Quick Guide to Polishing Lacquers, woods and Plastics.

IMPORTANT The list below and a general polishing processes that are proved to work, there are other compound and mop combinations that work just as well. There are many factors involved regarding polishing some are listed below:

A) Condition of the material with determine where you start.
B) Make sure you remove the marks left from a previous process
C) If possible try to alter the direction of the polishing for each process, even if only by a few degrees.
Do not overload polishing mops with compound. You will deposit grease on the work surface.
D) Use safety equipment, glasses and dust mask. Dust is never nice. Polish outdoors if you have no extraction.
E) For Plastics & Lacquer run polishing machine at slower speed to avoid heat build up. 1000-1500 rpm. Do not focus on a small area for long periods.
F) Wet & Dry paper, there is a reason it is call that. You soak the paper in water before use. 30 sec to a min. should be fine.

Use abrasive paper prior to polishing. Papers are available in anything from 120 grit to 2000 grit, even a 2000 grit paper will never compare to the finish you will get from compounds like Glosswax 16, Atol 6 & G52.

Process 1) 113GZP Brown compound with a B quality loose mop
Process 2) Glosswax 16 Beige compound with a G quality loose mop
Process 3 ) Atol 6 Beige compound with a WDR loose quality mop, for darker lacquers/plastics where a perfect finish is required then use G52 white.

113GZP will remove 600-1500 grit marks
Glosswax 16 will remove 1500-2000 grit marks.
You do have choices. For example if you find then abrasive process easier then you could paper upto 1500 grit and use glosswax 16 then finish with atol 6 OR Paper upto 600 grit then use the 113GZP then the glosswax 16 and finish with the atol 6.
Its all about what suits you.