PC out of commission...rotary problems.

J

Jpostal

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Last week my PC was out of commission so I had to use my Makita on a few used cars that I was doing pre-sale details on. I usually only use the rotary after wet sanding and follow it up with my PC to eliminate holograms, but this past week I did not have that option and was forced to use the Makita for the entire detail (basic one step polish plus wax). I don't have a huge selection of pads/products but I tried every pad/product combo I a had on a low speed (3 or less) and I still ended up with holograms in some areas. What gives? Does anyone use only a rotary with good success? If so, do you have a go to pad/product combo?



On a side note, I may be replacing my PC and was wondering if it would be worth spending the extra cash for a Flex DA? If I switch to Flex will I need to buy all new backing plates, pads, etc?
 
JPostal- I just posted something along these lines to BluBrett on another thread.



Finishing out 100% hologram-free via rotary is very difficult. I can't do it on b/c paint, but then I've never tried 3M Ultrafina and Scottwax says it's Accumulator-proof. I just finish out via RO/DA machines.



Re the Flex, I simply love mine, and haven't touched my rotaries since I got it. It takes/comes with its own backing plate that works with pads 6" and larger. The one downside is that it won't take 4" pads unless you get the Edge adaptor or DIY something.
 
JohnKleven said:
What are you using now? I stick with CCS pads and Menzerna polishes and never have a problem.





John
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Because I do mainly volume/dealer work I use mainly carbrite products (Perfect cut & Fast Wax) and for more aggressive spot polishing I use some very abbrasive AutoGlym stuff (O3B). I use S.M Arnold "Cool It" foam pads (yellow cutting pad, blue polishing pad, white polish/finishing pad).



Just today I got an order of M105 & 205, and I also have the Klasse twins that will be used for non-dealer cars. My PC is operational again but I still want to master the rotary. I have the luxury of being able to spend a lot of time working on the dealer cars if I want to...but obviously the faster I can get the job done the better.
 
JPostal said:
Because I do mainly volume/dealer work I use mainly carbrite products (Perfect cut & Fast Wax) and for more aggressive spot polishing I use some very abbrasive AutoGlym stuff (O3B). I use S.M Arnold "Cool It" foam pads (yellow cutting pad, blue polishing pad, white polish/finishing pad).



Just today I got an order of M105 & 205, and I also have the Klasse twins that will be used for non-dealer cars. My PC is operational again but I still want to master the rotary. I have the luxury of being able to spend a lot of time working on the dealer cars if I want to...but obviously the faster I can get the job done the better.
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Car brite IMHO just sucks azz! I have found that some companies may have one or two good products and the rest suck. Anyways I have found that with the more popular polish/compounds you can get very good results. I use my basic wool pad or orange foam pad for the cutting and then step down to a black/blue with a finer polish.





But of course I have a flex so I finish up with that if I have it with me. It just makes life easier!
 
Meguiars #205 and a polishing pad should finish out hologram free on all but soft paints. Optimum Hyper Polish and Polish II will as well.
 
I was experimenting today on a black 2008 Dodge Caravan using the supplies on hand. With the yellow pad and perfect cut I definitely left holograms, I knocked em down a bit with the blue pad and perfect cut, and (I think) eliminated them with the fast wax on white. After the last step I did an IPA wipe down and could not see any holograms using my halogen work light. Hopefully in direct sun it will look just as good. The only area that I could not finish out properly was on the rear bumper...should a painted plastic bumper be treated differently than a normal body panel?



On a side note...my IPA mix is a 50/50 mix using 70% Isyoprol Alcohol...should it be a stronger mix?
 
I thought the mix might be a bit too week. I just picked up some 99% so that should be better. I would check holograms in the sun except it has not been sunny on the rainy west coast of Canada for a long time...rain, rain, rain. Makes for a bad May and June on the wholesale and retail end.
 
I finally got a chance to play around with my M105/205 today on a black vehicle (Grand Caravan again). I did not get to see it in the sun before polishing it, and I worked in the bay using my halogen work lights because it was overcast and rainy outside. Indoors the results looked really good after 105 on orange LC with PC followed by 205 on green LC but in the afternoon the clouds parted and I took a look at the van in direct sun and it had the appearance of faint holograms...the funny thing is I did not even touch the vehicle with my rotary. Is it possible to leave holograms behind with a 5.5" pad on a PC at 6? I don't think so, but what else could it be? I guess the holograms could have been there before hand and I did not work the 105 long enough to fully remove them. I have actually never had this problem before with the PC, but I have always used a larger pad with a different polish (first time using 105).



Any thoughts?
 
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