In thinking about, and with very little researching the topic for the below quotes I've found quite a few that touched on the subject. All of them were left 'as is' and posted. There are PLENTY of spelling and grammatical errors,
which I did not correct. Also, I did not note the author on all of them, but a simple Google search with a paragraph of text should bring up each thread. I've color coded the various forums so as not to confuse where they came from.
Below the various quotes I have inserted my thoughts, and calculations on OPM, RPM, MPH etc.
WARNING: VERY LONG POST
Various quotes from Autogeek Forum
8-2009
As a general rule of thumb, when working on seriously neglected paint, you'll want to apply firm pressure but never so much that the pad stops rotating. This is the purpose of the black lines on the back of your backing plate and/or foam buffing pads, it’s so you can easily see if your pad is rotating or simply vibrating against the paint. Paint is removed best when the pad is rotating, not simply vibrating.
If you hold the polisher in a way that there is more pressure on only an edge of the buffing pad, this increased pressure to one section of the face of the buffing pad is enough to stop the pad from rotating. This will be easy to see from the marks on your backing plate and paying attention to how you’re holding the polisher in relationship to the shape of the panel.
Watching your pad will help you to perfect your technique.
7-2010
The reason for this article is because the problem with these tools is that they have a hard time keeping foam buffing pads rotating under pressure.
It is even more difficult for these first generation PC units to keep a foam pad rotating under pressure as the pads become wet with product. The reason for this is because the wet foam acts to absorb and dissipate the power supplied via the Free Floating Spindle Assemble and the result is the pad will stop rotating and simply vibrate or jiggle against the paint.
Paint is removed best, or if you like the fluffy way of saying this, swirls, scratches and water spots are removed best, when the face of the buffing pad is rotating over the surface, not just jiggling or vibrating.
6/2011
You need to apply firm pressure to engage the abrasives against the paint but no so much that the pad is barely rotating. This is where it's a good idea to use a permanent black marker to make a mark on the back of your backing plate so your eyes can easily see if the pad is rotating or not and this will help you to adjust your downward pressure accordingly.
Correct technique means finding a balance of applying enough downward pressure to remove defects but not too much downward pressure as to stop the rotating movement of the pad.
Another factor that can affect pad rotation are raised body lines, edges and curved surfaces as anytime you have uneven pressure on just a portion of the face of the pad it can slow or stop pad rotation. This is where experience comes into play and experience comes from time spent behind the polisher.
Not holding the polisher in a way to keep the pad flat while working your compound or polish.
Applying pressure in such a way as to put too much pressure to one edge of the pad will cause it to stop rotating and thus decrease abrading ability.
7-2011
Also, mark the back of your backing plate with a black felt marker like you see below as this will help you to see when the pad is rotating or just vibrating. When you're trying to remove swirls you need the pad rotating.
4-2012
When you're out in your garage buffing on a car and you don't see good pad rotation under pressure, click the link below and read through my trouble shooting guide and make sure you're doing everything right and not making any of the common mistakes.
Also, to help you're eyes easily see whether or not the pad is rotating, mark your backing plate like I show in this article.
Various Quotes from Meguiar's On Line
10-2010
All of the major brand D/A buffers on the market today are very similar in appearance and use. Although the actual speeds may vary slightly, they all come with 6 variable speed settings adjusted by a small thumbwheel. Feel free to experiment with the following numbers a bit depending on how your paint is responding, but these are good starting points. For routine defect correction speed 5 is going to be your default setting.
In some cases you may need to run the tool a bit faster or a bit slower, depending on how your paint responds. You'll also need to apply some pressure to the pad, but don't use so much pressure that you stop the pad from rotating though. How much pressure you need to use is, again, going to depend on the severity of the defects and how the paint reacts to the input.
