www.CVOHARLEY.com
CVO Technical => Cleaning/Detailing => Topic started by: 16HD117 on November 03, 2008, 11:47:09 AM
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Does anyone use an electric buffer to remove swirls and light clear coat scratches???
:nixweiss:
If so, which one?
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On the bike or on larger fields?
On the bike I don't. Not enough room. Too many things close to each other. Too many nooks and crannies. Would never get to too much of the surface anyway. It's a hand done task.
If on vehicles or other larger painted fields after my last orbital died a year or so ago got this one from Griot's Garage. It's done a good job and is as easy to use as any other orbital have ever had in hand.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+care/car+polishing/orbitals+and+car+polishing+tools/griot%27s+garage+random+orbital.do?search=basic&keyword=buffer&sortby=newArrivals&page=1
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I agree, I would never use a buffer on a bike. There are alot of swirl repairs that are easy to hand-use...especially on our sensitive Harley paint/clearcoat.
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I have a 3" detail buffer that I use on the bike when I need to get clear coat scratches out using a clear coater cutter.. Works really well. THE MUFFMAN
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I don't use a buffer on the bike because the area's are to small and not flat. I do use two Maguiar's products, Scratch X, for the scratches, and Swirl Remover to remove paint swirls, both work good. I'm sure there are other products that work good, but these work for me, so I stick to them. The main thing to to make sure their are safe for the type of paint/clear coat you have.
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On the bike or on larger fields?
On the bike I don't. Not enough room. Too many things close to each other. Too many nooks and crannies. Would never get to too much of the surface anyway. It's a hand done task.
If on vehicles or other larger painted fields after my last orbital died a year or so ago got this one from Griot's Garage. It's done a good job and is as easy to use as any other orbital have ever had in hand.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+care/car+polishing/orbitals+and+car+polishing+tools/griot%27s+garage+random+orbital.do?search=basic&keyword=buffer&sortby=newArrivals&page=1
For the bike.
Thanks for the link! I needed one more place to spend money!
:2vrolijk_21:
Ordered this one:
m+orbital.do?search=basic&keyword=buffer&sortby=newArrivals&page=1
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Absolutely! It's all I use. No hand rubbing for me. I use the Porter Cable 7424 Orbital Polisher.
Been pretty happy with the Menzerna line of polish. However, I'm going to try Glare next. (I've used Zaino, Tech, etc.)
I have a 2007 Z51 Corvette that I use this buffer on all the time, I have no swirl marks after I'm done. This process actually gets the swirl marks out. Don't rub your machine with anything but Micro Fiber and then only after you wipe it across a blank CD and see if it scratches it.
Take a blank CD with the rags you usually use and wipe it...
If you use this on your bike, and I highly recommend it, just don't lift or start the buffer if it is not on the surface (you'll sling product).
Cover your engine with a peice of plastic until you get good at it.
This Web Site has a great Knowledge base on the proper way to care for your paint.
http://www.properautocare.com/porcabpolac.html (http://www.properautocare.com/porcabpolac.html)
I'm not endorsing this Website, just providing you with info.
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Here is a picture of my buddy's bike taken with the camera pointed at the hood of my freshly buffed Vette...Yes, it's a reflection.
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I use a 9" car buffer and love it. It's also great for bringing windshields back to life.
More important than the tool is probably the products used. Use the good stuff.
Harley paint is actually very tough and they use lots of clear, so it's very easy to get rid of swirl with a buffer and a good product.
:indian_chief:
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You're right Chief, it really works good on crusty windshield.
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Nope. No buffer. Absolutely not.
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I use a Porter Cable 7335 5" random orbit and 3m Finesse , then wax it up.
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Porter cable 7424 with 3" adapter and constant pressure pads, Bike looks better than new, I use only Mothers stuff, but Meguairs/Miranza are probably just as good, Mothers for me is just easier to find.
Rub material into the pad prior to use and only start machine when it is on surface, no slinging that way.
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I've used a couple of different brands, but I found the one the Griot's Garage puts out to be excellent. It does a great job without running the risk of burning through the paint. I have both the 6" & the 3". You can find them at griotsgarage.com.
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Harley paint is actually very tough and they use lots of clear, so it's very easy to get rid of swirl with a buffer and a good product.
:indian_chief:
Guess you're not doing Vivid Black. It's so soft you get a mark looking at it. Couldn't get M205 to finish no matter what I did. Ended up using Microfina by hand. YMMV.
TL
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Not sure what you are talking about referring to VIVID Black. I don't know of any mc or car company spraying single stage "black" or any other color on exterior surfaces. Everything is clearcoated these days. If you are getting scratches on clearcoat you are using the incorrect pad. For lake county brand pads, which are readily available at Autogeek, Classic Auto and numerous other companies use red or black pads. Neither have ANY cutting ability, they only apply wax, sealer etc. Use Porter/Cable 7335 with 3 inch pad/velcro adapter and everything SHINES.
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Not sure what you are talking about referring to VIVID Black. I don't know of any mc or car company spraying single stage "black" or any other color on exterior surfaces. Everything is clearcoated these days. If you are getting scratches on clearcoat you are using the incorrect pad. For lake county brand pads, which are readily available at Autogeek, Classic Auto and numerous other companies use red or black pads. Neither have ANY cutting ability, they only apply wax, sealer etc. Use Porter/Cable 7335 with 3 inch pad/velcro adapter and everything SHINES.
Vivid Black is the name of H-D's glossy black finishes. Of course it's CC, but different than any other H-D color I've ever polished. The fiberglass will finish darn near LSP ready with M105 and LC white. M205 further enhances it. The tin looks great under the halogens and passable in the sun. Put the Brinkmann on it and the micromarring makes you wanna puke. LC blue, black, red, gold, 3M finishing pad with Menz 85RD or Ultrafina, same thing, PC or Flex. The fiberglass works like a hard clear coat, the tin reacts like a soft n sticky nightmare. Never had that problem on any other H-D color of fiberglass or tin. I dunno whether they use a different CC on the different surfaces or whether it just reacts differently depending on what's underneath.
If you ever saw the thread Nick Chapman posted on MOL re: the black Chevy Colorado that was driving him nuts finishing, same thing. A seasoned, experienced detailer tried everything in his bag of tricks that *should've* worked. And still it micromarred with every finishing polish and pad he tried. He eventually tried something that *shouldn't* have worked... 4" LC yellow on a 7424 and M205. Perfection! That's what I ended up doing on the tank and it came out superb. However, now if you walk within a foot of it with a light breeze blowing you get a swirl...
IIRC, Nick ended up buying that truck. Last I heard he was trying to figure out how he was going to represent his detailing business driving a black truck that he couldn't keep swirls out of after a careful, simple wash. ::::shrug::::
TL
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I've got a BLACK '03 Ultra (as well as my '05 FLHTCSE2) with 40,000 miles on her. I'll bet she's been washed at least a thousand times. with all that washing, you can't help but pick up some swirl marks. Plus, the more you cover the bike, the more you run the risk of scratching the paint too. After some lengthy research, I purchased a 6" & 3" DA buffers from Griot's Garage. I spent about 2 hours on the tank, fairing, lowers and saddlebags and to be honest, the bike looks almost as good as the day I bought her. The buffers came with an instructional DVD AND a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Believe me, it works. Regarding the Mr. Clean car wash system, I also bought that after hearing a lot of good things about it, but found it to be not quite as good as I heard. I hope this info helps...
YellowHog
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Griot's garage stuff is topnotch ! I have used it on my boat and truck and love the orbital buffer ! I have not used it on the seeg yet but it does not need it either! :orange: