rotary vs. pc

[eurodj2003]

hey guys, long time reader.... i had a quetion though... i was about to invest in some tools and noticed a lot of people using rotary`s for detailing and sometimes not even a pc... i was wondering if there was any advantage to that, i was definately going to get a pc, but dont know if i can afford a rotary too, is it really necessary? would the $40 ones at autozone be up to par for a rotary? thanks

[roadmaster_Tx]

hey guys, long time reader.... i had a quetion though... i was about to invest in some tools and noticed a lot of people using rotary`s for detailing and sometimes not even a pc... i was wondering if there was any advantage to that, i was definately going to get a pc, but dont know if i can afford a rotary too, is it really necessary? would the $40 ones at autozone be up to par for a rotary? thanks



A rotary is not a necessity but indeed a helpful tool when removing real deep scratches, or if you have wetsanded a car, it works faster then the pc. I usually use both rotary and pc, seems to give good results

Dont even waste your time with that autozone stuff, if you are looking for a cheap rotary go to this website, www.harborfreight.com i use their rotaries, not bad for the money.

BUt a pc is a real good tool to invest in especially once you have had some experience in using one.

[David703]

A rotory can do more than a PC. A rotory can also do the same work as a PC only 10 times faster. I use both. But I am using the rotory more and more because of the time factor. If you never used a rotory you probably need about 10-15 cars of practice before I would try it on a customer`s car. Using a rotory can be extremely dangerous if you are inexperienced. Good luck!

[jimtriz]

I agree with Roadmaster, I don`t use the rotary all the time. Probably only about 20% of the time, but when you have nasty swirls or scratches you`ll be glad you have one. Other than that I use the PC all the rest of the time.

[eurodj2003]

i see, this may sounde like an odd/stupid question, but doesnt a pc have higher RPM`s than a rotary so technically wouldnt that allow the pc to work faster? also, can the same type of pads and backing plates beused on rotary`s?

[David703]

I`m not sure about the PCs rpms... but when using the rotory I use 1000 to 1500 rpms max. The PC doesn`t spin with the same power (torque?) The PC spins until you put down slight pressure and it vibrates and really doesn`t spin with much torque. The rotory doesn`t loose any rpm as you apply pressure and thus builds heat QUICKLY! That heat will burn your paint in seconds. Also, the angle as which you use the rotory is extremely important and the higher the angle of attack, the quicker it will burn the paint. (less surface area contacting the paint surface). Thus the rotory works quicker due to the high amount of friction caused by the torque of the motor. Believe me, there is no comparison. My PC uses 5inch pads while the rotory uses 8.5inch. Hope this helps.

[roadmaster_Tx]

i see, this may sounde like an odd/stupid question, but doesnt a pc have higher RPM`s than a rotary so technically wouldnt that allow the pc to work faster? also, can the same type of pads and backing plates beused on rotary`s?



The pc and the rotary are different in a sense that a rotary spins(rpm) where as a PC ossiclates, due to this the rotary is able to generate more heat and gets the work done faster, and because there is more heat being produced there is a chance of error, as long as you keep the rotary moving at a steady rate you should be fine.