*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***

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Nick,

I4Detailing do a couple of kits with the Silverline Rotary where you get everything you need. I got the top kit (about £145) and it's brilliant. Can't recommend it enough.

However, as some people have mentioned, if you're worried about doing damage a DA is much safer. Having said that, I've not had any issues with the rotary, just do a lot of research into proper technique etc and take it slowly.
 
Thanks for the replies. What exactly is a dual action? What makes it safer?

I like the price of the silverline but a DAS6 is only a bit more and if it's safer I think I'd rather go for that.
 
Nick1881 said:
Thanks for the replies. What exactly is a dual action? What makes it safer?

I like the price of the silverline but a DAS6 is only a bit more and if it's safer I think I'd rather go for that.
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A rotary spins on a central axis while a DA oscillates at the same time as it rotates.

If you held a rotary in one place on your car, eventually the friction would cut through the paint and down to the bare metal. Because the head of the DA is always moving, even if you held the machine in one place, the friction would be spread over a larger area reducing the risk of 'strike through' as it's known in the trade. Couple that with the fact that a rotary can spin at much higher speed than a DA and the potential risk of strike through is further increased.

However, there are some high returns for the added risk of using a rotary. First of all it's faster, secondly it (arguably) can achieve a better finish and finally the oscillating motion of the DA can be more uncomfortable and harder to control (when I say harder, it just requires a different method to move it around the bodywork).

Now I was in your position back in February. I knew nothing about machine polishing and the 'risk' of a rotary scared me to death. However, I did a lot of research on the theory and methods of using one. I looked into which machines, pads and polishes would be most suited to the kind of paint I would be working with and I came to the conclusion that I would give it a go.
I got all the gear for my birthday in March (that kit from I4D) and then used my girlfriend's Corsa as a trial run before letting loose on the E60.

If you go back a bit in this thread you will find both of my posts where I worked on the Corsa and did a bit of correction on the E60.

If I, as a complete novice, can handle a rotary I don't think anyone should be scared of them. It just takes some time, research, patience and practice to reduce the risk. Trust me, the reward is well worth it. :)
 
Matt82 said:
i finished a 3-4 evening cleaning on one of the golfs the other week.

used a rotary and all the paint is still on the car
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Not possible, the internet says unless you are a complete fairy then the clear coat will be taken off.

I used a Rotary on my (apparently thin) Honda paint and no one belives I haven't gone down to the bare metal :(
 
-Ad- said:
Not possible, the internet says unless you are a complete fairy then the clear coat will be taken off.

I used a Rotary on my (apparently thin) Honda paint and no one belives I haven't gone down to the bare metal :(
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i keep the rpm low, ill keep the surface damp and i keep the pad moving and i dont put a lot of pressure on.

the funny thing is, my dad used to have me machine polishing cars years ago (when i was 14 on wards) when he used to sell second hand cars on the side.

ive burnt the rubber trim around a window once when i got too close to that without realiing... my dad burned a plastic bumper trim on his XJS decades ago too

other than that, no, ive not destroyed any cars with a buffer (and the he has is archaic, Noah polished the ark with the same model)

when i machined the mk4 i got amazing results due to the car being black. ill have to try and get some of those close up with LED torch pics they put up on detailing world.
 
Matt82 said:
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:D

See even a 14 yr old can sort of not damage a car with one of these things.

It just seems that as ever with the interent things can get blown out of proportion. But then again the odd person who is ham fisted and burns a hole through their door would otherwise come online and blame the internet people on how he screwed up his paint.

The joys of the internet :D
 
The issue isn't so much of damaging a flat surface while you're polishing it - you have to be an idiot to do this as long as you've done your research. What is incredibly easy to do is to take the lacquer from edges where it is usually incredibly thin and exposed. It is also easy to catch something with the edge of a pad which will do damage incredibly fast as Matt has already demonstrated.
 
I don't think I have ever seen here, at DW or Autopia, anybody saying that the rotary is a paint stripper that is best avoided at all costs. It has its place, just like the DA. How you choose to recommend either one of them comes down to your assumptions and interpretation of the individual users intent.
 
Whats the cheapest website to buy cleaning products from? I used to use Clean and Shiny as they were down the road and gave discount when buying over the counter but they went bust not so long ago.
 
Gave the car a wash today and after drying I noticed it has hundreds of tiny white spots all over the paint, it's a black car so it looks awful...! I have no idea what they could be, going to try and clay it later in the week and hopefully it will get rid of them
 
Hey all, apologies if this has been asked before. Just used the last of my SRP last week. Does anyone have any recommendations for a polish to be used by hand on a dark green car, or shall I just stick with the SRP?

Also, how often should polishing be done? I've read that my Poorbooy's wax wears off in a matter of weeks, so surely not everytime the wax wears off?

Ta muchly :)
 
I assume you're using nattys blue? Pbw blackhole is an excellent polish suitable for use by hand. I used to get a few months out of nattys blue, just layer it up;

I used to apply and buff one coat, then do it again an hour later. The next day I'd wash the car again and do the same, giving four layers. You need to be using a really mild shampoo though.

You could switch to a more durable wax, but after getting some collonites 476, I went straight back to nattys, it's just got such a lovely wet glossy look about it that I doubt you'll match without spending a fair bit more money.
 
Thanks Mike, someone suggested Black Hole to me a few pages back (although suggesting that I should use it after SRP), so if it is suitable for use on its own I'll have to pick some up.

Car's currently got two layers on (of wax, that is, applied an hour apart). I'm using Autoglym Shampoo and Conditioner, is that mild enough?

Thanks for the advice!
 
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Using blackhole after srp is bad advice - they are both essentially glazes, stick to one or the other.

I've no idea about the autoglym stuff, but if you're ordering some blackhole you may as well grab some of their shampoo to try as well.
 
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