The Little Red Train That Can---Griot 3"

TMQ

TMQ

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Let me tell you---That bitty 3 inch griot polisher combined with thin pro pads cuts as good as a Rupes MKII using UHS pad and polish!!!

This was done on the 1931 Auburn project. Paint was very hard that I had to resort to the UHS at speed of 4 to 4 1/2 to achieve desired cut.

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/112064-1931-auburn.html

I have is a Rupes 15 mk II, griot 6" and the griot 3". The Auburn has many small areas, tight spots and difficult to reach areas. I was about to slap on a 3" backing plate on the griot 6". The problem with this set up was the griot 6" was just too big and way too heavy to hold in awkward positions. As well as in very small and tight areas.

I've heard so many negative things about how this bitty 3" griot wasn't worth a damn. I tried it on another detail and thought the same thing---useless.

Well I was in a bit of a pickle standing before the Auburn. Half of the darn car was inaccessible with the 15 Rupes and Griot 6"

So I had no choice, broke out the the bitty little thing---griot 3" combined with orange thin pro cutting pad with UHS polish.

Bingo!!! I'll be damned---that little thing just ate up 70-80 % scratches on the sides of hood after 4 section passes!!! I could not believe it! Hit the same spot for a couple of more passes---hood sides came out flawless!!!

I also have thin pro gray "heavy" cutting pads. I've tried those with the UHS polish, thinking it would cut more---no dice. Didn't make a dent in removing scratches. So I resorted back to the orange "cutting" thin pro pads and scratches just disappeared!

I just don't get what the nay sayers are saying but this bitty griot 3" polisher that can just ate up over 30 % of Auburn detail!!!

I am in love with this thing---very very small and very light. I could reach out over the front fenders at arms length and cut as good as a Rupes 15"

I will post a couple pictures in next post...

Tom
 
Thanks for posting this. I am going to be ordering one of these shortly, mainly because of the reported size and light weight. You reinforced my perception in a positive way.
 
Photos...

All of these plus many areas was done by this bitty thing---The little Griot that can!
 
Route246 said:
Thanks for posting this. I am going to be ordering one of these shortly, mainly because of the reported size and light weight. You reinforced my perception in a positive way.
Click to expand...

Make sure you get the thin pros pads. These will make the 3" polisher more powerfull.

Tom
 
TMQ - have you tried the 3" BOSS pads with it yet? I was gonna buy the 3" backing plate for my 6" too, but the idea of swapping them out in the middle of a job made me think of getting the smaller DA
 
briarpatch said:
TMQ - have you tried the 3" BOSS pads with it yet? I was gonna buy the 3" backing plate for my 6" too, but the idea of swapping them out in the middle of a job made me think of getting the smaller DA
Click to expand...

No I haven't tried the Boss pads but someone on forum, believe it was Mike P or someone said---thin pros made the 3" griots very very effective polisher. So I just went with that and glad I did...

Now that I've discovered how well this set up is with the 3", I'll just leave the 6" with 5" backing plate on it for now. I doubt I'll ever use a 3" on the 6" polisher. Too big and too heavy and not worth the trouble...

Tom
 
briarpatch said:
TMQ - have you tried the 3" BOSS pads with it yet? I was gonna buy the 3" backing plate for my 6" too, but the idea of swapping them out in the middle of a job made me think of getting the smaller DA
Click to expand...

I've used BOSS pads with it. They work well together. Well, seems like the new(er) thinner pads are great on "older" machines! I've also used Megs MF pads on the little peanut with success.

There's a post somewhere on here where I took the little guy, with some BOSS cremes and polished out some sanding on a test panel. Worked well for me. Too bad photobucket screwed me with the pics.

I've been pushing that the Little Griot's 3" CAN get results. I've seen it first hand, and have pics to show it.

Most recently used it to get into the pockets of a 2017 BMW M2's front bumper. It worked great in those tight spaces!
 
This little tool also works well for restoring plastic headlights. I just used it to wet sand and polish my niece's headlights before she left for college. Used the LC ThinPro pads (Orange & White) for the final compounding and polishing steps prior to sealing. The ThinPro's work very well with the GG3 and definitely make it a more effective tool.

For polishing paint, I prefer the Rupes LHR 75E Mini. Yeah it's way more expensive, and is like comparing an apple to an orange vs. the GG3, but both can be real nice to have for specific needs.
 
I love the 3" thin pro pads! I used it on my porter cable for the tighter areas and headlight restorations. Thing cuts awesome. I had thought about getting rid of it when I picked up my Makita but it's now my dedicated 3" polisher.
 
TMQ said:
No I haven't tried the Boss pads but someone on forum, believe it was Mike P or someone said---thin pros made the 3" griots very very effective polisher.
Click to expand...


I probably have about a dozen articles on the Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher. Topics include,

Machine waxing
Machine sanding
Machine compounding and polishing
Headlight sanding


Here's 12 write-ups...


