What about Orbital polishing machines?

I like the Griot's Garage products and bought one of there cordless buffer systems.  I've only used it once, but it made the job easier and I think the results were better on the one job I've used it on so far.  The lack of a cord is a plus as well.  The battery (it comes with two) lasted the whole job with no indication of slowing down.

I got the corded Groit's 6" model courtesy of the Carlisle Raffle.  It has the optional 24' cord. (Note - it came sans pads so be sure to buy them). I've used it on 2 big cars - and definitely sped up the process.   

I've had a couple of orbital polishers, both bought from BJ's Wholesale Club (similar to Costco) and both died after a few years of use.

 

That said , they both produced terrific results (on my DD and truck, only......I've never used an orbital on Pearl's paint.)    

 

That said (again), the folks in the local Porsche 356 club LOVE the Griot's orbital polisher and that's good enough for me.  I use only elbow grease and a clay bar on Pearl.....and lots of indoor garage time.

I have the smaller 3 inch or 3 &1/2 inch Griot's and it really does the job removing swirl marks and polishing the car. You can get different levels of polishing compounds as well to remove scratches etc out of the clear coat or paint. 

I find it useful and it makes polishing out a clear coat swirl with a black car much much easier. Ray

I have the 6" Griot's system. I felt really comfortable polishing the scratches out of my DD's. On Natalie, I've only used a clay bar and the wax Lane recommends hand polished off. Most of the time, I use a California Car Duster & Surf City Speed Demon & microfiber towel to keep her looking good. I no longer use a hose.


> On Jul 23, 2015, at 7:37 PM, SpeedsterOwners.com <alerts@hoop.la> wrote:
>

Then, I guess I can't say; "You HOSER!"

 

The Mackenzie Brothers would be all over you.........

 

It's not often I can add to a thread. I'm excited to be able to share on this one.

 

I've become a very large fan of the videos these guys produce:
https://www.chemicalguys.com/

 

There are two types of polishers to consider: orbital and random orbital. I suggest watching a few of the videos on their site or on you tube. Good info there.

 

Ted

 

 

I use a Porter Cable 7414 from Autogeek without hesitation.

Just be sure you view videos and follow the instructions.

The machine itself is corded and very sturdy (somewhat heavy).

I LOVE the results.  Even though the Speedster is with a new owner.

I now own 3 black cars with no swirls or spider webs and a shine

that is a mile deep.  Of course I would rather polish and wax than

drive.

Porter-Cable random orbital polisher and either Meguiars or Surf City pro waxes and polishes is what I have used fora lot of years. Done correctly and following directions for each step results in a brilliant, swirl free finish often removing light surface blems like minor scratching of the paint ifnot to deep.

 

Before I bought mine years ago I borrowed a friend of mines P-C random orbital polisher, wanted to see if the cost was really worth it before investing in one of my own, and proceeded to polish/wax the hood on my 'dark metallic blue '66 Nova SS. .did one half by hand and the other with the machine. It was a difference in finish that was immediately seen, like night and day...that sold me!

 

Whichever brand you buy, what you want for everything except major work is a RANDOM orbital.

As always--just super information from smart people---thanks to all--much appreciated.  I'm studying this and will decide what to do.

Griott's new catagog has a special section in it all about a new model called "The Boss".  Two sizes 15mm for $365 and a 21mm for 385. Pretty expensive but looks like the ultimate.  I believe I'll leep looking!  Some of the ones mentioned above seem like they will fill the bill for me.

 

Thanks again!!

X2 to no longer using a hose.  In the 8 years I have owned Speedsters, I have only used a bucket and hose maybe 8 times.  I know it's a lot easier for us on the west coast, but if you can avoid puddles and driving in rain you don't really need to wash it.  my routine is to start the car, pull it out of the garage and get out while it warms up.  Then I use my California Duster to go over the entire car.  If there are any spots, i use Surf City Speed Demon and a microfiber cloth like Tom does, then I just in and drive off.  Now and then, I go over the entire car with the Surf City to really make it look nice.  If I get bug splats, I just use a wet towel and a dry towel.  Easy peasy!

