Beginner help

[Jeonsah]

Hey guys, I am finally making the decision to order up a good polisher so i can detail a few cars. Not only that but i really want to be able to get rid of swirls etc and learn about products. So ive decided I am going to purchase the portercable 7424. Now i have a few q's.



1. The 7424 comes with a 5.5 backing plate right? So what sizes of foam pads are ideal to fit? (if its not 5.5 then what is it, and what foam pads?)



2. I plan on working on 3 cars and i wanted to know how long the foam pads usually last for? If I get the foam pad cleaning mix for the pads, what is the normal life expectancy of the pads?



3. How many foam pads do u think im gonna need? i know theres different colors for different steps (IE polishing, waxing, swirl remover, etc..)



4. Where can i get a good deal on foam pads/combo that will sorta match my needs?



Thank you for the help, i appreciate it.:xyxthumbs

 

[Accumulator]

Hey guys, I am finally making the decision to order up a good polisher..Now i have a few q's.



1. The 7424 comes with a 5.5 backing plate right? So what sizes of foam pads are ideal to fit? (if its not 5.5 then what is it, and what foam pads?)

I forget which PC comes with which plate IME you need a small backing plate so you can use 4" pads if you're gonna do serious correction. I never had much luck with 5-5.5" pads, but others say they work OK for them :nixweiss

2. I plan on working on 3 cars and i wanted to know how long the foam pads usually last for? If I get the foam pad cleaning mix for the pads, what is the normal life expectancy of the pads?

Most pads last a long time unless you tear them on trim, or have velcro failure. Still, [stuff] happens so get at least one extra of each type. Also, it's a *LOT* faster/easier to get a fresh pad than to clean a loaded/clogged/dirty one and you'll end up having to do that.



I just clean my pads with Dawn (and/or Dawn Power Dissolver) and it works fine for me.



The pads you use for aggressive work wear fastest (well, duh..) because you tend to lean on the machine harder and the aggressive products wear the pads faster. Still, you'll get quite a few details out of *any* pad unless something weird happens (and it will, so get those extras).

3. How many foam pads do u think im gonna need? i know theres different colors for different steps (IE polishing, waxing, swirl remover, etc..)

Four 4" orange pads, three or four 4" polishing pads, two or more finishing pads. That's for compounding/correction. If you want to apply waxes/etc. by machine get extra zero-cut finishing pads for that. The preceding is just IMO but it's what I'd want as a minimum. If you're dealing with nasty marring on hard clear, I'd also get some small LC PFW pads (note that these wear out very fast).

4. Where can i get a good deal on foam pads/combo that will sorta match my needs?

I'd pick a vendor with great customer service and buy exactly what you need instead of a pre-set "kit".



If there's any way to afford the new XP version of the PC, *GET THAT*. Or get the Griot's Machine. OR do yourself a *HUGE* favor and spend the extra money on a Flex 3401. If you get one of those three you might well be able to do good work with pads larger than 4". IME (nearly two decades worth with the PC), the 7424 is one seriously limited machine unless you use small pads. Yeah, even with the KMB and products like M105.



I know that's not what you want to hear, but I have two PCs and I can't accomplish any correction with them unless I use the little 4" pads. My Flex, OTOH, does good, serious work with larger pads. I'd really think long and hard about buying that 7424.

 

[Kean]

^^^^ ....having been a long time user of the old 7424 version I agree. However, in my case (and I believe perhaps that of other DIY'ers in the same scenario) this machine serves its purpose well. I typically am only using it to correct the finish on my own vehicles perhaps every 9-12 months (sometimes longer). ....and since they are my own (maintained by me), any "correction" needed is usually mild. However, even during those occasional times when I might detail a car for a close friend or family, the PC is adequate enough with the right products and pads.



Be aware that the 7424XP that Accumulator is talking about has been regularly sold at a lower price than the old version ever since its debut. ....just checking prices and I can see AutoGeek has it for $119 (Velcro backing plate sold separately). Add the "AGO" code during checkout and shipping is free (anytime). IIRC the backing plates are typically 6", 5" or 3.5". You'll obviously want the 5" for 5.5" pads and the 3.5" for the 4" spot pads. Although I wouldn't go any bigger than 5.5" as mentioned. If you will be using this DA to detail cars on a regular basis (perhaps even for profit) I would second the recommendation of the Flex. The cost is about $170 more (looks like it's gone up from ~$279 to ~$299 now), but it's definitely a more robust performer than the others. ....one example is the fact that it has a forced rotation. The PC will stop rotating under pressure but will continue to orbit/jiggle. ....hence the advantage of using smaller pads to help prevent bogging.