{"id":27098,"date":"2019-11-30T08:00:13","date_gmt":"2019-11-30T13:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.detailedimage.com\/Ask-a-Pro\/?p=27098"},"modified":"2019-11-19T14:57:25","modified_gmt":"2019-11-19T19:57:25","slug":"what-machine-should-i-purchase-as-my-first-polisher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.detailedimage.com\/Ask-a-Pro\/what-machine-should-i-purchase-as-my-first-polisher\/","title":{"rendered":"What Machine Should I Purchase As My First Polisher?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The photo above is a great selection of polishers.\u00a0 These tools play a major role in helping me achieve professional results when I am detailing.\u00a0 Purchasing several Rupes polishers however is not a realistic option for most people starting out into the realm of polishing cars.\u00a0 With that said, that does not mean you cannot achieve great results with a more cost-effective option!<\/p>\n

Many of my first details were done with a Porter Cable 7424XP, using a 5inch and 3inch backing plate.\u00a0 One of the reasons I mentioned this is if you budgeted for the polisher but not for the pads you are going to have a bad time detailing your car.\u00a0 Not only are more powerful polishers more expensive but the pads that work with them are as well. Many times I see people starting off and picking up a more expensive polisher, but only using 1-2 pads on the entire car when they would be much better off with a more budget-friendly polisher and many, many more pads. I personally like to keep at least 4-6 pads per polishing step on hand.<\/p>\n

In essence, you getting two polishers in one when you are picking up the Porter Cable with the 5″ and 3″ backing plates. Along with keeping a large enough budget to pick up lots of pads which will increase your end polishing results greatly. There is also a 6inch option with the Porter Cable, but it is not an option that I believe will give you good optimal control (stalling) of the machine.\u00a0 It also takes away from its corrective power, negating the added size.<\/p>\n

Below are some photos from when I performed a two-stage paint correction on a Prius using a Porter Cable.\u00a0 I started with Menzerna FG400 with an Orange Lake Country CCS pad for compounding.\u00a0 This was followed by Menzerna 3500 and a White Lake Country CCS pad for refinement. When using a standard dual action polisher, it is even more important to keep your working area small especially when compounding.\u00a0 Map out an 11 x 14 space and do not stray from that area.\u00a0 When refining you can extend your polishing area out somewhat further.<\/p>\n

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Also, the Gtechniq AP2 Ultra Soft Foam Filled Microfiber Applicator is great for polishing small hard to reach areas. I have found these applicators to do a quite admirable job correcting paint in hard to reach areas. You can use it for very tight\/small areas, or if you want to avoid picking up a second smaller unit or a smaller backing plate\/pad combo.<\/p>\n

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Here is a good first time machine polishing shopping list:<\/p>\n