That moment I realized I'd been buffing wrong for 8 years

I was working on a 2018 F-150 in my shop here in Omaha last month when an older guy watched me buff a fender and said "you're just smearing the compound around." He showed me how to let the pad do the work with way less pressure and now my finishes actually look wet instead of hazy. Has anyone else had a moment where a simple technique change made a huge difference in your results?

2 comments

2 Comments

charlesowens1mo ago

Hate when you think you've got it figured out and some stranger just casually drops knowledge like that. Been there myself with a different hobby, had a guy show me a grip change that blew my mind. Makes you wonder what else you've been doing the hard way.

jana_henderson521mo ago

Omaha is actually pretty good for this stuff, there's a few old school detailers here who know their stuff. @charlesowens you're right about the grip thing, I had the same wake up call with wet sanding a few years back. I was using way too much pressure and making a mess of the clear coat. A buddy at a collision shop told me to just let the sandpaper float on the water, basically no pressure at all. It sounds backwards but it works. Your post made me think about that, same concept with buffing. The compound does the work, not your arm muscle.