9-2012
Traditional fixed orbital tools tend to have large pad size (10" is common), run at low speed with low amperage. There are many low cost retail versions of these tools, most all with a very similar appearance as shown below. These are fine for applying wax but generally lack the power to perform any serious defect removal. The reason for that is the lack of torque provided by the inexpensive motors used, the large size of the pad (often 10" in diameter) and the limited choice of applicator materials - generally terry cloth bonnets rather than a selection of foam pads with varying levels of cut. If you're looking to do some serious defect removal - elimination of swirls, water spots, etchings, etc you will most likely find these tools to be severely lacking in power.
Dual action random orbitals are the most common type of tool used by enthusiasts, weekend warriors, part time detailers, and even top professional detailers. They are rarely found in body shop environments due them rarely being up to the task of sanding mark removal. This ability is beginning to change as pad and chemical technology has advanced, and as these tools have become more popular. The random action of the pad is created by the free rotating spindle assembly, which also causes the pad to stop spinning under heavy pressure. Oscillation will continue under heavy pressure, but with rotation ceased the safety margin goes up considerably compared to a rotary buffer. The total power of the tool along with pad and backing plate selection determines how much pressure is needed to cease rotation. Considerations when selecting a dual action random orbital tool include:
•Torque/amp/watt ratings because this combination plus the gearing really determine the "power" of the tool.
•Orbital diameter size - larger orbits are more aggressive than smaller orbits
•Speed range in OPM (oscillations per minute)
•Size & weight
•Backing plate selection/pad size
Various Quotes from Autopia Forum
4-2011
The reason for this article is because the problem with these types of tools, that is tools that use a Free Floating Spindle Assembly, is that they have a hard time keeping foam buffing pads rotating under pressure.
It is even more difficult for these first generation PC units to keep a foam pad rotating under pressure as the pads become wet with product. The reason for this is because the wet foam acts to absorb and dissipate the power supplied via the Free Floating Spindle Assemble and the result is the pad will stop rotating and simply vibrate or jiggle against the paint.
In other words, the way you remove below surface defects is to abrade the paint until it is flat or level.
Paint is removed best, or if you like the fluffy way of saying this, swirls, scratches and water spots are removed best, when the face of the buffing pad is rotating over the surface, not just jiggling or vibrating.
Back to the problem...
The first generation Porter Cable Dual Action Polishers are not very effective at keeping a pad rotating under pressure, especially pads that are thick and larger.
Thick foam acts to absorber and dissipate the power from the tool and we see this as no or reduced pad rotation. When a pad is dry, it rotates best, at least best to whatever its ability is for the size pad. As you work around a car and continually
add more product to work over the paint, some of this product or liquid penetrates into the foam and the combination of foam and liquid acts to absorb the power even more than just dry foam alone.
Large foam pads mean more surface area in contact with the paint and the more surface area in contact with the paint the more power is necessary to rotating the face of the pad over the paint.
When everything is working against you, that is when the pad is large, the pad is thick and the pad is wet or saturated with product, the end results is very slow pad rotation and even no pad rotation.
How to maximize pad rotation for the correction and polishing step for ALL DA Polishers
In a nutshell...
Small Diameter Pads - 5.5" diameter pads are the best balance of size and effectiveness.
Thin Pads - The thinner the pad, the less foam there is to absorb and dissipate energy.
Clean Dry Pads - Being able to switch to a clean, dry pad maintains tool efficiency for maximum pad rotation.
In detail...
Small Diameter Pads - 5.5" diameter pads are the best balance of size and effectiveness.
This is not a recommendation in concrete, just a good general size recommendation because pad thickness and type are HUGE factors. For example, there are other pads for buffing besides the traditional foam buffing pads. One example is the Surbuf MicroFinger Buffing Pads which are very thin and for this reason you can maintain pad rotating fairly well with a 7" pad on a 1st Generation PC.
Generally speaking however, the 5.5" diameter pad is a good balance between too large and too small. It's true that a 1st Generation PC can easily maintain pad rotation with 4" diameter Spot Repair Pads but this is to small of a size to realistically buff out all the major panels of the average vehicle in a timely manner.
Thin Pads - The thinner the pad, the less foam there is to absorb and dissipate energy.
