HELP with rotary use. I can't get it!

C

cobrar97

New member
I just got a Hitachi Rotary. I use 6" Edge 2k pads and have orange/heavy cut, yellow/medium cut, green/light cut, blue/polishing, and white/finishing.



Since it was recommended to me, I purchased Optimum OP, OC, and OHC. Using 1100-1300, I cannot even get simple swirls out.



I tried on two vehicles: a '98 Buick Century (light metallic blue) and an '06 Acura TL (saphire black).



On the Acura, since it was easiest to see scratches on, I used the OP on the blue polishing pad first and the swirls were still there (even though everything was a little shinier).

I stepped up to OP on a light cutting pad (green)...same result. I changed to OC on a medium cutting pad (yelloe) and it actually producted even more swirls...it looked much worse and they were very prominent. I went to OC on a light cut pad (green) and it removed some of the new swirls, but still looked worse than I started out. I went back to OP on the light cutting pad (green) and finally the OP on the polishing pad (blue). I was about back to when I started, and the swirls were still there.



I just don't understand, because this is the same result I got on the Buick. I tried some Chemical Guys Spider Web and ProPolish products also and got no better results.



I don't understand why I cannot even get swirls out of a finish and why I'm putting in swirls and holograms when I step up to anything more than a finishing polish on a polishing pad.



Again, I'm going 1100-1300 and moving about about 2-3" a second and not stopping anywhere.



PLEAE HELP ME. How is everybody else getting such amazing results? What am I doing wrong?:sadpace:
 
How big is the section you're working on?

how much product do you apply to the pads?

Is the pad skipping along on the paint or moving smoothly?



The scratches may also bee too deep to fully correct... idk
 
Section is 2'x2' approx. I thought that was the correct size to do.

I put a ring around the outside of the pad and smear it all around.

It hops sometimes, when I hit an edge or something, but goes fairly smoothly.



The scratches COULD be deeper than I think, but everybody else seems to make light work of these.

What's more concerning is when I'm adding 5 times more swirls when using these products...I don't understand that.
 
I can certainly kick up the speed. I use 1100-1300 since I'm new at it and everybody else seems to be using 1100.



If I use less product, which I've tried, I don't get a nice polish haze, I get a bunch of spots where the product isn't laying down and the paint is still shining through. Doesn't that mean I've got too little?
 
I would suggest finding someone experienced in your area to show you a few tips & tricks... It sounds like the amount of polish, size of work area, and speed are all fine...
 
Don't expect the Rotary to be a one step process, especially when compounding a vehicle. Some clear coat systems are going to be so soft that unless you are really skilled your not going to leave a swirl free finish. It's best to do a final polish step with the PC.



Have you felt the panel after compounding? It should feel rather warm, but not HOT!



When finishing with a polish I'll use the edge blue finishing pad at 1000-1200 RPM.
 
Hitachi HERE!!!

http://www.toolup.com/productInfo.asp?pid={1B11792A-D767-4E90-B7E4-0984ACDA9AB1}

It's $175 with FREE shipping. They also have discounts quite often. I got mine for $159 and free shipping, which I thought was an awsome deal. Got it real fast too.



NOW...give me more assistance on using this dang thing.

What car manufacturers have what hardnesses of paint? And what's the hardness mean as far as what products/pads to use. I've heard that Honda/Acura has a soft clearcoat. Is that why my OC was putting swirls back in?



I do have a PC also, so I'll start using it with my OP/blue pad for finishing. I just need more info on pads and usage tips for the OC or OHC (I have both).



Thanks!
 
Polishing pads (depending on the PPI count) are just that, they bring up the shine but suck at removing all but the slightest marring. So if you need to remove marring that's heavy start with a LC pad.



1) Place a few drops (less than a US Quarter peice in size) on the pad and place the pad on the surface. Move the pad around the surface with the machine off to spread the product.



2) Turn the machine on (starting at around 1200 rpm's) and place some pressure on the head of the machine as you move it. Not enough to bog it down but firm enough so it feels like your handling the machine and not the machine is handling you.



