Recommendations for basic car detailing (waxing) tools?

[gamp945]

Hi all,

I've done a bit of hand detailing on my cars in the past, but nothing serious. All I really want to do is wash, clay bar, and wax. Waxing by hand is somewhat laborious, so I'd like to get a power tool or two to make this a bit easier so that I'm more likely to do it more regularly. My vehicles are not nice enough to worry about serious paint correction, so I don't need a tool that is made for deep cutting.

From what I understand, my choice is either a rotary or DA (dual action rotary/orbital) tool. I think I also understand that these tools are referred as either a "buffer" or "polisher" but that these terms are used inconsistently and are actually synonyms.

I'm already on the Ryobi 18V and Kobalt 24V cordless platforms, and both of these platforms have cordless buffers/polishers:

Ryobi 6" Rotary:

RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless 6 in. Buffer (Tool-Only) P430G - The Home Depot

Experience cordless convenience when buffing your car and other surfaces by using this Ryobi Buffer. Designed with side handle for extended reach.

www.homedepot.com

Robyi 10" DA:

RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless 10 in. Orbital Buffer (Tool-Only) P435 - The Home Depot

Get your tough detailing jobs taken care of easily by using this Ryobi Orbital Buffer. Random orbital action delivers a swirl-free finish.

www.homedepot.com

Kobalt 6" Orbital (DA?):

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-6-in-Variable-Speed-Corded-Polisher/1003313132

Any opinions / suggestions? Thanks for reading.

 

[Retroman]

As the old saying goes I am not wealthy enough to buy cheap tools. I bought a Rupes 15mm it will correct and spread Wax/polish. Also have a Griots Garage 3"DA polisher for tight area's. If you don't want to spend that much go on Auto Geeks forum. Lots of good polishers out there.

 

[WWheeler]

i was in your boat a couple months back and went on youtube to watch a few video reviews and detailer's recommendations and didn't come out of that rabbithole until i had thoroughly learned that I had been washing my cars and trucks all wrong all these years and my wallet was about $600 lighter, what with a DA polisher and an assortment of pads and compounds and waxes and clay bar kit and microfibers of different types and a bucket washboard and a steam cleaner and ... lol

FWIW I didn't need a pro-level tool but wanted something better than HF's offerings (lots of YT videos discuss why HF's models need a few upgrades to worth using, IDK?) so I wound up getting a TORQ polisher starter kit from Chemical Guys. I really like it so far. Made my 14yr old 4Runner's paint pop and almost looks brand F'in new. Lots of friends and co-workers noticed and asked me if I got it painted recently.

 

[laser3kw]

Definitely go out and "test feel" any model or style of buffer polisher before you settle on one type. Some are glorified grinders with a buffer wheel. I was amazed at how heavy and unbalanced some are. Go with the lightest weigh to prevent arm fatigue and hand cramping. The hand hold points can be very uncomfortable if you have stiff fingers / arthritis (I can't hold a "palm sander" style). Battery units are nice, just make sure you buy a couple of extra batteries and a charger. Also, variable speed selection is a plus.

 

[Komet]

Since you've got batteries for it already, I'd go for this Ryobi, it has the features you want in an all purpose buffer plus free pads:

RYOBI ONE+ 18V 5 in. Variable Speed Dual Action Polisher (Tool Only) PBF100B - The Home Depot

Bring an accurate work support to your work area with the addition of this sophisticated and adorable RYOBI 5-ONE Variable Speed Dual Action Polisher. Fits into budget.

www.homedepot.com

 

[jonshonda]

I bought a harbor freight da and then nice pads and backing plate. Good polish, and call it good. Is it as quiet, smooth, or efficient as the high dollar ones, probably not. But it does what I need it to w/o spending lots of cash.

 

[tester19]

Really like and use the Harbor Freight 3" polisher/buffer. I have bigger ones too but these small 3" diameter ones just work so well and are so cheap! Love the light weight and I did not expect it to last but I just can't seem to wear it out!
3" Air Buffer
.
.
.

 

[gamp945]

I bought a harbor freight da and then nice pads and backing plate. Good polish, and call it good. Is it as quiet, smooth, or efficient as the high dollar ones, probably not. But it does what I need it to w/o spending lots of cash.

Would you mind telling me a bit more about the pads and backing plate you purchased? Maybe this is something that can be done to many polishers to upgrade them a bit?

 

[bobg03]

I seem to recall as a dumb young man, I burned some paint off my vehicle 48 years ago. I have not touched a power operated buffer or polisher since then and have gotten pretty good with the once a year, wash, clay and wax by hand on all my vehicles.

