Swirl marks - how to get rid of them

[tommyboy40]

So I've spent the day giving her a wash, applied some poor boys black hole glaze and finished off with autoglym super resin. I know the attached images are taken too far to show swirl marks but they definitely are less visible now. As for machining, I will give it a go in the future but for now ill just cover the swirls up

J LAD do you have any DA's which you recommend me buying (something decent for the price)

DAS-6 PRO Dual Action Polisher - Clean Your Car

This one is a common choice. there are multiple how to videos on you tube

 

[b1g1an]

So I've spent the day giving her a wash, applied some poor boys black hole glaze and finished off with autoglym super resin. I know the attached images are taken too far to show swirl marks but they definitely are less visible now. As for machining, I will give it a go in the future but for now ill just cover the swirls up

J LAD do you have any DA's which you recommend me buying (something decent for the price)

Sorry to disappoint you but you essentially did the same thing twice and will lose the effect quickly as SRP isn't a top coat. If sticking with Autoglym it should be HD Wax or EGP over the Black Hole.

A top coat tends to have wax or sealant in the name if that helps, polish tends to means cutting/cover up.

 

[J LAD]

Yeh for the average guy who just wants to keep on top of those swirls etc a Kestral Das Pro will do the job nicely.
Machine polish wise, just buy the Menzerna 250ml trial pack from CYC for around £40, this covers the entire range from coarse to extra fine, try the medium cut first, this should easily remove any swirl marks.
Menzerna and 3m polishes will work well on any paint type, clear coats ie metallics or single stage paints, ie gloss black, brilliant red etc.
If you are at all worried practice first on an old car, or even buy a scrap panel from a breakers!
Like i said there are hundreds of videos out there about DA and Rotary polishing, but a few simple rules:
1. Dont use loads of polish, 3 equi spaced drops about the size of a 1 pence piece will suffice. Spritz the pad before use with a little detailing spray, just to moisten the pad.
2. Mask off any trim, as the polisher will mark it, 3m blue tape is ideal.
3. Cover the rest of the car as dry polish is a cow to get off, and will stain black trim, bumpers etc.
4. With a DA work steadily across the panel, overlapping every time, always checking for heat build up, especially when polishing plastic panels!!!!, plastic cannot absorb heat like a metal one.
5. Wash and clean the polishing pad, after a few panels they tend to get " loaded " with polish and will not work effectively.

 

[Kevlaar]

Not that I have any personal hands on experience with using a machine polisher, I DO know that you can damage your paint even further if you don't prep your car thoroughly before using one.

To minimize damage to the paintwork you really need to remove any surface imperfections or build up of stuck on debris/road filth with a clay bar. If you don't there's a good chance that you could loosen some small particles of dirt with the machine polisher and continue to drag/machine them all along the car causing millions of scratches.

This advice might be obvious to some, but thought it was worth mentioning. If you're still unsure, there are literally millions of machine polishing/preparation guides online.

Good luck with it! Hoping to do mine soon, although mine being silver hides most swirls anyway!

 

[J LAD]

Sorry Kevlaar is right, paint preparation prior to polishing is an essential to ensuring a deep gloss finish.
I was taking it for granted you would have clayed and prepped the paint prior to polishing.
If you dont fancy claying your car Autosmart Red 7 fallout remover does an excellant job of removing surface contaminants, but you cant beat that personnel touch of claying a car, it bonds you!!

 

[M.A.94]

Yeah I've gathered that from doing a bit of research on other websites Kevlaar very valid point . J LAD i'll have a look at that product, but claying isnt really an issue

 

[David404]

Even if you stick with SRP/EGP by hand claying after washing and before the SRP will make a big difference and claying isn't physically hard work, much less effort then the SRP. Of course a DA will make the SRP easier to apply.

Nice looking car, enjoy.

 

[baxlin]

Poor boys black hole* (not black all) sorry

Not used Black, but I do use Poorboys White diamond, which is the same but for light coloured cars, and it does disguise swirl marks reasonably well.