The Auto Finesse Guide To Machine Polishing

Learn the fundamentals and go on to master your paint correction skills

Machine polishing is often thought of every bit the dark side of, or at least a night art in, detailing. Just, while information technology's truthful that this is where many a pro-detailer actually earns their go along, that doesn't mean that yous can't learn the procedure and virtually instantly become astonishing results. Information technology's not as complicated every bit many retrieve, either. With the correct products and a little exercise, we firmly believe that anyone tin acquire the fundamental skills to go on and completely master the art. Simply, before all that of course, yous need to know the basics, and that's where we come in…

First, what is polishing?

You could say there are a few dissimilar forms of what may exist referred to as "polishing'. Maybe you've heard them described as cutting, refining, restoring, compounding or a number of other names and sub-categories. The first thing to remember though, is that on a very basic level, all these terms mean the aforementioned thing.

Polishing, whether that's by hand or machine on paintwork or even gloss plastics, is simply the mechanical (or physical) removal of defects through surface abrasion. For the most part, the process involves abrading the pinnacle layer to remove a microscopic amount. This in turn smooths out the defects creating a flatter surface. This also causes low-cal to bounciness off in a more uniform management, levelling the optical finish, making the surface appear deeper and shiner. Polishing so, is a bit like exfoliating for cars!

What distinguishes say, cutting and refining from one another is the intensity of the products used for the desired result. A coarse cut chemical compound for case, will be more than annoying and remove more of the surface textile more rapidly. While a effectively finishing compound or polish will have a much less aggressive level of cut, and be designed to smoothen out the surface on an fifty-fifty more microscopic level, inflicting scratches so tiny that they merely tin't exist seen.

Recollect of it as just similar sanding downward a block of wood. A coarse sandpaper will have away a big corporeality of fabric quickly, but leave a noticeably unrefined finished. Post-obit up with varying degrees of effectively sandpaper smooths the surface to a level that'south pleasing to the touch and pleasing to the center. It's exactly the same idea when polishing paintwork, just on a more infinitesimal level.

The existent questions hither then, are: how intense does the polishing need to be? And how much of the surface layer do you demand to take away? Well, this is directly proportional to the defects you're trying to tackle in what kind of paintwork.

Paint Types

Over the years the type of paint applied to cars has varied significantly, generally due to new engineering science, forth with health and prophylactic regulations for for paint awarding. Using poisons similar cyanide in paint used to exist more common, forth with a whole load of other toxic ingredients, and pigment is pretty nasty stuff to this twenty-four hour period. But even so, new regulations to make paint safer to employ and more environmentally friendly when released into the atmosphere hateful that ingredients change regularly. This also means that there'southward no reasonably quick and simple listing of every type of paint that'southward out there. Many a book has been written on the field of study.

The practiced news is that we don't demand to know what information technology'due south made of to smoothen information technology, we don't need to know if it'south an air-dying paint, or one that uses a dissever hardener to cure, either. What'southward of particular notation hither is that, for the nearly part, your paintwork will fall into one of ii categories…

Unmarried Stage Paintwork

Classic and vintage vehicles tend to have single stage paintwork, which gets its proper name considering it can be (but isn't e'er) applied in one unmarried stage. Basically speaking, this blazon of paintwork consists of just the colour pigment (base coat) layer, which is applied to the console over a primer layer. The resulting cross section looks like: panel - primer - colour coat.

With that in listen, when you machine smoothen single stage paintwork you are actually abrading the top layer of the color coat, which is why you may notice pigment being transferred to your compound and pad. Unless that colour is the primer of course, it doesn't mean that you've burned through. On 2 stage paint however, information technology'due south a very different story.

2 Stage Paintwork

Just nigh every motorcar since the mid-1980s uses ii phase paintwork. This means that the pigment (above the primer layer) is applied in two stages - the coloured base coat, followed by a protective clearcoat (lacquer). This includes metallic and pearlescent paints which take aluminium powder or ceramic crystals mixed into the base coat to reflect and refract lite, bringing on the sparkle. Candy paints are similar in application, but essentially, they go their extra-deep appearance from multiple coats of tinted lacquer.