So...anyone got any tips if I wanted to try it again?

 

[Komet]

Technology in paint hardness and cutting compound today makes things far easier. Use the right equipment and have no fear. First, you want a dual action so it doesn't leave swirls. Second, pick a pad that has the right amount of cut for what you want. If it's mild swirls on a decent clearcoat, medium cut pad, relatively low speed, light pressure, and a safe consumer compound like Meguiar's Ultimate is really hard to mess up. If you're concerned about a delicate finish, use a no cut pad and try your sauce by hand first.

Backing pads are probably mostly the same, they exist to give slightly when pressed and hook up to a pad. My Harbor Freight one has been fine. I use Chemical Guys hex pads of various cut levels depending on what I'm doing. They have survived heavy abuse on two whole cars and are still in good shape. I use the pad cleaner sauce on them every time. Their sampler kit is a nice way to get started:

Hex-Logic Buffing Pad Sampler Kit (4 items) |

Find professional auto detail supplies for high quality car care like Hex-Logic Buffing Pad Sampler Kit (4 items) at Chemical Guys! test

www.chemicalguys.com

I also use a cheap corded variable speed DA from Harbor Freight, I've had it for about ten years now. I'm sure more expensive ones are nicer or more balanced or whatever, but fundamentally you just need a random orbit spinning pad so it doesn't have to be high end if it's not your day job.

I don't claim to be an expert, but I've had people ask me to detail their cars after seeing mine. Pic related, that paint spent 11 years sitting still in the woods, and it took 8 hours to restore. My last car was the same way, and I spent 100 hours on just half of it to get it that nice by hand. That's when I gave in and got myself a DA polisher. Same results, order of magnitude faster.

 

[ZRX61]

I just picked up this kit:

G8 & G9 Orbital 2-Step Ceramic Kit

Get superior paint care with the G8 & G9 Orbital 2-Step Ceramic Kit. Remove defects & blemishes then finish with robust, long-lasting protection.

www.griotsgarage.com

Already had pads & chemicals.

 

[Jswain]

I've been pretty happy with my porter cable 7424xp. Maybe not the most powerful unit but that's probably a good thing for learning on...

 

[jonshonda]

Would you mind telling me a bit more about the pads and backing plate you purchased? Maybe this is something that can be done to many polishers to upgrade them a bit?

I just went with the Lake Country CCS pads and their yellow DA backing plate. The standard pads i read most use are Orange, White, and Black, with the orange being used for the more aggressive paint correction.

I took our single stage paint miata from pink and dull, to a very nice finish using this setup paired with Meguires 105,205, and wax of choice.

I will state I don't have any experience with the ni er machines, and I am usually one who has no problem justifying buying nice stuff...but I must be happy enough with this setup that I don't look elsewhere?

 

[jonshonda]

I seem to recall as a dumb young man, I burned some paint off my vehicle 48 years ago. I have not touched a power operated buffer or polisher since then and have gotten pretty good with the once a year, wash, clay and wax by hand on all my vehicles.

So...anyone got any tips if I wanted to try it again?

A dual action polisher with nice foam pads and good polish or wax is a pretty fool proof method. DA polishers just don't put enough heat into the paint to do damage at an "holy **** what did I just do" rate. If you used a DA for the sole purpose of applying wax, you would be a happy man! The time saved and ability to apply a very nice even coat of wax is a huge plus.

 

[red94chev]

I detail about 60 cars per year as a side job. I use the Griots G8 almost exclusively for wax/sealant. A bigger 5" or 6" machine is going to be a pain working around contours.

I personally like the Lake Country pads and I use the red for wax and sealant. https://www.detailedimage.com/Lake-Country-M7/HD-Orbital-Red-Finishing-Pad-P954/3-S3/

 

[bobg03]

A dual action polisher with nice foam pads and good polish or wax is a pretty fool proof method. DA polishers just don't put enough heat into the paint to do damage at an "holy **** what did I just do" rate. If you used a DA for the sole purpose of applying wax, you would be a happy man! The time saved and ability to apply a very nice even coat of wax is a huge plus.

Can you define what exactly is a dual action polisher?

 

[jonshonda]

Can you define what exactly is a dual action polisher?

Google has all the info you need. YouTube has all the videos you need.

 

[mogandave]

Can you define what exactly is a dual action polisher?

Rotates and oscillates.

Ever seen a Blanchard grinder?

 

[mogandave]

If I were washing my car every week I think I would invest in a DI water maker.

