Dual action polishers any good for beginners?

superatticman · March 27, 2021

Hi All

I usually polish and wax my car in April. Have done it by hand for years now. Usually takes 2 hours per coat. Have picked up a bit of a neck/shoulder injury so am pondering buying in a polishing machine to help me along. I know as much as that rotary polishers are for experiences users only as they can apparently burn the paint with misuse. Dual action polishers seem to be the interim solution between hand and rotary polishing.

Anyone on here used one??

Might give it a compound too if recommended?

Cheers

Adam

Nate_h · March 27, 2021

Recently had a go with one and I think they are great. Have zero experience with one before just seen a few videos forensic detailing channel is great to see how good they are.

Compared to hand wax and polishing there really is no comparison for me a fraction of the time for a much better result.

The one I used is the Halfords own brand and it's good but a better choice would be the das 6 Halfords comes with poor pads and a short cable.

I have some new pads on the way and plan to do the full car this coming week so will post some before and after pictures.

For compounds can't go wrong with meguires ultimate for scratches and bad swirls.

Las Palmas · March 27, 2021

Do not know anyting about polishing as I never did that but just read this:

https://everydayshowcar.com/best-dual-action-polishers-for-beginners/

maybe useful.

superatticman · March 31, 2021

Cheers

There's some great material out there for machine polishing. Advice is to steer away from rotary polishers unless you are getting some proper training on their use. They are the most efficient way of polishing but can damage your bodywork if you aren't careful. Have just bought myself a DAS 6 Auto Pro dual action and a set of Hexlogic foam pads. Total cost around £140.

Just a question of which polish to use. I've got quite a bit of Autoglym SRP which is more of a polisher than a cutter but as my paintwork seems in fairly decent condition this could work well. Gonna grab some Wax to protect too.

Either way as long as you don't use the hardest cutting pad with compound and press down relentlessly it appears you really can't do any harm with a DA polisher.

Either way no more all day affairs hopefully.

Adam

i-s · March 31, 2021

I use a DAS6pro also.

The GS paint isn't very hard so a light touch is good. If you want an abrasive polish then I'd recommend Farecla G3 paintwork renovator. It is a diminishing abrasive, so you're unlikely to cause any harm or risk burning-through paint with it. I use it on a hex logic green or white pad.

However, I have become a great convert to using Carpro Essence with a microfibre pad, especially on softer paint like the lexus. It corrects lightly, fills lightly and gives a great gloss.

It can act as a base for ceramics, but personally I like Autoglym EGP on top, followed by Collinite 476. That combo can give you about a year of decent beading if washed with an LSP safe wash, but without the difficulties of full on ceramics.

i-s · March 31, 2021

Oh, and just to add... I think that SRP is a good product, but with a DA it is time to move on. SRP used to have reasonable longevity, but more recent SRP has very little staying power, it can wash out in a week. It's a very light abrasive, high filler product, but essence is better in that role.

true blue · April 8, 2021

Hi I also have just decided to purchase a polisher after many years of hand detailing ;I chose the draper storm force 150 m/m D A polisher mainly on value for money and having used other Draper kit over the years .I have a couple of old panels so went to u tube for help ,the more I read the more confused I become regarding pads . Can one of you good people give me advice on pads/compound you have practical experience on using ,the car is in good general shape having always been washed by hand by me.I am looking towards Autofinesse one step for starters.

Dave

Bowserman · April 18, 2021

I am contemplating a Dewalt cordless da polisher as I already have Dewalt kit and batteries.

Just got my 2015 IS and the main dealer had it machine polished (badly) and there are trail marks all over it in the right light. Its metallic black, so a great colour if done right.

whiteman · April 18, 2021

56 minutes ago, Bowserman said:

I am contemplating a Dewalt cordless da polisher as I already have Dewalt kit and batteries.

Just got my 2015 IS and the main dealer had it machine polished (badly) and there are trail marks all over it in the right light. Its metallic black, so a great colour if done right.

