Tips / Techniques For Using Swirl Killer?

[KoryMiller340]

Hi,

     I recently made a post here where I was showing a before / after photo of a scratch that I removed from my wife's car with the swirl killer, but it left me wondering "Am I using this thing correctly?"  I've looked through some of the forums, and even on the Adams site as well as YouTube and I can't find a good instructional how to video on using the swirl killer, so I was hoping someone here could point me in the right direction.  

      Like many others, I started with a Porter Cable, I liked the results but hated the vibration, and how my arms felt after using it for hours, so I stepped up to the swirl killer last year.  My first use I thought went well until I burned up a brand new pad, after speaking with the Adams team, we determined that I was probably using a combination of too much pressure (being used to the Porter Cable) and too much polish and that caused the pad to heat up and start tearing apart.  I've gone to less pressure now, and I've also tried to cut back on the amount of polish I use as well and I feel like I might be getting the hang of it, but sometimes I almost feel like I'm not using enough pressure or maybe I'm moving too fast or trying to cover too much of an area at a time.  

Like I said, I did have good results last week when I used it on my wife's car, but again, I want to be more confident in this thing and really not hesitate when I want to go and use it. If you've got tips, or a step 1, step 2, etc. or a short video how to would be awesome!  

Thanks everyone!!!

[Dan@Adams]

Hi Kory!

With the newer long-throw polishers on the market today, the days of using lots of downward pressure like with the Porter Cable are no longer necessary. The large 15mm and 21mm throws of these machines provide a larger orbit pattern, so they correct faster, and when combined with today's pad and polish technology, typically the weight of the machine with just a bit of downward pressure to keep the pad flat to the surface is enough. Slow and steady gives me the best results, usually at around speed 4 on the Swirl Killer for most correction, but I will bump it up to higher speeds when necessary.

You can check out our most recent Paint Correction Video Series at the following YouTube link:

Adam also demonstrates using the polisher in the Winter Preparation Video that we released about 2 weeks ago, at around the 20 minute mark:

 

[Ls1transam]

The process for the Swirl Killer would be the same as any other Long Throw polisher. I have a Rupes 15mm and i work a 2x2 section. Going in a left to right and then up and down pattern creating a cross hatch pattern. Even for a scratch like you explained i still work in a cross hatch pattern. Except i don't do a 2x2 area if its not needed.