You've got the right idea!
A DA polisher is incredibly safe, especially a smaller machine like the Porter Cable... don't over think it! As long as you've got a good head on your shoulders and some good common sense, you will be fine. It sounds like you have been doing a fair bit of research and learning, so that is a great first step. You will learn a lot very quickly once you get started on your vehicle.
FWIW, the only time I have seen DA machines result in damage (when the operator was not being irresponsible) was when a vehicle had shotty repair/paint work done and there was no way for the detailer to know of that beforehand. So again, you should be perfectly fine!
We just shot this video that goes over a 2 step paint correction process. This will be featured in an upcoming article on the Ask-A-Pro Blog, but I will post it here ahead of time as it may be beneficial to you. (This was our first video attempt and my first time on camera, so go easy on me
)
Remember to check out our
Detailing Guide and
Ask-A-Pro Blog for more information.
Please let me know if you have any questions... I'd be happy to help
Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com