Adam's Polishes]

you'll want a pad with a little overlap of the backing plate... the housing I wouldn't worry about too much since it'll be off the surface a ways.

to your original question - I've said this to a bunch of people before: Unless you're keen on the idea of taking your car apart or want to invest in a bunch of mini pneumatic polishers down to 1" OD there are always going to be some parts of your car that are not able to be reached with a machine. There is at least one (if not a handful) of parts on any car that just are too hard to reach with the tools most consumers will have. I know pros out there with tools and custom cut pads down to itty bitty sizes, but it doesn't make much sense for a guy detailing his own car to spend thousands of $$$ on tools to address one spot on their car. Get what you can with the tools you have, hand rub the rest IMO.

The advice above from CD07 is spot on, if your pad hangs off a part a little its not bad, just make sure that the portion of the pad thats on the car is flat and has even pressure applied. Use that smaller pad setup to get into a few more areas, and you should only have a few areas the polisher didn't hit. Try hand polishing those as best you can.

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

Originally Posted by Adam's Polishes

you'll want a pad with a little overlap of the backing plate... the housing I wouldn't worry about too much since it'll be off the surface a ways.

to your original question - I've said this to a bunch of people before: Unless you're keen on the idea of taking your car apart or want to invest in a bunch of mini pneumatic polishers down to 1" OD there are always going to be some parts of your car that are not able to be reached with a machine. There is at least one (if not a handful) of parts on any car that just are too hard to reach with the tools most consumers will have. I know pros out there with tools and custom cut pads down to itty bitty sizes, but it doesn't make much sense for a guy detailing his own car to spend thousands of $$$ on tools to address one spot on their car. Get what you can with the tools you have, hand rub the rest IMO.

The advice above from CD07 is spot on, if your pad hangs off a part a little its not bad, just make sure that the portion of the pad thats on the car is flat and has even pressure applied. Use that smaller pad setup to get into a few more areas, and you should only have a few areas the polisher didn't hit. Try hand polishing those as best you can.

Thanks for the response, the one problem with the griots is when you only have a small portion of the pad on the surface, it stops very easily with just light pressure. Would a 4" pad allow a little pressure without stopping?

[JTruck]

Originally Posted by Joe M 2012 2SS

Thanks for the response, the one problem with the griots is when you only have a small portion of the pad on the surface, it stops very easily with just light pressure. Would a 4" pad allow a little pressure without stopping?

Fundamentally speaking, yes. Have I tried it? No.

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

Originally Posted by JTruck

Fundamentally speaking, yes. Have I tried it? No.

In research this is something different I found. Just wondered if anyone has used it and if it worked.


It's called a CCS Spot Buff 4" Kit, has adapter for DA and a drill, 6 pads,
2 3/4 inch backing plate, 2 microfiber towels, and a pack of pad wash. $50

[CamaroDreams07]

Those are good pads. Be careful of using pads with a drill, you can burn through that way much easier than with a DA. A drill is a rotary polisher and heats up FAST

[KBsSS]

Originally Posted by CamaroDreams07

Those are good pads. Be careful of using pads with a drill, you can burn through that way much easier than with a DA. A drill is a rotary polisher and heats up FAST

[Adam's Polishes]

Originally Posted by Joe M 2012 2SS

Thanks for the response, the one problem with the griots is when you only have a small portion of the pad on the surface, it stops very easily with just light pressure. Would a 4" pad allow a little pressure without stopping?

Yes and on any tool like the GG6 or a PC I recommend you don't exceed speed setting 4 with smaller (3-4" pads). You won't need as high a speed with smaller pads.

Originally Posted by Joe M 2012 2SS

In research this is something different I found. Just wondered if anyone has used it and if it worked.


It's called a CCS Spot Buff 4" Kit, has adapter for DA and a drill, 6 pads,
2 3/4 inch backing plate, 2 microfiber towels, and a pack of pad wash. $50

Nothing inherently wrong with that kit, though we did used to offer a very similar backing plate and stopped. The problem came with the plate unthreading during use unless a thread lock was used, so proceed with caution.

The plates we now sell are fixed shafts, no adapters - last thing you need is to lean on your polisher only to have the plate spin free and take a gouge out of your paint with a 5/8" threaded bolt - and trust me - it happened!

This plate is compatible with any tool that accepts a 5/16" threaded shaft, so PC, GG6, etc.



http://adamspolishes.com/shop/exteri...ing-plate.html

we also offer it with a non threaded shaft for drills:



http://adamspolishes.com/shop/exteri...ing-plate.html

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

Originally Posted by CamaroDreams07

Those are good pads. Be careful of using pads with a drill, you can burn through that way much easier than with a DA. A drill is a rotary polisher and heats up FAST

I didn't plan on using a drill, just the DA adapter.
Though I'm kind of leaning towards the rupes 3" mini bigfoot. It's $300 which is expensive, but it's a really well made machine with much more power than the griot's 3".

I'm sure these are good pads, but I really like the microfiber cutting pad I used on the 6". It cuts so smooth, no sling, and is very easy to work right up next to the edge of trim. The rupes has enough power to handle the 4800 OPM required to use this 3" pad with ease.

I wasn't totally sold on the microfiber polishing pad, I think the foam does a better job.

But my car is a daily driver, I don't have a garage, so the times I can actually work on the paint are limited to perfect weather conditions outside.

I do really enjoy doing this (Using the DA) though, and I know I would like the rupes, but $300 is a little expensive for the machine. But that's kind of like the shaft I put in my golf driver, it was expensive, but boy does it work well.

So do I but something cheaper that will give me decent results, or spend the money and get excellent results. Decisions, decisions.

[CamaroDreams07]

You can get 3" microfiber pads you know. I would never purchase a dedicated 3" polisher