And so, with this in mind, two phase paintwork means that you're not really touching the colour pigment at all, just the clearcoat. This can be likened to peering out of a window. When polishing clearcoat you're essentially cleaning whatsoever defects from the window glass to give information technology more clarity, offering a much better view of what'southward on the other side.

While always harder than a base of operations coat, the toughness of your lacquer will also vary from marque to marque (and even from automobile to car) and, the harder the clearcoat, the tougher it is to polish. In some cases, the variance tin but be down to manufacturer location and domicile market. High german cars for case, tend to have very difficult clearcoat. Many attribute this to the fact that it's illegal to wash your car on the street in Frg, so arguably High german cars accept to exist more chafe resistant because they're merely cleaned at the local car wash. The point is that polishing 1 car may be different to polishing another, which is why we ever test areas and tend to air on the side of caution when choosing compounds and combos.

Unless you lot're a professional person detailer dealing with a huge turnaround of different cars, too, it's extremely probable that whatever motorcar you lot detail will be relatively modern and fall into the two stage pigment category.

How far can you shine?

Pigment thickness is measured in microns, and once again it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. It's too truthful to say that single stage paintwork tends to be thinner (and softer), but on boilerplate two stage OEM paintwork volition exist around 100-140 microns thick. This consists of the primer layer (12-40 microns), the base coat (25-40 microns) and the slightly thicker clearcoat (45-seventy microns). To put this into context, 70 microns is around the thickness of a human hair.

As y'all tin can imagine, job number one is making sure there's enough of a layer to smoothen - just i of the reasons that professional person detailers use paint depth gauges, especially when they don't know the history of the vehicle. When completely removing any pigment defect y'all're effectively levelling the whole surface downwardly to the bottom of the defect.
The other reason is that many cars accept had affect-ups and panels re-painted through ongoing repairs, denoted past unusually thick readings on the guess. It's common do for these panels to be blown-in or blended then the repair is less noticeable. When machine polishing information technology's of import to avert these areas to ensure that no hard edges are revealed.

All this may sound a little scary of course, just the truth is that the vast majority of cars you're likely to item will have plenty of clearcoat, and you'll almost always know the history, including any areas to avoid. A unmarried phase removes a miniscule amount of the surface - between 1-2 microns of clearcoat for fine refining and five-vi for heavy cutting.

Mutual Defects

Effective machine polishing can remove numerous pigment defects, and while it can't completely eradicate deep scratches and stone chips that have worked through into the base and primer layers (because you'd be levelling the surface style also far), it can certainly reduce their appearance by rounding off hard edges to soften the way the lite is reflected back to your heart.

The most common defects we come across when detailing are…

Swirl Marks

The classic wash fourth dimension nightmare, these are substantially fine scratches acquired by bad cleaning techniques (namely not pre-washing effectively and dragging grime across surfaces). These have a spider's web advent as the sun hits them. To highlight these and other defects during correction stages we utilise a stiff light source that's designed to emulate the sunday, like our Swirl Picket. A good detailing lamp is a tool that'due south nearly equally important as a auto polisher itself.

Fine Scratches

Often caused by chafe with hedges or clothing, these are very light scratches in the lacquer layer noticeable considering they refract calorie-free in a random fashion. Often you'll discover that these are far more linier than swirl marks.

Water and Acrid Etching

Etching is where a substance eats directly into the clearcoat or top paint layer causing a visible marking. It's rare, but some cases where corrosive substances take been left for long enough, etching can be and so astringent that it goes through the top layers all the way to the primer.

The main causes of etching are bird debris (which incorporate highly corrosive uric acid) and acrid rain, which is brought on by excess carbon and sulphur dioxide in the temper, which dissolves into water vapour and and so falls as rainwater.

