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Wow, it looks way better! Nice job! I have a couple quick tips regarding the Harbor Freight DA polisher and some (hopefully helpful) polishing techniques.
First, it really helps to quiet the noise down if you re-pack the HF DA’s gear drive with new, higher quality synthetic grease vs. whatever lightweight grease it comes with. Here’s a good guide: https://www.custompcguide.net/10-steps-to-replacing-the-stock-grease-in-harbor-freight-da-polisher/
Second, if you draw a little black mark on the yellow backing plate with a Sharpie, you can more easily tell if the backing plate – and therefore the correcting surface of the pad – is rotating. If it’s not rotating, it’s not correcting. I’ve heard that roughly one rotation per second is desired. Too fast, and you’re wasting the DA Polisher’s power. Too slow, and no correcting is being done.
Regarding your polishing technique – work smaller areas (approx. 2’x2′ is a good place to start, vs. the whole trunk) to avoid having the compound dry out, reduce the amount of walking your body is doing, and speed up your results. The more power you can apply – within reason, of course – the faster the paint is corrected.
In the same fashion, slow down your arm movements. Work that 2×2 area for a good minute, with slow, methodical passes in baseball-field-mowing motions before moving to the next section. That way the compounding abrasives can fully break down and clarify the paintwork. Reduce your pressure in the last couple of passes to ensure that buffer holograms aren’t left behind.
Obviously, you can (like me) go completely overboard with this. If you’re happy with the way the car looks now, leave it. It’s already 75% better.
Just call up a paintless dent repair technician and have them make it 90% better 🙂 You’d be amazed at the dents they can remove without a trace.
Nice results. Is that hail damage I’m seeing?
For some reason, it seems that red pigment, on metal or plastic, is the most prone to fading/oxidizing/chalking up, and requires the most work to keep looking good as the years pile up.
Like you, I’m not a finish restoration specialist, but you may want to check out a product called Nu Finish. In my limited experience, it gives excellent results with a minimum of effort.
I just watched the video and wanted to do 3 things. I will start with welcome back and sorry about your vacation passing away, my condolences. The second and third are standard “do this to win at life”information, like the others you’re probably annoyed with by now. I’ll try and be susinct, to see an approximate outcome of polishing a surface, wipe on a wet coating of acetone. The appearance of the paint while wet will indicate the need for additional efforts to get a desirable finish. The third pearl of survival, before you start your polishing regimen, apply a good round of preliminary surface preparation using a good chrome polish. It reduces risk of accidental burn-through by reducing required sanding area, having a more refined, but comparable grit rating as very fine paper, but without the need to have flawless technique. I was introduced to the method when I grabbed the wrong bottle of polish while working in a restoration shop. I finished the prep before realizing the FUBAR, then suffered instant onset of mental flatulence, whilst searching through MSDS forms and databases in a panic, certain I ruined the 40 yr old original paint. Eventually informed of how chrome polish, unlike other metal polishes, lacks the harsh chemical catalysts that could have blistered the paint.
[quote=”Nipplator” post=192852]I’ll try and be susinct, to see an approximate outcome of polishing a surface, wipe on a wet coating of acetone. The appearance of the paint while wet will indicate the need for additional efforts to get a desirable finish. [/quote]
Huh?! Never, ever put acetone on paint. It will eat through it! If you want to remove oils and waxes from a surface, a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water will better and way less dangerous. Or you can use a dedicated oil/polish removing product like CarPro Eraser. Here’s a great video for IPA:
[quote=”Nipplator” post=192852]The third pearl of survival, before you start your polishing regimen, apply a good round of preliminary surface preparation using a good chrome polish. It reduces risk of accidental burn-through by reducing required sanding area, having a more refined, but comparable grit rating as very fine paper, but without the need to have flawless technique. I was introduced to the method when I grabbed the wrong bottle of polish while working in a restoration shop. I finished the prep before realizing the FUBAR, then suffered instant onset of mental flatulence, whilst searching through MSDS forms and databases in a panic, certain I ruined the 40 yr old original paint. Eventually informed of how chrome polish, unlike other metal polishes, lacks the harsh chemical catalysts that could have blistered the paint.[/quote]
A chrome polishing compound is going to be extremely aggressive. Chrome is an extremely tough material, and chrome polishing compounds are similarly tough. There is no need to be that aggressive. If you want to sand the finish, use a soft foam-backed sanding disc with a dual-action sander. That will be far less aggressive (than even hand polishing), and you don’t need to have flawless technique because the machine smooths things out for you.
If your polish was so aggressive that you thought you might’ve ruined the paint, you need to update your chemical arsenal, or at least step out of the body shop and into the detailer’s bay.
Yes, there is some hail damage. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t put too much effort in. In order to do a proper repair on this car, I think will require fixing the dents and also doing a respray on the front bumper, hood, roof, deckled, and rear bumper. The sides seem fine, but the rest could use some help.
Thanks for the recommendation.
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