Mar. 03, 2025
Polishing your car is like giving it a high-stakes makeover montage. Done right, it smooths out the rough patches and hides those minor scars'scratches and dents become a distant memory. Water spots and acid rain? They vanish like magic. It's all about getting that showroom sparkle, with polish and wax teaming up like a dynamic duo of beauty and bling.
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Enter the buffer, the tool that's either a detailing savior or your car's worst nightmare. It lures you in with promises of transforming dull paint into something that could star in a Hollywood blockbuster. But handle it wrong and you could turn your detailing session into a slapstick comedy of errors. No wonder many folks prefer the old-fashioned hand polish'it's less likely to turn your car into a tragic comedy.
Choosing the right machine polisher is like picking the right costume for your car's big debut. Get it right, and your ride will be the belle of the ball, turning heads and dropping jaws.
Confused about OPM and throw? No worries, we've got you covered with this snappy guide to car polisher specs:
OPM/RPM: Think of this as your polisher's dance moves. Dual-action polishers shimmy with oscillations per minute (OPM), while rotary polishers bust a spin with rotations per minute (RPM). It's basically how fast the pad is getting its groove on.
POWER: This is the wattage, or how much muscle your polisher packs. Higher wattage means more torque, which translates to 'more oomph' for handling those tough jobs. It's like comparing a featherweight boxer to a heavyweight champ.
BACKING PLATE DIAMETER: The size of the backing plate is your polisher's version of shoe size. Bigger plates cover more ground, but they might trip you up in tight spots. It's like choosing between a big, comfy SUV and a zippy little sports car.
THROW: For dual-action polishers, this is how much the pad swings out from the center, like how much your dance partner twirls you around. A longer throw means you can polish faster by covering more surface area'think of it as turbo mode for your car's shine.
ERGONOMICS AND WEIGHT: This is not on the original list but is worth mentioning. A polisher that doesn't feel like you're wielding a medieval weapon will make your detailing sessions less of a workout and more of a groove.
So, polishing your car is an art form with the right tool. Choose wisely, and you'll turn your ride from "meh" to "whoa!" faster than you can say 'car detailing guru.'
Chemical Guys serve up two kinds of polishers: the dual action random orbital polishers and the rotary polishers. It's like choosing between a chill, smooth-talking DJ and a high-energy rave DJ for your car's detailing party.
Dual action polishers are like that friend who's all about keeping things cool and casual, spinning in random patterns to make sure your car gets an even shine without turning you into a sweaty mess. They're great for those who want to avoid any detailing disasters and keep things on the up and up.
On the other hand, rotary polishers are the high-octane rock stars of the polishing world. They spin like they're in a perpetual concert, delivering a powerhouse shine but requiring a bit more finesse to avoid any polish-induced chaos. They're perfect for when you need serious shine and are ready to rock out with your detailing gloves out.
So, whether you're in the mood for a smooth groove or an all-out polishing jam session, Chemical Guys has the polisher to match your detailing vibe!
ROTARY POLISHER
In short, direct drive polishers are the heavyweight champions of the polishing world, built for serious correction and unflinching performance. Just remember, with great power comes great responsibility!
DUAL ACTION POLISHER
In a nutshell, dual-action polishers are your go-to for a wide range of detailing tasks, combining versatility with a touch of safety. It's the perfect tool for when you want to be a detailing rockstar without the risk of stage diving into disaster!
Alright, you're ready to dive into the world of car polishers! Now that you've got the lowdown on rotary versus dual-action orbital, let's break down what else you need to think about to pick your perfect polisher:
Skill Level: Think of your detailing skills as your polisher's dance partner. If you're just learning the steps, go for a user-friendly buffer that won't turn you into a detail disaster. Advanced polishers are like expert-level moves'powerful but potentially paint-damaging if you don't know your stuff.
Type of Buffer: It's like choosing your weapon of choice in a video game:
Power and Speed Control: Look for a polisher with variable speed settings. It's like having a gear shift for your car detailing'different jobs need different speeds, so being able to adjust lets you switch from a gentle polish to a high-speed shine with ease.
Size of the Buffer: Size matters! Larger pads cover more ground quickly, but might struggle in tight corners'think of them as the bulldozer of polishers. Smaller pads are the precision tools for those tricky spots'perfect for when you need to get into the detailing nooks and crannies.
