Buffer or hand action?

[Sal69]

How many of you use a powered buffer when waxing?

I only ask because it seems too be a ok debate, I personally can see the reason behind using a buffer and have in the past but I'm afraid I'll burn the paint so I've gone back to the awsome hand action (2 full size trucks aday every few month= man my right arm is tired)

Also, I have a 00 f150 thats never had a wax job on it (well its been hit with spray on), would I be better off using something like Turtle wax ICE or just the Hard Shell Paste.

 

[stephen9666]

I have a super-cheap orbital buffer, and it does nothing.

With a new bonnet it doesn't seem to take any wax off at all. After trying it a couple times I went back to buffing by hand.

$20 down the toilet, I guess.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

I always figured the machine was best served to apply the wax in as thin a coat as possible so that the hand buffing was easier.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: GROUCHO MARX
I always figured the machine was best served to apply the wax in as thin a coat as possible so that the hand buffing was easier.


You can use it for both. But I believe the real benefit is supposed to be taking most of the labor out of the buffing.

 

[El_Schaf]

My personal experience was that it actually added time to my wax/buff routine. I did not find that it was able to remove the wax nearly as well as I could with my hand, and the application phase seems to be just a more complicated version of me getting an applicator and applying wax by hand. Not really time saving or worth having to clean a bonnet(IMHO, of course; I'm not a professional - see "accountant").

OTOH, it works GREAT for polishing/compounding. I did my whole old f-150 with great results in a relatively short period of time, literally had people commenting on it when they saw it. I just have the cheap auto zone 10" buffer.

 

[Eddie]

I put NuFinish on by hand and remove it with a Craftsman buffer.

 

[darkdan]

Porter cable for buffing and polishing. Orbitals won't burn paint unless you're really stupid and let it sit there for a few minutes. But actually removing paint swirls would be way too time consuming by hand.

Sometimes if I'm lazy I put a terry bonnet on and use it for removal too.

But Zaino doesn't require a buffer to apply or remove.

 

[RTexasF]

Originally Posted By: GROUCHO MARX
I always figured the machine was best served to apply the wax in as thin a coat as possible so that the hand buffing was easier.


That is the correct answer. Applying by machine gives a thin even layer easily removed by hand. In the end it's personal preference unless time is money. If that's the case you knock the job out quickly and efficiently which would be machine application.

 

[FiremarshalRob]

Very simple.

Polish = machine.

Wax = apply and remove by hand

 

[Capa]

Here is a very interesting link on this exact subject:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-...us-machine.html

I just recently bought a DA orbital buffer and plan to apply polish, sealant, and wax with it. Of course, I wipe it off by hand and it is so easy and efficient.

 

[Schmoe]

I'm with Steph on this one....my exact same experience. Just get some beer, good tunes cranked up and get after it.

 

[Capa]

Originally Posted By: Schmoe
I'm with Steph on this one....my exact same experience. Just get some beer, good tunes cranked up and get after it.


You've got to understand that Steph bought a $20 buffer and, as is often the case, you get what you pay for. If Steph were to invest in a legitimate dual action orbital buffer like the Meguiars, Porter Cable or Griots he would have greater correction that can be had by hand, would finish about 33% faster and would be able to spread the polish/wax/sealant more evenly as well. They run close to $100 and are worth their weight in gold.

 

[kkreit01]

^ More like $300 once you add all the pads, cleaners, conditioners, polish, compound, etc. That's why I still don't have one

.

Many apply wax with a DA & correct pad. Apparently they think it's quicker? I would second guess this if you include all the pad cleaning/changing time. I hate cleaning applicator pads. It's about as fun as cleaning a paint roller.

 

[Capa]

Kkreit01

You still have to buy some type of applicator pad if you do it by hand (granted, not as many) and you also need polish and compounds. I admit it is a pain hosing the pads to clean them but you also need to clean your pads. Yes, it's true, if you want to clean your car well either by hand or machine it will cost you some money.

 

[67Customs]

Originally Posted By: Sal69
How many of you use a powered buffer when waxing?

