# Rotary Polishing - Regenerating Technique for Enhancing Correction & Clarity



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

The standard rotary polishing method is based on what has been named the Zenith Point technique, where you start the machine at slow speed to spread the polish and then build to the working speed and work until the residue goes clear before dropping back down the speeds to refine. This has been a standard working method for some time with proven results.

With some polishes, however, it is possible to extend the work time by using a Regnerating method and this extended work time allows the abrasives to be more fully broken down giving small benefits in terms of correction achieved and bigger benefits in terms of the clarity of the finish - you are essentially extending the burnishing or jeweling stage of your set.

The videos below show typical regenerating sets - first one with Menzerna Intensive Polish and the second one with Chemical Guys V36:











The idea here is that once the polish residue has gone clear at the working speed, slow down and lighten the pressure and then the residue will come back, hten go back up to a working speed and work until clear and again, then come back down the speeds. You can repeat this process until the polish residue no longer comes back, giving you an extended work time.

This method with Intensive Polish delivered the following results. Panel before:























































Panel after (no further refining carried out, this is the finish straight from Intensive Polish):









































































The technique's extended set lengths allow the abrasives to be more fully broken down which results in slightly better correction where required, but also allows middle of the rod work horse polishes such as Intensive Polish to be brought to a finish which will begin to rival that of finishing polishes - hologram free with good clarity. Intensive Polish can be worked to a hologram free finish with the standard Zenith point method, but this technique in my experience allows or greater clarity from the product through the extended work times


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## dschia (Sep 21, 2008)

Is additional pressure needed at any point of time or just use the weight of the machine throughout the whole polishing cycle?


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

Good post dave, I can cut and refine down 3M Fast Cut on a yellow 3M pad in one set of polishing.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

dschia said:


> Is additional pressure needed at any point of time or just use the weight of the machine throughout the whole polishing cycle?


A little extra pressure during the working stages, but supporting the weight of the machine to reduce the pressure at the slow machine speeds


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## Keith McK (Mar 2, 2011)

All your guides are very helpful Dave.

Thank you!


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## swiftflo (Jul 28, 2008)

The video showed the time working as 8.39 mins. does the panel not get hot with all this going on ?.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

swiftflo said:


> The video showed the time working as 8.39 mins. does the panel not get hot with all this going on ?.


Not any warmer than the standard Zenith method - I don't find that a panel keep climbing in temperature as you polish, but instead seems to reach its working temperature and stays there, which is what you see with this method above as well - indeed, the panel cools slightly when using the lower speeds and this helps bring back the polish residue and then warms back up when you increase the speed again.

Heat is not always an enemy when machine polishing either, it can sometimes be used to your advantage, especially with heavier cutting compounds to help generate the correction, and is also a by product of the abrasive action on the paint.

I've carried out sets much longer than this with no heat concerns, but it is a good point to raise


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## cleslie (Feb 19, 2006)

Blimey, it would take three weeks to do a whole car! Great vid though and very informative as ever.


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## zckid (Mar 6, 2010)

Thanks so much for the vid Dave.

I've been always struggling to create the hologram free finish. i'll give this technique a try for sure.

btw, what is the ideal buffing area with this technique? do I prime the pad for 1st use and how much polish do I apply to the pad? A picture of it will be very helpful.

thanks


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

zckid said:


> Thanks so much for the vid Dave.
> 
> I've been always struggling to create the hologram free finish. i'll give this technique a try for sure.
> 
> ...


I'll put a picture up the next time I am out detailing, but once the pad is primed with a line of polish, just two pea-sized blobs is all you need over an 18" (40cm) square area


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## zckid (Mar 6, 2010)

Dave KG said:


> I'll put a picture up the next time I am out detailing, but once the pad is primed with a line of polish, just two pea-sized blobs is all you need over an 18" (40cm) square area


Thanks Dave. :thumb:


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