OK. Yes, the machine spins counter clockwise in random orbital mode. That's because it doesn't matter. In random orbital mode there's not a lot of movement between the pad and the paint anyway.
The reason manufacturers went to larger and larger orbits is that the movement between the pad and the paint on a random orbital machine depends on the orbit - not the spin. Ask yourself this. How much effort does it take to keep the pad from spinning when a 21 mm throw random orbital machine is running at full speed no load - in the air. Attach a string and feel the pull. Where do you think that pull comes from? That amount of energy is all that's transferred to the paint and it's not enough to do anything much more than be amusing.
The Makita, because it has forced rotation, rotation that's achieved by the use of planetary gears - which reverse the direction of travel relative to the orbit when they're engaged - provides an action that combines rotary and orbit. That kind of spin matters - attach a string to the edge of the pad and see what happens - or better yet, don't - just use it and see the difference.
Because they finally got their act together and made the machine spin in, forced rotation mode, the same direction as a rotary the machine needs to run the same way you'd run a rotary. The pad has to be put against the paint the same way and weighted the same, but, because at full speed it only has 780 rpms, and you're likely to be using foam it's going to pretty safe. You'll still have to pay attention because the pad will snag on emblems and the like and you could thin the paint on an edge, but the rpms are pretty low compared to a rotary so the risks are less.
After you run this machine for awhile, picking up a rotary will be a lot easier. Also, if you already run a rotary this machine will feel comfortable out of the box - unlike the Makita BO6040 which spun counter clockwise in forced rotation.
RSW
The reason manufacturers went to larger and larger orbits is that the movement between the pad and the paint on a random orbital machine depends on the orbit - not the spin. Ask yourself this. How much effort does it take to keep the pad from spinning when a 21 mm throw random orbital machine is running at full speed no load - in the air. Attach a string and feel the pull. Where do you think that pull comes from? That amount of energy is all that's transferred to the paint and it's not enough to do anything much more than be amusing.
The Makita, because it has forced rotation, rotation that's achieved by the use of planetary gears - which reverse the direction of travel relative to the orbit when they're engaged - provides an action that combines rotary and orbit. That kind of spin matters - attach a string to the edge of the pad and see what happens - or better yet, don't - just use it and see the difference.
Because they finally got their act together and made the machine spin in, forced rotation mode, the same direction as a rotary the machine needs to run the same way you'd run a rotary. The pad has to be put against the paint the same way and weighted the same, but, because at full speed it only has 780 rpms, and you're likely to be using foam it's going to pretty safe. You'll still have to pay attention because the pad will snag on emblems and the like and you could thin the paint on an edge, but the rpms are pretty low compared to a rotary so the risks are less.
After you run this machine for awhile, picking up a rotary will be a lot easier. Also, if you already run a rotary this machine will feel comfortable out of the box - unlike the Makita BO6040 which spun counter clockwise in forced rotation.
RSW
