Rotary lessons needed

rlmccarty2000

rlmccarty2000

Active member
I’ve been thinking about buying a rotary polisher for years. I’m proficient on my Rupes da polishers so now I want to learn the rotary side of the game. I read Mike Phillips review of the new Rupes LHR 19e and he said it was light weight it got my attention. As I get older light weight is what I look for in a polisher.
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I saw this one on eBay and I shot them a bid and surprisingly won. It was cheaper than me using my gift certificates, as I previously had planned and it also came with a couple of free pads.

I want to learn how to burnish or jewel my paint. This polisher goes down to 400rpm, which I assume would be a good speed to jewel. Truthfully I don’t know but I’m willing to learn.

I’m hoping you good members of Autopia will point me in the right direction for pads, polishes, and techniques to get the most out of this machine. It came with a 5 inch backing plate for reference.


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If you are learning a rotary, you will want to use a side handle. I have using one since 1980, and i would not use one without the grip and control of the side handle.They are not a toy!
 
sjb89 said:
If you are learning a rotary, you will want to use a side handle. I have using one since 1980, and i would not use one without the grip and control of the side handle.They are not a toy!
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This one has what I think is called a D-bar handle. I stayed away from rotaries for a long time because I was never going to use a huge pad and speed buff a car. I hoping the light weight and slow rotation will keep me going longer. I’ve got some learning to do. I’m wondering if the new Rupes polishes and pads for their forced rotation polisher would be good with the rotary? I didn’t want to go with the forced rotation machine. With the new polishes and pads I can cut fast enough, I really want to finish better.
 
Maybe not so much of help since I have only read up on the information out there. I don`t know if 3M has the Ultra Fina Polishing pad in 125mm/5" and then combo that with the 3M Perfect it 3000 Ultra Fina Polish which is a rotary finish and jeweling polish. Be aware that it`s a high speed rotary buffing and you go easier with the pressure as you finishing. I would think that the Rupes white foam pads for rotary polisher would suit as a jeweling pad. Maybe Rupes white foam pad and Scholl S40. Scholl has a finishing pad SOFTouch Finishing Pad. The problem with that pad is it`s so fine cut that it`s not recommended to use S40 with it but S30. You are not going to get any results with S40 and ST Finishing Pad LOL. And if you want great pads I would test out the Scholl Spiderpads. The white spiderpad combo with S3xxl is their version of Menzerna HC400. And I have used it with a longthrow polisher and was very satisfied with the and finishing ability. Must mention about the new Scholl Shock2cut which have the same finishing ability as S3 Gold XXL but cuts way more. Sorry for the compound derail LOL. If you go with the S40 you could get the Honey Spiderpad which is the finishing pad. Honey Spiderpad combo with S20 Black SS is an awesome one step compound on soft paints.

Man know I want even more to buy the LH19E rotary polisher LOL. Maybe you can help me out when you have tested it out. I have nervedamage in the neck which gives me problems with vibrations and if it`s working you muscles a lot. And with not being able to test out both the Rupes longthrows and rotary. In which of them is easiest on the muscles and vibrations. It would mean a lot to hear your thoughts about it.

Fun to try out new polisher and with a new rotary technique!

/ Tony
 
See what works for *you*. Noting that I`ll never touch my rotaries again except maybe to sell `em, I prefer to *not* use a handle, rather resting my hand on the top of the unit`s housing.

Watch that you don`t instill holograms during the burnishing, taking you back to square-one and wasting clearcoat in the process.
 
Practice Practice Practice is what I would say to you. Go to a junk yard or body shop and get a few hoods & maybe some fenders to work on and get the feel of the machine before you touch someones car. I myself had burn some paint back when I was learning very early 70`s ( monster rotaries ) that look like something from Men in Black, but I got the hang of it and still till this day I use one. With many companies that make great products ( Compounds/Polishes/ Pads / Backing Plates ) you can find the right combo that will work perfectly for you.
 
Old Pirate- Heh heh, I started out with a Milwaukee back in `78, they *were* a lot different from the little things being sold today! I *did* use the handle on those things.

Maybe I`m just weird (heh heh, I mean about this too..), but I`ve *never* burned paint with a rotary. Never on purpose, never by accident..just one of those things I guess, so I dunno if that`s something others need to watch out for or not.

I just don`t see the "why?" of it, but hey..that`s just me.
 
I was sucker into it by a body shop that was teaching me on how to use it and burn a spot on a Buick. Lucky the car was going to be repainted. I freak out from it and everyone was laughing their butts off. Boy do I remember that shiny heavy Milwaukee machine.
 
Old Pirate- My experience was similar; I moved from the Body Shop to New Car Prep and that`s where I encountered the Milwaukee. Rotary work was a lot easier back in the day with everything being ss, even I could finish out OK on that stuff.

And yeah..those Milwaukees did make a real impression, at least on our younger selves, huh? A "real machine!" that obviously commanded respect (maybe that`s why I didn`t burn anything, I was kinda treating it like a chainsaw..."this can bite you".. and I sure couldn`t damage new cars).
 
Accumulator said:
See what works for *you*. Noting that I`ll never touch my rotaries again except maybe to sell `em, I prefer to *not* use a handle, rather resting my hand on the top of the unit`s housing.

Watch that you don`t instill holograms during the burnishing, taking you back to square-one and wasting clearcoat in the process.
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This is my number one worry!
 