The thicker the foam the more the cushion and this might be good for a bed, or a couch or a chair, but when trying to maintain pad rotation with a tool that uses a Free Rotating Spindle Assembly, it's a negative feature.
***For correction steps, use firm downward pressure but don't stop the pad from rotating.***
10-2011
Todd @ Rupes 
So does pad rotation offer a benefit?
Yes, pad rotation does offer some benefit in terms of typical DA polisher application. My rotating the pad you are creating a constantly changing (random) pattern on the paint that is exposing the paint to different and fresh abrasives. The random orbital action also dislodges the abrasives from the pad, where are they are free to rolls across the paint before reattaching in a new location/position. The increased speed of the pad rotation does offer some additional friction, usually no more than 10-20%. Additionally, some rotation will pull the pad tauter and make it firmer, which will allow more of the energy of the orbital movement to transfer to the paint.
The transfer of movement (energy) from the backing plate to the paint surface.
Foam polishing pads are similar to sponges in that they will absorb some of the orbital (not rotational, accept during acceleration) motion that is vital to a DA polisher correcting the paint. If you have polished with DA polish and remove the pad immediately after polishing you will notice that the backing plate interface is often warm or hot. This is a direct result of the flex (absorption of movement) of a foam pad. On a rotary polish the pad's surface (paint/paint interface) is often warmer do to the more efficient transfer of energy.
The taller (thicker) and larger (diameter) the pad, the more energy is absorbed through the greater surface area. This is one reason why smaller pads tend to work better with DA polishers. Smaller pads transfer more energy (by default) and place less drag on the pad, which allows for either more down-pressure to applied while maintaining pad speed or more more pad speed with similar pressure. Most polishing foam pads have been adopted for use with a DA polisher. Recently advances in DA pad design have improved the ability of these machines to take full advantage of their potential. Lake Country's thin pads and Meguiar's DA Microfiber pads both feature a thin design that efficiently transfers the motion of the machine to the paint.
In conclusion.
With a larger pad, rotational speed is necessary to generate friction. As new designs of pad emerge that take advantage of the orbital motion, the rotation becomes less necessary as the bell curve for optimum performance shifts more to the orbital action. It is not necessary for a pad to rotate to generate the friction needed to remove paint defects or create a level surface, although it does offer a greater benefit with a larger, less efficient pad.
How much speed does rotation add? A DA polisher, when subjected to the down-pressure necessary to compress the pad (and ensure an efficient transfer of power through the foam) may rotate 1 time per second (this may be slightly faster than normal if you draw a line on the backing plate and watch). On a 5 inch pad with would add an additional 15.7 inches of distance per second or 942 inches per minute at the outer edge of the pad. This bumps our pad speed up to almost 7.3 mph, or slightly more than a 10% increase in polishing power, at the outer edge. When you consider that this advantage shrinks as we approach the center of the pad (2 inches from the axis we are only adding an additional 377 inches per minute) the net effect is small.
Very good article from Chris Brown @ OCD Car Care
* * * NOTE: When using a Dual Action Polisher, backing plate rotation should be THE main point of emphasis instead of the speed setting on the machine. This is because the lateral oscillation (side to side) movement, also called the throw, of the dual action polisher is always in a constant motion. That means the main variable for leveling the surface is the rate at which the backing plate spins the pad, or disc, against the paint.
This is because the pad [driven by the backing plate] directly engages the buffing liquid with the painted surface.
As a general rule pad rotation of 1-2 rotations per second will help provide optimal cutting capabilities. More rotations of the pad does not optimize cycle time, in fact, it lessens the amount of time the pad face engages the defect resulting in LESS leveling of the surface. Therefore, PAD ROTATION should be THE reason why speed is increased or decreased when using the Dual Action Polisher.
To have more power than is necessary to rotate the backing plate at 1-2 rotations per second, serves to increase the rate of oscillation which will only result in faster warming of the working section. Also, when operating the machine at the minimal setting which will allow for the optimal rotation of the backing plate, the machine will run smoother and will have less stress put on it, meaning less physical strain n the operator (which is magnified by the amount of time buffing) and greater longevity of the tool.