 

[gamp945]

Can you define what exactly is a dual action polisher?

This link explained it to me quite well:

Buffer vs Polisher: Are These Two Different Tools? - The Vehicle Lab

The terms buffer and polisher are commonly used in the detailing industry, but are they different? Let's analyze these terms and see if they differ.

www.thevehiclelab.com

 

[Odd-job]

Used to clay bar, but have since gone to nanoskin towels/mitts in lieu of clay bars. Really cuts the time invested in detailing down and I reckon at 90-95% of the quality of clay barring. After washing the car down and rinsing, I shoot the car with foam cannon again for lubrication and then go over it with a nanoskin mitt. I then periodically rinse the nanoskin mitt down. Am probably not doing something right here, but am getting old(er) and lazy.

 

[Komet]

If you have a drill or impact driver, you can get mini buffer pads to fit in tight gaps. Be careful because you only get one axis of motion so swirls can happen, but I like these for working out deep scratches. I bought this kit because I wanted the brushes too, but there's tons of different combos on amazon for pretty cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088ZQJCDT/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[pjmariner]

I wash my truck quire often, so I want it easy and quick. Here is my process, soup to nuts I can wash the outside of the car in about 20 min. I might hand wax it once a year, but the detailer has enough polymers in it that its probably not necessary. Once you find products you like, they are much cheaper if you buy by the gallon/in bulk.

In the cold/snowy months I buy a value pack of touchless washes at nearby carwash that is 24 hours.
- Spray down wheels and tires with non-diluted simple green
- go through car wash and drive home.
- In my garage, I spray truck down with Griots "best of Show" detailer and dry with microfiber towel, one panel at a time.

If temp is above 50...
- Rinse truck off with my electric power washer
- Cover truck with foam cannon, I use Meguiars gold car wash, about 20% car wash 80% water in the foam cannon
- Wash foam with microfiber mitt, rinsing often in a 5gallon bucket of warm water with grit guard at bottom
- rinse off truck with power washer
- blow most of the water off with leaf blower
- In my garage, I spray truck down with Griots "best of Show" detailer and dry with microfiber towel, one panel at a time.

For tires/pastic
I like my plastic/rubber matte black so I hit both inside and outside plastic and tires with Meguiars interior detailer and wipe off. Zero shine, nice and black.

 

[bobg03]

A dual action polisher with nice foam pads and good polish or wax is a pretty fool proof method. DA polishers just don't put enough heat into the paint to do damage at an "holy **** what did I just do" rate. If you used a DA for the sole purpose of applying wax, you would be a happy man! The time saved and ability to apply a very nice even coat of wax is a huge plus.

So lead me a bit further down this rabbit hole if you would please.

I can use this HF DA to apply a coat of wax, using any good quality liquid wax. I like mcquires products. The wax gets put on the pad and applied, then after it dries use a different pad to take it off, is this correct?

The short throw one is on sale, I am thinking this would be adequate for my needs?

The paint on 2 of my cars is impeccable, the beater I just powerwash and apply spray wax once a year as it lives outside anyway.

 

[Billy Jack]

I'm not a pro detailer, just a weekender, but I've been a participant in a few detailing forums for well over a decade so I've learned a few things over the years. The El Camino in my avatar still wears its 1987 paint job and has earned a shelf full of trophies in judged shows, so I've picked up a little.
The HF D/A polisher, while not the best out there, has a moderate level of respect in the detailing community. First priority, if you get one, is to change out the grease in the gearbox for a premium grease. All my pads are Lake Country or Buff & Shine pro brands, but I guess an HF Black finishing pad would be OK if it's just for spreading wax.
Meguiars products are mostly good stuff. Their Gold Class wax produces a fine carnauba glow, but durability suffers a lot in comparison to the synthetic Ultimate Wax. For the best of both worlds, try some Collinite 845 liquid, available at about any auto parts outlet.
Put 3-4 dime-sized dabs on your pad, set to a medium speed (usually speed 3 on many machines), and using just the weight of the machine as pressure, start spreading your wax, continuing to spread it until it's BARELY visible on the paint. Excess wax on the surface just means more work to remove it. If you think you need to re-apply wax to the pad, just dab the pad on your car's glass to check if the pad is truly dry. You'll likely be surprised how much wax is still on the pad.
Polishers aren't really designed to remove wax. People have covered the pad with a microfiber or terry bonnet to remove wax, but if you're spreading it thin enough and let it cure, removal with a microfiber towel folded into quarters is a breeze.

