Polisher for Novice...

W

wcharon

New member
Hi to all...

First will state that i am a newbie using Polishers but have been polishing my cars manually but want to move on as it is a lot of time consuming which i don`t have now.

I have been doing a lot of readings on Polishers and dialed it down to the Groit`s Garage 6" with a 5" back plate. I will be using this only on my cars which are Ford Explorer 2011, Ford Mustang GT 2019 and Nissan 350Z 2004. I consider that my paints are very good as i use to manual polish them every 2 months.

My main question is: Should i really go with the Groits or should i spend a little more and get a Rupes or any other suggestion and how are they comparable with vibration and noise?

I don`t want to buy twice but maybe it is not worth the investment. Thanks for your honest suggestion.
 
wcharon- Welcome to Autopia!

Short answer: I`d buy the GG Boss15 and use their pads/polishes.

Longer answer: If you`re doing OK manually other than the time expenditure, I`d get either stick with the GG6 or buy their Boss15. I only have one Rupes polisher (and it`s probably not the one you`re considering) so I might not be the best guy to comment on them, but IMO if you want to spend more than the GG6 I would not go the Rupes route.

If you want to try a somewhat off-brand approach, there are some imported polishers that some here consider All That, and that cost a lot less than name brand units. While I *suspect* that they`re fine, I myself would rather patronize Griot`s.

The only reason I`d consider recommending something more potent than the GG6 is your "don`t want to buy twice" comment. SO many people buy something they expect to be sufficient, only to come back after a little while and say they need something more aggressive. Even though I hardly *ever* polish, I`d sure hate to be limited to my GG6 because even though I do like it; it just doesn`t do the work fast enough for me.

But that`s just me, and I bet your clearcoats (Ford, Nissan) are softer/easier to correct than most of mine are (I do have one Ford).

Vibration is just *so* subjective! I find both the GG6 and their Boss15 fine and I`m a bit sensitive to vibration. I don`t find my Rupes appreciably better in that regard, but I haven`t used it much (which possibly says something about it; it`s just not what I reach for). I can`t comment on the noise as that`s just never been an issue for me (which sure doesn`t mean it`s *not* an issue for others, that subjectivity again...).

If you`ll pardon some unsolicited advice, I`d try to figure out why you need to polish (at all) so regularly. There`s only so much clearcoat you can afford to take off so (abrasive) polishing oughta be kept to a minimum; some of us don`t polish for years on end.
 
Mike lambert- I don`t see an explicit polisher recommendation in your reply, but I`m *guessing* you`d say GG6 rather than the BOSS15, right?
 
GG6 is all anyone needs unless they are trying to go really, really fast. I quit using my rotary after M105 and the GG6 came out. New paint is so thin now too, just no need for crazy fast cutting.
 
I’m sorry, yes the 6 is all you’ll need, the large throw is more for correction and doesn’t really work for wax application as easy. Get used to the 6 and if you expand into neighborhood cars and some extra money, go for the 15.
 
Thanks to all for the recommendations and sorry for the delay o the responses as i didn`t have activated the instant notification.

Seems like the G6 is the route to go.... Very appreciated.
 
I spent a lot of time considering the same as you. Didn’t mind spending more if needed and didn’t want to buy twice. I settled on a boss g15 and if your correcting paint definitely better than the gg6. A lot less vibration and corrected and finished well. Was down to this and the duetto. Absolutely do not regret.

This was my 1st polisher and 1st polishing job (now 4 under my belt).

I also did this because I was willing to get a 3” machine. After a lot of research and recommendations went with Adams SK mini. Perfect set up for all your cars (owned a Z and current is 16 mustang GT) will cut work time down and both highly thought of machines


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Eh, I hadn`t thought of the LSPing-by-machine, kinda quit doing that when I switched to FK1000P. I agree that the GG6 would probably be better for that though I haven`t tried it with the BOSS15.

wcharon- I hope you post back if you get a chance, I`d really like to hear how it works out for you.
 
The problem with using long throw machines for applying especially sealants, is because of the extreme motions, it tend to start curing the Sealant and causing streaks.
 
For novus any free spin dual action polisher is the best why because you had no bad habits from a previous machine I would recommend a long throw because even with lack of skills you`ll still get better results then when you find 2 no skills you`ll get better results in the standard at 8 mm check out cut Force polishers
 
Phone won`t let me edit previous post but the gist was when when do the machine polishing you`ll get better results with a long throw you need a custom that machine and your skills I perfected you still get better results than a standard throw
 
Coatings=crack said:
I spent a lot of time considering the same as you. Didn’t mind spending more if needed and didn’t want to buy twice. I settled on a boss g15 and if your correcting paint definitely better than the gg6. A lot less vibration and corrected and finished well. Was down to this and the duetto. Absolutely do not regret.

This was my 1st polisher and 1st polishing job (now 4 under my belt).