**************************************************
Todd,
A 21 mm tool orbiting at 4200 OPM and spinning at 150 RPM with a 7 inch pad will produce the following rates of movement.
10.34 mph from any spot on the pad
13.46 mph at pad's edge (3.12 mph rotational speed)
10.78 mph 1 inch from center (.44 mph from rotational speed)
If the machine has a 21mm orbit, and it is moving at 4200 OPM (
which is max, wide open speed for that machine) then you'd have .826772 x 3.14 = 2.5960 inches per stroke x 4200 for a total of 10903.46 inches per minute, or as you stated, 10.336 MPH at any given point on the pad. (
The figure to get to MPH is IPM x 0.000948, which of course is 10.336.)
Then of course we want add pad rotation to the calculation. I figured a max of 2 RPS (120 RPM) although now I see you've figured 150 RPM.(
I've gone into detail below.)
I don't know who you are referring to.
Who I was referring to was literally anyone that has talked about (and used) a DA style machine to do paint correction, from Mike Phillips (
at both Meguiar's and Autogeek) Jason Rose, many others, yourself included.
(
Although you did post a while back about whether or not rotation was needed, which I inlcuded in the quoted text.)
Hey, I'm with you on keeping firm pressure, and a decent, slow, controlled pad rotation. I tell people to do about 2 per second. If the (marker) line is going by so fast you can't see it you're going TOO DARNED FAST.
Foam that is stiff laterally will transfer more orbital movement which increases cutting power without needing additional pressure to compress the foam. If the foam is too soft, then thinner foam pads accomplish a similar feet.
Microfiber will cut better if it isn't rotated too fast. This is why we recommend speed 4 on the first generation, while speed 3 seems to be a sweet spot on the Mark II.
I think we're saying the same thing here. Remember the saying "Thin is in"?
And as for microfiber pads, I keep a fold out chart from Meguiar's inside my towel cabinet, where the cutting pad is recommended at 4800 OPM and the finishing pad is 3800 OPM. Also have another chart showing speeds of the GG6 that I made myself.
Would LOVE to have the various OPM speeds of the Duetto and Rupes 15 at the numbered settings!
Again, the ability the remove P1500 with zero rotation is -IMO - hardly some correction, it is significant. Of course it would be more effective to have some rotation (even if slow) to continue to expose fresh abrasives to the paint and help fight abrasive loading from the surface, but the cutting power itself remains strong.
Never meant to infer that it was "hardly some correction". Just that without pad rotation the correction ability is lessened to various degrees, quite significantly in fact with as few as 2.5 RPS / 150 RPM.
As you'll see in the calculations below, looking at your old post from a few years back, pad rotation ends up rewarding you with greater pad to paint speed, sometimes substantially. Then as you go to increased throw with the Rupes 12 and 15 (and normal operating speeds) you'll get a good 38% more face of the pad movement by having just minimal rotation.
Of course I've never fashioned myself a math major... far from it. So my figures are based purely on the orbital rotation as it relates to the specified orbit of each machine, as well as the edge speed of the pads that are meant to use with those machines.
Basically you take the size of the circle multiplied by Pi (3.14) to figure the length/circumference of any sized circle. Should that be 1", 3", 6" or 7" it really doesn't matter. (With the exception of course that the farther out you go, the more inches per second you account for.
It'd surely be interesting to figure out how much 'negative' rotation one gets with the machines, especially the large (21mm) throw machine when it is on the up, down, and back stroke during pad rotation. (These figures only show what you get when the orbit is going in the same direction of the rotation at a given rotation speed.) I'm betting it would be a significant amount of the overall pad to paint speed (in inches or MPH for that matter).
Using .3125 x 3.14 = .98125 inches per oscillation x 6800 that'd come up to 6672.5 inches per minute, with a 5/16 oscillation, (providing 100% transfer of each OPM). Then using 6672.5 inches per minute that converts to 6.32 MPH at any given point on the pad, WHEN THE PAD IS COMPLETELY STATIONARY.
