Using your hands or a buffer - Toyota Yaris Forums

jinxor · 12-01-2008, 06:05 PM

In order to polish and wax, what do you use?
A buffer (gets the job done quickly)
Good Old Hand movemement (feel the wax and polish)

TinyGiant · 12-01-2008, 06:32 PM

i always used to use hands.. but that could be because i didnt have a buffer.. i have heard that you can burn your finish with a buffer though if you arent careful

jinxor · 12-01-2008, 06:43 PM

But from what I heard, buffer could give you a better gloss that hand job. Not sure about it because I have been tossing over the idea of using a buffer or not.

bzinn 1 · 12-01-2008, 07:23 PM

I like to use a buffer to do the polish only.I do the wax by hand.Most buffers will not burn your finish,but the cutter compounds in the wax or polish do,also a good polish and wax can also reduce this effect.I only use the products form www.griotsgarage.com they are water base and professional quality.Easiest products I have ever used.

Bob_VT · 12-01-2008, 08:37 PM

Apply the wax by hand and remove with an orbital machine.

Stargate YARlantIS · 12-01-2008, 09:06 PM

I always go by hand....a little "Elbow Grease" never hurts anyone. Plus gives you a nice forearm/shoulder workout :)

DFA · 12-01-2008, 10:49 PM

I always buff by hand.

Then again, I'm buying a buffer next month.

CCILovePinkCC · 12-03-2008, 09:38 AM

Hands

jamal1984 · 12-03-2008, 10:12 AM

if you buying a buff, yu need to know how to use them, or else, you will make a whole bunch of scratches and swirld looking.
Hand will work fine all the time.

SuperFunBall · 12-03-2008, 11:29 AM

I agree, hands all the way. I have seen some pretty bad buffing swirls on some nice rides. Also the extral hard work from not using a buffer makes you appreciate your car better.

SIPNGAS · 12-03-2008, 05:45 PM

....

People are on a roll today.

jinxor · 12-03-2008, 06:33 PM

looks like it... i was under the impression that a lot of ppl would be using a buffer... .but now, i reckon the hand is the way to go...

puetato89 · 12-05-2008, 11:23 AM

actually from an auto body guy.... buffer... mostly if wetsanding.. doing it by hand wont get all the shine back... and you can burn through the paint, seen it happen a lot... when buffing make sure you keep the buffer wet with compound or youll chip the paint... slow and steady and use it 2'-by-2' area... also depending on the buffers... a good buffer will cost about $120 and up

Herbicidal · 12-09-2008, 10:57 AM

I always use a buffer. I bought a Porter Cable 7424 random orbital buffer with variable speeds about 6 years ago and it works great! Here's a link to my thread from back in September about how I detailed the exterior of my Yaris S sedan. In that thread I've included pictures of how much crap a clay bar will pull out of the paint too.

The last picture shows the products I used to get that shine.

There's just no way you can get your hand to move as fast and as long as a buffer and maintain the same consistency. For the tight spots, I will do it by hand (don't go there!

). Additionally, if you are using a product to clean the paint, a buffer is really the only way to go as the cleaning product needs the power of a buffer to obtain optimal results. For a novice detailer, a random oribital buffer is the safest bet (along with a dose of common sense) against creating any swirl marks in the paint.

In a quick search, I found THIS that includes free shipping and some pads to get you started.

puetato89 · 12-09-2008, 12:32 PM

like i said 120 and up for a good one...

whooppee777 · 12-09-2008, 03:55 PM

never send a machine to do a mans job

View Poll Results: What do you use to wax and polish
Orbital buffer	7	16.28%
Hands	36	83.72%
Voters: 43. You may not vote on this poll

12-01-2008, 06:32 PM	#2
TinyGiant Tiny Giant Clothing View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Blazing Blue Yaris 3D LB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Rochester, NH Posts: 3,394	i always used to use hands.. but that could be because i didnt have a buffer.. i have heard that you can burn your finish with a buffer though if you arent careful __________________ Sold the yaris... rocking an 89 vw cabriolet now :)

12-01-2008, 08:37 PM	#5
Bob_VT View User's Garage Drives: 08 Yaris LB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,704	Apply the wax by hand and remove with an orbital machine. __________________ some people are little slinkies. . . . .they are really good for nothing. . . .but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs. Come to the DARKSIDE..... We have candy

