There are many other random orbital buffers/polishers from various manufacturers with various speeds and attachments. Some examples are Porter Cable, Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee, etc.
You will find that the Porter Cable brand is the most readily available in kit form which includes various types of cutting pads and even polishes and waxes.
The following how-to describes my method for using a Porter Cable random orbital buffer/polisher. I use the most popular model - PC7424.
In this how-to I am polishing the paint of a 1995 Mercury Mystique that us heavily swirled. Here is the surface to be polished after a clay:
1. Apply polish to pad
I apply the polish to the pad as shown below. Since the surface is heavily swirled, I am using an aggressive polish with the heaviest cut pad.
2. Apply polish to paint
I dab the foam pad on the area I am going to work on. My personal preference is to spray the foam pad with some detailing spray. (You can use water if you choose.) I find this helps the polish "last" a little longer - it doesn't dry as quickly and I can work with it longer.
3. I start at a low speed (~1000) and work the polish smoothly and quickly over the entire area to be worked. There is no need to apply pressure - just direct it. (The PC will not harm your paint unless you are using an extremely aggressive compound and pushing down for a long time.) I then turn up the speed to ~2000 - 2500 and work slower - about 1" per second from one end to the other. I then work back to where I started at the same pace overlapping about 2/3 of the previous pass. I continue this until the entire area is complete.
1st pass: driver side to passenger side
2nd pass: front to back
3rd pass: driver side to passenger side
4th pass: front to back
By keeping the foam pad slightly damp, it keeps the polish from drying out too quickly.
4. Repeat
Move on to the next section that needs to be polished and repeat steps 1-3.
You will find that the Porter Cable brand is the most readily available in kit form which includes various types of cutting pads and even polishes and waxes.
The following how-to describes my method for using a Porter Cable random orbital buffer/polisher. I use the most popular model - PC7424.
In this how-to I am polishing the paint of a 1995 Mercury Mystique that us heavily swirled. Here is the surface to be polished after a clay:
1. Apply polish to pad
I apply the polish to the pad as shown below. Since the surface is heavily swirled, I am using an aggressive polish with the heaviest cut pad.
2. Apply polish to paint
I dab the foam pad on the area I am going to work on. My personal preference is to spray the foam pad with some detailing spray. (You can use water if you choose.) I find this helps the polish "last" a little longer - it doesn't dry as quickly and I can work with it longer.
3. I start at a low speed (~1000) and work the polish smoothly and quickly over the entire area to be worked. There is no need to apply pressure - just direct it. (The PC will not harm your paint unless you are using an extremely aggressive compound and pushing down for a long time.) I then turn up the speed to ~2000 - 2500 and work slower - about 1" per second from one end to the other. I then work back to where I started at the same pace overlapping about 2/3 of the previous pass. I continue this until the entire area is complete.
1st pass: driver side to passenger side
2nd pass: front to back
3rd pass: driver side to passenger side
4th pass: front to back
By keeping the foam pad slightly damp, it keeps the polish from drying out too quickly.
4. Repeat
Move on to the next section that needs to be polished and repeat steps 1-3.
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