IPM x 0.000948 = MPH - IPS x 0.056817 = MPH
The speed at the outer edge of a 5.5 pad would be 17.27 IPS based on 1 RPS. That outer rotational speed translates to .98 MPH by itself.
Therefore if we add the 6.32 MPH of each oscillation, to the proposed (VERY SLOW outer edge) pad speed of .98 MPH we now have a 'edge face speed' 7.3 of MPH (if everything translates 100%). Problem is, part of the oscillation is up, down, left and right, (not to mention loss of energy/oscillation) where the rotation only goes in one direction. One *could* figure the minus deduction speed of the rotation as taking away from the oscillation, (although it'd be hard to negate 6800 OPM at only 1, or even 2.5 revolutions of the pad per second). I can see where with almost no pad rotation you’d not see any huge increases in overall pad to paint speed.
Still however... adding .98 MPH to the 6.32 stationary pad speed you'd see an increase of 15.5% on the face of the pad.
That’s not huge, but we’re talking about a 5.5 inch pad running at an INSANE OPM speed of 6800!
This alone is not unsubstantial, and actually something quite needed all things considered... but let's expound a bit more.
Two VERY important things come to mind.
1: I'd caution that we hardly EVER run a machine when correcting at 6800 OPM, even an 8mm orbit machine. ESPECIALLY when running microfiber pads!
(
Meguiar's recommends 4800 on the cutting, and 3800 on the finishing pads, (which is speed 5 and 2.5-ish on the GG6 V2).
I also know all too well the Rupes microfiber pads, even though they are designed with cooling passages will come COMPLETELY apart in a heartbeat if you let them warm (at all) and even THINK about trying to remove them from the (
well designed, and VERY grippy Velcro) backing plate. (It's the foam that rips apart.)
2: Plus... I'd say much more often than not 2~3 revolutions per second (RPS) backing plate speed would be more in line with day to day use on a 5.5” pad.
Remember:
To convert IPS to MPH we multiply by 0.056817
To convert IPM to MPH we multiply by 0.000948
So say we go with 4800 OPM and then a revolution of 2.5 RPS. 4800 x .3125 =1500 x 3.14 = 4710 IPM x .000948= 4.465 MPH _ oscillation/stationary pad
Now we go to the 5.5” pad running at 2.5 RPS.
17.27 x 2.5 RPS = 43.175 IPS x .056817 = 2.45 MPH outer edge rotation speed
Now we add oscillation speed plus rotational speed and we come up with 6.915 MPH! (
at the outer edge)
Moreover, note that at 4800 OPM AND with a rotational speed of only 2.5 revolutions per second you've now increased the pad to paint speed almost 55%! (
Actually 54.867%)
This translates to the overall correction effectiveness increasing substantially!
(
Not to mention addressing DA Haze... which I touch on below.)
Of course this was using the figures you used back in your original post. Were we to go to 12mm, 15mm or 21mm Rupes machines with 6" and 7" pads respectively we'd have to increase the figures proportionately. No doubt the OPM to IPM numbers would increase.
12mm = .472441
15mm = .590551
The above represent the Rupes 12 and 15. The maximum speed of the 15 is 5000 OPM, although you typically don't operate it that fast. I'd say 4000~4500 opm would be more in line.
(
FWIW, for those that are still reading at this point… the 15 has the same motor as the 21 although the maximum speed has increased to 5000 from 4200.)
Surprisingly... the little Duetto (
that I own) has a minimum speed of 4000 and maximum of 5500, with (IMO) 5000 being close to the speed that's used most often. The Duetto just DOES NOT like running on anything BUT speed 5 or 6. It is all but useless on speed 4 if you plan on any correction. Although for polishing, with a SOFT pad and well lubricated (fine) polish or wax it’ll run, but ONLY on a flat surface. Like a VERY flat surface! Any real correction however requires speed 5 or above or lest you suffer from lack of, (
or complete failure of) pad rotation. Still love the little machine though because it is so smooth, and easy to handle with one hand.