Budget: Set a budget that suits your needs and wallet. Polishers come in all price ranges'from budget-friendly options that won't break the bank to top-of-the-line models for the pros. Balance what you need with what you're willing to spend, and you'll find the perfect polisher for your detailing adventure.
In summary, choosing the right polisher is all about finding the tool that fits your skill level, detailing tasks, and budget. It's like picking the perfect sidekick for your car's shine journey'make the right choice, and you'll be cruising to a show-ready finish in no time!
But don't worry'if you're feeling overwhelmed by the world of polishers, there's a hero in the detailing realm: the orbital polisher. So, what sets it apart from the rotary and other types? Let's break it down:
Orbital Polishers: Think of these as the friendly neighborhood heroes of the polishing world. Unlike the rotary polisher, which spins like a top and can be a bit temperamental if you're not careful, the orbital polisher uses a random orbit motion. This means it rotates in a pattern that's not directly linked to the spinning of the pad, making it less likely to burn through the paint or leave unsightly swirl marks. This randomness makes it a great choice for beginners and anyone who wants to avoid turning their vehicle into a canvas of imperfections.
Safety and Ease of Use: Orbital polishers are much safer for vehicle paint compared to rotary polishers. They won't burn through your paint or clear coat, which is particularly important for darker-colored vehicles where flaws are more visible. With an orbital polisher, you don't have to tiptoe around your car like it's made of glass.
Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness: Using an orbital polisher saves you time and money. Unlike hand polishing, where it's easy to overapply product, an orbital polisher helps you apply a thin, even coat, ensuring you use less product. This efficiency can cut your labor time in half and save you from buying excessive amounts of polish.
Better Results with Less Effort: Orbital polishers outperform hand polishing and rotary devices in terms of results. Today's clear-coat paints are prone to scratches, making hand polishing a delicate task. With an orbital polisher, you can apply a bit more pressure and get better results without risking damage to the paint. This tool offers a safer, more effective way to achieve a showroom-quality shine and handle minor imperfections.
In essence, orbital polishers blend safety, efficiency, and ease of use, making them a solid choice for anyone looking to enhance their vehicle's appearance without the hassle of more complex or risky tools. They're your go-to for a great finish with a lot less worry about paint damage or excessive elbow grease!
TORQX RANDOM ORBITAL POLISHER
The TORQX is the go-to dual-action polisher for anyone from greenhorns to detailing veterans and pros alike. It's the perfect blend of simplicity, lightweight design, and powerhouse performance'all packed into one versatile machine that handles it all with ease.
TORQ15DA LONG-THROW RANDOM ORBITAL POLISHER
The TORQ15DA is the long throw dual action polisher that quickly and easily removes scratches and swirls to get your paint back to a mirror-like shine with minimal fatigue and maximum comfort.
TORQ10FX RANDOM ORBITAL POLISHER
The TORQ10FX is like the Swiss Army knife of polishers'powerful enough for pros, comfy enough for enthusiasts. It's got all the right moves, from adjustable speeds to ergonomic design, making your car shine like it's auditioning for a Hollywood role. Whether you're a detailing guru or just want to look like one, the TORQ10FX has your back!
TORQ R ROTARY POLISHER
The TORQ R is like the lovechild of sleek industrial design and next-gen polishing tech. It's got the looks and the muscle, bringing together cutting-edge technology with a modern twist. If you want your car to look like it's been polished by a futuristic robot, the TORQ R is your go-to!
TORQ22D RANDOM ORBITAL POLISHER
The TORQ22D is a high-tech wonder that makes detailing a breeze. It's got a massive 21mm throw for top-notch performance, plus the smoothest operation and most comfortable grip around. It's like having a detailing genie'just with fewer wishes and more polish!
The frequency of buffering depends on your car's paint condition and your detailing goals. Buffing once or twice a year for general maintenance is the most common usage. However, more frequent use might be necessary for certain concerns, such as scratches, swirl marks, or tree sap.
The type of pad depends on the task. Foam pads are commonly used for polishing, while microfiber pads are suitable for applying wax or sealants.
Pads vary in material (foam, wool, microfiber) and purpose (polishing, waxing). Choosing a softer foam pad for polishing and firmer pads for waxing.
You could say there are a few different forms of what may be referred to as "polishing'. Maybe you've heard them described as cutting, refining, restoring, compounding or a number of other names and sub-categories. The first thing to remember though, is that on a very basic level, all these terms mean the same thing.
