Have Long-throw DAs Replaced Rotary Polishers? (The Saga Continues...)

[Stokdgs]

I think they both have their place in the arsenal. I love my PE-8 on headlights & windshields. I love my 3401 & Rupes 21 for paint on vehicles. My rotary gets the call when it`s time to do the boat. I have used the rotary on my vehicles but prefer the LTDA. I have done the opposite on the boat & prefer the rotary. Personal preference and comfort level with each machine is how I make the call on which one to reach for.

Whitewater25 -

I agree with you - you need both for different tasks..

When I lived in the Pacific Northwest, I ran into one of the Best Boat Detailers in that entire area, and he and his crew use Nothing but Rotary Power on all the boats they Detail..

He told me they need the absolute power of direct drive, the rpm`s, and the reliability of a Rotary with only 1 moving part and laughed when Companies sent them
Random Orbitals to test out for them... They would bring them to me and I would test them and tell them what I thought..

Boat Detailers that work all year like these guys routinely kill all Rotary machines as well - it`s the result of grinding on gelcoat for days at a time...

And here I am running my Makita up from soft-start 600rpm to slowly and thoroughly massage the pad, product, and the paintwork together so they are very happy when done...

After doing a few Aircraft, I just knew I would never want to Detail a dang boat either... Rotary or not... It`s just too much real estate...
Dan F

[pmdr85]

Whitewater25 -

I agree with you - you need both for different tasks..

When I lived in the Pacific Northwest, I ran into one of the Best Boat Detailers in that entire area, and he and his crew use Nothing but Rotary Power on all the boats they Detail..

He told me they need the absolute power of direct drive, the rpm`s, and the reliability of a Rotary with only 1 moving part and laughed when Companies sent them
Random Orbitals to test out for them... They would bring them to me and I would test them and tell them what I thought..

Boat Detailers that work all year like these guys routinely kill all Rotary machines as well - it`s the result of grinding on gelcoat for days at a time...

And here I am running my Makita up from soft-start 600rpm to slowly and thoroughly massage the pad, product, and the paintwork together so they are very happy when done...

After doing a few Aircraft, I just knew I would never want to Detail a dang boat either... Rotary or not... It`s just too much real estate...
Dan F

I`ve done boats several times at lake winni in n.h. and it is alot of buffing. Imo and expierience it seems that each gelcoat react different to different products and pads. It was a whole new ball game when it came to the term "test spot" lol

Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk

[Justins00ss]

Justin -
Your work pictured above on the Corvette and Mustang is absolutely stunning!!!!
You Killed them !!!!!
Wow !!!
Rotary Powaaaaa`....
Dan F

Thank you so much for your kind words!

I brought up a similar discussion over on the AG forum asking who learned on a rotary and who still uses one?

If you are just a hobbyist that does there own cars then you will probably never need a rotary. But if you truly are trying to be in business and do correction work then learning the skills to run a rotary will come in handy sooner or later. Even if it`s used just for cutting purposes.

[Detailology Oz]

The rotary is still the king and I feel that when it comes to refining paint there is nothing better
with the introduction of super slow speed machines like the fein wpo14-15xe which I own and Which fein has now sadly discontinued and the flex range, we can now do things we couldn`t with 900+ rpm machines.
I love rotary but I love large throw DA too.
With almost twenty years of rotary under my belt, I will never stop using it even if the whole industry does

[dschia]

If we think more about it, isnt it that abrasive primary does all the eroding of the paintwork where as the pad and buffing motion compliment how the abrasive is rubbed into the paint. One may argue that he can remove more defects with hand than using any machines just by using a more abrasive sandpaper, just that the finish will be horrible. I think if a huge market uses DA and compound manufacturers have significant incentive to innovate compound just for the motion of DA, I dont see how a DA cannot replace rotary in removing defects. Many compounds still cut significantly more with added pressure, hence direct drive machine will have an edge over the DA which is why it is still the choice of defects removal.

[CrispyGP2001]

The Nano is a compact polisher. It has a 12 mm orbital tool (so that was to the topic). I have the Porter Cable 7424XP which is I believe short throw. I already had 3 polishers so did not consider the Rupes as needed (also another $300 for a hobbyist).