A couple questoins when buffing

[TH0001]

When you guys are buffing out a car (83 or 80 or whatever you use to knock out defects) I have noticed that Meguairs usually recommends working a small area then wiping that area completely clean with a microfiber before moving on.

I have done this when I applying the DC system, but my hand. When I buff I usually do then entire car (still working a small section at a time and overlapping sections slightly) before wiping the entire car off after it has all been buffed.

Is there a specific reason to why you would completely wipe every 2x2 section before moving on to the next section? I also noticed when reading the extreme makeovers, that some of the guys/gals also buff the entire car before removing the previous polish.

So is there a reason to do it one way or another?

[sneek]

i think it is because there is no advantage to letting a cleaner or a polish sit for long periods of time besides getting a good arm work out

2x2 might just be a test area or the area you should do before wiping off or else the product will become difficult to remove

[MDetail]

I think it might have to do with the certain effects the compund / polish / etc has when drying. If you let it sit too long, it may be harder to remove?

[gb387]

One reason I know of.... You don't want to let a cleaner/polish/cleaner polish dry or they can become very difficult to remove. There is no need to let them dry as they have done their work by working them in by hand/PC. Now for a wax/cleaner wax its the opposite you want to let it dry.

Others might chime in with more scientific reasons.

[Accident]

I tried Scratch-x the other day and on the back of the bottle it said to let the product dry. I applied it, let it dry, but could barely get it off. Then I read how to do it on these forums and saw it was much easier to remove when you don't let it dry.

[Mike Phillips]

It has a lot to do with the skill level of the person doing the work.

It's better to have someone that is new to detailing work a section at a time to insure that they get good results and have an easy time of removing product because it hasn't dried hard.

Seasoned Professionals have a much higher skill level than the average person and are able to apply product to an entire car and then remove the product without instilling scratches in the process because they experience and skill.

A Newbie could become frustrated and start wiping roughly in an effort to get left behind product off and in the process undo their cleaning and polishing work by putting scratches back in, a seasoned expert knows how to remove product without instilling scratches because they have the touch that enables them to do so.

Without getting really long winded it's called, skill and the only way you get it is with experience. Thus Newbies don't have learned skill. They may have inherent skill as I have met people that are really good at this from the start, but I have probably met more people that struggle with the art of polishing paint until they get a few cars under their belt.

You can approach your method to the madness either way, wipe as you go or wipe after the entire car has had a product applied to it, just be mindful that wiping off shortly after applying a paint cleaner, cleaner/polish or pure polish guarantees an easier time versus waiting to wipe off after you've gone all the way around the car.

Personal preference based upon skill and experience.

[TH0001]

Geeze Mike, are you gonna show up on every one of the my threads!

Thanks for your help agian, makes perfect sense

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by TH0001

Geeze Mike, are you gonna show up on every one of the my threads!

It's my job...

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=405472

[Jimmy Buffit]

Seems to me that newbie would want to clearly evaluate his work by cleaning the surface quite well.

Me, I think it is a waste of time. I can 'see thru' the haze, and determine my progress 'on the fly'.

As usual, Mike said it best...

Jim