Water Spots

These are surface level marks caused by the impurities constitute in tap water. Unlike normal rainwater, tap water - the stuff we utilise to wash our cars - isn't particularly pure, and contains all sorts of mineral deposits. If allowed to dry out on your paintwork these impurities are left behind, embedding themselves into the surface. This is the reason why it'southward important to dry your paintwork with an Aqua Deluxe or Silk Drying Towel later every wash, so these impurities never go the take chances to settle and consume into the top layer.

Holograms

Sometimes called buffer marks or buffer trails, these tend to come up from poor refining techniques, or immediately after coarse cutting stages. Often appearing as dull, burry trails, these crave polishing out during the refining and finishing stages.

Oxidation

This can as well be eradicated through polishing and is where, over time, oxygen molecules in the air react with the paintwork to cause a milky, faded appearance. This is perhaps most noticeable in red cars when they fade to pink, or black cars where they fade to grey.

The desired result?

Apart from the defects you're attempting to remove, there'southward a few other questions y'all demand to enquire yourself, and the answers will always dictate the products, processes and fourth dimension you use along the way.

The commencement is the most important: what results are you looking for? In other words, is it a single stage enhancement you want to undertake? Is it full paint correction prior to applying a ceramic blanket? Or are you just afterward a stunning terminate for the next prove? You can spend anything from a few hours on a single stage enhancement to a calendar week or more on a full multi-stage correction. So, it's important to programme how much time you have, and keep in mind what results tin be accomplished.

Another key consideration is the blazon of protection you lot'll exist adding subsequently you've refined your pigment. If it'due south a motorcar you lot're looking to finish with a difficult wax, and then technically you can use whatsoever compound or smooth on your paintwork, including those which already contain some wax based protection, like our Tripple All-in-One Shine. For a single stage enhancement Tripple can't be beaten, as it cleans away oxidation, refines pigment, and adds a caste of protection all in one go.

If however, yous're looking to apply a tough ceramic coating, such equally our Caramics Paintwork Protection Kit, these are not designed to be applied over a wax, because the wax layer volition finish the coating from bonding to the freshly prepared lacquer. In this example only a product similar One Step All-in-One Compound or the multi-phase compounds in our Revitalise System can exist used, these comprise no waxes or fillers, so volition not inhibit chemic bonding from the silica in the coatings.

Combos

You may hear detailers talk almost combos - all this means is a certain combination of polishing pad and compound/smoothen that can bring virtually the desired result. Everyone it seems has their favourite "magic' philharmonic, but it'southward by no means a one-size-fits-all scenario. These are designed to exist hands varied (past irresolute the pad or product) to make up for differences in the severity of defects and variances in the hardness of pigment or clearcoat layers.

The key thing to call back here is that machine polishing pads are also abrasive, these vary from coarser cutting/restoring pads, to medium polishing pads and on to fine refining pads. And so, it'due south all about getting the correct mix (or "combo') of production and pad for the chore in mitt. A multi-stage correction may crave a cut phase, followed past a polishing stage, and then a refining stage, with each having its own combo.

Of course, we've made information technology piece of cake with our colour-coded Revitalise System. This collection includes our Revitalise No:1 Restoring Compound, Revitalise No:2 Polishing Chemical compound and Revitalise No:iii Refining Chemical compound, forth with matching v-inch Revitalise Foam Pads or 3-inch Revitalise Spot Pads. But, just because it'due south all at that place doesn't hateful that you can't adapt each combo for any particular job.

Polishing Techniques

How a particular combo is actually used is also an important part of how it works. In basic terms, how a polish or chemical compound breaks downward or is "worked through' is crucial to getting the desired result. Fully working your product into the paint is essential, regardless of if you're heavy cut as part of a multi-stage correction, or performing a single stage enhancement with Tripple.

