Anyone handy with a machine polisher?

[Ry_B]

And wants to help out a fellow PHer?

I've just put a deposit down on my new car, only prob is being black it has some swirl marks and a few small scratches, if I paid you would you be able to PC my car for me?

I'm based in Solihull but will travel!

Thanks!

[TVR MAN]

I would try asking here.

Edited by TVR MAN on Sunday 9th May 20:32

[Ry_B]

Thanks for the link mate

[Rich_W]

Slightly O/T

Anyone got any experience of one of these.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Safe for amateur use? (i.e. removing T Cut/Polish) or are they a bit risky? Better options of that sort of money?

[Ry_B]

TVR MAN said:

I would try asking here.

Edited by TVR MAN on Sunday 9th May 20:32

I'm looking for more "none pro" type companies really, more of a person that can do it instead of a business

[Deluded]

Rich_W said:

Slightly O/T

Anyone got any experience of one of these.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Safe for amateur use? (i.e. removing T Cut/Polish) or are they a bit risky? Better options of that sort of money?

Those are a load of st.

[richcorsavxr]

Rich_W said:

Slightly O/T

Anyone got any experience of one of these.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Safe for amateur use? (i.e. removing T Cut/Polish) or are they a bit risky? Better options of that sort of money?

yep
there crap, hard to control and do bugger all, i use it to polish the kitchen floor instead.

really should be looking at £90 for a da polisher, but they only get light swirls out, you need a rotary polisher which i belive are cheaper, but in the wrong hands can destroy the paintwork

[Rich_W]

Cheers guys.

£90 is too much for me! I'll just stick to the hard arm work part!

[Dog Star]

It really isn't that hard; I'd suggest giving the car a good wash and dry, then use a clay bar and lubricant, then use a quality wax.

The effect that the clay bar acheives is amazing.

It's really very easy.

[x type]

If you look closely at the door you can see wierd lines ,they are the result of a halfords type polisher in the flesh it looked horrendous (i'm crap at taking photos )
the car isn't badly scratched or swirled to start with

black like the dark green metallic is a bit of a bugger for showing the marks


all depends on how much you want to get of the swirls and scratches





here's the result after using a decent silverline rotary polisher

[Rich_W]

Hmmm That MGF looks like the sort of result I want . Just googled and found this

http://shop.autobritedirect.co.uk/silverline-silve...

Good?

Edited by Rich_W on Sunday 9th May 21:24

[rsv gone!]

Rich_W said:

Hmmm. Just googled and found this

http://shop.autobritedirect.co.uk/silverline-silve...

Good?

That is the spitting image of my Makita, for about a third of the price.

Most would suggest a Dual Action polisher rather than a rotary, for a beginner. Less aggressive on your paintwork but much slower to work with.

[richcorsavxr]

Rich_W said:

Hmmm That MGF looks like the sort of result I want . Just googled and found this

http://shop.autobritedirect.co.uk/silverline-silve...

Good?

Edited by Rich_W on Sunday 9th May 21:24

i would recommend a da polisher, you need a lot of experiance to use somethng like this, there very agresive and build up a lot of heat, which will destroy your paintwork resulting in a respray

[jaf01uk]

Rich_W said:

Hmmm That MGF looks like the sort of result I want . Just googled and found this

http://shop.autobritedirect.co.uk/silverline-silve...

Good?

Edited by Rich_W on Sunday 9th May 21:24

Be extremely careful with a rotary buffer, that is a grinder by another name and is extremely easy to burn right through to primer or even bare metal in no time if not used properly, the dual action polishers (porter cable/meguiars/kestrel) do side to side as well as round and round and therefore are far less likely to burn the paint. The rotary in the right hands will give a great result but is a skilled job, just to warn you...
Gary

[B17NNS]

This is what you want.

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/meguiars/g220-d...

[x type]

got to agree be careful with a rotary ,it's taken me nearly 2 years to be brave and tackle someone else's car

I did my wife's old banger first , tok my time and luckily didn't wreck the paint

if you do get one , try and scrounge or byt on old door or wing from a scrappy to practise on first

[The Riddler]

Rich_W said:

Slightly O/T

Anyone got any experience of one of these.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

Safe for amateur use? (i.e. removing T Cut/Polish) or are they a bit risky? Better options of that sort of money?

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_232655_langId_-1_categoryId_165557

[Six Fiend]

x type said:

If you look closely at the door you can see wierd lines ,they are the result of a halfords type polisher in the flesh it looked horrendous (i'm crap at taking photos )
the car isn't badly scratched or swirled to start with

black like the dark green metallic is a bit of a bugger for showing the marks


all depends on how much you want to get of the swirls and scratches

How in god's name did you mark it like that with a Halfords polisher? I've been using one for a couple of years and get a perfectly good finish and no dodgy marks.
If you don't over apply the polish (I've used Meguiars #83 applied by hand on the worst areas) it will buff up fine. Terry cloths to finish off once the techwax has been applied and buffed too.

[Pothole]

Six Fiend said:

x type said:

If you look closely at the door you can see wierd lines ,they are the result of a halfords type polisher in the flesh it looked horrendous (i'm crap at taking photos )
the car isn't badly scratched or swirled to start with

black like the dark green metallic is a bit of a bugger for showing the marks


all depends on how much you want to get of the swirls and scratches

How in god's name did you mark it like that with a Halfords polisher? I've been using one for a couple of years and get a perfectly good finish and no dodgy marks.
If you don't over apply the polish (I've used Meguiars #83 applied by hand on the worst areas) it will buff up fine. Terry cloths to finish off once the techwax has been applied and buffed too.

bought some cheap polishing disks?

[fraserbottomley]

B&Q used to do a budget dual action MacAllister sander for around £30 that's great for detailing use. I bought one around a year ago but I've no idea if they still do them.

There is a bigger risk of burning the paint with a rotary but as long as your keep it moving and take your time you should be fine.

As far as polishes go Autoglym Super Resin Polish is good for a one step process. It contains paint cleaners, has some cut for actually removing swirls permenantly and is also loaded with fillers which mask any swirls which havn't been polished out.