Info for using the Porter Cable buffing system

OK, the purpose of this page is because this info on the buffer and accessories comes up quite often on the forum, so I decided to make a page dedicated to the Porter Cable buffer and stuff you need to go with it.
You can click on the pictures for more information.
Don't just take my word on how well the Porter Cable system works.
Click here and watch Barry Meguiar's video. Scroll down the page and click on the link for the Power Polishing Clinic.
Also click on any of the pictures below to be taken to the websites of where you can purchase any of these items.

To get right to the steps of how I clay & wax my rig, click here.


"Ya gotta dry off your rig first right?"
I am updating this section here (4/3/2002) before we jump in to the good stuff below.
For years I have used a 100% cotton towel to wipe down my vehicles after a wash to dry them off.
It usually takes two passes with a lot of towel wringing.

I ran across a new product from Griot's website and handbook called a Micro Fiber drying towel.
I just got it recently, and used it on 4/2/2002 to dry my rig off with.
All I can say is buy one! I did my whole rig with it without having to wring it out, and I only had to make one pass!
It got off all the water ands did not leave any behind. I am very excited about this new product, and if you are as anal as me when it comes to details, then this towel is for you.

Recently I also purchased a new sheepskin wash mitt from Griot's Garage.
This wash mitt is da bomb.
No really, I have owned several wash mitts over the years, and this is the nicest one I have ever used.

OK, on with the most important way to get a show car finish!


"The most important tool of all in your arsenal"
First get yourself a Porter Cable 7335 or 7336 random orbital sander.

You can buy this from Tools 4 Less, an online tool store.
The direct link to the unit is http://www.planetportercable.com/tools/randomorbit.html

What you do is take off the sanding disk from the unit and put on either the Meguiar's backing plate, or the Griot's one.
Meguiar's part # for the backing plate is W64DA and is priced at $16.95
Griot's part # is 10625C and is called a 6” backing plate and is priced a little higher at $24.50.
You won't however find the Griot's backing plate with the search feature on their site.
You have to call them to order it.
As of July the 23rd, 2001, it's not online yet as I write this.
No pads are included with either backing plate.

UPDATE:
It's now on their website.

The picture may be misleading, as when I saw it in their catalog, it had holes in it to dissipate heat build up.
This one here looks the same as the one I have that I bought from Meguiar's.


"The polish & wax applicators"
You will also need some foam pads that have the Velcro hook & loop on the back of them that will fit either backing plate.
Meguiar's part # is WDA99B and you get 3 pads which are 2 yellow one's for waxing, and one light brown one for applying a polish before the wax. The price is $24.95 for the 3 pack.
Meguiar's also sells the pads individually and the yellow waxing pad is part # W1000, and the light brown polishing pad is part # W8000.

I  prefer the red pads by Griot's for applying the Best Of Show wax they carry, or other waxes.
The part # is 10628, and priced at $12.95.
Again, this is a little higher priced than Meguiar's, but I feel the red pad is superior to Meguiar's, and it's about half as thick making it easier to work with.

If you need to apply a polish before you wax such as Griot's Machine polish line, their orange pad is what they recommend for applying polish. The part # for it is 10626, and is priced at $10.95.

You can also buy the 7424 polisher unit from Tools 4 Less. It does come with a pad, and the unit is basically a 7336 sander, but the foam pad is always attached to it's own backing plate. Just get the 7335, or 7336 unit.
The only difference between the two is the size (5” or 6”) sanding plate that comes stock with the unit.


"Clay, it's your friend"
I highly recommend that you clay your rig before you apply polish or wax.
For that you can get a clay bar & Speed Shine (their name of a quick type spray wax) and the part # is 11145 and goes for about $29.95, and will sometimes be on sale.

 

Since you have the buffer, or at least I hope you are getting one, you should also get Griot's clay bar holder.
The part # is 10631, and goes for $19.95.

Some of you may not have the Porter Cable buffer, but you still should clay.
Claying is a very important step in ensuring your polishes & waxes will adhere to the surface.
The clay gets off the airborne contaminants, and other stuff embedded in your paint.
Try this trick: Take a baggy and put it over your hand, then rub your fingers along your paint.
You can feel the bumps in the paint this way, but not without the baggy.
The clay will clear all that up, and also make the surface as smooth as glass.

To clay by hand, order the same part # as above for the clay bar holder, and also add in part # 11204 for the Elastic Backed Pad Holder.
This will allow you to clay by hand, and not have to hold the bar in your bare hands.

"Quick Tip"
This will hold the entire chunk of clay that you shape into a burger type patty and put it in the holder.
Pack it down in there tight, or it could fly out like a Frisbee. Been there, done that.
Lightly mist the inside of the clay bar holder before you put the clay bar in, but don't over do it. If you do, it will fly out.

This will let you clay your entire rig very fast. When you are claying, it seems like it's not doing anything, as it takes no effort, even if you were doing it by hand.
The clay glides over the surface very easy. You must “mist” your panels with the Speed Shine, and then use the clay.
Feel the area after you have wiped off the liquid with a towel (again, no effort is needed to wipe off the liquid) and you will see and feel the surface is very smooth. It's now ready to power polish or power wax with your Porter Cable buffer.