The idea is to make sure the abrasives in the compound fully intermission down to become less annoying and offer a more than and more refined cease every bit yous work. Call back of this as large, sharp stones beingness smashed effectually together in a butt, somewhen all the stones will break up, with the edges rounding themselves off and the large stones will become smaller pebbles, making them smaller, smoother and less abrasive. This is what's happening to the abrasives in the chemical compound on a microscopic level. In about cases yous need to work the production enough for it to turn clear. This is i of the most common mistakes in auto polishing, ordinarily caused past attempting to tackle too large an surface area for the auto being used, or trying to stop the job as well apace.

The platonic expanse for polishing is about vi times the size of your polishing pad, and the rule of thumb is to outset off at a depression speed, working multiple passes to a high speed, before working back downward for a last pass on a low speed to ensure the product has fully broken down. It's likewise important not to rush through each pass, moving the car slowly and smoothly (just besides always keeping it moving) is the key. About 2-3cm a second is an ideal pace for machining.

The only exception to the rule is our advanced I Pace All-in-Ane Compound which takes a few more than passes to fully piece of work through. This is because, unlike every other chemical compound that tin can simply break down slightly, One Step is designed to get-go off as a grade cutting compound but refine down to a fine finishing polish. That means that y'all can tackle a heavy cut and still end downwards to near flawless without irresolute products and pads forth the mode.

For full, multi-stage corrections though, information technology's essential to choose the correct pad and polish for the detail task, and this volition nearly always require testing. Not all paintwork needs restoration afterwards all, and equally not all paintwork needs a huge amount of refining. So, why perform a three-phase correction when you lot merely need two, or even ane stage?

In other words, unless information technology's obvious what combo yous demand to start off with, practice some testing with the finest compound and pad, and see what it does. If information technology hasn't given enough seize with teeth to cutting out the defects, try again with the next coarsest combo, and so the side by side, and so on. When you take the platonic finish from your test, then you tin start your correction by working back down from fibroid to fine combos.

Machine Polishers

The final role of the puzzle is the actual machine polisher you intend on using. It'southward non merely the size of what you've got either, as we said you'll desire to look at working on an area effectually 6 times the size of your pad, the very reason why we offer our full size, 5-inch DPX Dual Action Polisher, and our MPX Dual Activity Polisher which is capable of utilising 3-inch Spot Pads for smaller and curvier areas.

But, what's as well of import is the nature of how a machine polisher applies the pad to the surface of the vehicle. There are a few different types that you lot may encounter…

Rotary Polishers

Used specifically for correcting heavier defects, a rotary polisher has a direct power delivery over the area to be polished. This comes from a non-orbital pad rotation, meaning they spin in a circular movement on a unmarried axis.

No matter what angle or the curvature of the panel to be corrected, a rotary polisher will not stall, and neither will information technology stall by applying as well much pressure level to the machine. This makes them a specialist tool for heavy cutting where a big amount of estrus and friction is needed.

Edges and low-paint areas should exist avoided and, for the about part, rotary polishers are just used well by experienced professionals. While they're quick to cutting, considering they build upward a huge amount of estrus under the pad, they demand to be treated with caution to forbid accidental "strike through' (where you lot burn through your clearcoat or paint layers). This can be especially prevalent on edges and when used on painted plastics, including bumpers, which do not dissipate heat equally effectively every bit metal panels.

Dual Activity Polishers

Capable of performing enhancements and multi-stage corrections without leaving a visible trail, a DA (or random orbital) machine employs a gratis-floating spindle to promote pad rotation in ii directions - both concentric circles from the caput and a wider circulating motion from the spindle. This type of oscillation (sometimes known as the wobble) cuts down on premature estrus build-upwards nether the pad, a safe measure to preclude called-for through paintwork. The 'throw' of a DA motorcar is but how much oscillation information technology has off eye, and the bigger the orbit, the greater the expanse being polished at whatever one time but typically the greater the vibration.

