What speed do you run your polishers on?

[noorth]

If you are trying to determine the EXACT speed to run a buffer at, consider these factors to determine that:
1) Buffer type- rotary versus DA long-throw (21mm, 15mm, 12mm) or DA short-throw (9mm or under) or the "dual-rotation" Cyclo mentioned above
2) Power of the motor- wattage or amperage
3a) Pad diameter
3b) Pad height or thickness
4a) Pad type- Wool, microfiber, closed-cell-foam
4b) Foam density- color-coded by manufacturer and yes, they vary. A blue with one may be for correcting, where a blue from another may be for polishing!!
5) Surface "paint" being corrected or polished -single-stage paint, hard scratched-resistant clear coat, self-healing clear coat(a nightmare!), gel coat
6) Surface "paint" thickness- you`ll think it`s not important until you burn through a new vehicle`s clear-coat and paint because you do not have a Paint Thickness Gauge to verify that
7) Substrate under under paint- metal, fiberglass, plastic, or the becoming-more-frequent carbon fiber.
8) Compound or polish type AND the manufacturer
9) Ambient temperature and humidity for that day and time or being indoors or outdoors in direct sun (sorry mobile detailer`s; it ain`t easy)
10) The person`s ability and experience using and handling the buffer (think methodology or skill-set; the ever-varying "X"-factor!)

If using a buffer "properly" was easy, everyone would be doing it.
Judging by the many pics of swirled and marred vehicles posted in this forum from so-called professional body shops and dealerships, it just ain`t so!
Just sayin`... Proof`s in the pudding (or posted pics.)

Thanks Lonnie, its a skill for sure - polishing. The supposedly "better" i think l`m doing the more swirls i see! lol I would of never seen swirls like i do now unless i started driveway detailing over 2 years ago. My paint is swirl prone toyota so i just use mostly one step enhancements. It stills looks better then 90% of the cars on the road.

I always said i wouldn`t want a brand new/dream car because every little odd sound i would worry about but now if i bought a brand new car i
would want to put PPF over it as well!

Like many things in life i tried to get professional results with minimal experience but it just doesn`t work that way. I`m happy with my results but its far from professional level results. Its fun most of the time for me though and i think my car looks very nice from a distance. Not light inspection quality.

 

[Accumulator]

older- OOOOH...you have the fancy new ones with variable speeds! Yeah, I can see turning it down a bit for somethings...

And I`m envious that you can use yours on all your panel contours...if I could do that it`s the only unit I`d ever reach for!

the driver- Noting that I`ve never seen anything from Rupes, IMO the manufacturers oughta bend over backwards to be perfectly clear about such stuff so people don`t learn things the hard way.

 

[Older]

2186455[/URL]]older- OOOOH...you have the fancy new ones with variable speeds! Yeah, I can see turning it down a bit for somethings...

And I`m envious that you can use yours on all your panel contours...if I could do that it`s the only unit I`d ever reach for!

the driver- Noting that I`ve never seen anything from Rupes, IMO the manufacturers oughta bend over backwards to be perfectly clear about such stuff so people don`t learn things the hard way.

When applying the FK, I just pop off one pad and use it by hand for the small, odd-shaped areas, (mirrors, windshield pillars, etc.). If I need to, I can use my 3-inch GG, though I haven’t used it in over 10 years.

 

[Accumulator]

Older- Man, I just *gotta* try the FK via machine some time! It`s nutty that I haven`t since I do appreciate doing LSPs that way in general....

 

[wannafbody]

If pad rotation was the deciding factor in cut, I`d think all manufacturers would make forced rotation machines. While pad rotation plays a role, the pad will correct without it due to it`s orbit, just not as much or as fast.

 

[Older]

2186510[/URL]]Older- Man, I just *gotta* try the FK via machine some time! It`s nutty that I haven`t since I do appreciate doing LSPs that way in general....

It’s just sooo fast and getting it on thin is a breeze. I wouldn’t do it any other way.

 

[Accumulator]

It’s just sooo fast and getting it on thin is a breeze. I wouldn’t do it any other way.

Ah, but that`s the thing: I find it *HARDER* to get as thin an application via machine. I *always* end up using more product (note that I`m crazy-extreme about how little I use by hand).