My first paint correction attempt with a rotary.

Gopher · 05-18-08, 06:48

Well, I broke out my Makita on my mother's Acura yesterday. It was definitely a day of learning, that is for sure...

I think I had glamorized rotaries in my head and convinced myself that what was achieved with a PC would easily be achieved in 1/4th of the time with the rotary... This may be true, but certainly not for a first timer!

I spent about 2 hours on her hood alone trying to get a feel for it and still didn't achieve all the correction I was looking for. I started with FPII on a white pad, stepped it up to IP on that pad and eventually IP on a cutting pad.

I definitely improved the situation, as her finish is beat, but I feel given the fact it had never been detailed before, along with the severity of the defects, I could have had much closer to perfection.

I pulled the car out into the sun to examine the hood under something other than my hallogen lamps and was greeted by a bunch of holograms on the hood. I think these were eliminated giving it another pass taking the abrasives to the zenith point and following with FP, but i lost sunlight and could re-examine.

At first I had some difficulty with the menzerna and diminishing abrasives, as the polish would repeatedly dry out not giving me enough play time. After working for about 4 hours I got a much better feel for spreading the polish before working it in, but I still need a lot of practice.

As the hours stretched on, I backed off on my goals for yesterday and started spot treating some of the more offensive blemishes and giving the whole car a once over with FP on a white pad followed by protecting it.

There is DEFINITELY a learning curve, but on the bright side my confidence is up (I don't think burning paint will ever be a problem) and I am getting a feel for how it moves.

Are the wool pads that come with the Makita any good? I suspect I'll have to step up to wool to achieve the correction I'd hoped for.

Stanger'66 · 05-18-08, 07:52

I've used a rotary many times in the past but I also detailed a vehicle for the first time with my new Makita yesterday. Everything went very well for me. I cut the detail time in about half and was far less frustrated. No holograms and the paint looks flawless. I couldn't be happier with my purchase. It just takes time. Like I said, I've had a lot of experience with the Makita rotary before so this wasn't really anything new, just a new toy to me. You'll get the hang of it and love it.

Accumulator · 05-18-08, 09:19

Glad you folks are getting good results.

Gopher- See, the paint burning thing isn't *that* big a worry. At least not until you get so comfortable with it that you get careless

Heh heh, your Q about the wool (dunno from Makita wool myself) makes me think you're already tempted by the "just a little more" thing

White_07_G6_GT · 05-18-08, 09:51

4 hours on a hood with a rotary? WOW I only spent about an hour playing on my wife's hood when I was learning and that was 8yr old GM clear. I guess that Acura clear must be hard as a rock. I never had a problem with SIP or 106 drying out I did fine it caking up the pad and was amazing how little you needed to use, maybe your not using enough for the area that your working on. What speed were you using? I've been staying between 1500 -1700 rpm. I started out with Blue pads and then went up to green to get better results faster, using edge pads. I found that SIP on a green pad cut through almost everything in just two or three passes. How quickly are you moving?

Accumulator · 05-18-08, 10:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by White_07_G6_GT

4 hours on a hood with a rotary?

Eh..I've probably spent around that long on some panels of the M3, and I was using orange/yellow foam with HT-EC at some scary-high speeds too

I'm hoping that wool pads speed things up a little, and yeah, I now think I shoulda broken out the 3M Extra Cut.

Gopher · 05-18-08, 10:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by White_07_G6_GT

4 hours on a hood with a rotary? WOW I only spent about an hour playing on my wife's hood when I was learning and that was 8yr old GM clear. I guess that Acura clear must be hard as a rock. I never had a problem with SIP or 106 drying out I did fine it caking up the pad and was amazing how little you needed to use, maybe your not using enough for the area that your working on. What speed were you using? I've been staying between 1500 -1700 rpm. I started out with Blue pads and then went up to green to get better results faster, using edge pads. I found that SIP on a green pad cut through almost everything in just two or three passes. How quickly are you moving?

2 hours on the hood. Sorry for being unclear. I spent somewhere between 4-6 hours total.

Before:

After:

I was loosing sun at that point so its not the most representative picture, but I didn't achieve nearly the level of clarity and correction I'd hoped to.

Accumulator · 05-18-08, 01:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gopher

2 hours on the hood. Sorry for being unclear. I spent somewhere between 4-6 hours total..

Then you're working a *lot* faster than I sometimes do

Gopher · 05-18-08, 04:31

That may be so, but I suspect you're happier with your results. I left my parents home kind of depressed with how it came out.

I was just watching some videos of people working with Menzerna--could someone please check this out: Scott McLain from Lake Country Mfg detailing a Pontiac Solstice at SEMA by properautoguy -- Revver Online Video Sharing Network

From what I'd read, I started with a 6 inch line of the stuff, but they seem to use a TON by comparison. I wonder if I was using too little product which could have contributed to my dissatisfaction.

White_07_G6_GT · 05-19-08, 05:25

It's hard to tell from that 2nd picture since your blocking a direct light source. Don't get too depressed there isn't a product called perfection in a bottle it's a process that gets better the more time your willing to invest. Try it again, tape out an area and work in just that area until you achieve the results your interested in. Try a more aggressive pad, as I said in my last post moving from a blue edge pad to a greed with SIP made all the difference. It probably cut the number of passes required in half. Your also going to want a good light source, a halogen stand is an inexpensive way to point light just where you need it. You will be able to bounce light off panels the entire time your working giving you the ability to see all the areas of correction needed at once.

I'm still very new at this as well but 95% of what I know I've learned from this board in the past months.

backwoods_lex · 05-20-08, 12:31

If you're looking to just get the feel of it you could practice on the lid of your washing machine. I did this a few times a week for about a month. When I finally went to work on a vehicle, I felt pretty comfortable (even on my crap wen rotary).

Gopher · 05-20-08, 05:34

that is a terrific idea. In my particular case, I have a stackable washer/dryer in a small closet, so its not practical, but maybe I'll get some more practice in on the bathtub or something.

Mindflux · 05-20-08, 05:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by backwoods_lex

If you're looking to just get the feel of it you could practice on the lid of your washing machine. I did this a few times a week for about a month. When I finally went to work on a vehicle, I felt pretty comfortable (even on my crap wen rotary).

I just did this with my wine cooler. I posted a thread on it too. hahah