stupid taping questions

[Eli]

Sorry for the dumb question but I tried searching and coulnt find an answer. 

This is my second go round with the PC and the old 3 step.  Unlike the first time i taped off the car very well becuase I neglected to VRT the trim and tape well last time and spent forever getting my black plastic parts cleaned off. I am ready to move on to my machine super sealant and I am wondering:

 

How do I machine poilish the stuff that has been taped off? I was pretty liberal taping all the seams as I was scraping out selant and or polish for a whole summer last time.

 

Also I am sure there is a fair degree of the 3 previous steps that has caked along my tape lines? should i pull the tape and seal carefully? leave the tape on and try to hand sealit with the super sealant?

 

Im sure there is some easy explanation to this but working 10 hour days and squeezing my detailing in over the last 2 nights has my brian shut down.

[AmyAtAdamsAustralia]

Brian that is an epic feat on 10 hour days and working on your detailing the last two nights!

 

From what I understand from your post, you have polished the car to a state your happy with and now you have tape all over with some dust/caking on the edge of the tape. Now its time to seal.

 

In this case I would I remove all the tape from trim and door gaps etc. buff away any caked up residue with a MF towel, if there are some stubborn stains lightly spray the MF and wipe gently.

 

Once there isn't any residues. Apply a small X of sealant on a Grey Pad and set your PC to a low speed and apply the sealant to the panel with light pressure. Once the Pad has absorbed most of the product you can venture near the door gaps without the risk of building up any sealant within.

 

If you find there is heaps of dusting and caking of product in your polish routine, try a little less product per pad, per panel.

 

Hope this helps, good luck and keen to see some pics.

Edited May 25, 2014 by Joseph@AdamsAustralia

[Eli]

Thanks so much Joseph! This has turned into a sleep when I'm dead weekend.  Car needs to be done for a parade tomorrow where I have the privledge of driving a disabled veteran from our local chapter of Wounded Warrior Project.  5 hours of sleep and I am back at it. 

Thanks, Brian

 

BTW- I love your city. I had the opportunity to visit for a week and spent a fair bit of time in Kings Cross and then day tripped to other parts from there. Wow, just realized that was 18 years ago when I was in the Army....Where does the time go?

[mc2hill]

I taped the seams the first time out too, but found that was not really needed.  Now I tape the plastic trim, wiper nozzles, and rubber trim.  To keep the product out of the seams and panel gaps I start polishing away from the gaps and work towards them.  That way the excess polish that ends in the gaps is worked into pad by the time you get to them.  Just a quick wipe of the panel gap at the end and I am done.

[Team Adam's]

To keep the product out of the seams and panel gaps I start polishing away from the gaps and work towards them.  That way the excess polish that ends in the gaps is worked into pad by the time you get to them.

 

Excellent advice, and this is key to avoiding a panel gap full of polish. 

 

Start in the middle, get the polish spread out, then work up to the gaps and you'll have almost no residue to deal with in the gaps.