I have the dewalt cordless polisher and it is a great bit of kit, you will also need decent pads and compound. I use micro fibre pads but the foam pads are ace from the clay cloth company, the compound I use is the killerwaxx range also from the clay cloth company. The Clay Cloth Company - Car Detailing Care & Valeting Supplies

Bowserman · April 24, 2021

Just spent a fortune on compound, polish and wax, pads, da polisher the lot!

Intend doing it in May when I have some time off work.

Ian86 · May 3, 2021

I have just done this myself this weekend with a DAS-6 DA polisher, i also went the route of a DA as ive never machine polished before and read the horror stories of a rotary in the hands of someone inexperienced although i think you would have to be a bit careless to cause damage. Also a DA is less likely to cause holograms.

I used Meguiars ultimate compound, then Meguiars ultimate polish followed by Meguiars ultimate liquid wax, its cheaper to buy all 3 as a kit rather than individually and are available in Halfords for about £50 for all three.

I used the ultimate compound with a lake country orange pad, i also tried applying the ultimate polish with a white pad with varying success so decided to apply by hand as it was drying to quick and is a nightmare to remove when dry.

Obviously before polishing etc i washed, snow foamed, clay barred, tar removal, and used iron out to get it as clean as possible. All this does seem over the top but preparation before polishing is important and i think the results speak for themselves.

Also my paint was in a bit of a state i dont think the pictures show how bad it actually was. I wouldent be suprised if this was the first time it has ever been polished since it was made in 2005.

Edited May 3, 2021 by Ian86
Additional picture

-Error- · May 10, 2021

Very good improvement on the GS, Ian86! Looks like you've had quite a few water spots there, do you live in a hard water area? BTW on your next try you could scrap the compound and start with the polish on an orange pad, do a test 1/4 of a panel swipe and see how you feel about the results. Too many times I've seen holograms from the Meg's compound &harsh pad on a DA combination and it doesn't get noticed until it's too late.

With regards to the original topic - DA's are very easy to use as long as you follow a few basic rules and are happy to equip yourself with a decent selection of polishes and pads. The benefit is that with an investment of less than £300 you can equip yourself with an arsenal that will last you a quite a few vehicles before you should consider expanding your detailing parlour with more pad sizes and maybe go down the rotary route.

I bought my first DA polisher (DAS6) back in 2016 and still have it as backup DA however I now find myself much more accurate on a rotary machine. I have found that Toyota paint was very interactive and any change in the abrasive mixture manifested itself very clearly. Started out with just a few hex logic pads and Halfrauds off-the shelf polishes.

One thing to keep in mind is that the DA can still cause shoulder strain, you will still find yourself in awkward positions handling a piece of power machinery, although it won't require as much movement it is an added weight on your extended arms.

It's always good to keep an eye out on detailingworld in case group buys or discount events are taking place.

At the time of writing a DAS6 Pro with a Gyeon sample kit (very decent polishes) will set you back £128, that's not bad! Then all you need is a couple of 2" or 3" pads and a backing plate to complete the set - modern cars such as yours will have plenty of places where the standard 5" pads become very unpractical or dangerous to use due to limited throw space.

Ken R · May 18, 2021

I bit the bullet and bought a DA polisher last week. I always considered that I kept a well polished NX but after using the new polisher - wow!

Power washed the car first applied Autoglym Magma prior to Autoglym polar blast foam, rinsed and then washed (with a lambswool mit) using Black light Shampoo and rinsed again. Lightly clayed the paintwork using G3 Pro mit and then applied Meguiars Ultimate Compound using the polisher. Buffed this off and then used Poorboys black hole polish again using the polisher. Buffed this off and finally applied Bilt Hamber double speed wax via the polisher and buffed this with a microfibre cloth.

Tyre Slik finished the job.

Very pleased with the result and the DA polisher was easy to use.

Bowserman · May 19, 2021

On 5/10/2021 at 4:22 PM, -Error- said:

Very good improvement on the GS, Ian86! Looks like you've had quite a few water spots there, do you live in a hard water area? BTW on your next try you could scrap the compound and start with the polish on an orange pad, do a test 1/4 of a panel swipe and see how you feel about the results. Too many times I've seen holograms from the Meg's compound &harsh pad on a DA combination and it doesn't get noticed until it's too late.

