Ok Chris here it goes.
First of all you are going to need a polisher/buffer/grinder. I use a Milwaukee 7" heavyduty polisher. They cost between $100 and $200, but they last a lifetime. My Milwaukee is over 20 years old.
I use 3M products ans will refer to a 3M part number.
I am not affiliated in anyway with 3M, I have just always used their products.
Buffing lesson
Sling
Apply a small squirt of product to the area in question. You then need to spread the rubbing compound around with the pad or when you start the buffer the product wil go flying 360 degrees.
Burning through
You can burn through the paint on a flat spot or on an edge.
To prevent burning through on a flat spot (hood, fender side, trunk, ect) you need to keep the buffer moving. Never hold the buffer in one spot. Work in a two foot by two foot section at a time. Use the weight of the buffer at first and then slightly lift up the buffer as the compound be begins to dry out. You do not have to remove all the product with the pad. When the product drys out, you are done. Take a rag and wipe the remaining product off to see how it looks. You may need to buff it again. The main objective is to remove the oxidated paint. This step is done when the paint has a little shine, but not much.
To prevent burning through on an edge, the pad needs to rotate off the edge. Polishers rotate clockwise and this is important as to correct technique. Imanagine you are standing next to the passenger side fender facing the windshield. The buffer is pulled towards you along the fender edge. Since the pad will rotate clockwise, it will be rotating off the edge. If you were to turn around and have your back to the windshield and ran the buffer across the fender edge, you would be buffing into the edge. Once you try it you see what I mean. Also don't spend much time on the edges, two or three passes is enough.
Steps
1. Wash the vehicle first and then wipe it down with a wax and grease remover. Spend extra time and get all the tar off around the wheel areas or your pad could get contaminated.
2. Tape off any trim to prevent damage. Rubber trim will scuff and plastic trim will burn from the compound. Also textured plastic trim will fill in with product and be very difficult to clean.
3. Start with the medium cut compound first. Always start with the least agressive products first and then move to more aggressive if they are not working.
4. Start on the roof, hood, trunk and then move to the sides.
5. Wipe the vehicle off and change the wool pad to a foam pad (PN 05725, black colored)
6. Now use Fine Cut (PN 39002). Buff entire vehicle in two foot by two foot sections.
7. Wipe the vehicle off and change the foam pad to foam pad (PN05723, white colord)
8. Now use Foam Polishing Pad Glaze (PN 05996 for dark colors and 05995 for light colors). This step removes all buffing swirls. I have a black Corvette and you can not see any buffing swirls.
9. The last step is to put on a pure wax not a cleaner wax. Cleaner waxes have abrasives in them. You just got done removeing fine scratches with the glaze.
10. Clean out the cracks between the hood and fenders, ect
Your Done, and your paint will look better than showroom new
The burning through issue may sound scary but it is not hard to prevent. Just keep the buffer moving and you will be Ok. Practice on an old car first you you are worried.
Now, this might sound like a lot of work and it is. I spent 7 hours ploishing my 2000 Corvette and I only used the fine cut, glaze and wax , but it looks better than new. I will post some pictures when I figure out how to do it. The initial supplies will be expensive but, except for the pads, they will last several years.
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