Tools for the Job

• Different types of tools are on the market that will make your candy paint job look its best. They fall into the categories of buffers or polishers; buffer pads; and waxes or polishes. If you have a foam pad or cloth, then you can buff the vehicle by hand, but it takes much longer than necessary.
  
  These accessories are available together in kits, which makes for a more economical purchase if you don't have any of the tools already. Be sure that each is the proper type of tool for the job. Stay away from high-speed grinders because they will damage your paint job.
  
  

Initial Buffing

• Using an electric buffer is ideal for buffing a cherry paint job. These buffers will remove any small abrasions and also provide a high shine polish to the surface of the paint. Best of all, they can accomplish the job in a fraction of the time as opposed to buffing by hand.
  
  Most electric buffers come with wool and foam buffing pads. Wool is more coarse and is used if old wax needs to be removed, while foam is softer and mostly uses friction heat to buff the surface. For cherry paint jobs, you may want to special order a microfiber buffing pad to prevent even microscopic abrasions from forming. If microfiber buffing pads are not available, use the foam pad.
  
  Start by doing a dry buffing over the entire surface of the car. It does not matter if you use circular motions or broad sweeping strokes. What is most important is to move slow enough to allow the buffer to clean the surface, and to make sure that all of the paint is buffed.
  
  

Polishing the Paint

• Polishing a cherry paint job comes in three steps. You will start with a base polish, followed by a wet polish and then end with a liquid wax. A number of commercial products are available for each step and can be found in the automotive section of any department store.
  
  Place a polishing pad onto your electric buffer, then apply the polish or wax to the surface of the paint. Use the buffer, now equipped with the polishing pad, to work the polish into the paint job, until no remnants of the original material can be seen with the naked eye.
  
  Follow up by using a polishing mitten to spot polish small areas as needed. This is also a great way to remove any residue that may have collected in areas where too much polish was used.