With regards to the original topic - DA's are very easy to use as long as you follow a few basic rules and are happy to equip yourself with a decent selection of polishes and pads. The benefit is that with an investment of less than £300 you can equip yourself with an arsenal that will last you a quite a few vehicles before you should consider expanding your detailing parlour with more pad sizes and maybe go down the rotary route.

I bought my first DA polisher (DAS6) back in 2016 and still have it as backup DA however I now find myself much more accurate on a rotary machine. I have found that Toyota paint was very interactive and any change in the abrasive mixture manifested itself very clearly. Started out with just a few hex logic pads and Halfrauds off-the shelf polishes.

One thing to keep in mind is that the DA can still cause shoulder strain, you will still find yourself in awkward positions handling a piece of power machinery, although it won't require as much movement it is an added weight on your extended arms.

It's always good to keep an eye out on detailingworld in case group buys or discount events are taking place.

At the time of writing a DAS6 Pro with a Gyeon sample kit (very decent polishes) will set you back £128, that's not bad! Then all you need is a couple of 2" or 3" pads and a backing plate to complete the set - modern cars such as yours will have plenty of places where the standard 5" pads become very unpractical or dangerous to use due to limited throw space.

Agree with you there. My car had holograms and marring done prior to my purchase. i have done the bonnet with Meguires compound polish and wax and didnt notice holograms until yesterday, when I did the roof and bootlid. I dont know if they are still there from originally or I have maybe polished with the DA set to fast? Also waxed it again by hand yeterday, but dont know if that could make holograms? I am a bit of a novice and used the suggested Meguires pads too.

FYI the car is metallic black.

X100 · May 19, 2021

I have the Meguairs DA polisher and a "Big Foot Mini".

I have not needed to use Meguairs Compound and I have not experienced any swirls with Meg's Ultimate Polish and Ultimate Wax. I always use clay first.

I tape the edges in each section, so I am not sure that the powered process saves any time. Fortunately, I enjoy looking after my cars, so this is not a problem!

-Error- · May 20, 2021

On 5/19/2021 at 9:53 AM, Bowserman said:

Agree with you there. My car had holograms and marring done prior to my purchase. i have done the bonnet with Meguires compound polish and wax and didnt notice holograms until yesterday, when I did the roof and bootlid. I dont know if they are still there from originally or I have maybe polished with the DA set to fast? Also waxed it again by hand yeterday, but dont know if that could make holograms? I am a bit of a novice and used the suggested Meguires pads too.

FYI the car is metallic black.

Could you run me through your pad/compound combination and how many stages you did? There are a few different factors that could have caused your paint to show love marks. Like you said it may be even pre-existing imperfections that your technique did not eliminate.

I'm no professional by any means therefore my advise may not be 100% correct. What I would suggest is if you are able to, change the pad or best change the compound to a softer abrasive - there are many great products such as the Meguiars 205 or their ultimate polish & wax, the latter is a polishing glaze which will in turn use micro filling elements to hide a few of the imperfections - I remember it working really well on a budget detail I did on a '02 Mini Cooper.

If you're spotting the imperfections that means you are using correct lighting for the job as well as have a keen eye, that's already a great step so congrats. Just keep at it, experiment with the final stage machine speed & abrasive combination and you will eventually achieve the results you are after.

Also, don't forget to clean your pads as you go along. One pad will get clogged up way before you are through the entire car, if you haven't got access to compressed air I suggest using a toothbrush - just simply switch on the machine and run the brush around the pad as it clears the pores. I do that between every panel I touch regardless of which stage I'm at, there's a lot of contamination on your pad, might as well get rid of it!

-Error- · May 20, 2021

On 5/19/2021 at 7:26 PM, X100 said:

I have the Meguairs DA polisher and a "Big Foot Mini".

I have not needed to use Meguairs Compound and I have not experienced any swirls with Meg's Ultimate Polish and Ultimate Wax. I always use clay first.

I tape the edges in each section, so I am not sure that the powered process saves any time. Fortunately, I enjoy looking after my cars, so this is not a problem!

I would definitely agree that machine process does not save time. The more you delve into it the more time you start spending setting up/going through different polishing stages etc.