Need tips on compounding and buffing my truck

Picked up the machine to polish today.  any advice on what type of  compound to use?  any tips on doing this so i dont screw anything up?  Any info would help!  Thanks!

take your time and watch the sharp edges so you dont burn thru the paint

i like 3m products not  sure what the exact names are tho

Thanks guys...  the 3m compound is sold at autozone or pep boys shops?

--------------------------------------------- Originally posted by DOWNHERE Thanks guys...  the 3m compound is sold at autozone or pep boys shops? --------------------------------------------- neither.. you need a good paint/detail shop.     compound is pretty harsh, we use it to polish wet sanded paint.  what are you needing to do?   if your just tryin to clean up paint and make it shiny, use 3m finesse it white color polish.     but dependin on what your doin you will have swirl marks.   best bet is find a auto paint shop around yoru place and ask them to show you what they use, and how to use it.   if your not used to a machine buffer, you can burn the paint, and tear the edges/corners off off hoods/wipers/antennas/window rubbers...etc  

3m perfect it II you can get from oreillys. May be in the back so ask if you don't see it.

thanks for all the info!  well the paint is original and 31 years old... so it has no clear.  I was told if i was to compound it, it would give some kind of a shine...  I plan to do body work and paint, but that will be in a year or two.  here is a pic what im talking about...when it rains, its nice and shiny!

compound is what you use you can start with a wool pad and 3m. then go to a a maguires red foam an the same compound. go to a black 3m foam with dark 3m glaze. finish it with blue pad and ultifinathen wipe. being that the paint is ild it will probably burn it everywhere my advise is to wait til you paint it.

depending on what level you are going for. The easiest/safest method that gets good results, is a DA or orbital polisher (you can sit it on the truck forever and never burn through), a compound like System One X3 or Megauiars Ultimate Compound, clay the truck, then polish with one of those, then hit it with a wax....obviously if you need to cut more than that, then a rotory buffer and 3M or Meguairs cutting compound, followed by polish then glaze/wax will do the job, but be very careful not to burn through the paint!

I would use a rotary with a foam cutting pad and Megs M105 first and if that doesnt cut enough then step up to a wool pad.  PM me if you need any more info, i own a mobile detailing company!