Re: Equipment & Product for Polishing - Follow-up
Geo Hahn said:
.... I always considered Griots to be an auto-boutique ...
They are. But a very good one.
Their products are generally considered to be of very high quality but their target market is the enthusiast, basically the general public. So their products lean toward mild and forgiving.
Geo Hahn said:
....was hoping I could get similar products at local stores for much less...
You can certainly get similar products locally, if you know where to look. But Griot's products are reasonably priced. Other products may or may not be somewhat less expensive, but they won't be a lot cheaper.
doates said:
...Is the Griot's kit enough to remove 1500 or 2000 grit sanding scratches? I need to sand out a little orange peel and some bug tracks. Will I need more aggressive polish and/or do I have to use a strictly orbital machine...
<span style="font-style: italic">It depends</span>.
There are huge differences in workability between any given finish and the next. It's impossible to make blanket statements (accurate ones anyway).
A new finish also takes months to cure completely. There can be a big difference in workability between the first week and the next.
By and large, most people who try to buff out sanding scratch from modern finishes (like 2K urethanes) with an orbital fail. That's just not what they're meant for. But if your paint is soft and you're patient, it <span style="font-style: italic">might </span>work for you.
Before you go to town on the whole car, do a test spot on a small area to see if it works on <span style="font-style: italic">your </span>finish. I can't tell you how many horror stories there are about guys who sanded a whole car only to find out they couldn't buff it out.
Stack the deck in your favor and only use abrasives specifically designed for paint finishing. (hint: you aren't likely to find them at a hardware store, go to an auto paint supplier.) And by modern standards, #1500 is <span style="font-style: italic">course</span>, even when rotary buffing. Your odds of success with an orbital will increase dramatically if you continue to #3000 or #4000 (or even finer).
pc.