So you have decided to get yourself a machine to polish your car.
If you haven’t already, do read the previous articles on detailing at
Star-Motoring.com to get a general understanding on what it’s all about.
Machine polishing, interestingly so, is one part technique and one part flair.
It requires a solid understanding of paintwork essentials, a structured disciplined approach and valuable experience.
But before you get started on that, here’s a couple of fundamental guidelines to follow including an equipment list.
The DIY polishing equipment required are:
Random Orbital and/or rotary buffer; Extension cord; Polishing foam/lambswool pads;
Microfibre towels; Bucket of water for rinsing towels; LED/Halogen high-lumens flashlight for inspection; Painters-grade masking tape; Selection of polishes and compounds in differing abrasive-grades; Foam/lambswool pad cleaning system; LSP or Last Step Product i.e. wax or a synthetic sealant; and a quick detailer/wax booster for removing the LSP.
Always make sure the vehicle has undergone a thorough surface decontamination and preparation prior to polishing.
With all that done, let’s get cracking.
Set aside a reasonable amount of time to detail your car. A proper job requires patience and time to ensure a quality finish as there are no shortcuts to detailing.
Depending on your aspirations, it could start anywhere from 2-3 hours for a proper wash to an entire day for a light detail.
Work in a shaded area for two reasons. First, it allows you to work comfortably for longer hours and second it significantly reduces the possibility of polishes drying up prematurely causing residue build-up.
Ensure that you’ve completed the necessary vehicle wash, decontamination and surface preparation. This is perhaps the most overlooked aspect and yet represents the most crucial factor to achieving a quality detail.
Protect the plastic moulding and rubber trims including discreet areas with painters-grade masking tape. Machines can leave permanent friction burns on these trimmings and polishes will generally stain them.
Always begin with the least abrasive polish and work your way to more aggressive compounds depending on the paintwork correction requirements. This allows you to minimise unnecessary degradation of your vehicle’s clear-coat.
Have several pieces of microfibre towels for wiping off the excess polish.
A quick tip to reduce the chances of micro-marring the paintwork is to spritz the towels lightly with water to soften the fibres.
After wiping down each panel, make it a habit to rinse the cloth to remove residual polish from affecting an adjacent section.
When you’re polishing, remember to clean the pads constantly after each section to minimise the occurrence of micro-marring. The use of a pad cleaning system or a brush will allow for quicker refresh.
When shifting from a certain-grade of abrasive to another, always start with a fresh polishing pad.
The high-lumens flashlight allows one to check the paintwork finish for swirls, scratches and hologram trails.
Lighting is everything. Make sure you’re detailing your car in a well-lit area. You’ll be able to spot imperfections easily and work efficiently to remove them.
Polish residue typically accumulates around the edges of panels so use a wet microfibre towel to remove them gently.
I prefer to re-wash the vehicle as it will clean the residue quicker and allow me to focus my time on refining the little details.
Apply a high quality LSP or last step product to ensure the freshly detailed finish is well-protected.
Enjoy yourself. After all, detailing allows you to understand and care for your car better.
It can be extremely therapeutic depending on your expectations!