Polishing Machines

[mbaird]

I've almost completed the respraying of my car in cellulose. I've flatted bck the top coat using P1500 and I am planning on compounding / polishing with G3 compound and probably finishing with G10.

I'm looking for a suiable machine polisher and wondered if anyone had a any recommendations. I'm either considering the following:

- Kestrel DAS 6 Dual Action type of machine
- Silverline rotary type polisher

Does anyone of any experience of either of these machines for the work I'm about the undertake?

Thanks

[Grumpy Northener]

From long and professional experience of painting vehicles I would advocate in not machine polishing but completing all polishing by hand - it is very hard work but machine polishing is just going to leave your paint full of swirl marks. Flat out in one direction front to back and then polish back (again in one direction - front to back) first with G3 and then go to a finer polish prior to wax - you will not better the results.

If you have put your heart and soul into the paint work so far - believe me hand polishing is worth the effort.

[MG Mal]

WHS^^^

[mbaird]

Now the only reason I was considering a machine was the info frm Farecla said it was for machine application only. I guess they are trying to sell their own polishing mops too!

Polishing by hand would certainly save me the cost of one of these expensive machines.

When you apply by hand, what sort of material do you use to rub it in?

Thanks

[Amy]

We used Farecla cutting compound on my Jupe and just used regular mutton cloth and lots and lots of elbow grease. It looks gorgeous, so I can say it'll be well worth putting your time and effort into finishing off the cellulose by hand. And it's very satisfying

[TriumphDriver]

Don't use a polishing head on an angle grinder, unless you want to see what your metal looks like under the paint.
(Did that in 1985 with an old Mini.)

[Greybags]

I use a variable speed Silverline 180mm Sander/polisher (about £40) with G3 when I spray..

Unfortunately an old slipped disc injury makes hand polishing literally a bit of a pain in the neck , so always use the electric one.

Keep it moist, keep it moving, dont press down, let the machine do the work, and not to high a speed, and the celly will polish up a real treat without a load of back breaking effort...

[url
Compounded and polished by g.j.slope@btinternet.com, on Flickr][/url]

[m.thaddeus]

Hello There

Hand polishing is the safer option, and don't be fooled into thinking that using the machine is 'easier'. Anyone who has spent a couple of hours wielding a polisher will tell you that it make your arms and back hurt and you can really get a sweat up. And it makes a devil of a mess. All that spatter has to be washed off quickly as it dries like concrete.
Whereas working by hand merely gives you cramp.

I have a kestrel rotary polisher, its pretty basic but performs well. But to be honest I more often than not do the job by hand,

Flat 1500 wet with a block. Keep away from edges and swages. The use a medium compound until it looks good, then clean it off and do it again with a fine compound - I tend to use Finesse it.

If you use the mop spray a mist of water onto the panel to keep it cool and stop it all clagging up. And dont let the mop spin on any one spot, or risk wheel burn.
Good luck. Martin

[mbaird]

Thanks all for your replies.

It's actually nice to know this job can be done by hand (and I don't have to buy an expensive tool to do the job).

Time to stock up on the elbow grease!

[Luxobarge]