Paint Scratches and Swirl Marks? Piece of Cake... When You Have One of These!
If you have attempted polishing a late model automobile by hand recently you probably discovered that minor blemishes don't rub out like they used to. The reason for this is the recent improvements in clear coat technology. The final factory finish is very hard, allowing it to resist minor scratching, swirl marks and water spot. The solution is a tool that's been around for nearly two decades, the Porter Cable 7424. It's a buffer polisher that car enthusiasts have known about for years, and now it's spreading to garages all across America and the world. The reason it's so loved is that it makes easy work out of most minor coat problems, even if you have one of the new high-tech ceramic finishes. The original Porter Cable Polisher and the new 7424xp are dual-action polishers. What this means is that the polishing head rotates (free-spins on its spindle) and orbits (powered by the motor) around the center spindle. A mass counterweight mechanism on the spindle dampens vibrations. This polishing action, often referred to as "random orbital" or just "orbital," totally prevents symmetrical buffing marks, paint burns and the other types of automotive finish damage that people associate with high-speed buffing machines. That means if you use the buffer polisher as intended it's virtually impossible to damage your car, even with no experience. As I mentions, the Porter Cable (or "PC") is a dual-action polisher and it works like circular hand polishing. The big difference is that works at a speed of 2,500 to 6,000 orbits every minute. That's how this machine knocks out scratches and swirl marks with ease. You'd have to have Superman waxing your car to do it better. If you have previously owned a car waxing machine that made a lot of racket, but did little else to fix the damage and restore shine, you will appreciate the brilliance of one of these buffing machines. It has all of the power needed to get the job done, yet it's small enough and light enough that it's easy to use. There is a secret to getting top results with a dual action polisher. It's very important to use the right combination of polish and foam polishing pad. For the most part, you'll find foam polishing pads in three levels of coarseness: cutting, polishing and finishing. Cutting pads are what you use to remove damage. After cutting, you use a polishing pad to restore full gloss. The finishing pad has not polishing qualities at all. It's very soft and used to apply liquid waxes and glazes. Polishing pads do not work alone. The actual work is performed by polish and you need to match the function of each polish with the appropriate pad. Polishes have different grades of cut, just like the pads. For example, a polishing compound is a cutting polish that removes damage. A compound that can take out 2000 to 2500 grit sanding scratches will do a pretty good job on heavy swirls marks and most water spot etching problems. If you're not accustomed to the language, it might seem a bit confusing. Do yourself a favor and start with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. I think it's one of the best compounds available and it's perfectly safe to use on any clear coat finish. You'll find it at most auto parts stores. After compounding to remove damage, you might think the finish looks great, but I recommend finishing off the job with a fine polish. Most compounds, including the new Meguiar's product, will leave just a touch of hazing in the clear coat. All it takes to remove the hazing and restore a brilliant shine is a fine paint polish. I prefer and recommend Klasse All-In-One. It's an amazing product that will produce a final finish that blows you away. If your vehicle's paint finish is driving you nuts with swirl marks, scratches and water spots that simply won't go away, the solution is a Porter Cable 7424xp. It's a quality buffer polisher that gets the job done fast and easy. Plus, it's a high quality machine that will last a lifetime. Don't settle for one of the cheap knock-offs made in China when you can own an American original.