So I've got a Porter Cable 7428 to play with for the winter

[Scottwax]

Thanks first to William H. Bonney for sending it to me to try.



I picked up a fender from the body shop owner I know, unfortunately, the only one he had in decent enough shape was white.



Anyway, it has been 28 years (since I was in high school) that I have used a rotary so I did some practicing today with the 7428 and the fender.



1. It seems to take more polish than the PC, Cyclo or UDM, seems to clear out and dry quickly and I get some hop.



2. Even bumping it up to 4 (speeds are 1-6, not rpms ) and using Optimum Compound and a Meguiars burgandy cutting pad, I couldn't burn an edge even using moderate pressure. :think:



3. Correction is definitely faster than a DA/RO buffer.



4. Even with halogens, I didn't notice any holograms when I was done-finished out with Optimum Compound and a yellow Meguiars polishing pad. Looked LSP ready, in fact.



5. Hopefully I get time in the next few days to practice on my car...probably best to do that before using it on a customer's car...although I am pretty confident if I keep the speeds down and stick with polishing pads I'd be fine.

 

[gtpaul]

If you wanna give my Hitachi rotary I try, I don't mind sending it down to you, seasons done for me up here. It's been the most solid rotary I've used.

 

[imported_DieselMDX]

WOW scott using a rotary never thought I would see the day





What made you decide to use a rot?



Plan on using them on alot of customer cars or only the bad ones?

 

[Scottwax]

Someone offers me a rotary to try like Ryan (WHB) did, I'm going to take them up on it. Plus, I have customers with Audis, CeramiClear Mercedes and Corvettes so I need to get up to speed with a rotary to fully correct those finishes.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

Scott, I have had it up to 5 with SIP and a burgundy pad on clients corvette and it never burned. Only time I have ever burned is on single state paints.



Advice Scott, get another pannel and try to burn it by going up to speed 6 if need be.

 

[imported_DieselMDX]

I hear ya on burning i have been using my hitachi a little bit but dont turn it higher than 1100.



it does correct alot faster

 

[kleraudio]

I dunno guys, burning is ALOT harder to do than most people think. Ive had the Makita at ~~2000 RPM with a yellow LC pad (really really hard infiniti clear) and didnt even come close to burning anything.



The rotaries are alot safer than most think. Man I wish I had mine still!



Jim

 

[MSIGuy]

So what did you use before Scott?

 

[imported_Dave11]

3. Correction is definitely faster than a DA/RO buffer.

Yep.....For as many cars as you do, your going to love it.....:xyxthumbs

 

[Showroom Shine]

Have any of you tried or heard about this new Flex 3401? I hear this is a good piece of

equipment.

 

[Fly Bye]

So what did you use before Scott?

 

[EBPcivicsi]

I would say that burning paint is really a "paint-dependent" issue. All paints respond differently to different pads/polish combos, so I would just say to anyone "watch out." I have seen paints burn @1500 RPM's with a Meguiars polishing pad--especially on ABS bumpers. Learning the rotary is as much about learning different paint systems as it is learning to control the tool--IMO anyways.



Good luck it Scott, it will come natural to you as you know the nuances of paint systems.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

I use my rotary up to 2400 rpms and have never burnt a clear coat.



I have burnt a single stage at as low as 1000 rpms.

 

[the other pc]

.... Even bumping it up to 4 (speeds are 1-6, not rpms ) ....

Here’s an approximate speed vs. dial setting chart made by (mathematically) drawing a straight line from 1000 rpm at dial setting 1 to 3000 rpm at dial setting 6.

We played with a couple 7428’s a while back and found that that’s a very close approximation to how they actually run.





PC.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

I do almost all my correction with the machine at about 2.5 to 3.5

 

[Spilchy]

WOW scott using a rotary never thought I would see the day

I remember when he was doing it all by hand!...Sheesh, I'm old

 

[Scottwax]

Have any of you tried or heard about this new Flex 3401? I hear this is a good piece of

equipment.

Yeah but it is over $200 and trying the rotary for 3 months is free. Not a tough choice...

 

[Scottwax]

Used the rotary today, black Ford F-250. Baptism by fire, amirite?

Overall, it was pretty easy to use, had on 3 to correct and finished out on 2. I had a stray hologram here and there, just went over them with the rotary on 2 and that took care of it. I was using Optimum Polish and a yellow Meguiars polishing pad, figured that would keep me pretty safe. The only problem areas were the front fenders because of the flairs, took a couple tries to get them hologram free. I ended up using the UDM on the roof though, Ford truck roofs have 1" wide raised sections about 5" apart length-wise down the roof. With how grabby the rotary was at first on the fenders, I knew it would be worse on that roof.



Didn't do full correction on the truck, he wasn't interested in paying for it, but the rotary dramatically improved the finish, more so than the UDM or Cyclo would have...and in less time too.



I will try to get pics up this evening, no sun shots though; it was near sunset when I finished.

 

[Old Pirate]

Glad to hear your got to borrow a machine to practice on. By the time your done you be getting one too. I'll been saving for one with all the pads and bp's. I got a work van at work to practice on when i get a rotory. :xyxthumbs

 

[Thomas Dekany]

Scott, we better watch out now. You'll perfect it in no time.



Tip: to eliminate hopping, dip the pad in water and spin it on the rotary on 6.



You'll be good to go.



Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!