which polisher kit

[cupra.al]

just wondering if anybody could help im after buying a da polisher from cleanyourcar.co.uk but im getting confused by the supplied polishes as they say the grades of cut like 3.5 cut and 3.0 gloss which i dont have a clue about i have small swirl like scratches on my black paint.

ive been thinking about getting the intro kit but i dont know the meaning of the cut and gloss grades etc can anyone help please would the intro kit be ok for me or can you advise a different kit for me out of these http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/polishing-machines/das-6-pro-dual-action-polisher/cat_81.html thanks alex.

 

[killieboy123]

The cut is just for removing deeper swirls, it will be more abrasive but the gloss will be just to do very light surface swirls and will be less abrasive.
Mine was a present but I got a set with 4 menzerna polishes of different levels and spent a while looking into them. I use the lightest one and if it doesn't get rid of them, move up to the next one.
This is similar kit to mine:
http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/polishing-machines/das-6-pro-dual-action-polisher/das-6-pro-dual-action-polisher-menzerna-kit/prod_675.html

Hope this helps cause I'm quite new to it too.

 

[4937Liam]

Get a rotary instead of a DA you will correct your car considerably quicker with less effort.

Liam.

 

[jonjay]

Sorry Liam but thats not a wise idea for someone just starting on machine polishing. You can cause a lot of damage with rotary and its an art that gets refine over many years.

 

[retrogrrl]

I’d personally get the intro kit as it has everything you need to start with and the money you save gives you scope to try other pads and polish or upgrade backing plates etc as you get more experienced.
This chart gives a rough idea of which polishes to use:
http://www.auto-geek.net/charts/wax-cut-chart-master.htm

and this is also useful:
http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/what-polish-should-i-use.html

Join www.detailingworld.co.uk and look at this thread: http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=63859 it’s a great guide for first time machine polishing.

 

[cupra.al]

Thanks for your help everyone from looking at the link to the polish chart i think i shall go for the intro kit and see how i get on with them as from what ive learnt from the chart the supplied polishes in the intro kit are a light cut and look like i cant get it wrong.
I will have a read of the machine polishing guide on detailing world before i make the purchase but im pretty sure thats the kit i will get at the moment.

 

[wakey_6l]

The Monza shop do a nice little start up collection if thats wha tyou are after, the DAS with compounds etc...
also the dodo juice kit, very reasonably priced to, hope this helps

Luke

 

[cupra.al]

thats added a wider choice as i know how good the results are of dodo juice lime prime by hand polishing i like the look of this kit now http://www.monzacarcare.com/complete-polisher-kits/deltalyo--dodo-juice-da-polisher-complete-kit-/0/ decisions.

 

[wakey_6l]

At the end of the day bud , every detailer has there own preference, I would always say go with what you know lol

 

[cupra.al]

i ordered the intro kit yesterday,thanks for the links retrogrrl they were a massive help that i shall probably go back to on ocassion.

 

[4937Liam]

Sorry Liam but thats not a wise idea for someone just starting on machine polishing. You can cause a lot of damage with rotary and its an art that gets refine over many years.

Yeah I guess your right buddy - I generally found the da just takes far to long to the required job on harder paints. I have a bit of experience using a rotary now - Its not the big bad polisher its made out to be - common sense wins the day regarding a machine with its capabilities oh and a paint thickness gauge of course...

 

[cupra.al]

i honestly think i could use a rotary but if it did go wrong for the sake of an extra hours polishing with a da polisher the cost to repair the pottentially damaged panel doesnt add up to an hour of my working time if that makes sence. so may aswell spend more time on polishing without possible damageing a panel.

 

[4937Liam]

Im no expert but ive had some basic tuition and generally unless you are very reckless with the machine you shouldn't encounter too many problems - You must have a ptg (paint thickness gauge) and always start on the least aggressive compounds / pad combos as it may well do the correction work. Heat build up will obviously occur alot quicker then using a da so its vital to keep the machine moving and not hold it down in one place with stupid amounts of pressure.

www.detailingworld.com - this place will explain everything you'll ever need to know in advanced detail.