You should feel some heat coming up from the area being worked as the the process is doing it's thing, but don't let it get too hot.



3) Let up off the pressure as you see the product breaking down (go clear) and maybe make a few more passes. You only want to work any product while it's wet, if you work it past that you using dry product which will put more marring in than take out.



Whenever you "Cut" with a rotary it's going to leave some marring, that's the nature of the game. You need to step down in polishes and pads to finesse the finish to get the machine marring out.



Getting a halogram free finish with a rotary is not something your going to get first time out to bat. It takes time, practice and experience.



There are no end to the threads and how-to's both here and all over the 'net on this subject. Bottom line is your just going to need to practice.



MoRbiD
 
MorBid - Thanks for the help. I have a question. A quarter size or product is not very much. When I spread it around (machine off), isn't most the the pad still going to be dry, except where the quarter was? And when it comes to feeling the paint temperature...how do you determine what's "warm" and what's too "hot". Hot meaning too hot to touch? And when you say a quarter size, do you put that quarter in one spot on the pad or a quarter's worth going around the pad? And I'm assume the "quarter" is the amount to use on a 2'x2' area, correct?



And are you saying that to remove light swirls, I may have to add ligher swirls first (which are removing the swirls I began with), and then step down and down to remove the marring I created that also removed my original swirls?



I read that you should not apply any pressure to the head of the machine, and that's why I'm assuming it decides to go where it wants when I go over a curve or bend in the hood or side panel, right. So it's ok to push enough to keep the thing under control and going where I want it to go?



Again, when I had swirls on this black Acura I was working on and couldn't get them out with OP, I was suprised with home much swirling and holograms I added when I went to OC. I was frustrated, and worried, so I got out my PC, and OP'd the area FOREVER to get it back to looking like it did when I started...when I intended to REMOVE the swirls.



What happens when too much product is used?

Because I definately applied, and spread out, more than a quarters worth. I put a medium bead around the outer edge of my 6" pad.



All this info is great...please answer my above and I'll give it another try. Thanks.
 
You can use about that much but place it at different spots around the pad. Not on the outer edges and not too close to the inner somewhere in between.



If you use too much product your not only "not" going to accomplish anything, but it will sling all over the place and over saturate the pad. As stated on the OP label "Use only enough product to create a barrier between the pad and surface" or words to that effect.



If you spread the product around the surface area first so that it's coated with it, then you won't be starting off "dry" and the polish will be working where we want it (on the surface) and not inside the pad. The other dark side to using too much product is that it will take forever to break down and probaly dry up before it does.



Swirls are difficult to judge, like what is "light swirls"? If you were to move a cloth across the surface without any pressure and look at it under Halogen or Florescent lights you might see some marring. That sure comes out easy with a polishing pad and little effort.



But swirls which are induced by some type of mechanical process (car washing, waxing, polishing, etc) they may look light but may be deeper than you think.



Just moving a pad on the polisher without any pressure is okay for polishing, but I would say some pressure would be required for marring removal. The deeper the marring the more pressure. So yes you can add a "little" weight to the machine. Slightly more than keeping it in the direction you want to go. Remember to let up once the product has broken down.
 
cobrar97 said:
Cool...cool...what is the idicator that the polish is broken down and that I should stop?
Click to expand...





that depends on the product, most of the polishes i have become translucent when broken down. im not really aware of any that don't. when using glazes and aio's they should pretty much dissapear via rotary, if not youre using too much.
 
cobrar97 said:
Hitachi HERE!!!

http://www.toolup.com/productInfo.asp?pid={1B11792A-D767-4E90-B7E4-0984ACDA9AB1}

It's $175 with FREE shipping. They also have discounts quite often. I got mine for $159 and free shipping, which I thought was an awsome deal. Got it real fast too.
Click to expand...

Their site was showing it 'in stock' as of late last night and was talking about delivery date of 05/24 or something like that. Now it doesn't say anything about being in stock nor delivery dates and status of my order says 'Picked - Backorder', whatever that means. I don't like smell of this and I am getting angry.
 
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