12-01-2008, 09:06 PM	#6
Stargate YARlantIS View User's Garage Drives: 2007 Yaris Liftback Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Saint Petersburg, FL Posts: 351	I always go by hand....a little "Elbow Grease" never hurts anyone. Plus gives you a nice forearm/shoulder workout :) __________________ Visualize whirled peas. Peace, Love and Good Smoke! --Tommy Chong

12-01-2008, 10:49 PM	#7
DFA Compulsive Washer Drives: 08' AT Meteorite Metallic LB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Panama City, Panama Posts: 395	I always buff by hand. Then again, I'm buying a buffer next month. __________________

12-01-2008, 07:23 PM	#4
bzinn 1 Drives: 2008 Yaris HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: University Place,WA Posts: 828	I like to use a buffer to do the polish only.I do the wax by hand.Most buffers will not burn your finish,but the cutter compounds in the wax or polish do,also a good polish and wax can also reduce this effect.I only use the products form www.griotsgarage.com they are water base and professional quality.Easiest products I have ever used.

12-03-2008, 09:38 AM	#8
CCILovePinkCC JuicyCoutureGirl Drives: 2009 Blazing Blue LB Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 14	Hands

12-03-2008, 10:12 AM	#9
jamal1984 The Beautification of Car View User's Garage Drives: Toyota Yaris S Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 967	if you buying a buff, yu need to know how to use them, or else, you will make a whole bunch of scratches and swirld looking. Hand will work fine all the time.

12-03-2008, 11:29 AM	#10
SuperFunBall View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Blazing Blue 3dr LB MT Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: NSB,FL Posts: 198	I agree, hands all the way. I have seen some pretty bad buffing swirls on some nice rides. Also the extral hard work from not using a buffer makes you appreciate your car better. __________________ Sometimes you have to spit on your hands, raise the black flag, and start slashing throats

12-03-2008, 05:45 PM	#11
SIPNGAS I LOVE my Yaris! View User's Garage Drives: 2007 Polar White LB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast Wisconsin Posts: 5,164	.... People are on a roll today. __________________ We don't see things as THEY are...we see them as WE are. Lisa aka *SIPNGAS*

12-05-2008, 11:23 AM	#13
puetato89 Just call me Ray, better? View User's Garage Drives: 08 Yaris Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: orlando Posts: 1,056	actually from an auto body guy.... buffer... mostly if wetsanding.. doing it by hand wont get all the shine back... and you can burn through the paint, seen it happen a lot... when buffing make sure you keep the buffer wet with compound or youll chip the paint... slow and steady and use it 2'-by-2' area... also depending on the buffers... a good buffer will cost about $120 and up

12-09-2008, 10:57 AM	#14
Herbicidal Just a Herbicidal maniac. View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Yaris S Sedan Flint Mica Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Roseville, CA - USA. Posts: 450	I always use a buffer. I bought a Porter Cable 7424 random orbital buffer with variable speeds about 6 years ago and it works great! Here's a link to my thread from back in September about how I detailed the exterior of my Yaris S sedan. In that thread I've included pictures of how much crap a clay bar will pull out of the paint too. The last picture shows the products I used to get that shine. There's just no way you can get your hand to move as fast and as long as a buffer and maintain the same consistency. For the tight spots, I will do it by hand (don't go there! ). Additionally, if you are using a product to clean the paint, a buffer is really the only way to go as the cleaning product needs the power of a buffer to obtain optimal results. For a novice detailer, a random oribital buffer is the safest bet (along with a dose of common sense) against creating any swirl marks in the paint. In a quick search, I found THIS that includes free shipping and some pads to get you started. __________________ 2008 Toyota Yaris (Vios) 'S' sedan, Flint Mica, dropped on TRD springs, TRD anti-sway bar. Tinted rear windows. Lenso Samurai SC02 hyper black 17" x 7" rims, wrapped in 205x40x17 Federal ss595's. Color matched eyelids. Vios badge. Body color trunk trim (was chrome). Lamin-X tint on rear tails. Custom center exit exhaust. Tanabe front strut tower brace.

12-09-2008, 12:32 PM	#15
puetato89 Just call me Ray, better? View User's Garage Drives: 08 Yaris Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: orlando Posts: 1,056	like i said 120 and up for a good one... __________________

12-09-2008, 03:55 PM	#16
whooppee777 I used to have 1700 posts View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Yaris Hatch Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 808	never send a machine to do a mans job __________________ *First Boosted Yaris On The East Coast*

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