What speed do you run your polishers on?
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Accumulator
Well-known member
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".
Stokdgs
dansautodetailing.com
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
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
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.
Stokdgs
dansautodetailing.com
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
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.
Desertnate
Active member
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.
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.
Stokdgs
dansautodetailing.com
But rupes says pad rotation is not super important..
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
Sizzle Chest
Well-known member
I will change speeds depending on what I`m doing. Correction work, wide open! Polishing/finishing, I run them slower.
Dan
Well-known member
Unless I`m using small pads, the machine is as high as it will go.
Desertnate
Active member
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.
JustJesus
New member
The Driver
Detailers Workshop
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.
The only time I crank up the speed is for compensation, when I expect the machine to stall intermittently when doing heavy curvature panels.
Accumulator
Well-known member
But rupes says pad rotation is not super important..
Glad you`re going by your own first-hand experiences instead of what somebody (anybody, Yours Truly included
) says you oughta use.Glad you`re going by your own first-hand experiences instead of what somebody (anybody, Yours Truly included
I kinda get what rupes is saying. A totally free spinning pad is not easy to produce and you have to use very little pressure. Their seems to be a sweet spot for sure to get the machine to run smoothly with added pressure. If your just using the weight of the polisher it will tend to spin faster but not so smooth and i don`t think its polishing the paint so well with no pressure at all.
The Driver
Detailers Workshop
Glad you`re going by your own first-hand experiences instead of what somebody (anybody, Yours Truly included
I think Rupes didn`t make it clear by what they mean`t. If I had to interpret this, it would be MACHINE speed (Ie settings 1-6) are not as important. However, PAD rotation is VERY important. If your pad ain`t rotating, your not cutting. This is why you see a lot people mark their polishers with a black line and now come with one built on it.
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I’ll run at 5 for correction and 3 for LSP application. That’s on my Cyclo, the only polisher I have.
I’ve not found a need for any others.
I’ve not found a need for any others.
If you are trying to determine the EXACT speed to run a buffer at, consider these factors to determine that:
1) Buffer type- rotary versus DA long-throw (21mm, 15mm, 12mm) or DA short-throw (9mm or under) or the "dual-rotation" Cyclo mentioned above
2) Power of the motor- wattage or amperage
3a) Pad diameter
3b) Pad height or thickness
4a) Pad type- Wool, microfiber, closed-cell-foam
4b) Foam density- color-coded by manufacturer and yes, they vary. A blue with one may be for correcting, where a blue from another may be for polishing!!
5) Surface "paint" being corrected or polished -single-stage paint, hard scratched-resistant clear coat, self-healing clear coat(a nightmare!), gel coat
6) Surface "paint" thickness- you`ll think it`s not important until you burn through a new vehicle`s clear-coat and paint because you do not have a Paint Thickness Gauge to verify that
7) Substrate under under paint- metal, fiberglass, plastic, or the becoming-more-frequent carbon fiber.
8) Compound or polish type AND the manufacturer
9) Ambient temperature and humidity for that day and time or being indoors or outdoors in direct sun (sorry mobile detailer`s; it ain`t easy)
10) The person`s ability and experience using and handling the buffer (think methodology or skill-set; the ever-varying "X"-factor!)
If using a buffer "properly" was easy, everyone would be doing it.
Judging by the many pics of swirled and marred vehicles posted in this forum from so-called professional body shops and dealerships, it just ain`t so!
Just sayin`... Proof`s in the pudding (or posted pics.)
1) Buffer type- rotary versus DA long-throw (21mm, 15mm, 12mm) or DA short-throw (9mm or under) or the "dual-rotation" Cyclo mentioned above
2) Power of the motor- wattage or amperage
3a) Pad diameter
3b) Pad height or thickness
4a) Pad type- Wool, microfiber, closed-cell-foam
4b) Foam density- color-coded by manufacturer and yes, they vary. A blue with one may be for correcting, where a blue from another may be for polishing!!
5) Surface "paint" being corrected or polished -single-stage paint, hard scratched-resistant clear coat, self-healing clear coat(a nightmare!), gel coat
6) Surface "paint" thickness- you`ll think it`s not important until you burn through a new vehicle`s clear-coat and paint because you do not have a Paint Thickness Gauge to verify that
7) Substrate under under paint- metal, fiberglass, plastic, or the becoming-more-frequent carbon fiber.
8) Compound or polish type AND the manufacturer
9) Ambient temperature and humidity for that day and time or being indoors or outdoors in direct sun (sorry mobile detailer`s; it ain`t easy)
10) The person`s ability and experience using and handling the buffer (think methodology or skill-set; the ever-varying "X"-factor!)
If using a buffer "properly" was easy, everyone would be doing it.
Judging by the many pics of swirled and marred vehicles posted in this forum from so-called professional body shops and dealerships, it just ain`t so!
Just sayin`... Proof`s in the pudding (or posted pics.)