View Poll Results: What do you speed setting do you use on your polishers?

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  • 3-3.5

    2 10.00%
  • 4-4.5

    8 40.00%
  • 5-5.5

    7 35.00%
  • 6

    3 15.00%
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  1. #1

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    What speed do you run your polishers on?

    Hi autopians,

    Whats everyone using for the speed on their machines? Do you change it at all?

    I currently run my first generation griots 15mm longthrow on 4.5 and my G8 on 5.

    Can`t seem to edit the title of the poll....
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  2. #2

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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    I voted "5-5.0" but overall I`ve probably run mine at 6 at least as much. (Yeah, I take flak for that but it hasn`t bitten me in decades of doing it.) I *am* thinking "correction with Polishes and Compounds" and not "LSPing/AIOing via machine".
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  3. #3
    dansautodetailing.com Stokdgs's Avatar
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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    I hardly ever use a Random Orbital, but when I have, it is always at 6 if I am correcting, polishing, A, B, C pillars, glass, etc...
    Pad Rotation is what I need to do the work, and I get the most rotation at 6..

    For my Makita Rotary, I use lower speeds to get the most time for the pad, product,and paint, to get acquainted with one another as long as possible.

    I never need to run the Makita full speed, except to help dry off pads more quickly after I wash and rinse them..

    Decades ago like over 50 years ago, high speed Rotary was needed to get the 3M compounds working on all that acrylic lacquer and enamel paint back then..
    Dan F
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  4. #4

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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    I voted "5-5.0" but overall I`ve probably run mine at 6 at least as much. (Yeah, I take flak for that but it hasn`t bitten me in decades of doing it.) I *am* thinking "correction with Polishes and Compounds" and not "LSPing/AIOing via machine".
    Interesting, i`ll be honest i`m just listening to people on youtube. I tried 3.5 for a while because of apex detailing and felt it was too slow so i bumped it up to 4.5 which is what esoteric recommends. 4.5 is a nice speed but maybe i might start to experiment.
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  5. #5
    dansautodetailing.com Stokdgs's Avatar
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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    Quote Originally Posted by noorth View Post
    Interesting, i`ll be honest i`m just listening to people on youtube. I tried 3.5 for a while because of apex detailing and felt it was too slow so i bumped it up to 4.5 which is what esoteric recommends. 4.5 is a nice speed but maybe i might start to experiment.
    Everyone has their own experiences and comfort level, and of course, every surface is going to react differently, and then there is all the different kind of paint, and the level of correction it needs..

    You have to be really flexible and really pay attention to what the machine is telling you as you use it..

    There will Never be one hard and fast speed that will do everything perfectly... Pad Rotation...
    Dan F
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  6. #6

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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    Quote Originally Posted by Stokdgs View Post
    Everyone has their own experiences and comfort level, and of course, every surface is going to react differently, and then there is all the different kind of paint, and the level of correction it needs..

    You have to be really flexible and really pay attention to what the machine is telling you as you use it..

    There will Never be one hard and fast speed that will do everything perfectly... Pad Rotation...
    Dan F
    But rupes says pad rotation is not super important.. My eyes tell me different.

    I will be using higher speeds around curves i think going forward. Try it anyhow. My front bummer is trashed however i was thinking of using my mini rotary for a 2-3 step correction. Follow it up with the griots 3 inch.

    Caveat: Front bumper is the only area i haven`t polished this year yet on my car and the rest of my family have boring white cars. I don`t have much fun polishing them. I might use gyeon primer on my fathers car just to brighten up the paint.
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  7. #7

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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    When I used my HF DA polisher I ran it at usually full throttle (5~6) in order to get good correction. The only thing I really use it for today is sealant application and that`s done at speed 2~3.

    Now that I`m using a second gen G15, I`m able to do the same level of work as the HF with the polisher at 4~5. I`ve only used my G8 once so far, but I ran it at 4.5. To be fair I was only improving gloss with the G8 on medium-soft paint and not trying to do any real correction.

