Rotary details...F250, BMW 650 and 335

Scottwax · 12-17-07, 06:35

Ryan, aka William H. Bonney was gracious enough to lend me his PC 7428 rotary to use during the winter months as his winters are severe enough to pretty much end detailing for him until spring. I hadn't used a rotary since I took a paint and body class in high school, so I went by a body shop a good friend of mine owns and picked up a fender to practice on. Even with the rotary on 4.5 (should be 2400 rpm) using Optimum Compound and a burgandy Meguiars cutting pad and some pressure, I was unable to burn paint, even on the edge. Using a polishing pad and Optimum Polish, I was able to finish it out hologram free too. So far, so good!

First one I used the rotary on was a 2006 Ford F250 that was in pretty decent shape. I used Optimum Polish with a Meguiars polishing pad @ 1400 rpm and finished with a few passes @1000 rpm. I didn't get any sun shots, mostly because I started on the truck at 1 PM and only had 4 hours to finish it. I quickly found the rotary takes more concentration to use than a Cyclo, PC or UDM and the first real use on an entire vehicle was taking a bit longer than expected. Plus, I didn't have a whole lot of shots left on the roll of film in the camera. Anyway, after polshing it out I waxed it with Clearkote's Carnauba Moose.

==============

2006 BMW 650i. The owner bought this car from the original owner in Florida. It had about 13,000 miles on it. Typical light swirls as exceptec for the age of the car. Optimum Compound using an orange Soft Edge one step pad @1800, Optimum Polish using a yellow Meguiars polishing pad @1400, same using the UDM, Carnauba Moose to seal. I ended up having to finish the car with the UDM, for some reason, I just could not get the driver's door and rear fender to finish out hologram free like the rest of the car...then I found trace evidence of overpsray at the bottom of the rear bumper and a 1/8th inch wide strip on the driver's door trim that I had overlooked. Aha! The driver's door and rear fender had been refinished. After using the UDM on both those sections, I used it on the front fender on that side and notice a small increase in clarity, so I ended up doing the whole car with the UDM.

These full car shots are polished only, it was way past dark by the time I waxed it.

Scottwax · 12-17-07, 06:46

2007 BMW 335i. The owner picked up his car in Germany and drove it to the docks himself for shipping. Somewhere between there and here, someone left some rotary swirls in the hood. Plus, he travels a lot and parks at the airport. Unfortunately, at times he parks near the edge of the parking garage so when it rains, all sorts of stuff ends up on the paint. Lots of light to moderate waterspots were the result, plus some minor etching in the trunk lid that *may* come out with wetsanding but he decided to hold off on that.

This isn't the best before shot but due to how cold it was in the morning, not to mention the lack of parking spaces at his complex, I had to take these shots in the garage. You should be able to see the lack of clarity in the paint right around the edges of the light.

After using Optimum Polish with a Meguiars polishing pad @1800 and finishing down @ 1000 rpm, then following with the UDM using a blue Soft Edge polishing pad and Optimum Poli-Seal (jet black 335 has SOFT paint!).

I waxed it with CMW, then we pulled it out for some pics-found a few areas that I hadn't completely removed the wax...like on the front fender after I took the picture!

So far, I really like using the rotary, definitely corrects faster than a Cyclo or UDM. Seems to take the finish up a touch too.

Blake · 12-17-07, 07:07

As always great work Scott. What's on the tires?

toyotaguy · 12-17-07, 07:11

get a LC wool pad and you will enjoy rotary even more!!! I love the cut and finish with wool, plus its much easier to control....

stiffdogg06 · 12-17-07, 07:33

sp how do u like it versus cyclo and what not?

Invigor · 12-17-07, 07:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by toyotaguy

get a LC wool pad and you will enjoy rotary even more!!! I love the cut and finish with wool, plus its much easier to control....

I find wool pads don't like to walk as much as foam...sometimes the foam just GRABS and goes...wool seems to go where I want it to...and cuts like a dream!

WilliamHBonney · 12-17-07, 08:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Invigor

I find wool pads don't like to walk as much as foam...sometimes the foam just GRABS and goes...wool seems to go where I want it to...and cuts like a dream!

Would you please post a link and or picture of the wool pads you use? I have always wanted to try them but always thought that I did not work on something that needed to be cut that much because as I understood wool its only for the worst of the worst.

baseballlover1 · 12-17-07, 08:15

Looks GREAT to me scottwax!

Invigor · 12-17-07, 08:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilliamHBonney

Would you please post a link and or picture of the wool pads you use? I have always wanted to try them but always thought that I did not work on something that needed to be cut that much because as I understood wool its only for the worst of the worst.

Just your run of the mill 3m wool pad:

3M Automotive, Marine and Aerospace : 3Mâ„¢ Perfect-Itâ„¢ III Compounding Pad, 05719, 9 in, 6 per case

I haven't had the luxury of trying these new fancy ones that some folks on here have. I like to wash them once before I use them, cause they're pretty fluffy and all of a sudden you've got little strands of wool everywhere...

Scottwax · 12-17-07, 09:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blake

As always great work Scott. What's on the tires?

Nascar Ultima Shine Tire Finish...at least until I clean out all the Big Lots in town. The stuff is an excellent tire dressing. Real sleeper of a product.

stiffdogg06-the rotary cuts noticably faster than the Cyclo. Once I really get the hang of it, the rotary is going to save me some serious time.

Invigor-I've noticed that too, the foam pads can be pretty grabby until they are fully primed with polish.

toyotaguy-my local Optimum distributor carries the LC line, I'll have to get some wool pads from him. Definitely going to use my practice fender first.

tdekany · 12-17-07, 10:50

Beautiful work Scott!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JoshVette · 12-17-07, 11:11

Nice work, bout time you got in the game with a rotary....

How come you're just now getting your hands on a rotary?

So are you saying you did a full polish job with the rotary on that F250 in just 4 hours?

BTW, try some curved pads, they're made for the rotary, not the flat pads, they're made for orbital buffers and are more likely to leave buffer trails which can only be seen in direct sunlight and not with hologens.

Again, nice work, I use a rotary a lot so if you ever have questions I can help you.
Josh