In the mirror ... of the body (polishing)

Do you think that only women love cosmetics? Wrong! Men also love makeup. They're just crazy about it. They are ready to admire the results of the work of the "cosmetologist" for days (weeks, months ...). If this "cosmetologist" is a car polishing expert.
The body polishing service is rapidly gaining popularity in our market. Service people are increasingly adding this new "dish" to their "menu". What you need to know about polishing? What are the professional technologies and materials used? We will try to answer all these questions.

Restore and protect

At once we will make a reservation that we will not talk about polishing as an obligatory technological operation in the repair of cars. This is a separate story and has nothing to do with our "cosmetic" topic.
Let's address to those kinds of polishing, which sense consists in improvement of appearance of the normal, not beaten up car. Such polishing is divided into two types-abrasive-reductive and superficial.
The most laborious and expensive is recognized as abrasive restorative polishing. With its help, with a paint and varnish, shallow scratches, scrapes and opacities are removed. It is also used to remove the so-called oxidized layer, which over the years is formed on the surface of the paint layer as a result of exposure to ultraviolet, all kinds of chemicals, alas, so much in the surrounding atmosphere, as well as anti-ice reagents.
Restorative polishing is carried out in several stages.

1. The car masks all decorative panels (moldings, various nickel and plastic inserts, gaskets, etc.).

2. In order to get rid of scratches and damage, the top layer of the varnish is removed with polishing skins, from the beginning of P1500 to P2000. (Do not panic, when grinding, a maximum of 4-6 microns is removed, and the standard thickness of a good varnish is 50-60 microns, the new car is capable of withstanding 6-8 restorative polishes without any harm to the coating.)

3. Then the car is processed with a "coarse" paste using a special wheel with a polishing machine.

4. The previous operation is repeated, but with a less abrasive paste and a soft foam rubber circle.

5. Protective polishing is applied. (After using such polish the car is much less dirty and easier to clean).
6. Removes the remnants of the polishing station.

Restorative polishing is appropriate to compare with a surgical operation, since the upper, spoiled layer of paintwork is removed. Its task is to "cure the skin" of those cars that have already been thoroughly mired by the environment and washers.
There is an interesting test for the quality of finish polishing. If you peer into the paint layer, like in a mirror, then the image should be fairly clear. When the reflection is blurred, it is considered that the work is not finished yet.

The second type of polishing completely corresponds to its name - surface.

It includes the same operations as restorative polishing with the exception of the second stage, i.e. do not use polishing skins. As a rule, surface polishing is much cheaper due to less labor.

But, unfortunately, polishing is not capable to cope with any problems. You should know that only lacquer is polished .. If the scratch has reached the paint or the ground, it needs to be tinted, and this is a completely different service. For polishing customers are often sent to the washers, which are beyond the power to wash such complex contaminants as old bituminous stains, adhering drops from fresh markings, tree buds and poultry droppings. The easiest way to deal with bitumen is to remove it using the same polishing machine. Drops from the markup are no longer a "pound of raisins." They will have to hide. And for this usually takes a separate fee. The most difficult is the kidneys of trees and bird droppings. If the kidney or litter "rested" on the body for more than three days, then it is necessary to dissolve and only then to polish. Worst of all, if a lot of time has passed since the moment of adhesion. The resin penetrates the interior of the coating and "swells up" the paint. Here, alas, there is nothing to help. Count on the return of the original form is not necessary.
Many customers are scared off too high, in their opinion, the price for the service. This misconception is partly the result of a massive advertisement of inexpensive "amateur" polishes. Although with the help of these compounds it is possible only for a while, before the first or second washing, to hide the existing scratches, but not to get rid of them.
Reasonable question, how many sinks can withstand the applied coating? The realities of our market are such that it is impossible to give a 100% guarantee. The condition of the sinks is lamentable. Especially if we talk about automatic. On some brushes do not change for years. To bathe in such a place is like driving through bushes. German polishers, being completely in other conditions, give a guarantee of 12 months, or 150 washing cycles. Advice: after professional polishing, only visit hand-washing with a proven reputation.

Main advantages