"Wax & polish"
I won't go into waxes here too much, as everyone has their favorite.
When my paint is clean and smooth and no oxidation is present, I really like Griot's Best Of Show wax.
It's a straight carnauba type liquid wax, so your paint must be clean prior to using it such as after using a polish, or a cleaner type wax such as Meguiar's Cleaner/Wax, or Zymol's Cleaner/Wax.
The Best Of Show will last a long time, and will really shine. I find it hard to wipe off though as it stays kind of wet instead of drying to a powder.
The part # for it is 11171 and goes for $19.95.

If you want to polish first to remove oxidation, try Griot's machine polish # 3 which is their mildest.
The part # is 11163, and goes for $14.95.
If you have more oxidation, you can get their #2, or #1 polish.
All these part #’s and prices can be found on their homepage using their search feature. Griot's has a very well thought out homepage, and it's easy to find stuff using the search feature.

When my paint has sat all winter long and really needs to be cleaned, I find claying first then using Zymol's Cleaner/Wax is the hot ticket to a great shine. Dang, I sound like an infomercial don't I 
Zymol last year took first place in Consumer Reports wax test out of 20 or 30 waxes.
Who came in last? Meguiar's Cleaner/Wax. I still like the Meguiar's too, but the Zymol kicks ass over the Meguiar's.

((Update on the Zymol, never again on my rig))
Zymol works great as a Cleaner/Wax, but it doesn't last at all.
For now on, with every wax job, I will be doing the power clay, following up with the Best Of Show wax.
And at the 1st wax job after winter, I will apply the Machine # 3 polish to remove winters oxidation before applying the wax, if it needs it.


"Quick Tips"
When using the buffer to apply wax, I have the speed set on # 4.
Griot's recommends if you are using their clay bar holder to turn the speed down to # 3. I agree.
It works better to turn it down a bit as you do get some vibration from the clay in the clay bar holder.

Want another way to take off your wax? Try Griot's wax removal bonnet.
I have one, but have not got the hang of it yet. I tried putting it over a foam pad last year, and I think you are suppose to just put it over the backing plate.
I'll give it another shot next time I wax.
The part # for it is 11536 and goes for $14.95.


"OK, how do I apply all this stuff?"
To use all of the above products, I recommend this method:
If you want to remove all the old dead wax, Dawn dish detergent will take off all the old wax before claying. It is safe, or I would not recommend it.
However do not use Dawn again to wash your rig after you have waxed. Use a regular car soap. I use Meguiar's Carwash Gel.

Step 1. " Power Claying"
Then use the Porter Cable buffer with the clay bar holder with the clay and Speed Shine on the whole rig. You do a section at a time.
So start off by misting the panel you are working on with the lube. I use Griot's Speed Shine. Meguiar's is good as well.
Also mist the clay bar a little too.
Make sure your speed is set to #3 for claying.

You don't need to buff like you do with wax when doing the clay.
You simply wipe off the residue.
You will be stunned at how smooth your paint is with just using the clay alone. It will feel like glass.
Also see the tip above that is below the picture of the clay bar holder.
Please click here for a 1.30 mb video showing how to power clay.

Step 2. "Power Polishing"
After you are done with the claying step, you can use a clean pad with the buffer and apply the Machine Polish #3 and go at it.
You wipe it off like you do wax. You will have to buff it into the surface a bit, and you don't want to let it dry out on the paint for very long.
Make sure your speed is set to #4 for polishing.

The polish is what feeds your paint nutrients. It will be smooth and shiny, but you are not done yet.
Still, I bet your hands are not tired like they would be if you were doing your rig by hand.

Step 3. "Power Waxing"
After that you use a fresh pad again for the Best Of Show wax. Never mix their products on the same pads.
The BOS wax goes a long ways, so go easy on it.
It is a little difficult to buff off with a towel, but the end results are worth it.
After you are done, go over your whole rig again with a fresh towel. And try to use 100% cotton towels. Any with polyester in them can make swirls and scratches in your paint.
Make sure your speed is set to #4 for waxing.
Please click here for a 1.30 mb video showing how to power wax.

I hope the above 3 steps work out for you, they certainly do for me.
But, I skip step # 2 myself because I have white paint, and I find just claying and waxing is enough to give me the ultimate "stop & stare" look we all crave. Well, some of at least desire it.


"In between washings"
In between washings, I use a California Duster on my rig. I use to shy away from these things and thought that they scratched the paint. Not so, said a once skeptic.
I first used a smaller version called the Dash Duster on my interior, and I soon graduated to the bigger one for the paint after hearing folk's rave about them on YotaTechs Toyota forum.

Every night before I retire, and as long as the rig is not muddy, or real filthy, I take the big duster and do all of the paint.
It takes me less than 5 minutes to do the whole rig, and it keeps it looking like it's just been washed.
I use a small dry washcloth on my wheels to remove the days dust, and the next day, my rig truly looks like I just washed it.

Click the pictures below to find out how to order one. Quite a few automotive stores also carry these.

 

And here is the smaller version for your interior.


I hope this info here I have provided can be a help to you. Here is a picture of my 4Runner shortly after I got done claying and using Griot's Best Of Show wax on May 11th 2002.

Here is a video my youngest son shot of me using the buffer and Best Of Show wax on my hood July the 22nd, 2001.
Now all together now, wax on, wax off 

Also included here are a few testimonials of other 4Runner owners who are using the Porter Cable setup:
CTapia
Wyatt
From the SUV forum

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Disclaimer:
All of the above pictures are from their respected websites, and are not my own.