Mastering the Rotary

[MasterShineBoy]

I have been using a PC for a while, but being OCD I wanted to step up my game, so I bought a Hitachi Rotary. I have used it several times, but I am creating swirls and halos on my black car. What could I be doing wrong and what can I do to have to stop having to go over my work with a PC?

[MorBid]

Originally Posted by MasterShineBoy

What could I be doing wrong and what can I do to have to stop having to go over my work with a PC?

Unfortunately, the only way to learn is to practice. I'm not trying to be smart but really that's the only way.

On the upside, once you master using a Rotary for cuttting and polishing Black Automotive paint, there won't be anything you can't handle with that tool (marring wise).

Some tips from a Black Car owner (who only uses a Rotary)

1) Don't use dry pads: Make sure either the pad or the panel surface has product on it.
Mist the pad with water every so often (just a spritz) to keep it ever so slightly moist.

Always use enough product to create a barrier/layer between the pad and the panel surface but not so much you slinging it all around the place. Polish on the windshields and walls isn't doing much good.

2) Keep the Pad's Clean: Don't let product build up to the point of caking the Pad. Use a Nylon bristle brush and lightly go over the pad to remove excess product.

At some point you will need to change pads. Some people value the ability to go over an entire car with one pad. For Polishing and Light Cutting I'll use at least two or three.

3) If you cut you have to polish: The last pad on the panel should be a Finishing/Polishing Pad. I usually make my final passes at 1000 rpm's. But will cut at 1200-1500 (on stubborn marring that I'm sure can come out I'll but it up to 1800)

4) Work small areas and overlap the passes of the machine.


HTH

MorBiD

[holland_patrick]

you need one product and one type of pad....


Menzerna FPII

and Edge blue polishing pad... If you have the 200 system good if not they still make velcro pads..

that is my go too on black.. just keep the speed at 1000 and move slowly and over lap..

god choice on the Hit.. i just got one also.. I'm liking it..

[MasterShineBoy]

Well, I just happen to have a Blue Edge 2000 Pad as well as a few others, but I have used up all of Final PolishII.

[salty]

On black paint correction, i will use the rotary for cut and then polish, and then finish with a PC polish to make sure it is marr free. It might take a little longer but saves time with ISO wipes and taking it outside if the lighting is not the best.

[AutoNova]

AI Cerious Polish/Compound w lambs wool pad....leave residue and polish with cutting pad using AI Fast Finish and swirling will be gone or much improved. I am starting to use the Edge system myself. The light green pad that is non-waffle weave has some sling to it.

[theveed]

Merge?

http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12377

[RAG]

Here's the skinny - you're going to leave some halograms (visible in the sun) on black if you use a rotary. It is "possible" to finish nearly halogram free on black with a rotary, but you have to use such a weak product, a super soft pad, slow RPMs, and very little pressure that you aren't really "polishing" (you aren't really removing defects)...you're MUCH better off using a rotary with a strong polish/pad/speed combo and then use a PC to make a couple passes to clean up the halograms.

FPII with a soft pad (I like the white, blue, and even green Propels) will easily finish down on black to the point where you cannot see halograms under artifical light; at this point you can get away with one slow pass with the PC to have a perfect result.

Find us a host for the cross-training and I'll share with you a lot of hard-earned tips and tricks

[eric77]

Originally Posted by RAG

Find us a host for the cross-training and I'll share with you a lot of hard-earned tips and tricks

still no luck finding a place?

[MasterShineBoy]

I got it down officialy!!

[porta]

Practice, practice and practice. I have a rotary and a cyclo. I´ll use the rotary for compounding,polishing and finishing on black paint corrections. The cyclo only for applying LSP.
Just use the right pads, right polish/compound and the right RPM for the specific job.

Menzerna PO85RD with a finishing pad 80-90ppi, ~1000-1200 RPM. No preassure just let the machine do the job.

[RAG]

Yeah, still not luck finding a place for your professional development cross-training session.

To be clear: On a black vehicle requiring a typical two-step polish process, if you compound with a rotary first (generally leaving "medium" rotary halograms/swirls), it is very very difficult to remove the swirls from the first step again using the rotary for the second/last step; this is because the polish, pad, technique, and speed has to be so gentle it doesn't do much. This is why I now believe going with a DA and a medium-strength polish for the second step is actually faster and more effective. BUT, everybody has their own routine...which is exactly why I want to see our cross-training session come to fruition!