Bill

 

[RickyPetite]

A long time ago I had a B&D polisher like the one listed in OP and found it to be worthless. The terry cloth and foam sleaves: fly off, cannot actually perform any work (correction etc) and get coated super fast if you try to remove wax with them. IMO, don't waste your money.

Regarding clay, forget the old "clay bars"...they are horrible to work with. The latest craze is synthetic clay which is put on either a mitt or sponge. You can use the soap from the wash as a lubricant and never have to fold new sections, just wash off and reuse. I have this from Griots (https://www.griotsgarage.com/brilliant-finish-synthetic-clay/) and love it although Adams has a mitt that is pretty popular (https://adamspolishes.com/products/adam-s-clay-mitt).

I've been super happy with the G9 random orbital polisher from Griots (https://www.griotsgarage.com/buffers-pads/buffers/). You connect a polishing pad (I prefer Lake Country pads) to it via velcro. Orange pads are great for correction, white for polish and red/black for sealants. If I want to keep it real simple, I use an "all in one" product with an orange pad. After having tried dozens of products, I prefer 3D Speed All in One or 3D Poxy sealant. These products go on with the consistency of skin lotion and wipe off easily without dust. They also won't stain black trim. Very well priced as well. The latest craze is ceramic products and in this group, Turtlewax Hybrid Ceramic is well priced and wins most shoot-outs.

As I get older, I too get lazier. I used to detail my car to perfection, now I'm happy with it being clean and beading water. Now if I get that garage queen convertible I've had my eye on...

 

[NFT5]

I've been painting and buffing/polishing cars for just on 20 years now. Puts me at close to 5000 vehicles.

I've tried all the different polisher systems and although I do sill use a 200mm rotary (Hitachi or Makita) with twisted wool pad, that's only for the really heavy work.

After that there is nothing that comes even close to the Cyclo twin head polisher. The one I have is now over 15 years old and is the 110V model that I run through a stepdown transformer (240V mains here). Never missed a beat.

The key is an 8mm orbit that is big enough to cut effectively when needed but not too big to not be able to leave a swirl free finish when polishing. Very good for paint correction - barely slower than a rotary but much more gradual and controllable. I have buffed through exactly twice, with this machine. Given the condition of the paint on some of the cars we're given, that I think is a remarkable result.

Unless you have a car that's left outside and subject to excessive fallout, clay bars are unnecessary. Replaced by the new pads anyway.

Use the Cyclo with 3 sets of foam pads. The ones I use are made here but the genuine ones are pretty good (just too expensive here). Other quality brands are also good. You need one hard set for cutting, one medium hardness for polishing and one set of soft foam for finishing. Use these with a quality cutting compound. I use the 3D Extra Cut as a compound but some of the Meguires products are also very good. For second and third stages I use Gelson T47 for light colours and T57 for dark. They are polymer polishes that will take out even the finest scratching and protect for much longer than any wax, approaching ceramic performance levels, without the downsides of ceramic. I don't use wax - doesn't last and doesn't give the same level of gloss or protection as a quality polymer.

 

[jonshonda]

So lead me a bit further down this rabbit hole if you would please.

I can use this HF DA to apply a coat of wax, using any good quality liquid wax. I like mcquires products. The wax gets put on the pad and applied, then after it dries use a different pad to take it off, is this correct?

I remove wax by hand so I can't elaborate on removing with a pad, but yes you are correct. You are able to apply a very nice thin, even coat of wax with a da and pad.

Really light paint correction can be done with that same pad and a light polishing compound as well if so desired.

 

[RickyPetite]

Put a red or black pad on the DA (they attach by velcro), slightly wet the foam pad with a puff of either quick detailer or foam pad conditioner (eg. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040MGUKI/?tag=atomicindus08-20), put 4 very tiny dots of wax (you don't need much) at 12-3-6-9 o'clock and touch the panel you are working on in a variety of locations to distribute the wax. Turn the DA on low setting and distribute the product on the panel. Use back and forth and up and down motions to achieve uniform distribution. If you push too hard on the DA, the spinning part will stop spinning. It's easier to see this if you put 4 lines on the spinning head (the part that the pad attaches to) with a sharpie marker. Use light enough pressure to keep the head spinning. Wait a while (per bottle instructions, some sealants suggest "the longer the better") and then wipe by hand with a MF towel. Done!

 

[Shiftless]

Lots of great tips in this thread. I’m going to get out my old DA Dewalt and get busy.