NEW! 3.5" ThinPro Foam Pads! Thin is in and you're going to love these new small foam pads!

Review: NEW Griot's 3.5 THIN BOSS Buffing pads!"

Dampsanding with 3" Griot's Garage Mini Polisher

Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher - Extreme Demo - Warning!

3" Mini Polisher- 2nd Generation Griot's Garage Mini Polisher

Meguiar's Microfiber DA Correction System with Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher

Spindle size on the Griot's 3" Mini Polisher - Also... don't do this...

Griot's 3" Mini Polisher works great as a 3" Dampsander

Griot's Garage 3" BOSS HD Orbital Backing Plate

Headlight Sander - Takes the work out of sanding headlights...

Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher for Wetsanding Class

Why hand wax? Machine waxing is the ONLY way to go! Let me show you have to make it fast, easy and safe!



:)
 
i have used the 3.5" microfiber FAST cutting pad (no foam interface) with the GG3 and it worked really well...

Griots Garage 3.5 inch Micro Fiber FAST Cutting Pad
griots-garage-3-5-inch-micro-fiber-fast-cutting-pad-16.gif
 
BadgerRivFan said:
This little tool also works well for restoring plastic headlights. I just used it to wet sand and polish my niece's headlights before she left for college. Used the LC ThinPro pads (Orange & White) for the final compounding and polishing steps prior to sealing. The ThinPro's work very well with the GG3 and definitely make it a more effective tool.

For polishing paint, I prefer the Rupes LHR 75E Mini. Yeah it's way more expensive, and is like comparing an apple to an orange vs. the GG3, but both can be real nice to have for specific needs.
Click to expand...

I love the Rupes system. I can't remember if I held one or not but is the mini small and light like the griot 3"?

Tom
 
Duy said:
I love the 3" thin pro pads! I used it on my porter cable for the tighter areas and headlight restorations. Thing cuts awesome. I had thought about getting rid of it when I picked up my Makita but it's now my dedicated 3" polisher.
Click to expand...

Almost threw it in trash! But now I KNOW it will be my go to for tight places!

Tom
 
JustJesus said:
I've used BOSS pads with it. They work well together. Well, seems like the new(er) thinner pads are great on "older" machines! I've also used Megs MF pads on the little peanut with success.

There's a post somewhere on here where I took the little guy, with some BOSS cremes and polished out some sanding on a test panel. Worked well for me. Too bad photobucket screwed me with the pics.

I've been pushing that the Little Griot's 3" CAN get results. I've seen it first hand, and have pics to show it.

Most recently used it to get into the pockets of a 2017 BMW M2's front bumper. It worked great in those tight spaces!
Click to expand...

Thanks for jumping in and confirming what the (I love this) peanut can do. Lol...

Tom
 
Mike Phillips said:
I probably have about a dozen articles on the Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher. Topics include,

Machine waxing
Machine sanding
Machine compounding and polishing
Headlight sanding


Here's 12 write-ups...


NEW! 3.5" ThinPro Foam Pads! Thin is in and you're going to love these new small foam pads!

Review: NEW Griot's 3.5 THIN BOSS Buffing pads!"

Dampsanding with 3" Griot's Garage Mini Polisher

Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher - Extreme Demo - Warning!

3" Mini Polisher- 2nd Generation Griot's Garage Mini Polisher

Meguiar's Microfiber DA Correction System with Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher

Spindle size on the Griot's 3" Mini Polisher - Also... don't do this...

Griot's 3" Mini Polisher works great as a 3" Dampsander

Griot's Garage 3" BOSS HD Orbital Backing Plate

Headlight Sander - Takes the work out of sanding headlights...

Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher for Wetsanding Class

Why hand wax? Machine waxing is the ONLY way to go! Let me show you have to make it fast, easy and safe!



:)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the links Mike---will do some reading.

Tom
 
TMQ said:
Thanks for jumping in and confirming what the (I love this) peanut can do. Lol...

Tom
Click to expand...

Hey, you got it. I like the machine, so it's easy for me to say nice things about it.

Credit where credit is due: I believe I heard Mike Phillips call it the peanut while working with him on set of Competition Ready :)
 
JustJesus said:
Hey, you got it. I like the machine, so it's easy for me to say nice things about it.

Credit where credit is due: I believe I heard Mike Phillips call it the peanut while working with him on set of Competition Ready :)
Click to expand...

That's good to know. I am going to be calling my bitty thing peanut from here on out. BTW...my cat is named peanut! Lol...

Thanks for letting us know where the name came from.

Tom
 
TMQ said:
I love the Rupes system. I can't remember if I held one or not but is the mini small and light like the griot 3"?

Tom
Click to expand...

The Mini is definitely heavier than the GG3. It is much more powerful and is a "long throw" polisher. Just overall more robust.

Mike's articles point out the many uses for the GG3... for me personally, headlight restoration and machine waxing is where I like to use it .
 
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