Even more surprising is that with the 12 and 15 using the same size pads, and the 12 having to run a bit faster overall OPM speed, (4000 vs 5000) the IPM (
inches per minute – on the orbit) speed is IDENTICAL!
That (orbit) speed would be 7417 IPM or 7.03 MPH.
Then take RPS on the 6” pad coming in at 47.1 inches per (2.5) cycles, which would be 2.67 MPH.
So basically you are getting another 38% of effective polishing action by having your pad rotate at only 2.5 RPS! Of course this is only for the 12 and 15 with the backing plate/pad they are designed for.
Moving to the Rupes 21 you have 21mm = .826772 per stroke, although it's MAXIMUM speed is 4200 OPM, and again, I doubt you'd run it wide open all the time. Let's say we go to 3500 OPM, which translates (.826772 x 3.14 x 3500) to 9086.22 IPM, or 8.61 MPH. Take that times the outer pad at 1 RPS and you get 21.98 IPS, for 1.248 MPH. But move to only x2.5 revolutions per second and you get an additional 54.95 IPS, for an additional 3.12 MPH.
This is where the HUGE stroke of the Rupes 21 overtakes the rotational advantage. However, even at only 1 revolution per second you are getting 14.49% more pad to paint contact speed. But it gets interesting once you move to 2.5 RPS where you are gaining a full additional 36% pad to paint speed!
Considering that the 12 and 15 gain 38% more pad speed at 2.5 RPS, it’s interesting that the 21 has a full 36% increase in and of itself!
Sure, slowing that down to 2 RPS would drop that a bit, down to 29%, but that is still significant indeed.
All that aside, what are generally THE – NUMBER - ONE pro's and con's on using a DA machine to polish paint?
Pro: They don't contribute buffer trails and holograms.
Con: They can (quite often in fact) contribute "DA Haze".
The main contributing factor of DA Haze is simple. Orbital rotation! When the orbit rotates upon itself, it is by and large the worst offender, literally having tens of thousands of little circles rotating over each other. Magnify that with a lack of pad rotation and you’re quickly pulling your hair out. Let me say that again, LACK OF PAD ROTATION (
most especially with smaller orbits) can, will, and does cause DA haze on any number of paint systems, when working with an orbital type machine vs. a rotary.
This alone is why the Flex 3401 has become such a popular tool in detailing circles from professionals to weekend warriors alike!
Of course there are other considerations, such as lubricity, moving product on the surface from within and beneath the pad that are CRITICAL during the work flow. These ALSO have an effect on (
you guessed it) pad rotation! This is where pad rotation is important, likely more so than seems relevant on the face of the subject.
While the overall MPH/IPH (
mile per hour/nch per hour) speeds of pad rotation are smaller compared to orbital linear MPH/IPH, the ability to keep the compound/polish/abraded paint/carrier film (
and the like) moving, throughout a LARGER area (
than the confined orbit of a given machine) is critical when working the compound and polishes through their cycle.
Think of it as kneading bread. You don’t just put it on a block and punch it with your fist over and over and over. You have to continuously fold it, working it over, and into itself, again and again to achieve the desired result of actually making bread.
Some products have a very short working cycle and may not be as critical during the working cycle process, whereas others have a much longer cycle and need to be continuously worked down.
Not to mention SMAT vs DAT where (abrasive) particles can actually cut HARDER the longer they are worked after abraded paint/dirt and spent product start collecting around the particles themselves.
Then of course we have other considerations, including pad design where some pads (
CCS for example, or even open cell) that actually hold fresh product to be deposited around the paint surface as the pad is worked upon it.
This is also a good time to think about centrifugal and centripetal force acting upon the product both on the paint, but moreover within the pad itself. Where centrifugal force is forcing the material outwards at all time, centripetal force is holding matter to follow a given arc along any given point.