Living by and cruising the coast frequently, my black car gets a film that collects dust. Every so often (once a month) I wash the film/grime off, towel dry then use Mequiar's Quick Wax (applied and buffed by hand with microfiber cloths). Apply some Armorall to tires and done.

 

My process of washing & cleaning this tiny car takes less than 30 minutes. In between washes I use California Duster as Troy does. Have done this for the 18 years I've had my 2 daily driver Speedsters.

 

Never been much on spending a lot of time waxing and detailing, but that's just me… 

 

I followed my Sensei Troy's advice but I think I've taken it a little further.

 

While the car warms up I use the spray detailer and wet the entire car and wipe it down with a Norwex Micro-fiber towel.  Then I clean the window and all of the chrome with Windex.

 

Every other week, or if I have a car show I'm going to, I use vinyl/leather cleaner on the dash, door panels, shift boot, e-brake boot, and seats. Vacuum out the interior, rear parcel shelf, and the trunk. I jack up the front and back tires off the ground and use something like Meguiars or Mothers tire dressing. I get the tires off the ground so I can get the whole tire done without missing any spots.

 

Once per season I'll strip the car with a cleaner, glaze it, and polish it with a Carnuba wax product.  The finish on my car is so slick a micro-fiber cloth slides right off it.

 

I know it's extreme but it really doesn't take long, less than 45 minutes to do the thorough process and only about 8-10 minutes to spray the whole car and windows.

I went to a local "big deal" car show a few weeks back at an old estate near Boston.

 

Just before I left (and I was about an hour later than I expected), I did a hurry-up wash job and a quick micro-fiber towel wipe down.  Whole thing probably took 25 minutes and I was out on the road.

 

Got there and parked with the other cars from the local Porsche club and Pearl was instantly and constantly surrounded by onlookers.

 

That was the only time Pearl's been washed this season, since I put the new seats in last April.

 

Never was one for "detailing", but then white doesn't show dirt as much.  

 

I would normally use my California Duster, but a couple of winters ago a mouse ate it (I had stored it under the hood) and used what was left to make a mousey condo in my central tunnel.  Someday, I may buy another duster and maybe even use it.

 

That is......If laziness doesn't overcome me.

OK, what's a California Duster? and how is it different than the long handle 'spider web duster' that I use to get into the ceiling corners?

 

This is one of those frequent occasions when I realize that everyone knows something that I don't!!

 

BTW, I think that Surf City Speed Demon is great stuff...It should be...it certainly costs enough. 

California Car Duster 62443 Standard Car Duster with Plastic Handle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000..._r_awd_MCUSvbYGGKW5S


> On Jul 24, 2015, at 9:18 PM, SpeedsterOwners.com <alerts@hoop.la> wrote:
>

 

@ G.R.

 

That was mentioned before and now that I know about them the next time I do a full on three part process I'll add the clay bar in the mix.

Over the years with showing all my 'toy' cars I've learned a whole lot about detailing them. Used to be before every show I'd go through a whole routine of 'wax on, wax off'... now it is a swipe with the duster a quick wipe down with detail spray and that is about as good as it gets. All my 'toys' are always garaged, usually covered with a car cover so they rarely experience getting rained upon or driven on wet roads unless they get caught out when going to or from a show

I'm with Carl - had no idea what a CA duster was but this was what popped to mind -

 

I guess the clay bar was my all-time best detailing discovery.

 

A new (to me) clay bar is one for the windshield from Griott's. I got one last week and will see if it makes any improvement in the clarity department.  So far all I know is that it's blue colored and smells funny.

I can't recommend chemical guys or auto geek highly enough. Great tutorials and fantastic products. I use the chemical guys  'black car' setup for my speedster and the white car kit for my daily drivers. Simple stuff. Three step process for major cleaning. One or two step process every week or so.

