Rupes pads no good for vertical panels?

N

noorth

Member
I love my rupes pads but i`ve come to the conclusion their very hard to use on vertical panels unless you have a lot of skill. On a flat horizontal panel rupes rule the roast. But on vertical panels you want a pad that has less surface area so for us noobs the pad won`t stall so much.

I will be sticking with my 3 inch orange carpro pad the rest of the year. The 3 inch yellow rupes pad is too big and i don`t have so much control of my machine. Its a very big difference in diameter.

disclaimer: this is all on a G15 and G8.
 
The Guz said:
What does the area look like that you are working on?
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Not sure what you mean Mike. It was more of random thought lol someone has to try to keep the forums alive. :)

However, especially on my G8 the carpro orange pad is just a lot more easy and fun to work with then the 3 inch rupes pad. Its just to big for the machine IMO and skill level. I`m not knocking out cars everyday like a professional. On my bonnet, roof and trunk lid i love my rupes yellow. I even since picked up the rupes white pad, surprising stiff.

Off the top of my head i believe the G8 is rated at 700W and the G15 900W but G15 has way more torque for the bigger pad.
 
I`ve not seen any problems with the Rupes pads on my G15. In fact, they are currently my favorite regardless of vertical or horizontal. On a slightly curved door panel I had a really hard time keeping Lake Country ThinPro pads sitting flush on the surface. It`s a piece of cake with a Rupes or a Lake Country HDO pad. The Rupes is just thick/soft enough to hand the curve and the odd angles you face when doing a door with strange contours.
 
I`m having trouble comprehending how one 3 inch pad is easier to use than another unless the pad is grabbing and skipping. 3 inch pads should be easy to use.
 
He mentioned on both a G15 and a G8. Maybe the problem is more noticeable on the G15? The Rupes pad I have is for my G15, I run the Griots pads on the G8.

I only use my G8 for specific areas, and I agree it`s really easy using the G8 with the 3" pad in those areas.
 
I had a run at my polishers again today. The rupes yellow is still my favorite pad on my G15 but when i done my pillars i used the 3 inch carpro orange. Much better pad then the rupes 3 inch, its just to big. It stalls the machine too easy and you have less control.

I won`t be buying anymore rupes 3 inch personally. The carpro pad is something like HDO pads from LC.

edit: Just noticed the posts wannafbody and Desertnate. Yeah i think the 3 inch rupes pads are too big for the G8. The first generation G15 as lots of torque so its not an issue.
 
I have no complaints with the 3 inch rupes pads and stalling. Have used them with the rupes 3 inch polisher, flex PXE 80 and the PC 7424Xp without any issues stalling.
 
The Guz said:
I have no complaints with the 3 inch rupes pads and stalling. Have used them with the rupes 3 inch polisher, flex PXE 80 and the PC 7424Xp without any issues stalling.
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I used my griots garage G8 again a few days ago. The carpro 3 inch orange pad works much better then the 3 inch rupes pad. Its to big in my opinion.
 
I have seen a lot of people who start using the Rupes 3" pads on their Mini polisher say they have a hard time maintaining pad rotation. I even had some issues, but I eventually got the hang of it.

Even still today I`m tweaking my approach to accommodate rotation, Especially with the Duetto using non Rupes pads. For instance, just yesterday using Buff and Shine Uro-Fiber pads, and they wanted to stall. Could also be that I have no idea how much grease to use to lube the shroud... But when I switched to one of the microfiber pads the thing spun like mad.

If you feel up to it, and have the time to mess with it try again. You will when that figure it out. You`ll be able to assess pressure, and angle, and how it factors into performance. You`ll see where just the slightest tweak of the wrist can make a mile of difference.

Or.

Just continue with the CarPro pad..
 
noorth:
Are your referencing a Rupe`s 3" pad that is actually closer to being 4" in diameter or 100mm, because I do not see that Rupe`s makes an actual 3" pad. If that is the case, then yes, a 4" pad on a 3" backing plate is, indeed, "too big" as you have described it.
This would also explain what is happening on vertical panels as the edges tend to "fold over" the backing plate more easily on the vertical panels than the horizontal panels as you use more mechanical pressure (arm strength) on the buffer itself to "hold" it up to panel as you move, rather than just letting the buffer itself rest on flat, horizontal panel and moving it with lighter mechanical pressure as you move the buffer in whatever back-and-forth polishing pattern you use.

Even a 3-1/2" (89 mm) diameter pad will "fit" better on a 3" backing plate. I am "guessing" your CarPro pads may be 85mm in diameter, which is about 3-11/32 ", which is "closer" to the 3" as you call them.

My suggestion? Measure both the Rupes and CarPro pads with a ruler or digital /veneer caliper (some call it a micrometer) and get back to us Autopians with your measurement data. That might clear up some of this "misunderstanding" by myself of the term "too big".
 
Lonnie said:
noorth:
Are your referencing a Rupe`s 3" pad that is actually closer to being 4" in diameter or 100mm, because I do not see that Rupe`s makes an actual 3" pad. If that is the case, then yes, a 4" pad on a 3" backing plate is, indeed, "too big" as you have described it.
This would also explain what is happening on vertical panels as the edges tend to "fold over" the backing plate more easily on the vertical panels than the horizontal panels as you use more mechanical pressure (arm strength) on the buffer itself to "hold" it up to panel as you move, rather than just letting the buffer itself rest on flat, horizontal panel and moving it with lighter mechanical pressure as you move the buffer in whatever back-and-forth polishing pattern you use.

Even a 3-1/2" (89 mm) diameter pad will "fit" better on a 3" backing plate. I am "guessing" your CarPro pads may be 85mm in diameter, which is about 3-11/32 ", which is "closer" to the 3" as you call them.

My suggestion? Measure both the Rupes and CarPro pads with a ruler or digital /veneer caliper (some call it a micrometer) and get back to us Autopians with your measurement data. That might clear up some of this "misunderstanding" by myself of the term "too big".
Click to expand...

That`s correct the face of the rupes pad is 4 inch. Maybe i`m just nitpicking. I done 2 more doors since but i just used my G15 and rupes yellow w/3D1. I ran it on 4.5 and had a good session. I have to remind myself to keep my body close to the polisher.

The face of the carpro pad is a little over 3 inches according to my tape measure. I just find it easier to maintain rotation. The carpro pad is nice. Kinda looks like the LC HDO pads to me. I have the orange one.

I also started to feather my G15 in tight spots so now it seems i`m don`t need my 3 inch polisher as much. :D I prefer the G15 - seems to get the job done faster, i believe my honeymoon period is over for the G8 lol

Thanks for all the replies autopians! Its pretty cool. :)
 
I still don’t find it to big for the side pillars. The PXE 80 spins them just fine. Better than the LC flat white pad.

I haven’t tried the carpro pad but I’ll take a Rupes yellow any day of the week for its versatility and finish.
 
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