Just picked up a rotary... some questions

[FordFan2009]

I just scored a Porter Cable 7428 with low hours for uh... free. :bigups I have used a rotary in the past about 10 yrs ago but that was on SS paint and with wool pads, I`m sure things have changed. I`m trying to read up and watch as much instructional videos as a can until I get some pads. What pads are you guys going to these days? what size and backing plates? I think it has a 6 inch plate right now. I have M105, Ultimate compound and swirlx for products. What can you recommend I get?

[bwalker25]

Congrats on the rotary for free! :)



I use a 6" backing plate and 6.5" pads.

backing plate - $14.99

Lake Country Rotary Hook & Loop 6" Backing Plate | Detailed Image (http://www.detailedimage.com/Lake-Country-M7/Rotary-Hook-Loop-6-Backing-Plate-P227/)



pads

Purple Foamed Woold (PFW) - $9.99

Lake Country Purple Foamed Wool Pad | Detailed Image (http://www.detailedimage.com/Lake-Country-M7/Purple-Foamed-Wool-Pad-P207/)

Orange Light Cut Pads - $9.99

Lake Country Orange Light Cutting Pad | Detailed Image (http://www.detailedimage.com/Lake-Country-M7/Orange-Light-Cutting-Pad-P58/)

White Polishing Pads - $9.99

Lake Country White Polishing Pad | Detailed Image (http://www.detailedimage.com/Lake-Country-M7/White-Polishing-Pad-P57/)

Blue Final Finishing Pads - $9.99

Lake Country Blue Fine Finishing Pad | Detailed Image (http://www.detailedimage.com/Lake-Country-M7/Blue-Fine-Finishing-Pad-P61/)

Black Finishing Pads - $9.99

Lake Country Black Finishing Pad | Detailed Image (http://www.detailedimage.com/Lake-Country-M7/Black-Finishing-Pad-P60/)



I use menzerna products via rotary and always get consistant results, I tried there stuff and its just worked. Sure menzerna is expensive but consistant results that always just work and work very well, I`ll buy it!



I would look in to some samples from ADS (autodetailingsolutions.net), Rick is the owner and a good guy! They carry samples of all the meguiars products.



Perhaps if you want to try menzerna then check out Detailed Image, George is a great guy. They also carry the Optimum line of polishes, never tried optimum but I`ve always wanted to try them though! I hear they make good polishes. Optimum ONR OTOH I use daily and is a great product!

[MorBid]

Nice score. Polishing products have progressed a lot over the last decade or so. Not as gritty as the old stuff thank god.



Wool pads still are in use so don`t chuck them out. There are some newer lambs wool pads on the market that finish out way smoother than the previous ones.



There are more pad and polish manufacturer`s around now than you can shake a stick at. I too go with LC pads as they hold up very well even after washing.



Here`s (http://www.1car-detailing-training.com/pdf/buffingpads1.pdf) a good read on the differences in pads and their applications.



I would grab several of their Orange Pads as they are the most frequently used pads for correction. I`ve rarely if ever had to go up to a say a Yellow Pad but it couldn`t hurt to have a least one on hand just in case. If you need anything more agressive than that use the wool pads you already have then follow with a Orange Pad to remove the swirls.



I would also recommend having several LC`s Green Pads on hand as well cause next to the Orange Pad these are the next most often used. I`m not pushing LC`s pads but I know what each color represents, if you go with another brand you`ll need to adjust accordingly.



I use either Variable Contact Pads or the Curved Edge Pads as opposed to regular flat pads because they work better IMHO with today`s cars which have a lot of curves and body lines in each panel.



Lake County has a Pad Application Guide (http://www.lakecountrymfg.com/padappguide.html) to help you pick the right tools for you arsenal.

[AeroCleanse]

I would grab some Optimum Polish II and other Optimum products.

[FordFan2009]

Thx guys, great input, I got some reading to do, gonna check out everything you said.

[FordFan2009]

Know of any LC pad kits that are availible?

[AeroCleanse]

Know of any LC pad kits that are availible?



Check Autogeek

[FordFan2009]

ok been looking at pad kits, one thing though, It seems to me the the sites are pushing the 7.5 in and up pads for the rotary and 6.5 and down for DA. Can I not use 6.5 on a rotary since i`m unable to find pads for rotary that are 6.5? is it ok to use DA pads on a rotary? I thought the hookandloop backing plates were the same for each so you could use and pad. I have a 6 inch backing plate what size sould I get? Looking at either lake contry ccs or kompressor sets.

[MorBid]

You can use any size pad you want a Rotary and yes the hook and loop backing is the same.



Pads come in 2", 3" 4", 6.5", 7.5", and 8.5" sizes generally. The orbital or DA machines use a counter weight that is mounted to the machine and provides balance while the machine is in operation. This counter weight is matched to the size of the backing plate being used on the machine.



If the backing plate is bigger than the counter weight then the machine will be out of balance and be all wobbly when in use. So you`ll almost always see 6" backing plates being used or recommended on those types of machines but you can go lower. The counter weight is removable on some machines if you want to change the configuration.



Rotary machines have no counter weight by design. So it doesn`t matter what size backing plate you use. They only spin in a circular direction and not in a random orbit.



With that said, I have found that larger sized pads (7" or 8") work well for large flat panels but can be difficult or impossible on smaller panels or panels with many curves.



Also the pads for a Orbital/DA tend to be thicker so you can apply more pressure to them when in use. Those machines need that extra pressure to really perform where as a Rotary doesn`t.



Greg