    Give me a car with some rock-hard VAG paint and I might have to really open them both up to get the work done.
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  8. #8

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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    Quote Originally Posted by Desertnate View Post
    When I used my HF DA polisher I ran it at usually full throttle (5~6) in order to get good correction. The only thing I really use it for today is sealant application and that`s done at speed 2~3.

    Now that I`m using a second gen G15, I`m able to do the same level of work as the HF with the polisher at 4~5. I`ve only used my G8 once so far, but I ran it at 4.5. To be fair I was only improving gloss with the G8 on medium-soft paint and not trying to do any real correction.

    Give me a car with some rock-hard VAG paint and I might have to really open them both up to get the work done.
    Took me a few movements to figure out what HF meant, harbor freight lol We don`t have that where i live.

    My G8 has no 4.5 setting. 4 or 5 no halves.
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  9. #9
    dansautodetailing.com Stokdgs's Avatar
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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    Quote Originally Posted by noorth View Post
    But rupes says pad rotation is not super important.. My eyes tell me different.

    I will be using higher speeds around curves i think going forward. Try it anyhow. My front bummer is trashed however i was thinking of using my mini rotary for a 2-3 step correction. Follow it up with the griots 3 inch.

    Caveat: Front bumper is the only area i haven`t polished this year yet on my car and the rest of my family have boring white cars. I don`t have much fun polishing them. I might use gyeon primer on my fathers car just to brighten up the paint.
    Noorth --
    Hilarious...
    Almost everything manufactured that is finished metal, gelcoat, stone, painted metal, in the world, is finished with Rotary Power to make that surface perfect..
    They need speed, they need perfection the first time = direct drive pad rotation..
    Dan F
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  10. #10
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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    I will change speeds depending on what I`m doing. Correction work, wide open! Polishing/finishing, I run them slower.
    Scott Harle
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  11. #11
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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    Unless I`m using small pads, the machine is as high as it will go.
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  12. #12

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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    Quote Originally Posted by noorth View Post
    Took me a few movements to figure out what HF meant, harbor freight lol We don`t have that where i live.

    My G8 has no 4.5 setting. 4 or 5 no halves.
    Ha! Sorry about that. I should probably spell things out more to due to regional/international differences.

    You`re probably right on the G8. Mine may only click into set speeds and not be variable. With that in mind, I probably used it at 4 and 5 depending on what I was doing. I do remember adjusting speeds and the fact I never ran it at full speed. To date it was my only use, and I`m still getting used to it.
    Drop by to see the latest at The Car Geek Blog
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  13. #13

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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    On but off topic lol It amazes me how many people view these forums and don`t participate. Only 9 votes!

    Tool speed is not something i`ve seen talked about a whole lot......usually the pad/machine or compound/polish. Something you have to buy.

  14. #14
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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sizzle Chest View Post
    I will change speeds depending on what I`m doing. Correction work, wide open! Polishing/finishing, I run them slower.
    Same here.
    5 to 5+ for correction
    4 to 4.5 for polish/finish
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  15. #15
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    Re: What speed do you run your polishers on?

    Rotation speed has far less impact on DA`s than rotaries. Your Pad and Polish selection matter more, followed pressure and orbit size. Last I would say is speed, with a powerful DA, long stroke length and a fair amount of pressure will remove far more material than a fast spinning DA. To me speed just creates heat which is more of a liability than an asset. I keep my surfaces relatively cool and make sure my pad/polish combo is tailored to how much material I want to remove.

    The only time I crank up the speed is for compensation, when I expect the machine to stall intermittently when doing heavy curvature panels.
    Rupes 21 MK II, Rupes 15 MK II, Rupes 21, Rupes LHR75e, Rupes Duetto, Rupes Ibrid-L, Rupes LH18ENS, Flex PE-14-2, Dodo Juice V1

    Quote Originally Posted by rlmccarty2000 View Post
    At $21.99 it will remain a secret to me.
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