![]() Plane perpendicularly or diagonally across the high spots using overlapping strokes, as shown in Photo D. This step requires some muscle, but it usually goes surprisingly fast. Once the product has been applied, let it sit for a few minutes, then use a clean and damp cloth to clean it off.Check your progress frequently with both a straightedge and winding sticks. It usually works best to apply a small amount directly onto each section of the car. You’ll also need to use a damp, lint-free cloth to clean off your surface before the polish dries.įinally, you can use a wax or silicon-based glaze product to give your paint a thin protection layer and a little extra shine. Make sure you have enough polish so the buffer stays wet, or you might end up having to start over or clear coat the surface again. You’ll need to make sure to dampen your pad a little now and then to avoid burning the paint and be careful not to keep the buffer on one area for more than a couple of seconds or you risk damaging the base coat. Most buffers have a finishing pad which should be used with a finishing grade polish. Always make sure you buff away from edges. Quick tip: When using, never buff into an edge. Once you’re satisfied lower the revs a little and do a final pass. Repeat until you are satisfied with the result, it usually takes about 2-3 passes to obtain an impressive shine. It’s best to use a consistent motion, say left to right, right to left and then down and repeat the pattern. ![]() If you are using a foam pad, apply the polish in firm circular motions until enough polish has been applied. ![]() To optimise control, think about working in sections of about a 30 cm squared at a time. When you begin polishing, moving the buffer around frequently to keep one area from overheating. If your RPM is too high or you make sudden starts and stops you will burn the paint. It’s also best to use a slow-starting tool that works up to the top speed you have set. If you’re using an electric buffer, turn it on at a low RPM: generally, around 1800 RPM is good. Evenly apply polish to your electric buffer or foam pad and switch on, but a warning: do not put too much compound on the pad or you could burn through the paint. Make sure your buffing pad is 100 percent clean and properly attached to your buffer before starting. Remove excess soap, dust and sandpaper grit by washing down your vehicle with fresh water and drying with a lint-free cloth. This may not be required if your rubbing compound is designed to buff out 2000 grit scratches, but it is highly recommended for the ultimate finish.Īfter wet sanding is complete, it’s time to bring that shine to your vehicle through buffing. You may need to finish the sanding process with 3000 fine-grade sandpaper. Use micro-fine sandpaper, which is less sharp than other sandpaper and less likely to damage the surface. Some sites recommend starting with paper as low as 400 grade, but do not do this! Anything under 1200 is going to cause more damage than it solves. Start with around 1500 grade (1200 minimum, if the surface is acrylic and the scratches are really bad) and work up to 3000 grit. Once you start sanding, use even, smooth strokes without pressing too hard and using different stroke directions to achieve a “cross hatching” effect. Start by sanding a test area by laying your block flat on the surface and sliding it left and right a few times then moving down and repeating the pattern. Ensure it is a soft block or you risk scratching the paint job. The idea is to gradually eliminate the coarser scratches from the paint, levelling the paint’s surface with finer and finer scratches that can eventually be hidden with polish.įill a bucket with slightly soapy water and let your sandpaper soak in it for up to an hour before you begin, then wrap it around a soft colour sanding block. ![]() Then use wet sanding to start smoothing your surface with the aim of removing the tiny bumps and ripples in the paint that may have occurred at the paint spray gun stage, frequently referred to as orange peel.Īs you sand, you’ll be upping the grade of your sandpaper all the way to micro-fine 3000 grit varieties. Once fully cured you can use a tungsten block to carefully eliminate any of the more prominent nibs of paint of dust before wet sanding. ![]()
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