Take the orbital motion… you could divide the pad into a hundred little circles, each 8, 12, 15 or 21mm in diameter. Centripetal force is holding each circle within its own orbit. So much so in fact that (as we know) liquid product tends to migrate towards the center of our pads. (
Especially if the pad is kept too wet during the working cycle.)
Now take centrifugal force acting upon (and within) the pad when we have pad rotation. The faster the pad rotates, the more ‘product’ is able to move outward. (
Or sling if the pad moves too fast!) This can help not just with liquid compound, but abraded paint as well, not to mention the added ability to move air within (
and underneath) the pad which can actually contribute to help cool the interface between pad and paint while it also helps the self cleaning effect during pad rotation.
I’d caution that overlooking the importance of keeping the (liquid) product turning over (
beneath/inside) the pad, and even the addition of air with pad rotation when looking at nothing more than the MPH/IPH of the orbital motion alone may lead to a false conclusion RE the importance of pad rotational speed as it helps to move/distribute/work the various abrasive liquids involved in the process.
While we’re talking about DA problem issues….
There is also the (
sometimes) issue with a DA machine (
free spindle or otherwise) causing "pig tails". Those however are not a factor built into the machine, but rather the lack of keeping pads SURGICALLY CLEAN, and not changing them often when doing paint correction. I've only managed to run across that problem a couple of times, and it was from picking up a stray piece of foreign matter (
likely along a trim piece). Fortunately for me... it was minor, and a bit of 3000 grit de-nibbing block took care of it rather quickly.
On another note;
Wasn’t it was you yourself Todd that said years ago that you wouldn't have believed that weekend warriors / hobbyists would ever be spending (
what a professional buffer costs)? Yet as we all know, (
especially Max)
the market for 'weekenders', ‘warriors’ and ‘part-timers’ alike that just want to make their vehicles be the best they can be has made him a multimillionaire!
Dropping $150 on the original 'pro' machine, the GG6 seemed like a lot way back when. Now you see guys that use a machine on nothing more than their own vehicles buying a GG6 and a Rupes, and a Flex 3401, and maybe even a Flex PE-8 for those tight spots! I think this is where the comments are coming in about offering a warranty more in line with other machines that quite a lot of buyers are purchasing these days.
I totally understand the parts, R&D, and build quality that Rupes puts into their machines, which makes it even more confusing when a 3 year warranty isn’t offered. (
Especially when you’ve said yourself all the benefits/quality built into the machines. As well as the pride, faith, and belief in the company as a whole.)
Just do it already!
If it brings more buyers to the table, (
and considering the machines are not already breaking down at an alarming rate… right) then it’d be a win-win!
I know I have bought over $2000 worth of buffers and pads alone in just the last few years… and I’m retired! All that and I've yet to even THINK about working more than a week a month detailing.
Some months I may work 2 weeks, other times I might not do anything for 2 months. Then again… I don’t do typical meat and potatoes detailing, just not interested in it. Not the greatest passion in my life, (
that’d be Home Theater, TV, movies, music, etc.), but detailing is something that I truly enjoy.
Got stuck doing my podiatrist’s Lexus SUV a couple years ago as a (paid) favor, and spent over 15 man hours on the interior alone! Why… because his wife had let the kids spill drinks EVERYWHERE! Not just the seats and carpet, but dark splatters all over the headliner! Freaking beige interior with black spots everywhere you looked! No thank you… just don’t want to do those jobs. Instead I’ll do multi-day jobs, or full week long jobs, working my schedule, my rate…. typically involved details and paint correction as that is the work I enjoy the most.
Que sera sera is what I think about that.
I want to add that I planned on inserting a link here to an article that Todd wrote over on Autopia, but after getting Apache errors and 404 errors half a dozen times AFTER trying to post I finally figured out the Autogeek servers just don't play well with Autopia servers. :laughing:
That aside, do a Google search on:
Taming finicky paint da polisher tips tricks flawless finish
It's the top of the list, and is WELL worth a read!:dblthumb2:
rops:
only thing deterring me away towards the boss.
