Buffer Supplies...suggestions???

M

Mr. Vic

New member
I move'n on up. Sold my PC and now its time for a rotary...

I only have a buget of $450.



Rotary:

Hitachi SP18VA(H). Already made up my mind. But willing to take some words of wisdom.



Pads:

I'm not sure how many pads I will need considering I have never used a buffer before.



Training:

Got a couple friends who are willing to let me have at their vehicles even with the risk of my burning their paint.

I'm also going to get the buffing w/ confidence video from Kleen Car...Somewhat costly at $50 but at least they give you optimum compound, polish, poli-seal, spray wax and some microfiber towels for free. And I'm all about free.



So I guess all I need is some suggestions on a backing plate & some pads (how many and where I should get them). Would love to here if anyone knows of any packages.



Mr. Vic
 
I use the Hitachi rotary with a 6 inch backing plate and Lake Country 6.5 inch CCS pads. I really like this combo.



That is a pretty nice deal on the video and Optimum products. The polishes will work great with the new rotary. I would get at least 2-3 white polishing, orange light cutting, and either blue or gray finishing pads. You can't have too many pads!
 
That number of pads sounds about right but I was accually thinking of getting the 7.5 inch CCS pads. And I was also looking at the DuraStrand Pad 7.5". Know anything about it???



Mr. Vic
 
I have a rotory,and never owned a PC. But Maybe you should look into buying the new Flex. I have one on order. It won't get here until mid January. Be sure to research this

before you buy the rotory! Flex XC3401 VR $ 279.00:think2 There are also alot of pleces to check out that video without buying it!
 
yea search around online for how to use videos on the rotary. But then again, if you need supplies spend the $50 and get the video and the Optimum products. I myself have never used a PC, rotary only and I use a 3inch, 5inch, 6inch, and a 7.5 inch backing plate. As for the pads I use mostly my 6.6 inch pads or some 5.5 low profile pads. I have 4-5 compounding pads, 10 orange light cutting pads, 8 white polishing pads, 3-4 pads for applying sealants, waxes, etc. Also around roughly 120 microfiber towels. I use different colors for certain things. Blue is my all purpose, green is for polishing, wax removal, Orange is for windows. Check out autogeek.net as they have some nice deals on pads.
 
Yeah, I was using a PC also. Process is way too slow for paint correction. I need to be able to get the car in and out. My first detail took me about 10 hours with the PC. As I got better it takes me about 5 to 6 hours now to detail a regular 4d.
 
Get at least 6 pads to start with. 2 wool compounding 2 wool finishing and 2 foam finishing. Build up from there as you develop your needs and see what your doing. Get matching back plates to pads. I'd personally stay away from all this foam pad craze until you get the wool mastered. But that's just me. (wool is much more forgiving and alot easier to clean on the fly than foam tends to be in my experience) I have about 30 pads right now. as they wear out I toss them and replace them as needed. On real busy days it's easy to go through 6 or more pads easily. So keeping stock is nice. I personally use schleigle pads. They've been around alot longer than any other pad company and have been #1 for over 50 years in pads. Hard not to trust them. The new guys like LC come out strong but just not enough time behind the belt for me to give them full confidence just yet.
 
Jakerooni said:
Get at least 6 pads to start with. 2 wool compounding 2 wool finishing and 2 foam finishing. Build up from there as you develop your needs and see what your doing. Get matching back plates to pads. I'd personally stay away from all this foam pad craze until you get the wool mastered. But that's just me. (wool is much more forgiving and alot easier to clean on the fly than foam tends to be in my experience) I have about 30 pads right now. as they wear out I toss them and replace them as needed. On real busy days it's easy to go through 6 or more pads easily. So keeping stock is nice. I personally use schleigle pads. They've been around alot longer than any other pad company and have been #1 for over 50 years in pads. Hard not to trust them. The new guys like LC come out strong but just not enough time behind the belt for me to give them full confidence just yet.
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schleigle have a website? How do their prices compare to LC's?



I am wanting to try WOOL. What kind of WOOL do you guys recommend for SIP and what kind of FINISHING WOOL pad?
 
stiffdogg06 said:
Thanks tdekany. :)



Do you use WOOL pads? If you like, you can PM me.



And how do you order from schlegel? What pads do you recommend from them?



- Andrew
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I never heard of them. I just googled it for you.



If I have to, I use the purple foamed wool from AG.



Also I just received some from Scholl Concept polishes and their wool/foam pads, so I'll post about them when I get a chance to use them.



PS: Those schlegel pads are Edge pad it looks like.
 
I have 3 different styles of Schlegel wool pads. the white compounding pad for 90% of your day to day wheel chores (great cutting abilities) your yellow wool finishing pads. Can just about go all the way to LSP with this pad. Very fine very freindly. and then their blue sythetic pad for heavy duty cutting that needs to be done. Having stuck with the best I haven't bought any of the rest so I have no idea what LC pads go for. I know I pay about $10-$12 per pad from my local detail supply shop for the Schlegel pads. I have some other brand pads here but they either were give aways or came in bundle packs. I've never interionally bought anything other than Schlegel.



PS if those look like "edge" pads it's because edge copied them. Schlegel has been around for over 100 years. Pretty sure they came first ;)
 
i have my eye on the dynabrade polisher for a while.. its light weight, comes with an amazing warranty, and i heard a lot of bodyshop uses it around here. I though about the hitachi but i heard some flaws about it like it spins fast for no reason.



im using mainly lake country and meguiar pads right now, but i would suggest meguair foam pads as the backing on it is weak and falls apart. when my pads are all worn out (i have like 20), i will probably switch to the edge pads, as i like the concept of quick, accurate changing pads, and they have a great variety of wool pads.. and they are only 6"!
 
I really like my edge pads. I started with LC CCS pads and liked them until I bought edge adapters and pads. I really only use the edge pads now because they are easy to swap pads and they are always centered!!
 
Jakerooni said:
PS if those look like "edge" pads it's because edge copied them. Schlegel has been around for over 100 years. Pretty sure they came first ;)
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Sir,

If you are referring to the foam pads, I suggest you do your homework before making such statements.
 
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