Car polishing machines are becoming increasingly popular amongst car detailers as an effective way to restore the shine, condition and lustre of a vehicle’s car paint. But how do you know if using a car polishing machine is right for you? And what are the pros and cons of machine polishing, especially when compared to manual car polishing? This article will give a brief overview of car polishing machines and detail the pros and cons of using a polishing machine.
An Overview of Car Polishing Machines
A car polishing machine is an electronic device used to remove or reduce the appearance of minor scratches, swirls and oxidation from the paintwork of a vehicle. A polishing machine works by applying abrasive compounds to the surface of your car or vehicle with maximum efficiency through rotating pads that spin at high speeds. When performed correctly, the process of polishing can help to restore the original colour and shine of your vehicle’s paintwork. However, the high velocity of polishing machines can create a wide margin for error, and as such, beginner detailers are usually recommended to start with a dual-action polishing machine, which is easier to control as opposed to a rotary polishing machine. While a rotary polisher will usually yield superior results, they can be very difficult to control and require both time and patience to ensure the surface of the vehicle isn’t damaged during the process.
The Pros of Using a Polishing Machine
Using a car polishing machine offers several advantages over traditional methods of removing scratches and oxidation from paintwork, such as hand polishing.
As one would expect, machine polishers are vastly more efficient at applying polish and abrasives to a vehicle’s paintwork than hand-polishing or buffing with cloths or sponges. Due to this increase in efficiency and speed, a machine polisher will almost always produce better results than manual methods for polishing.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of using a polishing machine is the fact that it’s much less labour-intensive. This is great news for detailers who may suffer from a chronic injury or condition that prevents full physical mobility, meaning they can still keep their car in top condition in spite of a handicap or physical limitation.
The Cons of Using a Polishing Machine
While car polishing machines are an effective and efficient alternative method to hand polishing, there can be some drawbacks. For instance, even entry-level polishing machines can be expensive. For the car enthusiast on a budget, this is often the biggest limitation when it comes to switching from manually polishing to machine polishing.
There is also a steep learning curve associated with machine polishing. When the proper technique isn’t applied, a polishing machine can cause damage to the paintwork of the vehicle by creating swirls or scratches from being too abrasive on the paintwork. Using a machine also means you will have an extra piece of equipment to maintain. While in most cases this won’t be an issue, it will be a consideration if you generally run on a tight schedule, as the efficiency granted by switching to a machine polisher will be lost if you don’t have the time to maintain the machine if it breaks down.
