Best way to getting rid of swirl marks

[Chrishazle]

One method that helps is to mask all edges, screenwash jets etc with 3M 25mm blue masking tape. However, I'm with the other posters when it comes to hobby DA against rotary - I would not try my hand with a rotary even though I've used my DA quite a lot. I find the DA more than adequate for what I, as a hobbyist rather than paint shop professional, need and am comfortable to use. I know from experience that even supposedly competent people can get it wrong with a rotary - when my 968 coupe was 6 years old Porsche Tonbridge or the people they used to swop the windscreen put a rotary on the perfectly flat paintwork and covered the car in swirl marks. Unfortunately I did not spot them until a couple of weeks later, it took me a long time to get rid of them.

IMHO for the hobbyist detailer, especially for a first time user, the DA is the preferred tool.

 

[GeordieN]

I completely understand what you’re saying, but polishes/compounds/machines and backing pads have come a long way in 35 years.

Back then they were generally used for flatting and polishing paint defects from refinished paintwork in bodyshops, or heavily cutting oxidised paint etc, not by hobbyists for perfecting the finish and removing light swirls.

Even a basic £30/40 rotary polisher nowadays has several speed settings, and the lighter polishes for refining are more like glazes now by comparison.

I’m just saying a lot of people get put off even trying a rotary polisher out by reading stuff about burning through paint, which shouldn’t ever happen used in the correct manner

Will it was not my wish to put people off, but people has very varied abilities to do things. So I posted a few tips that's all but also noted what can happen. I think sometimes people post things looking at the subject through there own eyes that's all. I wasnt having a go at anyone just trying to share a bit experience.

 

[T5R+]

Novice DA user. Easy to use if you have basic mechanical sympathy and some gumption.

Mixture of Megs and Scholl Concepts brings out MB cars nicely. Dodo Juice purple haze on tanzanite is just superb.

 

[Will]

I think the thing with detailing is so long as you’re happy with the products/methods you’re using and the results you’re achieving then keep at it

20 years ago I was happy with a yellow duster and a bottle of Mer

 

[Londonscottish]

Not the best photo but gives an idea.

EDIT; why is it so hard to post photos on this site? *sigh*

 

[Londonscottish]

 

[Londonscottish]

Much much better than it was a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Londonscottish]

At some point today I'll use some glass polish on the inside of the windows and give it a good hoover and I'm done.

To make it perfect I'd really have to do some paint correction. Unlike my previous silver Mercs, paint damage shows up a bit more as the light-coloured base coat shows through.

There's a minor graze on one wheelarch, a minor scratch on one door, a small area of paint damage on one of the sills and the rear bumper has some marks. Having said that the bonnet is pretty clear of stone chips (it's only on 62.5k) and I think the paint is all original.

All in all not bad for a 9 year old car that's spent a couple of years in London. Scrubs up well.