Love my new rotary!

[Joel_MD]

I have had a PC 7424 for awhile now, but have never been thrilled by it. I have three cars, all with fairly hard paint, and have never had much luck with removing swirls and such. A couple weeks ago I went crazy on Autogeek.net and bought a Makita 9227. I also bought a quart of Meguiars #105 Ultra Cut Compound.

Last week my wife left for a week on a vacation with her side of the family, so it was the perfect time for me to attack her alpine white 2006 BMW 325i. She is known to go through a few gas station car washes when I'm not looking, and it had the usual swirling and scratches.

I started with the Makita, an orange 7.5" LC pad, and the M105 compound. After a couple of passes there was definite improvement. I switched to a 6.5" purple foamed wool pad, and I got near perfection from one pass! It was wiping out all the swirls with ease, and finished down amazingly well. I used a 4" PFM with the M105 in some places.

I followed up with my PC, a 6.5" white pad, and Menzerna 106FF. This combination achieved a brilliant gloss, but that PC just kills my hands when it is set to 5 or 6. I tore the white pad off the PC and placed it on the 6" backing pad on my Makita and resumed polishing with the 106FF. Much easier! I used a combination of 4" and 6.5" white pads on the rotary, with great results.

I sealed the paint and glass with Klasse AIO. I applied it with a 6.5" blue pad and, you guessed it, the Makita rotary! I followed with Collinite #845. This car is transformed, and I can't wait to show the wife. She has our only digital camera with her, so I was unable to take any photos, sorry. I just want to tell everyone how much better my world is since I made the leap to a rotary polisher.

[Buegie]

Good to hear! I just picked up the Flex rotary about a week ago and am still learning the ropes with it. I bought almost the same thing as you though at AG, 6" and 4" PFW's and Megs #105 and #80. I was a little afraid to go too aggressive at first, but on I'm doing another "practice" car today. Hopefully I can get some nice results the way you did

[SuperBee364]

Joel_MD, that's great to hear! For an even better gloss next time, use that blue pad with the rotary and the 106. The white LC foam pad has some bite to it. It's great for cleaning up the holos/haze/marks from compounding, but for true gloss, nothing beats a no-bite pad.

So now that you've experimented on the wife's car, when you do your car, try:

1. 105/PFW
2. 106/white
3. 106/blue

[dublifecrisis]

dang, makes me want to get a rotary. I'll give it another year or so before I plunge in. PC will have to work for now

[SuperBee364]

Originally Posted by dublifecrisis

dang, makes me want to get a rotary. I'll give it another year or so before I plunge in. PC will have to work for now

Dub, get yourself a rotary. Then get a red/blue/black (red wave foam prefered) pad. Also get some Menz FPII (aka Micro Polish). Wash and clay your hood. Set the speed of your rotary to 1k rpm's, and get to work. Make sure you keep the pad moving on the paint, and stay away from the edges. WIth this pad/polish/rpm, you could polish your hood for months straight without removing significant clear, and it's a great way to practice using the rotary. Don't worry about actually peforming any correction or glossing, just get used to the feel of the rotary, how much polish to use, and what it looks like when it's ready for removal.

After you have the feel for it, move on to other areas of the car using the same pad/speed/polish to get the feel for how it handles over curves and vertical panels.

You'll have tamed the monster in no time.

[zoomzoom mazda5]

Great to hear that you got a rotary, enjoy it...........P.S. Coastal Tools has a Makita for 169.00 plus shipping if one's looking for one.

[haper]

Originally Posted by SuperBee364

get some Menz FPII (aka Micro Polish)

when using FPII w/ a polishing pad, do you work it like a traditional polish (8x8 sections, moving 1 inch per second w/ flex, etc). or do you work larger sections and more quickly (more like buffing)?

[EisenHulk]

+1000

I finally got to use a rotary for the first time last weekend. John (Eliot Ness) was kind enough to let me borrow his Metabo to polish a 2002 NBP Honda Accord. I have to say, it was TOTALLY different from my PC, but I really enjoyed using it. The correcting power is unreal, and being able to feel my hands the next day was a plus. I kept the speed below 1300, taped off all seams, and I stayed with my PC on the plastic because I was using foam, and I didn't want to F my buddies car up.

I'll be ordering my Makita in the next month or so.

Originally Posted by SuperBee364

Dub, get yourself a rotary. Then get a red/blue/black (red wave foam prefered) pad. Also get some Menz FPII (aka Micro Polish). Wash and clay your hood. Set the speed of your rotary to 1k rpm's, and get to work. Make sure you keep the pad moving on the paint, and stay away from the edges. WIth this pad/polish/rpm, you could polish your hood for months straight without removing significant clear, and it's a great way to practice using the rotary. Don't worry about actually peforming any correction or glossing, just get used to the feel of the rotary, how much polish to use, and what it looks like when it's ready for removal.

After you have the feel for it, move on to other areas of the car using the same pad/speed/polish to get the feel for how it handles over curves and vertical panels.

You'll have tamed the monster in no time.

[smprince1]

Originally Posted by Joel_MD

She is known to go through a few gas station car washes when I'm not looking, and it had the usual swirling and scratches.

What goes around comes around .... they sneak to the tunnel wash when we're not looking, we sneak an order or two of detailing supplies when they're not looking.

[dirtdiggler]

Joel,
i did the same set-up, but with my 07 Benz.. I did use my PC w/Poorboys ssr3 for the lower plastic rocker panels.
I also bought the purple wool , but afraid to use it.

[Bigpoppa3346]

How exactly does one do a thorough job when they stay away from the edges? Is there 1/2" of unpolished edges on everyone who uses a rotary's vehicle?

[Devilsown]

Originally Posted by dublifecrisis

dang, makes me want to get a rotary. I'll give it another year or so before I plunge in. PC will have to work for now

I too was debating the plunge for the rotary, and let me tell you it is SO worth it.