Buffing and Polishing Clear

[Rick G.]

I'm using the 3M Microfinishing Compound, Perfect It Foam Polishing Pad Glaze and then 3M Imperial Hand Glaze. When I start with the compound I put some on the part and on the pad then start buffing. I do the same with the Perfect It in the next step. My question is when do you add more compound or Pad Glaze? Should the piece always be wet with liquid? If you buff after the you can't see the compound is that too long and you risk ruining the piece?
Secondly, how do you know when it's time to switch from the MicroFinishing Compound to the Perfect It Pad Glaze?
My test pieces are coming out pretty nice except if you look carefully when the sun hits it you can still see some very very fine swirl or sanding marks I don't know which. The people I've shown them don't see them but I'm am very picky about my work.

 

[Jim]

Rick,
If you finish sanded with 1200 first,use the micro until you cant see any of the 1200 scratches.wipe it clean with soap and water ,dry,then use the perfect it and do the same.make sure you change pads.don't use the hand glaze until you can't see any scratches.it's just a wax replacement and to bring out the shine.keep enough of the liquids on without going dry,otherwise it will heat up and burn the finish but as long as it's still slick,it's ok.The grit in the liquid is what's taking the marks out so keep enough on to keep you from pushing too hard.it works better when you apply pressure but don't get carried away,you'll start slinging parts around the garage.not a good thing!

Like Rex said,finish with 2000 grit not 1200,sorry about that,1200 will have you buffing alot longer!

 

[Rick G.]

Jim,
So I can rinse the part after using the microfinishing compound to see if the scratches are gone? If that's the case it will make it a lot easier to tell if the scratches are gone.
Thanks.

 

[Jim]

You sure can,After most of the micro is gone but still slick,I'll wipe it with a soft cloth and check it out.When I can't see any sanding marks,I'll rinse it and look again.Make sure you rinse all the compound from the brackets and wherever it gobs up.You don't want to hit that micro glob while your useing perfect it,you'll just keep putting scratches in it.I use 3M swirl mark remover instead of perfect it,I don't know weather it's better or worse but,It works for me.Like I said before,don't be afraid to apply some pressure when buffing especially if the clear sat a few days.I don't know about PPG but HOK's clear gets pretty darn hard.

 

[rex]

Jim described it very well.When I'm using the compound I do a spot and as it glosses up I use no pressure and let the pad clean up the area.There will be a few light compound haze streaks at the edge of the pad but the area will be pretty clean to look at.Then I look at it from a few angles to see if the scratches are gone.If not buff it again or move on to the next spot.Once all the sand scratches are gone move on to the machine glaze to remove the compound scratches.The glaze should remove all those and the surface will be scratch free.If you still have scratches they will look different depending what they are.If they're straight and follow the direction you sanded it you didn't compound them out all the way.If they're curved they're swirl marks from the compound that weren't completely removed with the glaze.If it's a deep curved scratch you picked up a piece of dirt in the pad or your pad is loaded with dried material.I clean my buffing and polishing pad about every 4 sqare feet of use.With foam pads blow air across it as it's spinning and on wool pads I stick the air blower in the pad like a spur would be used.When you're done with the job it's best to wash the pads out so the material doesn't dry in which can cause swirl marks on the next job.

 

[Rick G.]

Thanks to everyone for the help. I will definitely have better results using the information all of you have provided on this subject as well as others. As many members and guests have said, this board is the best thing that anyone trying to become a good painter and be proud of his work could ask for.
Thanks to Scott, Rex, and everyone, there are a lot of guys taking pride in what they have accomplished themselves!!

 

[Rick G.]

Can anyone tell me if the stands that Scott uses to hold fenders, etc. during paint can also be used for buffing and polishing? If so what keeps the fenders from moving, falling off, etc. during the buffing and polishing process? Are they fastened on in some manner?

 

[TAZ]

Hey Rick,
I do use the same stands for both polishing and painting (make sure you blow them off good before painting parts though

)

When making the stands, I make sure that the "foam tubing" overhangs *at least* an 1". This is good enough to hang onto the fenders when buffing.

 

[rex]

Rick,I understand your concern.I made a set of stands on the same principle with the press fit and they're fine if you have a good snug fit.You do have to pay attention when buffing though and not get careless.You always have to buff off an edge to avoid burning it,but you have to pay a touch more attention on these stands.I have the option of bolting mine solid and the base is a large donut spare tire so they are heavy and very stable,but even if bolted down I'd guarrantee a careless move will slam it on the ground fast.I watched a fender fly clean across a large bay one day when the buffer fliped it out of a guys hand-ouch.To me that's the only surefire way to make sure the thing is held solid but there's alot of fatigueing(sp) muscle work required for the person holding the part rock solid.Then again I think alot of people tend to rely on heavy pressure instead of letting the tools do the job.Some of these clears do get real hard but the trick is to finish sand down to 2000 or finer to ease the compound's job.