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Polishing, whether that's by hand or machine on paintwork or even gloss plastics, is simply the mechanical (or physical) removal of defects through surface abrasion. For the most part, the process involves abrading the top layer to remove a microscopic amount. This in turn smooths out the defects creating a flatter surface. This also causes light to bounce off in a more uniform direction, levelling the optical finish, making the surface appear deeper and shiner. Polishing then, is a bit like exfoliating for cars!
What distinguishes say, cutting and refining from one another is the intensity of the products used for the desired result. A coarse cutting compound for example, will be more abrasive and remove more of the surface material more quickly. While a finer finishing compound or polish will have a much less aggressive level of cut, and be designed to smooth out the surface on an even more microscopic level, inflicting scratches so tiny that they simply can't be seen.
Think of it as just like sanding down a block of wood. A coarse sandpaper will take away a large amount of material quickly, but leave a noticeably unrefined finished. Following up with varying degrees of finer sandpaper smooths the surface to a level that's pleasing to the touch and pleasing to the eye. It's exactly the same idea when polishing paintwork, just on a more infinitesimal level.
The real questions here then, are: how intense does the polishing need to be? And how much of the surface layer do you need to take away? Well, this is directly proportional to the defects you're trying to tackle in what kind of paintwork.
Over the years the type of paint applied to cars has varied significantly, mostly due to new technology, along with health and safety regulations for for paint application. Using poisons like cyanide in paint used to be more common, along with a whole load of other toxic ingredients, and paint is pretty nasty stuff to this day. But even so, new regulations to make paint safer to apply and more environmentally friendly when released into the atmosphere mean that ingredients change regularly. This also means that there's no reasonably quick and simple list of every type of paint that's out there. Many a book has been written on the subject.
The good news is that we don't need to know what it's made of to polish it, we don't need to know if it's an air-dying paint, or one that uses a separate hardener to cure, either. What's of particular note here is that, for the most part, your paintwork will fall into one of two categories'
Just about every car since the mid-s uses two stage paintwork. This means that the paint (above the primer layer) is applied in two stages - the coloured base coat, followed by a protective clearcoat (lacquer). This includes metallic and pearlescent paints which have aluminium powder or ceramic crystals mixed into the base coat to reflect and refract light, bringing on the sparkle. Candy paints are similar in application, but essentially, they get their extra-deep appearance from multiple coats of tinted lacquer.
So, with this in mind, two stage paintwork means that you're not really touching the colour pigment at all, just the clearcoat. This can be likened to peering out of a window. When polishing clearcoat you're essentially cleaning any defects from the window glass to give it more clarity, offering a much better view of what's on the other side.
While always harder than a base coat, the toughness of your lacquer will also vary from marque to marque (and even from car to car) and, the harder the clearcoat, the tougher it is to polish. In some cases, the variance can simply be down to manufacturer location and home market. German cars for example, tend to have very hard clearcoat. Many attribute this to the fact that it's illegal to wash your car on the street in Germany, so arguably German cars have to be more abrasion resistant because they're only cleaned at the local car wash. The point is that polishing one car may be different to polishing another, which is why we always test areas and tend to air on the side of caution when choosing compounds and combos.
Unless you're a professional detailer dealing with a huge turnaround of different cars, too, it's extremely likely that any car you detail will be relatively modern and fall into the two stage paint category.
Paint thickness is measured in microns, and again it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. It's also true to say that single stage paintwork tends to be thinner (and softer), but on average two stage OEM paintwork will be around 100-140 microns thick. This consists of the primer layer (12-40 microns), the base coat (25-40 microns) and the slightly thicker clearcoat (45-70 microns). To put this into context, 70 microns is around the thickness of a human hair.
As you can imagine, job number one is making sure there's enough of a layer to polish - just one of the reasons that professional detailers use paint depth gauges, especially when they don't know the history of the vehicle. When completely removing any paint defect you're effectively levelling the whole surface down to the bottom of the defect.
The other reason is that many cars have had touch-ups and panels re-painted through ongoing repairs, denoted by unusually thick readings on the gauge. It's common practice for these panels to be blown-in or blended so the repair is less noticeable. When machine polishing it's important to avoid these areas to ensure that no hard edges are revealed.