A DA will likewise stall (stop spinning the pad and simply vibrate) when too much pressure is practical, when the machine is on the edge of the pad, or if the automobile is held at an uneven bending. This stalling makes a DA far safer to utilise than a rotary polisher, because it'due south near impossible to burn down through clearcoat or paint layers.

An essential tool for both professional detailers and enthusiasts, the most modern machines like our DPX and MPX dual activeness polishers are capable of removing the same sort of heavy defects every bit rotary polishers.

Forced Rotation Dual Action

This is a little more unusual and a unique machine that offers a mixture of the qualities of a dual action and a rotary polisher. The bulldoze oscillates like a DA for a degree of rubber (promoting oestrus dispersal) just this action is force-driven to prevent stalling. This gives a finish similar to a rotary polisher and makes this type of machine ideal for cut and polishing curvy panels where a DA may be inclined to stall. Over again, without a stalling action, it'south more than geared towards professional person use. This type of machine may be safer to utilise than a rotary, but it is nevertheless possible to fire through paintwork.

The Polishing Process

Phase 1 - Cleaning

First affair'south first, it's vital to have paintwork extremely make clean and decontaminated before any polishing tin can begin. This is simply to preclude dragging around any heavy clay particles with your auto, and substantially doing more harm than good.

Information technology as well makes sense to perform your wash as safely as possible - as you would on whatsoever maintenance launder - past following the correct procedures. This will prevent inflicting even more defects that volition need to exist polished out afterward. Why give yourself more work than yous have to?

There really is no substitute for the correct training. So, always perform a through pre-wash, using a suitable pre-cleaner like Citrus Power Bug & Grime Remover, and exist certain to affluent out all the arches and panel gaps, to rid the vehicle of any clay or dust that may interfere with your polishing stages later. Follow your pre-launder past using Avalanche Snowfall Foam to loosen and lift any remaining grime, so contact wash with Lather Car Shampoo using the usual two-bucket method.

Remember that getting the wash stage correct is of import before polishing, and even more than crucial when information technology comes to maintenance, in fact there's not much bespeak in polishing at all if you don't wash you motorcar correctly. Otherwise it'll be full of swirls once again after merely a few washes.For more info on maintenance washing, cheque out our full guide here.

Phase 2 - Decontamination

In add-on to your wet work, nosotros e'er recommend a full 3-phase decontamination before polishing. This collection of quick and like shooting fish in a barrel processes eradicates the contaminants that washing alone can't pull out of your paintwork.

The get-go stage is chemical removal of sharp, embedded metallic particles using Iron Out Contaminant Remover.Engineered to deliquesce ferrous metals on contact, Iron Out tin be sprayed over paintwork and glass, where it volition react with the metals (turning blood reddish in the process) and suspend them in the solution. These can then exist safely rinsed abroad without touching the surfaces.

The next pace is using ObliTARate Tar & Glue Remover to cook away stuck-on tar and other mucilaginous contaminants. This solvent-based formula dissolves these kind of contaminants allowing them to be wiped away with a microfibre cloth.

The terminal part of the decon trio is using clay to physical pull out other organic contaminants, overspray and anything else that's been left behind. Here you tin utilise a Clay Bar or Dirt Pad, forth with Glide Clay Lube, over the whole vehicle, to leave your paintwork seriously smooth. You can really experience the difference "claying' makes as you piece of work.

For more data on professional 3-phase paint decontamination you tin can check out our full guide here.

Phase iii - Dry Downwardly and Mask Up

Information technology'southward crucial to dry your vehicle before polishing, not just to prevent the water spots caused past mineral deposits in tap water, but to prevent diluting your compound, besides. If you'd like to avoid making a mess, e'er smoothen on a perfectly dry car, and make sure have your time when drying, beingness sure to mop upwardly whatsoever last drips that may trickle out from console gaps, window rubbers, nether fly mirrors and behind door handles.

