DA polisher newb.
Discussion
Bought myself a DA polisher some time ago but today was the first opportunity to get to use it. Final results look pretty good but what a mess it took to get there, it almost seems as though it’s easier by hand.
Anyway, I’ve got the Autoglym machine polishing kit with pads and compound and a DA6 polisher. Followed the instructions with a couple of small blobs on the pad, work small areas and don’t switch the polisher on until it’s in contact with the panel but still there was quite a lot of spatter and more annoyingly quite a lot of polish ‘dust’. Is just down to experience and honing your technique or is it always going to be this much of a faff? Or do others use a different method? Would appreciate any advice.
Also, now it’s dark so it’s too late to wax it - I guess it’s OK to wax tomorrow after leaving the car outside overnight? I’m imagining giving it a flick over with a cloth to get rid of any dust (hopefully that will be all it needs) then applying the wax. Again, any advice would be appreciated.
Anyway, I’ve got the Autoglym machine polishing kit with pads and compound and a DA6 polisher. Followed the instructions with a couple of small blobs on the pad, work small areas and don’t switch the polisher on until it’s in contact with the panel but still there was quite a lot of spatter and more annoyingly quite a lot of polish ‘dust’. Is just down to experience and honing your technique or is it always going to be this much of a faff? Or do others use a different method? Would appreciate any advice.
Also, now it’s dark so it’s too late to wax it - I guess it’s OK to wax tomorrow after leaving the car outside overnight? I’m imagining giving it a flick over with a cloth to get rid of any dust (hopefully that will be all it needs) then applying the wax. Again, any advice would be appreciated.
It can be messy but as said you don't need too much compound, also start at a slow speed to spread the compound first.
Lots of good videos on you tube.
You should also be wiping down with a specific panel wipe after polishing or at least a good wash to get rid of any polish residue before final protection.
Lots of good videos on you tube.
You should also be wiping down with a specific panel wipe after polishing or at least a good wash to get rid of any polish residue before final protection.
Splatter usually means you've got too much polish on the pad. 3 pea sized drops is plenty. Start the machine on a slow speed to spread it, and then ramp the speed up.
Dust is where you have worked the pad too much and the polish has dried out. Clean the pads often with either an air line or brush to prevent them clogging up with old dried out polishing compound.
Dust is where you have worked the pad too much and the polish has dried out. Clean the pads often with either an air line or brush to prevent them clogging up with old dried out polishing compound.
You want to rinse the car off if you've left it to the next day to wax, also depending on the cut of compound you used you'll need to refine the finish to get out the marring and holograms the heavier cutting compounds cause. (depending on what you used and what the goal was when you started)
Clean the pads often and don't let the polish dry on them otherwise it just becomes a scouring pad, use less polish as well and the splatter won't happen and work the polish to make sure you've broken it down properly and remember it's easy to polish a section again than to realise you've gone too far the first time.
Clean the pads often and don't let the polish dry on them otherwise it just becomes a scouring pad, use less polish as well and the splatter won't happen and work the polish to make sure you've broken it down properly and remember it's easy to polish a section again than to realise you've gone too far the first time.
Not to hijack the thread but are "Pad conditioners" any good at preventing the pad drying out? I polished the car for the 1st time last week and had similar issues to OP (stuff went everywhere and dust).
I used chemical guys pad conditioner but wasn't sure when to use it?
Before you apply polish to the pad? In between sections? How often should you use the pad brush?
Cheers OP for sharing your experiences!
I used chemical guys pad conditioner but wasn't sure when to use it?
Before you apply polish to the pad? In between sections? How often should you use the pad brush?
Cheers OP for sharing your experiences!
T1berious said:
Not to hijack the thread but are "Pad conditioners" any good at preventing the pad drying out? I polished the car for the 1st time last week and had similar issues to OP (stuff went everywhere and dust).
I used chemical guys pad conditioner but wasn't sure when to use it?
Before you apply polish to the pad? In between sections? How often should you use the pad brush?
Cheers OP for sharing your experiences!
Used to be useful with old skool polishes years ago. Today's polishes are well lubedI used chemical guys pad conditioner but wasn't sure when to use it?
Before you apply polish to the pad? In between sections? How often should you use the pad brush?
Cheers OP for sharing your experiences!
so a specific pad conditioner isn't required.Cheers,
Chris
cardecisionhelp said:
can you post pics and link to the DA kit you bought please
Sure, it was this one, a DA8, sorry, not DA6 as I said in my OP:https://www.in2detailing.co.uk/products/in2detaili...
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