 

[Aimez]

The advice I got was this form you know who!;

Without sounding like a ****, but it depends on your budget, and what you expect to achieve. Also, do you have any machine experience? My favourite three are 3M, Menzerna, CG Hex Logic.... The "generic cool foam" ones that Rubbish Boys etc sell aren't going to get great results. Well, they didn't on a rotary, so doubt they will be any better on a DA due to the nature of how they work.
Oh, get some scrap panels also if you can You can't really do that much damage with a DA, but having a few practice sessions first will really help.
or a total n00b then, I would go with the 3m systems... Buy from Elite Car Care.... Alex is one of the only people I know to sell 3M polishes in sample sizes. Also, get the 3M pads (green, yellow and blue). The pads and polish are colour coded (but the sample bottles aren't, but it's easy enough to work out, or PM me when you get them). I think you will also need to buy a small backing plate too.... I know the G220 comes with a large plate as standard, and I had to buy a small one for spot pads... Also, don't forget to buy some 3M blue tape, and also a Megs Triple Duty Brush to spur the pads and remove any polish to stop it clogging up the pad.

 

[Aimez]

deleted post read wrong

 

[4937Liam]

^^Good advice^^

Ive got the 3M system its pretty good to be fair.

 

[jonjay]

The advice I got was this form you know who!;

Without sounding like a ****, but it depends on your budget, and what you expect to achieve. Also, do you have any machine experience? My favourite three are 3M, Menzerna, CG Hex Logic.... The "generic cool foam" ones that Rubbish Boys etc sell aren't going to get great results. Well, they didn't on a rotary, so doubt they will be any better on a DA due to the nature of how they work.
Oh, get some scrap panels also if you can You can't really do that much damage with a DA, but having a few practice sessions first will really help.
or a total n00b then, I would go with the 3m systems... Buy from Elite Car Care.... Alex is one of the only people I know to sell 3M polishes in sample sizes. Also, get the 3M pads (green, yellow and blue). The pads and polish are colour coded (but the sample bottles aren't, but it's easy enough to work out, or PM me when you get them). I think you will also need to buy a small backing plate too.... I know the G220 comes with a large plate as standard, and I had to buy a small one for spot pads... Also, don't forget to buy some 3M blue tape, and also a Megs Triple Duty Brush to spur the pads and remove any polish to stop it clogging up the pad.

Sound advise there.

 

[jonjay]

Yeah I guess your right buddy - I generally found the da just takes far to long to the required job on harder paints. I have a bit of experience using a rotary now - Its not the big bad polisher its made out to be - common sense wins the day regarding a machine with its capabilities oh and a paint thickness gauge of course...

You are correct my friend but the problem is not everyone is the same. Like most tools in the modern day, they are not hard to use but they deserve a lot of respect as things can quickly go wrong. All you need is a car or a polish that doesnt react how you expect and will get a BIG sinking feeling. For example, DK's LCR car just didnt like the rotary and was suffering from sticky paint. I recently corrected a door on a 911 turbo and the rotary works beautifully on it (porsches tend to suffer from sticky paint).

You will be suprised how much results vary from non-pro to pros. I didnt touch a rotary for a good 2 years before I was 100% happy that I could achieve the results I wanted for a DA. Took a lot of cars, a lot of reading, a lot of testing, a lot of talking to professionals in the game and developing your own technique to achieve great results. This was on a DA which is the easiest polisher to use and the safest.

I been using rotary now for a year and ever car I do just gets better and better - the learning curve is so much steeper its untrue. Rob @ Gleammachine said to me several times that 8 years on he is still refining his techique and he is one of the best detailers around.

i honestly think i could use a rotary but if it did go wrong for the sake of an extra hours polishing with a da polisher the cost to repair the pottentially damaged panel doesnt add up to an hour of my working time if that makes sence. so may aswell spend more time on polishing without possible damageing a panel.

I think thats best mate. Its better to start from a DA anyway and when you are more confident move up.

 

[4937Liam]

Totally agreed Maz. Sticky paint is a nightmare - I was practising on a freinds van (he said he didn't mind if i caused any damage as it was pretty beaten up). Some panals just didn't want to play - I agree i should have maybe spent longer working with the da but I was finding myself going from da to rotary on a daily basis which was not great when your trying to get to grips with the more advanced machine.

I have two mates who work in the business who are helping me along the way with my new machine (ones got nine years experiance with a rotary, the others got four) the latter managed strike through on a customers bonnet by accident the other week - He couldn't believe what he had done as it had never happened before. So it just goes to show your right it can take many, many years and alot people dont appriciate the sheer skill involved.

 

[FR_Flavoured]

I have two mates who work in the business who are helping me along the way with my new machine (ones got nine years experiance with a rotary, the others got four) the latter managed strike through on a customers bonnet by accident the other week - He couldn't believe what he had done as it had never happened before. So it just goes to show your right it can take many, many years and alot people dont appriciate the sheer skill involved.

Sounds LETHAL !
One of the reasons why no matter how enthusiastic I am about keeping my car looking great, I'd never put a machine polisher to it, as things can go drastically wrong!

....will leave that to the " experts " as in the case above.