Nick Benson writes:
>Any suggestions on how to buff out a badly oxidized MGB. I've tried a
>small area rubbing by hand with a cutting compound and it comes up really
>nice and shiny.
>
>I've never buffed out paintwork before, and would greatly appreciate any
>advice on what tools are worth purchasing for a power drill.
First off, suck up and buy a nice ~7" buffer. You can get them for about
$50 and they make the whole job go so much faster. And don't scrimp on
the waxing bonnet, either. I think natural lambswool is still the best.
Toss
the one they give you free with the machine, or use it for cutting and
polishing.
Wash and degrease the whole car, then use rubbing/cutting compound to get
the oxidation off. After that, use polishing compound to take out the marks
from cutting. You can then use a "swirl remover glaze" to take out any
remnants from polishing. After that, it's wax away with your favorite
substance.
Note that in theory, you are removing a very thin layer of paint which has
oxidized, then smoothing out the cutting grooves in stages. It's actually
similar to using progessively finer sandpaper on wood to get a smooth
finish. Just take your time as you work back from cutting and you should
end up with a mirror-like finish. After you do this the first time to remove
the
heavy oxidation, you probably won't need to go all the way to cutting again.
Just start with polishing compound after degreasing and you should be fine.
Oh, and always do this in the shade on a relatively cool day.
Good luck,
Dave Williamson (silikal@aol.com) Spits in bits
Sandblasting - the ultimate cutting compound
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