All this may sound a little scary of course, but the truth is that the vast majority of cars you're likely to detail will have plenty of clearcoat, and you'll nearly always know the history, including any areas to avoid. A single stage removes a miniscule amount of the surface - between 1-2 microns of clearcoat for fine refining and 5-6 for heavy cutting.
The classic wash time nightmare, these are essentially fine scratches caused by bad cleaning techniques (namely not pre-washing effectively and dragging grime across surfaces). These have a spider's web appearance as the sun hits them. To highlight these and other defects during correction stages we use a strong light source that's designed to emulate the sun, like our Swirl Spotter Detailing Light. A good detailing lamp is a tool that's nearly as important as a machine polisher itself.
Often caused by abrasion with hedges or clothing, these are very light scratches in the lacquer layer noticeable because they refract light in a random fashion. Often you'll find that these are far more linier than swirl marks.
Etching is where a substance eats directly into the clearcoat or top paint layer causing a visible mark. It's rare, but some cases where corrosive substances have been left for long enough, etching can be so severe that it goes through the top layers all the way to the primer.
The main causes of etching are bird droppings (which contain highly corrosive uric acid) and acid rain, which is brought on by excess carbon and sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere, which dissolves into water vapour and then falls as rainwater.
These are surface level marks caused by the impurities found in tap water. Unlike normal rainwater, tap water - the stuff we use to wash our cars - isn't particularly pure, and contains all sorts of mineral deposits. If allowed to dry on your paintwork these impurities are left behind, embedding themselves into the surface. This is the reason why it's important to dry your paintwork with an Aqua Deluxe Drying Towel or Silk Drying Towel after every wash, so these impurities never get the chance to settle and eat into the top layer.
Sometimes called buffer marks or buffer trails, these tend to come from poor refining techniques, or immediately after coarse cutting stages. Often appearing as dull, burry trails, these require polishing out during the refining and finishing stages.
This can also be eradicated through polishing and is where, over time, oxygen molecules in the air react with the paintwork to cause a milky, faded appearance. This is perhaps most noticeable in red cars when they fade too pink, or black cars where they fade to grey.
You may hear detailers talk about combos - all this means is a certain combination of polishing pad and compound/polish that can bring about the desired result. Everyone it seems has their favourite "magic' combo, but it's by no means a one-size-fits-all scenario. These are designed to be easily varied (by changing the pad or product) to make up for differences in the severity of defects and variances in the hardness of paint or clearcoat layers.
The key thing to remember here is that machine polishing pads are also abrasive, these vary from coarser cutting/restoring pads, to medium polishing pads and on to fine refining pads. So, it's all about getting the correct mix (or "combo') of product and pad for the job in hand. A multi-stage correction may require a cutting stage, followed by a polishing stage, and then a refining stage, with each having its own combo.
Of course, we've made it easy with our colour-coded Revitalise System. This set includes Revitalise No:1 Restoring Compound, Revitalise No:2 Polishing Compound, and Revitalise No:3 Refining Compound, along with matching 5-inch Revitalise Foam Pads. Our Pro Compound Kit also includes 3-different Pro Series compounds to take you through all stages of cutting and refinement, along with corresponding pads. Both of our combo systems are available in even more comprehensive kits that include a DPX Dual Action Machine Polisher - the Master Machine Polishing Kit and the Complete Polishing Kit.
How a particular combo is actually used is also an important part of how it works. In basic terms, how a Car Polish or compound breaks down or is "worked through' is crucial to getting the desired result. Fully working your product into the paint is essential, regardless of if you're heavy cutting as part of a multi-stage correction, or performing a single stage enhancement with Tripple.
The idea is to make sure the abrasives in the compound fully break down to become less abrasive and offer a more and more refined finish as you work. Think of this as large, sharp stones being smashed around together in a barrel, eventually all the stones will break up, with the edges rounding themselves off and the large stones will become smaller pebbles, making them smaller, smoother and less abrasive. This is what's happening to the abrasives in the compound on a microscopic level. In most cases you need to work the product enough for it to turn clear. This is one of the most common mistakes in machine polishing, usually caused by attempting to tackle too big an area for the machine being used, or trying to finish the job too quickly.