I only ask because it seems too be a ok debate, I personally can see the reason behind using a buffer and have in the past but I'm afraid I'll burn the paint so I've gone back to the awsome hand action (2 full size trucks aday every few month= man my right arm is tired)

Also, I have a 00 f150 thats never had a wax job on it (well its been hit with spray on), would I be better off using something like Turtle wax ICE or just the Hard Shell Paste.

I never use a power buffer when waxing. I talways seems to use more wax or sealant than needed.

For your F150, I would buy a Clay Magic clay bar and give it a good clay and then follow that with Meguiar's Deep Crystal Step #1 Paint Cleaner. You will be amazed at how easy it is to wax your truck after that.

 

[Schmoe]

My biggest issue is the "scare" factor. With a mechanical unit, I'd be scared to death I'd be cutting too deep into the paint. With my hand, I can see what I'm doing and I can "feel" it, if you will. I know you pro guys out there would and do an excellent job, but I'm not that. I actually got one of those Craftsman orbital, big pad, buffer things. I tried it and it did good for those flat surfaces, but not around corners and creases, so I had to do that by hand anyway. I know it takes longer, but I just don't have enough confidence nor experience to do it any other way.....anybody want to buy a Craftsman orbital buffer only slightly used?

 

[Capa]

Schmoe,

That same fear of damaging the paint is what kept me for years away from the buffers. As I visited different detailing forums I learned that it was the rotary buffers that can do quick damage to your paint and that the orbital buffers are very safe and, for the most part, idiot proof. That helped me go over the hump and invest in a dual action orbital buffer.

My 5 year old son recently scratched up my dad's Toyota with a rock. He drew a 1 ft by 1 ft swirl/bulls eye and a straight line about 1 foot in length. It looked really bad as Toyota paints are traditionally soft and so you can imagine that the scratches were quite deep. My dad came over yesterday and I polished the hood with compound with soft
abrasives and then went over the two scratched areas again. Then I switched pads
and got Ultimate Compound, which is alot more abrasive, and went over those area
two more times. One more round of polish with soft abrasives followed. I then layed
down sone sealant and then some wax. The line that was about 1 foot in length was
not visible from 3 feet away. The bullseye was about 90% improved. This is only the

4th time that I have used the machine and the first time I have ever tried to do some serious correction. I was very impressed. It was quite easy. Afterwards my dad had me do a couple of other spots and one of them was where a door had hit his door and there was some paint transfer. That paint came off easily. Again, I was very relunctant to use a machine on my vehicles for years and now I can't believe how easy and safe it us to use. It reduces my polish, sealant and wax times, I can apply the product more uniformly and doing correction on the paint is easier.

 

[kkreit01]

It's no doubt that only a machine can do serious correction -- even minor. When I need it, I will splurge for one. Luckily, my paints are light and new: white and silver. A hand applicator pad costs $1. A DA pad costs $10+, and you need several of each type to do 1 car (unless you are using Megs new MF pads -- but they having been flying apart on a few people). It's a huge investment to get into machine correction, but it's the only way to go if you need it. It's way better than to pay someone else to screw/swirl it up more.

 

[Malo83]

Buffer: wax application
Hand: wax removal
Works for me

 

[Capa]

If you want to invest in a DA orbital buffer and pads and you already have your waxes and sealants and polish and it will cost you around $200. My buffer came with 1 pad for the polish and 1 for the wax/sealant. I ordered 6 LC CCS pads for $50 (free shipping) and that is all I need. I do not do multiple cars per day and usually will do a section or two of the car per day.
If I'm polishing the whole vehicle I will use 3 pads and to wax it I just need one since you don't really apply any pressure on the machine and also because you can do the entire vehicle really fast. If I apply a sealant I will use 2 pads. Again there is a financial investment here but it isn't significant and the dividends more than make up for it---I finish faster, better correction and a more uniform application of the product. Also keep in mind that if I'm paying someone to polish, seal and wax my car plus do some correction, I am looking at over $400.