I also did this because I was willing to get a 3” machine. After a lot of research and recommendations went with Adams SK mini. Perfect set up for all your cars (owned a Z and current is 16 mustang GT) will cut work time down and both highly thought of machines


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Need to try CutForce 12mm mini
900 watts
6500 OPM
175 shipped
Have one left in stock with your name on it
 
Mike lambert said:
The problem with using long throw machines for applying especially sealants, is because of the extreme motions, it tend to start curing the Sealant and causing streaks.
Click to expand...

I’ve always gotten super fine micro tic marks in the paint, whenever I have tried to apply a wax or sealant with a long throw. Shoot, I’ve had the same happen to me on an 8mm machine, granted the *tics’* are smaller, on certain paints.
 
The closest I`ve come to applying LSPs with a Long Throw is doing it via Cyclo (which they do consider a LT). Zero issues, works great, my favorite way to do it by machine.

But eh, much as I like LSPing by Machine, I hardly ever do it. I`m done (manually) faster than I could get out/clean up/put away a polisher (and that`s on big vehicles) and doing it by machine uses *many times* the product compared to doing it manually (noting that I`m kinda fanatical about that and it might not work that way for others). The utterly minimal diff in results, which nobody else would ever see, isn`t worth it to me.
 
This seems to be THE most re-occuring question in this forum: What polishing/buffing machine should I buy?
There are now five types of machines to choose from:
1) Rotary
2) Long-throw dual action (15mm and 21mm)
3) Forced rotation
4) The Cyclo (I put it here because it is a unique counter-spinning random orbital (NOT a rotary) with dual pads)
5) LC Power Tool`s User-Determined Orbital Stroke (UDOS) Please see thread:
https://www.autopia.org/forums/mach...able-stroke-polishing-machine.html?highlight=

The last one is kinda the one I am waiting on, BUT some design changes to include a rotary action has delayed its production and release date to late August/early September of this year. Still no word or "info leaks" if it will actually happen or if it is even in beta-testing (field testing of prototypes by actual detailers/users for feed back and durability.)

For myself as a hobbyist, one of the most important factors is price. I do not have tons of money to spend on my detailing hobby. The other is skill level to operate the machine. I lean towards a rotary because it can do so much in a short time and has the versatility of attaching various-sized backing plates from 3" to 6" , BUT does require a learning curve and experience/practice to properly us it.

So any time I see these thread topics on new machines or the re-occuring one on suggestions for polishing machine, they are read with great interest. I REALLY appreciate the feedback that fellow Autopians give on this subject.
 
Lonnie- Here I go again, playing Copy Editor! Hope you don`t mind...

4) The Cyclo (I put it here because it is a unique counter-spinning rotary with dual pads)
Click to expand...

It`s a Twin Headed *Random Orbital*, not a rotary ;)
 
TheMeanGreen said:
I’ve always gotten super fine micro tic marks in the paint, whenever I have tried to apply a wax or sealant with a long throw
Click to expand...

-AND-

DBAILEY said:
Wouldn`t tick marks when applying LSP mean your arm movement is too fast?
Click to expand...

I`ve been wondering about this topic...

DISCLAIMER: I`ve never applied LSP via a long-throw, although I`ve done it countless times with a Cyclo (I don`t really if it`s a "long-throw" no matter what Rupes says..).

I have zero doubt that TheMeanGreen knows what he`s doing :D

That said, *IMO*, LSPing shouldn`t result in tic marks (or any other kind of marring) with any polisher/method. The only ways I can think of it happening are:

-Contaminated pad or surface (yeah..."duh!")
-overly harsh LSPing pad
-LSP that gets harder than the paint when it dries

I bet we can assume that TheMeanGreen didn`t have contamination issues, so I`d discount that possibility.

I`m equally confident that he used an appropriate pad.

I don`t work on stupid-soft paint, so that could be it (variation on the third guess).

Otherwise, I find it both interesting and baffling! OK, I don`t try too many LSPs, so there are countless ones that could do stuff I don`t experience, like drying into something that`s harder than the paint.

But I still think it`s odd...I`ve overworked different LSPs via Cyclo plenty of times with zero micromarring. I`ve buffed dried LSPs off via Cyclo with no-nap/suede-style MF bonnets (also via Cyclo), and that`s never done it either.

SO..I`m hoping somebody will see this post and offer some suggestions, inquiring minds want to know...I have no intention of LSPing via my BOSS15, but it bugs me that I don`t have a ready explanation!

TheMeanGreen- Which LSPs did that for you? I`m guessing (again!) that they were ones I haven`t tried.
 
The 8mm DA is so much more versatile than any large stroke machine. You can use any pad or BP with it from 3-6" any probably other sizes as well. You can get a machine that will be next to impossible to stall, too.

Also, you can use it for sanding stuff, if you happen to be into refinishing furniture like me. Or, applying LSPs. You can remove virtually any defect that can be removed with a GG6 as well and finishing is easy too.

You could get a large stroke and a dedicated 3" polisher @ significantly increased cost. Only benefit to that route is it may save you some time. If you`re just doing this as a hobby, no real need - and this is coming from someone who has the whole Rupes system & the 15.



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