The ideal area for polishing is about six times the size of your polishing pad, and the rule of thumb is to start off at a low speed, working multiple passes to a high speed, before working back down for a final pass on a low speed to ensure the product has fully broken down. It's also important not to rush through each pass, moving the machine slowly and smoothly (but also always keeping it moving) is the key. About 2-3cm a second is an ideal pace for machining.
The only exception to the rule is our advanced One Step Single-Stage Car Polish which takes a few more passes to fully work through. This is because, unlike every other compound that can only break down slightly, One Step is designed to start off as a course cutting compound but refine down to a fine finishing polish. That means that you can tackle a heavy cut and still finish down to near flawless without changing products and pads along the way.
For full, multi-stage corrections though, it's essential to choose the correct pad and polish for the particular task, and this will nearly always require testing. Not all paintwork needs restoration after all, and equally not all paintwork needs a huge amount of refining. So, why perform a three-stage correction when you only need two, or even one stage?
In other words, unless it's obvious what combo you need to start off with, do some testing with the finest compound and pad, and see what it does. If it hasn't given enough bite to cut out the defects, try again with the next coarsest combo, and then the next, and so on. When you have the ideal finish from your test, then you can start your correction by working back down from coarse to fine combos.
Used specifically for correcting heavier defects, a rotary polisher has a direct power delivery over the area to be polished. This comes from a non-orbital pad rotation, meaning they spin in a circular motion on a single axis.
No matter what angle or the curvature of the panel to be corrected, a rotary polisher will not stall, and neither will it stall by applying too much pressure to the machine. This makes them a specialist tool for heavy cutting where a large amount of heat and friction is needed.
Edges and low-paint areas should be avoided and, for the most part, rotary polishers are only used well by experienced professionals. While they're quick to cut, because they build up a huge amount of heat under the pad, they need to be treated with caution to prevent accidental "strike through' (where you burn through your clearcoat or paint layers). This can be especially prevalent on edges and when used on painted plastics, including bumpers, which do not dissipate heat as effectively as metal panels.
Capable of performing enhancements and multi-stage corrections without leaving a visible trail, a DA (or random orbital) machine employs a free-floating spindle to promote pad rotation in two directions - both concentric circles from the head and a wider circulating motion from the spindle. This type of oscillation (sometimes known as the wobble) cuts down on premature heat build-up under the pad, a safety measure to prevent burning through paintwork. The 'throw' of a DA machine is simply how much oscillation it has off centre, and the bigger the orbit, the greater the surface area being polished at any one time but typically the greater the vibration.
A DA will also stall (stop spinning the pad and simply vibrate) when too much pressure is applied, when the machine is on the edge of the pad, or if the machine is held at an uneven angle. This stalling makes a DA far safer to use than a rotary polisher, because it's almost impossible to burn through clearcoat or paint layers.
An essential tool for both professional detailers and enthusiasts, the most modern machines like our DPX and MPX dual action polishers are capable of removing the same sort of heavy defects as rotary polishers.
This is a little more unusual and a unique machine that offers a mixture of the qualities of a dual action and a rotary polisher. The drive oscillates like a DA for a degree of safety (promoting heat dispersal) but this action is force-driven to prevent stalling. This gives a finish similar to a rotary polisher and makes this type of machine ideal for cutting and polishing curvy panels where a DA may be inclined to stall. Again, without a stalling action, it's more geared towards professional use. This type of machine may be safer to use than a rotary, but it is still possible to burn through paintwork.
First thing's first, it's vital to have paintwork extremely clean and decontaminated before any polishing can begin. This is simply to prevent dragging around any heavy dirt particles with your machine, and essentially doing more harm than good.
It also makes sense to perform your car wash as safely as possible - as you would on any maintenance wash - by following the correct procedures. This will prevent inflicting even more defects that will need to be polished out later. Why give yourself more work than you have to?
There really is no substitute for the correct preparation. So, always perform a thorough pre-wash, using a suitable pre-cleaner like Citrus Power Bug & Grime Remover, and be sure to flush out all the arches and panel gaps, to rid the vehicle of any dirt or dust that may interfere with your polishing stages later. Follow your pre-wash by using Avalanche Snow Foam to loosen and lift any remaining grime, and then contact wash with Lather Car Shampoo using the usual 2-bucket method.
Remember that getting the wash stage correct is important before polishing, and even more crucial when it comes to maintenance, in fact there's not much point in polishing at all if you don't wash you car correctly. Otherwise it'll be full of swirls again after just a few washes.
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