Applying LSP with DA

I actually just had this problem today. Same speed as well, I tried it at 4 and the pad just wouldnt move at all. If I wasnt doing a big truck I would have switched to hand application for sure.

For applying last step protection, pad rotation is not important at all.

I used my Rupes to apply wax once. I honestly didn't see the point, so I went back to applying it by hand. I guess maybe I can apply it more evenly and thinner with a DA, but it just feels better to me doing it manually.

I use speed setting 3 on the PC 7424 XP to apply my LSP. Sealant and then wax. IMO using a DA for applying the LSP is the only way to go.
You cover more area, the application is more uniform and it is just overall faster.
As for speed setting 4 I would guess is fine. You might be putting too much pressure on the DA from having it not spinning. I would assume you put a black stripe on the backing plate to see if your DA is spinning. If the backing plate is not spinning ease off the pressure a bit. It is a fine line between pressure and no pressure.

Eventually, you will get the hang of the technique and have at it applying LSP with a DA.

As for importance of not spinning, I would guess not that much as you are only applying LSP. But I would still try to improve my technique with the backing plate spinning by looking at the stripe. It will help you learn quickly.

What size pad Kevin? I use 3" pads for applying LSP. I find it easier than 5.5 or 6.5 pad.

I had rotation issues before but found out my 16 gauge 50' extension cord was the culprit. Replaced it with a 12 gauge and it has much more power.

So if you're using an extension cord, look into that.

4bidden said:

I had rotation issues before but found out my 16 gauge 50' extension cord was the culprit. Replaced it with a 12 gauge and it has much more power.

So if you're using an extension cord, look into that.

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16 gauge 110 volt should be rated up to 13 amps about.... and the pc should only pull close to 4.5-5 amp. something may have been wrong in general with your cord. a 16 gauge cord should be more than enough to run a da polisher with that size motor

TurboToys said:

16 gauge 110 volt should be rated up to 13 amps about.... and the pc should only pull close to 4.5-5 amp. something may have been wrong in general with your cord. a 16 gauge cord should be more than enough to run a da polisher with that size motor

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Probably because of the length. 50' is pretty long and will have a lot of electrical resistance compared to a shorter cord.

kevin_1981 said:

Sicktred - I'm using 5.5" Pads, with practically just the weight of the 7424 for pressure, and a slight pressure from my hand, and the unit tends to wobble a bit.

4bidden - Im actually using a 100' (maybe 75') extension cord i believe, but it is a 12ga and rated for 15A i believe. I'll try without it anyways as i may be experiencing some voltage drop or something.

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you wouldn't be getting that massive of a voltage drop from 75 ft. it's around 2.8% not enough to make that kind of difference.

what kind of lsp are you using, and what kind of pad? it could be causing it to grab more than a polish would.

I'm thinking this phenomena is normal. A PC with a full size pad will have little rotation at speed 3. You will get a lot of jiggling. Switching to a 4" pad with a 3.5" BP should help. Or, upgrade to a Griots 6" polisher.

My GG 3" is great for applying waxrops:

I use a 6.5" red or blue pad on my GG6 at 2.5 and never have any issues.

trekkeruss said:

I used my Rupes to apply wax once. I honestly didn't see the point, so I went back to applying it by hand. I guess maybe I can apply it more evenly and thinner with a DA, but it just feels better to me doing it manually.

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That's overkill

I use the Griot Garage 3" polisher. The pad is small enough to fit in pretty much any wax jar, and it's great with liquids too since you don't waste much product with such a small pad.

kevin_1981 said:

I was curious how important rotation of pad is when using a DA to apply LSP.

I can only get rotation when using speed 4.5 or so on my pc. Even when using practically no pressure. From why I've read, this speed seems too powerful for LSP... I've been using ccs blue pads for application..

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Pad rotation is not important all as far as applying and spreading out any finishing wax or finishing sealant, that is any non-cleaning LSP to a polished surface.

It has no effect at all as to the application of the product.

Having the pad rotate a little helps you to move the pad over the surface. With the Porter Cable, you need the speed setting to be the 4.0 to the 4.5 to get the pad to rotate a little while move the polisher over the surface. With the G110v2 I'd have to check but probably the same range. With the Griot's Garage probably around the 2 setting.


Here's the deal... using the Porter Cable as the example. If you have the speed setting below the 4.0 speed setting, say the 1, 2 or 3, when you try to move the polisher over the finish it will feel like the polisher is lagging or dragging behind. That's because the pad has too much grip to the paint.

By speeding up the polisher just enough so that the pad is rotating a little, you'll find the pad and thus the polisher in your hand, will more easily glide over the paint and this is what you want when trying to quickly spread out a thin, uniform layer or wax or sealant.

So pad rotation isn't important for the actual application of a non-cleaning LSP but it is helpful to make the pad glide over the paint easier.

Make sense?


I asked this same question back around 2004 or so to Mike Pennington at Meguiar's and it was he that shared the above with me as his experience when machine applying Gold Class Wax. Due credit where credit is due.

I tried the 4.0 speed setting like Mike Pennington said he used and I found he was correct so I 've been sharing that little tid bit on speed recommendations ever since.


As far a cleaning wax, that is a Cleaner/Wax or a Cleaner/Sealant, or a product that,

1. Cleans
2. Polishes
3. Protects

Because you're relying on the chemical cleaners and/or the chemical cleaners plus abrasives to do the cleaning and abrading aspect of the one-step process, NOW pad rotation is necessary.

In fact, without pad rotation on a dual action polisher like the PC "type", when using a one-step cleaner/wax or AIO as some like to call them, you won't get any work done.


We go over both styles of machine waxing in my detailing boot camp classes. That is we always apply our waxes by machine and we do both type, machine waxing with a non-cleaning wax and with a cleaner/wax as I cover both show car detailing and production detailing.


:buffing:

kevin_1981 said:

I've come to the realization that any speed setting below 3.5 or so on the PC is kinda useless.

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I"d agree.

Machine sanding is on the 4-5 setting
Machine waxing is on the 4-5 setting
Using Nanoskin pads is on the 5 setting
Compounding and polishing is on the 6 setting
Orange peel removal with Denim pads is on the 6 setting
Scrubbing anything with a Cyclo brush on your PC is the 5-6 setting

Did I miss anything?