OK, I just got a Makita 7" polisher for my car(s).

But I'm confused on the where to start with the accessories - There are foam pads, sponge pads, wool compounding bonnets, and wool finishing bonnets.

Should I have one of each?
What compounds should I work with?

We're primarily talking minor scratch buffing, but also some polishing of wet-sanded areas to a mirror finish.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!!

Mark,
One of my first summer jobs was working in a body shop doing paint prep and some buffing. This was back when all of the paint was lacquer and we wet sanded and buffed everything.
My only advice is before you even touch your own car with it, get a couple of junk fenders or a hood to practice on. It is much easier than you will ever imagine to ruin paint with one of those things :( Maybe even see if someone at a local detailing shop will give you some tips, even if you have to pay a few bucks. I dont want ot sound overly cautious, but I would hate to see you mess up a nice paint job.

Otherwise, keep the pad kleen, never use the edge until you have a LOT of experience, and go real slow.

Good advice, Bill - thanks. I plan on practicing on the daily drivers first, then the wife's "fun" car, then mine. :) Even better, she's ok with that!

If you stick with one particular brand of products ( I use Mequires) they will have reccomendations for which pads to use with each compound. Also, they will have reccomendations on which compounds to use in a particular order to end up with the desired finish.
Cheers
Steve

Mequiars has a help forum that literally covers it all. http://www.meguiars.com/

I went there last year never having done any of this type of work and left with everything I needed to do my 66 Impala. I used all Mequiars products and followed their advice and the results were fantastic!

I would post a pic but I don't see how to do that on this forum. :(

I like 3M products but you'll have to get them at an auto body supply. Heavy wool pads are for coarse buffing, make sure you don't get a lot of buildup on them, I tend to use a screwdriver if I can't find my rake to clean them. The fine wool pads are for polishing and glazing. The foam pads should state their use on the back, foam is more dependant on the cell structure of the foam.

If you plan to compound start out with either a wool polishing pad or suitable foam pad. Use a quality polishing compound and work on a 2'x2" area. Do your best to stay away from edges and corners, do them by hand. Then change the pad to another foam/wool polishing pad and use a good quality glaze/swirl remover (Liquid Ebony, 3M machine glaze, I think meguiars makes one too.) Then a good polish and then wax, do those by hand or with an orbital machine.

Excellent information, thanks everyone!

Darn near impossible to "burn" the ridges and edges with the foam pad. That's all a friend of mine will let his employees use to clean and wax a car, for that reason. Takes longer but it's safer for a novice.