 

[M635_Guy]

Hi all,

I've done a bit of hand detailing on my cars in the past, but nothing serious. All I really want to do is wash, clay bar, and wax. Waxing by hand is somewhat laborious, so I'd like to get a power tool or two to make this a bit easier so that I'm more likely to do it more regularly. My vehicles are not nice enough to worry about serious paint correction, so I don't need a tool that is made for deep cutting.

From what I understand, my choice is either a rotary or DA (dual action rotary/orbital) tool. I think I also understand that these tools are referred as either a "buffer" or "polisher" but that these terms are used inconsistently and are actually synonyms.

I'm already on the Ryobi 18V and Kobalt 24V cordless platforms, and both of these platforms have cordless buffers/polishers:

Ryobi 6" Rotary:

RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless 6 in. Buffer (Tool-Only) P430G - The Home Depot

Experience cordless convenience when buffing your car and other surfaces by using this Ryobi Buffer. Designed with side handle for extended reach.

www.homedepot.com

Robyi 10" DA:

RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless 10 in. Orbital Buffer (Tool-Only) P435 - The Home Depot

Get your tough detailing jobs taken care of easily by using this Ryobi Orbital Buffer. Random orbital action delivers a swirl-free finish.

www.homedepot.com

Kobalt 6" Orbital (DA?):

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-6-in-Variable-Speed-Corded-Polisher/1003313132

Any opinions / suggestions? Thanks for reading.

Since you've got batteries for it already, I'd go for this Ryobi, it has the features you want in an all purpose buffer plus free pads:

RYOBI ONE+ 18V 5 in. Variable Speed Dual Action Polisher (Tool Only) PBF100B - The Home Depot

Bring an accurate work support to your work area with the addition of this sophisticated and adorable RYOBI 5-ONE Variable Speed Dual Action Polisher. Fits into budget.

www.homedepot.com

As a guy who used to have a company that sold a custom system of wax, polishes and pads based around the 7424XP and specifically targeted for the enthusiast amateur, I'd offer the following:

• The dual-action buffer is the best tool for most people. The old-school orbitals are way too aggressive and unforgiving IMHO - more effective in several ways in skilled hands, but not for the casual user. The DA buffers have a very small learning-curve and are hard to make true mistakes with.
• It's fantastic with 5" pads for polishing and waxing. I generally removed wax by hand - it's not really that much slower and you'll catch all the nooks and crannies better anyway. I can't say definitively that this is true, but I also feel like removing the haze with a buffer removes more of the wax since you're warming it up again in the process (though a tiny bit) and I feel like there are benefits to letting what is left on the car after removing the haze cure a bit.
• Especially if you're mainly waxing and maybe doing some light-duty and have Ryobi batteries, I like the look of the model Komet posted. I don't like the first two Ryobi buffers.
• Pads make a big difference. The classic orange pad is good for light and medium polishes. If you get a really fine polish, get a lighter-duty pad. These used to be white in the Lake Country pad world, but not sure that's still true.
• Personally, I dislike the "All in One" products - you're giving up something for sure. I would also never use an orange pad on anything that was intended as a finished surface (for wax).
• If you want durability and longevity, you can put down a base of a carnauba-based wax and top it with a synthetic wax. You can get away with a "maintenance coat" of the synthetic if the car is garaged and you don't live in a place with a lot of pollution/rain.
• Just about all wax is going to look pretty good on a well-polished car. Most wax is going to look uninspired on a poorly-polished car. Any wax is going to suffer a lot on an unpolished car.
• Learn a two-bucket wash or other light/no-touch method (no-rinse-type products) with Grit Guards for best preservation of your polished surface. Most swirls you see are there because of washing with dirty/gritty water.

 

[Komet]

Regarding clay, forget the old "clay bars"...they are horrible to work with. The latest craze is synthetic clay which is put on either a mitt or sponge. You can use the soap from the wash as a lubricant and never have to fold new sections, just wash off and reuse. I have this from Griots (https://www.griotsgarage.com/brilliant-finish-synthetic-clay/) and love it although Adams has a mitt that is pretty popular (https://adamspolishes.com/products/adam-s-clay-mitt).

Wow, that is what I need. My cars are parked outside in a tree saturated environment, so I'm clay barring every year and it's tedious work with the little bar. Not to mention the occasional clay smears that slow me down even more.

 

[ZRX61]

Meguiars products are mostly good stuff. Their Gold Class wax produces a fine carnauba glow, but durability suffers a lot in comparison to the synthetic Ultimate Wax. For the best of both worlds, try some Collinite 845 liquid, available at about any auto parts outlet.

Put it in the Sun for a while to warm it up first (bucket of hot water will also work)