In preparation for the arrival of my Porter Cable 7424 and a box of Adams car care supplies, I decided to use my old supplies on the Intrepid and practice the techniques I've been watching at the various car car sites. (I've been reading your post Golfdude) I have lots of various Meguires products and decided to see what I could do. (Used to do it by hand using No. 2, followed by No. 9, followed by 26 with great results) I started with my old black and decker orbital polisher and meguires paint cleaner. After working it in, it was hard to get off. Tried again after reading the bottle one more time and used more pressure and wiped it off before it had a chance to dry. Much better but virtually none of the swirls came out. Went ahead anyway with Meguires No. 7 Show car glaze. Real hard to get off. First I tried working it in for longer. Same. Tried less time. Same. Rats. Well it was just hard to get off! Perhaps its my orbital buffer which has only one speed (3600 rpm) Finished with Megures cleaner wax because it's what I have in the closet. Man the car shines great. But I'm doing it the hard way or something. Is the orbital too slow to get the swirls out or do I need another product? Oh, I used terry cloth pads on the Orbital. Wrong pad? The shine is as good as any I've seen, but those swirls.....got to learn. And it can't be as hard by machine as by hand. I need some tips before I set my sights on the xfire.

Les

 

The tool you're using just doesn't have the guts to get the results you're after. Once the 7424 comes in you'll see exactly what I mean. It also sounds like you may been almost dry buffing a couple of products or just working them too long - either way, all Meguiar's paint cleaners and polishes should be wiped off while still wet and never allowed to dry. Waxes and sealants should allow to haze over before removal.

 

I use the same Meguiars products on my car. I have a Craftsman 7 inch buffer that I apply them with. First of all, none of those products will remove the swirls, no matter how you apply them. They just don't have enough of a compound to do it. The only way you will remove the majority of the swirls and scratches is with a mild rubbing compound, like a 3000 grit and a higher speed polisher. The Meguiars products are great, but for different purposes. I love the Show Car Glaze and it doesn't come off hard for me... You'll find that once the car has a good coat of wax, the glaze goes on and comes off easier. Like Mike said, make sure you only do a panel at a time and keep it wet. Remove the glaze while wet and then turn the cloth and wipe again to get everything off. As for pads, I use the microfiber pad, but you have to be careful and keep it in a plastic bag when you're done with the car because it will collect particles, like saw dust or dirt, which can really hurt your paint during the next use if not removed first. You'll get used to using the Porter Cable after a few times. It really makes the job easier. Good luck!

 

Your right. I let the glaze dry before buffing it off. My mistake. But the product bottle doesn't say squat about how to properly use it, the website either for that matter, but I know for sure they are top notch products because of my past success with No. 2 y No 9. So, should I be using a lubricant with the paint cleaner? With the Glaze? I've gotten swirls out with No. 2 by hand (not clear coated cars) but I haven't seen it in the local stores for years. This was my first time with the Paint Cleaner.

I've always used hand products but the arms just don't last long enough to wash, clay, clean, polish and wax. Therefore the foray into power tools and products. I don't want to learn on my nicer cars.

And thanks for the responses. The Porter Cable may solve all my problems, but I enjoy learning.

Les

 

I also use a Porter Cable but so far I have not had to deal with too many swirls.
However I notice that you say you have to wipe off the various cleaners. I frequently watch a pro buff out cars and let me tell you you almost never see a towel. Whatever compound is being used is worked with untill it is dry and no longer visible on the paint then it is a change of pad and the next compound.
Not that I can do it like that, but obviously working till it dries should not be a real issue. I think there is more to it and mastering proper technique.
Practice practice practice.

Good thing you have a test vehicle

 

I've been watching the videos from paintcare-n-detailing.com and I think that's what led me down the wrong path. They are using completely different products which confused me into working the Meguiars products (which I like) in the way that I did. Now I know I was using them in a manner they're not meant to be used. Even so, with the exception of the swirls, the results are quite amazing, just labor intensive. But like I mentioned, I just don't have the endurance to do a real complete detailing by hand anymore. Well, maybe I do and I've just gotten lazy or smarter. So the machine method is new to me and I'm super careful when I'm doing something I've never done before. Impatience made me get the 1980 vintage orbital that I never used and give it a go. I know we have real experts here and I'm going to avail myself of their experience and advice.

Les

 

Proper use of the product depends on the product itself. 3M Finesse It is designed to be buffed until it's gone, so trying to wipe it off while still wet is neither recommended nor always easy.

Meguiar's polishes should never be allowed to dry or buffed completely but rather wiped off while still wet. Some can be worked longer than others, but the basic technique is the same.

You need to understand the use of the products you're working with to get the best out of them, regardless who makes them. Technique is hugely important and I've seen guys do amazing things will a wide variety of products and I've seen guys do total crap jobs with a wide variety of products too.

For the record, I just double checked several bottles in my garage for the exact wording (M80 Speed Glaze, M83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish, M07 Show Car Glaze, M09 Swirl Remover 2.0, M03 Machine Glaze, etc) and they all say to work until almost dry and then remove. These are all Meguiar's paint cleaners, cleaner/polishes or pure polishes.

 

Thanks for setting me straight Mike. For the record, the 1-800 number won't work from P.R. or I would have called. Also for the record, your correct. I guess dyslexia rears its ugly head once again. But I did find the bottle unclear for what ever reason.

(The interior and exterior detailers are in the glove box)

 

First, I would step up the quality of your product. The products you have, like mentioned above, will not remove and swirls or marring. Contary to the belief of one poster, a PC can do great things once equipped with the right pad and product. I'm friends with the owner of Paintcare-n-detailing, there are a lot of good videos there!

I would try Optimum polishes as they have an unlimited breakdown time, which is really great for a newbie. What kind of pads are you using?

 

What did I miss? Who said that?

 

I've never had great success with Optimum Polishes. I used to own the whole line but then I went to Menzerna and the results are so much better. The unlimited break-down time of the Optimum products means you'll be buffing a panel for 10 minutes without much effect. Sorry for the rant, but after stepping-up to the Menzerna line I really do have a dislike for Optimum. Even Optimum's latest version of hyper compound and a light-cut pad on the rotary didn't touch the light swirls on my friend's Evo.

Velociabstract...Thanks for reading my thread What color is the car? You are definitely heading in the right directions though. The swirls probably can't come out because you have not been able to cut the clearcoat enough to the point where the surface is flat. Don't be afraid of speed 6! Use it, and use it almost always.

Mike-in-Orange...Unfortunately, I still am not too familiar with the Meguire's line of polishes. But, I hear M105 is awesome.