Buffing your newly-finished paint
(→Buffing and polishing compounds) |
(→Buffing and polishing compounds) |
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There are many different types of buff or polishing heads. After the wet-sanding routine all the way through 3000 grit paper, I use a yellow buff foam pad that is stock with a plastic backing. These can be purchased at any car paint shop. I trim off at least 1/2 inch of plastic around the outer back top of the plastic because it can hit the paint when you tilt the buff pad and cause a bad spot in the paint. For the buffing compounds, I first use a very fine 00-white buffing compound. It makes a mess but it works! | There are many different types of buff or polishing heads. After the wet-sanding routine all the way through 3000 grit paper, I use a yellow buff foam pad that is stock with a plastic backing. These can be purchased at any car paint shop. I trim off at least 1/2 inch of plastic around the outer back top of the plastic because it can hit the paint when you tilt the buff pad and cause a bad spot in the paint. For the buffing compounds, I first use a very fine 00-white buffing compound. It makes a mess but it works! | ||
| − | Choose an area to begin on and spread out a one ft. diameter spot of compound/water mix. Use half-speed on the buffer motor to prevent excessive heat build-up and resultant burning of the paint. Use light downward pressure to begin. As the compound begins to dry up, clean off the spot and see how it looks. If it's still dull, wet it and go again with a little more speed. Do not use full speed until you get some experience. It's better to spend more time on a panel at a lower speed than to go full-bore the first time around and burn the paint. Once the gloss begins to come around, put a tablespoon of undiluted compound mix on the spot and buff again, moving the buff around the area back and forth while increasing the speed a little. The area should be very glossy by now. | + | Choose an area to begin on and spread out a one ft. diameter spot of compound/water mix. Use half-speed on the buffer motor to prevent excessive heat build-up and resultant burning of the paint. Use light downward pressure to begin. Be particularly careful with the speed and pressure on higher areas of the panel, like fender creases. You can burn through the paint very easily and ruin the whole job. As the compound begins to dry up, clean off the spot and see how it looks. If it's still dull, wet it and go again with a little more speed. Do not use full speed until you get some experience. It's better to spend more time on a panel at a lower speed than to go full-bore the first time around and burn the paint. Once the gloss begins to come around, put a tablespoon of undiluted compound mix on the spot and buff again, moving the buff around the area back and forth while increasing the speed a little. The area should be very glossy by now. |
Wipe the area down with a clean rag and soap and water. Using a new buff pad, apply a line of breathing glaze to the area and buff. (Usually brown in color. You don't want to use a pink sealing glaze until the paint is a month or so old). The buff should glide across the surface by now and result in a beautiful, smooth shine. | Wipe the area down with a clean rag and soap and water. Using a new buff pad, apply a line of breathing glaze to the area and buff. (Usually brown in color. You don't want to use a pink sealing glaze until the paint is a month or so old). The buff should glide across the surface by now and result in a beautiful, smooth shine. | ||
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