Professional Machine Polishing and Paint Correction Techniques

Perform a thorough two-bucket wash using a high-alkaline strip soap to remove old waxes. Follow with an iron fallout remover (pH neutral) to dissolve sintered metallic particles from brake dust. Finish with a clay bar treatment using plenty of lubricant to remove embedded red dust and sap. A 'crunchy' sound during claying indicates contaminants that would otherwise mar the paint during polishing.

In Australian summer, panel temperatures can exceed 60°C. You must work in a fully shaded area, ideally an enclosed garage. If the panel is warm to the touch, the polish lubricants will flash off too quickly, causing 'dusting' and potential scouring of the paint. Use an infrared thermometer to ensure panels are below 30°C before starting.

Use automotive-grade masking tape (blue or green) to cover all unpainted plastic trim, rubber window seals, and badges. Machine polishers will permanently whiten or 'burn' textured plastic trim upon contact. Taping also prevents polish dust from getting trapped in tight crevices around headlights and door handles.

Visually inspect the clear coat for signs of thinning, especially on 'crow's feet' (tiny cracks) or areas where the paint looks dull and cloudy. If the vehicle has been polished many times before, the clear coat may be too thin for heavy compounding. Focus on edges and swage lines where paint is naturally thinner due to the factory spraying process.

Apply 4-5 pea-sized drops of compound to a clean cutting pad. Massage the product into the foam or microfibre with your fingers to ensure even coverage. This 'priming' prevents dry-buffing, which can cause heat build-up and uneven abrasion. For subsequent sets, only 2-3 drops are needed.

Never attempt to polish an entire door at once. Work in a small, manageable 40cm x 40cm square. Place the pad on the paint before turning the machine on to prevent 'sling.' Spread the product on the lowest speed setting across your work area.

Increase the DA polisher speed to 4 or 5 (out of 6). Apply moderate downward pressure—enough to engage the abrasives but not so much that the pad stops rotating. Move the machine slowly, roughly 2-3cm per second. Faster movement reduces the 'work time' of the abrasives.

Move the machine in overlapping horizontal lines, then repeat the process with vertical lines. This ensures every square millimetre of the section receives equal abrasion. Complete 4 to 6 'passes' (one horizontal and one vertical equals one pass) per section.

Watch the compound as you work. It will start as an opaque film and gradually turn translucent/clear. This indicates the abrasives have broken down (diminished). Once the film is clear, stop the machine. Continuing to buff with 'spent' polish can cause heat damage.

Use a clean microfibre cloth to gently wipe away the remaining residue. Spray the area with an IPA-based panel wipe to remove polishing oils that might be 'filling' remaining scratches. Inspect the results with your LED light. If swirls remain, repeat the process with a second set of passes.

After every two sections, check the temperature of the pad's velcro backing. In 30°C+ ambient heat, the glue holding the velcro can fail. Switch to a fresh, cool pad frequently. Use a pad brush or compressed air to blow out spent paint residue from the pad after every section.

Once the heavy defects are removed, the paint may look slightly hazy (micro-marring). Switch to a soft foam finishing pad and a fine polish. This stage requires less pressure and a slightly faster arm movement. Use speed 3 or 4 on the DA polisher.

For the final pass of the finishing stage, reduce pressure to almost zero—only the weight of the machine. This 'jewelling' technique creates maximum light reflection and depth. Repeat the cross-hatch pattern for 2-3 passes until the polish is almost invisible.

After the entire vehicle is polished, perform a final wipe-down with a high-quality panel wipe. This is a critical step before applying any wax or ceramic coating, as it ensures the protection bonds directly to the clean paint substrate rather than leftover oils.