Much like Jim and the gang - it's a quick job. The only areas where I wish I had a smaller random orbital for around the door handles, the wiper shafts and any of the badges. Do not use the orbital or any heavy polish on the badges.  You will strip the gold right off. Don't ask how I know. Now I put blue tape on my emblems when I detail the car.

I currently use a Cyclo random orbital unit for all basic detail work. For heavy lifting I use a dewalt orbital. I've had these items a while. Originally from when I polished my aluminum trailer. I am going to upgrade to a unit that is dedicated to paint. The current setup requires a LOT of attention to not burn the paint.

All this talk and now I want to clean my car!

 

 

That'd work for me...LOL...

Can you spell  S I C K  ?

Terry, that looks like my collection...except you're missing Surf City Speed Demon!

 

Is that a Turtle Wax orbital polishier in the background?

I wash mine only after I get caught in the rain. Usually use the Surf City stuff and a towel. It's dusty here sometimes so the Speed-shine and a micro-fiber towel knock it right out.

 

I have an older random-orbital Sears polisher/buffer, it is light weight and works very well. I did the whole car last year, really helps in the front and along the bottom where all that road grime gets kicked up.

 

I usually vacuum the floor like once a season.

PS, I'd rather just drive....

Carl, I can't remember the brand of the buffer.

It has seen replaced by the Porter.  What's really

sad is that this is only about 1/3 of the products I

have on the shelf.   I'm an admitted car care junkie.

 

 

Another benefit of never spraying water on your car is you won't get water trapped in your license plate light cover, tail lights and under any of the seals.

I wonder if they still make that PSST product, you know,  the waterless shampoo

"won't get water trapped in your license plate light cover, tail lights and under any of the seals."

 

Are those license plate cover even legal now days?  Neighbor got stopped 2x for having them on rear plate in FL - and his were perfectly clear.  It's a $115 fine but no points.  I see tourist (out of sate) with sun damaged or even smoked cooled ones.  Impossible to read plate at all.

 

Florida Statute 320.061 states, "A person may not apply or attach a substance, coating, covering or other material onto or around any license plate which interferes with any feature or detail on the license plate." 

I think Troy was referring to the clear lense cover on the 'shine-up' license lights. 

Ah - that's is 100% true - the seals there are really bad.

Correct.  That big chrome thing on the back of our cars.

Even the authentic appearing shine-up (or the older shine-down) replica license plate light fixtures are not only very expensive but prone to leaking. Whereas a sensible and attractive option is a Ghia shine-down light housing such as Marty (and many others) have. They're frequently available on TheSamba for about $30.

 

So they're NOT authentic...so what?...neither is the fake replica they're driving!

 

Well I'd assume that when you spend X amount of dollars (and time, and effort, etc) restoring a car to factory specs that are authentic in every detail.....then you sorta don't wanna go ruin it all with a non-authentic-looking addition.

There's a difference between a fake Louis Vuitton purse that was made in China, and one that was custom-made in the Louis Vuitton factory itself after hours

 

I have an orbital buffer, but for the show cars I use only my hands.  This way I can get closer to the finish, feel any imperfections, see them disappear as I buff (or not), apply appropriate pressure when applying the wax (which is likely more important than the buff-off procedure...), buff in hard-to-reach areas, polish the chrome....and (inevitably) find more stone chips and lament over them for the rest of the afternoon like as if I'm at a funeral for a family member.

 

This car is tiny anyway, so a full wash/dry/wax-on/wax-off/buff-procedure can be done in an hour-ish anyway.  I wax the front end 3 times so that bugs are easier to clean off, and to clean them off I use just some Quick Detailer on a towel, rub it on, then flip the towel and buff it off like it was wax.

Using an orbital I'd have to go over it for a final buff by hand anyway, so it's not a huge extra task.