Some scrap panels from the junkyard would be really good to have. I still have mine in my garage attic.
 
rlmccarty2000- I don`t want to keep piling on with my, uhm...perspective...on this, but I sure hope that you perceive benefits that justify the investment (especially your time/effort).
 
First of all I love rotary polishing. Most people that shy away from it are afraid to use a rotary or haven’t got a hold of this machine or a Flex PE 14. The machine you got is awesome. Nothing beats the correction speed of a rotary!!

I have one and love it. It is an easy machine to learn on for sure.

I would suggest to start out, using it as you compound/cutting step on the lowest setting(450rpm) with that included backing plate and 5.5 inch pads. Use it in larger panels and get a feel for the machine that way. Follow up compounding with a DA because you will leave holograms from the rotary step. As far as pads use some 5.5 inch ones you have. I like flat pads. Compounds....again most work well. I have been using 110 and CutMax lately with great success. Start there and don’t overthink it too much. Time behind the machine is the best experience. I can go on and on with a list of rotary tips but this should get you started.

Hope that helps for now!!
 
sjb89 said:
If you are learning a rotary, you will want to use a side handle. I have using one since 1980, and i would not use one without the grip and control of the side handle.They are not a toy!
Click to expand...


I have to disagree with this. Maybe machines from 40 years ago I would agree. The new light weight slow RPM rotaries can be handled without any handle or a D handle just fine. It is whatever the user is comfortable with.

That being said I prefer a stick handle myself.
 
Amigo !
Hope you guys are all good and warm !
It is cold, rainy, here, and dumping several feet of snow at a time up by Lake Tahoe..

I like to use the Side Handle on all machines because I learned that way as a kid, and when I grew up, I liked the Leverage advantage the side handle gave me.. I can balance the machine`s torque much more precisely with the side handle.. Another way to look at this -- how much strength and leverage can you utilize with both your hands and arms, one above the other, vs one hand and arm at 6 o clock, and one hand and arm at 9 o clock (or 3 o clock if left handed)?

The next part is going to be my particular process that really works for my needs, added to the zillion other techniques that are all good as well..

Absolutely have to have very good lighting, to help you see what is going on while it is happening, and adjusting whatever needs to be adjusted while you work that area..

I have always done all correction work at lower speeds, ( I hardly ever go very far past 1,000+ and only when it`s time to do a light final polish, if it`s needed) because I want the compound or polish to work itself to be almost completely gone, and then, the pad to clean it all off for me, so I have very little to wipe off and possibly scratch my work..

In my decades of doing this with a Rotary, I just don`t get holograms, micro marring, or any of that stuff, and I think the reason that some people do, by my observations, is that they do not work the product long enough, they might be using the wrong product, pressure, pad, technique, etc., for that particular paint, do not keep it moist enough, and also, do not keep the pad flat, absolutely flat, as much as possible while doing that area on the panel.
Too fast a speed, especially with too much pressure, can also get everything too hot and cause defects to show up in the work...

I want to "work" all these things together in a way that keeps them all "friendly" with each other, so they all give me their best result..

Like any other machine, you need to understand about putting downward pressure on the pad and there is no set process for this either.. You just have to use the - innovation - gene and experiment with it..
You may not always need a lot of downward pressure, sometimes the weight of the machine will be enough.

But, with the lighter and lighter machines they make, I don`t see their weight ever being enough for badly scratched paintwork.. (So, perhaps you will need to apply pressure)

Guess that is why I still love and prefer my 10lb (with no backing plate, pad) Makita beast.. It can run anything down and not even break a sweat.. :)

And as a bonus, the 3,000rpm top speed is awesome to help dry out your washed pads really fast.. I just have to be careful to make sure I`m not near anything that could get that stream of water off of them..

Another great Rotary bonus - no vibration...

Good luck with this !
Dan F
 
Stokdgs- Heh heh, our 10lbs. Makitas aren`t "beasts" compared to a `70s-vintage Milwakee ;) My Metabo is supposed to be smaller/lighter than my Makita, and I guess it is, but I never really appreciated the diff. I gather today`s rotaries are even smaller/lighter yet.

And even I will admit that rotaries are indeed smooth and comfortable to operate compared to something like the Flex 3401 or a vibrato-machine like the PC.
 
Accumulator said:
Stokdgs- Heh heh, our 10lbs. Makitas aren`t "beasts" compared to a `70s-vintage Milwakee ;) My Metabo is supposed to be smaller/lighter than my Makita, and I guess it is, but I never really appreciated the diff. I gather today`s rotaries are even smaller/lighter yet.

And even I will admit that rotaries are indeed smooth and comfortable to operate compared to something like the Flex 3401 or a vibrato-machine like the PC.
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Mi Amigo, El Accumulator` !
Hope you guys are all safe and warm up there this winter..

Yes, the old Milwaukee machines, is what I had in my hands at 10 years old.. The dang thing almost weighed more than me !! :)
Lots of metal to love.. :) Really powerful motors..

Totally agree - no other machines are as smooth and vibration-free as Rotary Power..

Loved your comment - " a vibrato-machine like the PC" :) :) :) Never thought about that musical effect, which is indeed very nice, being applied to a PC ! You`re killing me!! :) :) :)
Dan F
 
A question about wool pads. On the first use do they all throw off a ton of fur? I used a 3 inch on my mini and it covered my car in fur/fluff. What can I do to avoid this mess?
 
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