Hi there - very new "shade tree detailer" just starting out....I got a Griot's Garage 6" random orbital polisher with Uber pads for xmas this year and trying to gear up the knowledge for when the weather breaks in here MI and I can finally get started using it....my question is regarding vinyl stripes..I have matte black vinyl going from boot to bonnet and across the roof of my MINI and I'm wondering how that works with a machine...should those be taped completely over and if so can you run the GG over the taped areas? Because they're a double stripe and offset there's the little 1" area between them and then on the roof it's only about 6" from the stripe to the drip rail...not sure how to proceeed to make sure even coverage and not damage the stripes.. Also - is a 6" too big to use on the pillars? thanks all for any information you can provide - feel fee to explain it like I'm 4 years old
Yea tape off the stripes and your GG shouldnt hurt the tape, youll want to make sure to get the edge of the vinyl taped off really well, if polish gets in the edge of the strip, itll be a pain to clean. As for the part in between the stripes.....personally, id make sure to tape the stripes off SUPER good and you can polish it with your GG. You can use a 6" pad on the pillars, but if you are willing to invest, id get a 3" backing plate and a set of 4" Uber pads from phil. The thing itll help the most is cleanup, having a lot of pad hanging off the panel can cause dusting/sling ect. Good luck on your first correction man. Black is the hardest color to get right, but when done correctly....BOOM, it decimates all!
Congratulations on a very cool car ! I have done many and even though they are called a MINI, they really have a lot of areas especially inside that take as much or more time as a bigger vehicle. But it is so worth the effort. Nothing will ever look as nice as a MINI or have that ride ! Its like a slot car or go kart! Good advice already given - you do not want to polish any stripes that are matte black because it can change the finish from matte to the opposite.They do make some products especially for matte, so check those out. Any time you can go to a smaller backing plate/pad from the 6" it will always be better and easier to control the machine, especially on a small panel vehicle such as yours. I do these cars with 5" pads and have great success. I think I may have one Salt and Pepper on my website, that was hammered when it came in and left looking better than brand new. Hope you enjoy your little Rocket ! Dan F
Minis suck to detail, seriously they are tough especially to learn on but it's rewarding. Ask me how I know :whistle: I've had an r53 and now an r55 clubman and my clubman is a total pita tape tape tape, I tape the shit out of my mini and still manage to get some wax/polish on the plastics/trim. Also, I would strongly urge you to get a 3in backing plate you will find that you will use that more then the 6" pad. Just remember to slow your speed down when you use the 3" since it is going to spin faster also move quicker because the small size there are less, for lack of a better term "orbits" so you risk of burning your paint slightly increases. good luck, your on the right site to learn from the absolute best
Man thanks you guys...this is some great info! I'm going to start getting a shopping list together and then I'm sure I'll have some more questions as to function or technique...I'm starting to feel the bug already!