The next preparation procedure involves using Masking Tape to comprehend any areas that may be damaged with your polishing pad - or indeed, areas that may really damage your pad. Compounds and polishes are designed for paintwork, not rubber or matte plastic trim, and then always mask upward any areas that could potentially exist in the way. Look out for window rubbers, badges, plastic grilles, sidelights, decals and matte plastics - basically anything at risk of coming into contact with your polisher.

Stage four - Correction

This is conspicuously the fleck where your polishing takes identify. Whether that's a 3-stage correction, a one stage enhancement or anything in between, for maximum rubber we'd always recommend one of our Dual Action Polishers for this job. Unless of course you have the professional person training and experience necessary to safely wield a rotary polisher… and even so, we'd still recommend using a DA - there really is no downside.

Stage v - Protection

Whether you lot're using a ceramic coating or waxed based protection, now's the time to bring on even more polish and, most importantly, terminate the environs from, extremely quickly, ruining your work.
Retrieve that "protection after correction' is everything. It's only plain dizzy not to safeguard the hours you've put in and proceed your pigment looking how it should for as long as possible. With acceptable protection, all that'due south needed from here on in is rubber, effective maintenance washing.

AF Top Polishing Tips

To finish off, you can make use of a few professional tips and tricks to help you along the way.

Use the correct method for each area

Information technology sounds obvious, but yous'll be surprised how many people endeavour to polish a tiny, curvy area with a v-inch pad, or a huge flat surface area with a iii-inch pad. Choice the correct size pad (and machine) for each expanse, and don't underestimate the effectiveness of hand polishing the tiniest parts that your machine can't accomplish, it all adds up to the finish.

Get yourself a Swirl Lookout

Having a detailing light, like our Swirl Spotter, makes life so much easier for highlighting defects and being able identify areas that may need more work. These are designed to emulate strong sunlight, enabling you lot to get a true show car sparkle no matter where you lot polish your paint.

Centre your pad

To exist most effective your pad needs to be perfectly centred on your machine. The piece of cake fashion to brand sure this is carried out properly is as uncomplicated as giving it a spin past paw. If there'southward besides much wobble, pull off the pad and try again.

Ever start off with Pad Prime

Yes, cream polishing pads are supposed annoying, but new pads in particular tin give a little likewise much (and hence, unwanted) scrub. A light spritz of Pad Prime is the reply here, this volition finer lubricate your pad to foreclose whatever scrubbing on the first pass.

Control your cable

The proper name of the game hither is to never allow your polisher cable touch the paintwork every bit, or after, yous polish. This is to prevent whatsoever adventitious abrasions which will need more than polishing. The professional person way is to simply put the cable over your shoulder to give you more than command. But i of the reasons we spec all of our polishers with an extra-long lead.

Get easy on the production

Some other common mistake is using too much production, which has the triple event of making a mess, having an excessive amount compound to effectively work through, and simply wasting a whole load of your cash. You don't demand to saturate the pad, just a few pea-sized drops on a 5-inch pad is plenty to get-go you off.

Keep that pad on the pigment

Again, starting and stopping your machine while keeping the pad flat on the machine will salve slinging around your product, keeping clean-upwards time to a minimum.

E'er protect later polishing

Yes, it's so important, we've said it twice. Protection subsequently correction is a mantra to live by.

Want to learn more?

And then, that's the basic guide, merely naturally there's always the opportunity to learn much more from the professionals. Whether you're looking to make a career out of detailing, or simply acquire the skills to push your pride and joy to the next level, we have a course for you at the Auto Finesse Detailing Academy.

Our specialist Machine Polishing Class takes you through the whole process, using a diversity of pads, polishes and machines to proceeds every fundamental skill, along with a wealth of feel on a diverseness of cars, panels and paint types.

Y'all can run into the full rundown on our Machine Polishing Course, and all the other preparation options we offer by clicking here.

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Source: https://www.autofinesse.com/en/blog/guides/the-basic-guide-to-machine-polishing