I was using my rupes 15 today for the first time extensively on a full correction, ( I don't have a rotary at the moment ) What I noticed is that on my truck, it's a 2018, more of the newer vehicles have a lot of bends / curves in back panels and hoods, my rupes kept stalling out on almost anything except a flat surface. I've heard that I just need to change my pressure points on the machine pretty much, and I've always heard it's because it's a rupes. Does anyone have some good videos / tips / advice on how I can keep it from stalling so much, or how to apply pressure to certain areas when working around curves / bends on panels. Thanks!
Using a rupes 15
- Thread starter Lawlmens
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rlmccarty2000
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- Dec 23, 2013
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Keep it flat (the pad)as possible. Use very little downward force. Use Rupes pads. You will not be able to halt all stalling, but you should be able to minimize it enough to do a good job.
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I was trying out some 3D pads today, I wasn't a fan of them. maybe the pad wasn't seasoned yet, but it seemed like it kept flaking on me spitting up some white little spots. I have rupes pads, but I haven't used them yet since I was using my 3D pads, and LC pads last time I used it. What do you do around curved surfaces since it wont be flat for say?
you'll get use to it, I did. I noticed that myself about the stalling. but in a way it's protecting you from doing any damage. put a magic marker mark on your backing plate. then you'll be able to see when it's moving or stalled. this should help you. and definitely use the rupes pads, they work great with that polisher. good luck.
hmardown
hmardown
BudgetPlan1
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- Dec 21, 2015
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Some thoughts from the first time I fired up a Rupes 15 Mk2; it's amateur hour around here so these thoughts come from that perspective:
rlmccarty2000
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I learned on a Porter Cable so stepping up to the more powerful Rupes was not a problem. People coming from a rotary or Flex 3401 seem to have the most problems with stalling. If your vehicle has many curves invest in a Rupes mini to get into those areas or just go to forced rotation.
A great help if you have a feeling that you have the polisher leveled and want to prove it to your self. Is to setup your mobile phone camera and film you in profile so it filming the leveling you have on your polisher. We have muscle memory and once you feel comfortable and do something repeatly. You can be set to on a leveling angle that is a little to much of where you want to be at. You only need to be doing a couple of sections to warm up and then film when doing 1 section passes. Transfer the video to your computer or tv. And look how you are doing. From your point of view on the polisher it's the leveling up and down which often is hard to get correct. You can explain to a friend or partner to look at the polisher and what they are looking for too. It's hard to look above on the pad if you compress it more on one side as you need to be moving around to see how it looks. And you get out of your natuaral standing. That's when filming it can be a hughe benefit to be doing. The marking of the backing plate is great to do too. And one more thing is to listen to the sound from the polisher and how it revs up or bogs down and where your sweet spot is when looking on the rotation on the backing plate marks. Then the technique comes with time if you pay attention on it and test different approaches if you have problems somewhere. Can take a little longer for us who doing our own cars and a couple of more a year. As if we where to be polishing day in day out or every weekend.
dlc95
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- May 18, 2013
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Coming from a rotary to a PC was a dream too.
dlc95
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When I practice my drumming I have mirrors set up around the drum set.
I had a scrap door in the basement when I got my Duetto. I used the mirrors to keep my technique in check.
I still had a bit of a learning curve when I used it on an entire car.
First thing that was an issue was dealing with the splatter from the blue foam pads, and blue compound. Once the pad softened up, and the reload amount was reduced, that helped a lot.
*note* don't even try using the blue, green or grey foams with a washer mod installed. The excess rotation will spit that compound all over the place.
Second thing I had an issue with was trying to polish after thoroughly cleaning the tool. I didn't realize that lubrication on the backing plate was necessary. The pads would barely spin, and little shards of black rubber from the shroud scattered over my work area. Then the shroud wore itself down, and free spun. I ordered a new shroud, and keep it lived with a little dielectric grease. You probably don't have a problem with this being your tool is probably new.
Third issue was using those stiff foam pads in concave areas.I still sort of struggle with those, but getting the edge in there, and letting the orbit do some work gets the job done.
I was never into using heavy pressure. I instinctively used my Porter Cable 7424xp like I did the rotary. Lighter pressure, let that pad doing and do some work.
With the Rupes tools, the large movement of the orbit makes up for the regulated rotation caused by the anti-spin feature. Also, Rupes recommends light pressure, so that was a natural course of action for me.
I had a scrap door in the basement when I got my Duetto. I used the mirrors to keep my technique in check.
I still had a bit of a learning curve when I used it on an entire car.
First thing that was an issue was dealing with the splatter from the blue foam pads, and blue compound. Once the pad softened up, and the reload amount was reduced, that helped a lot.
*note* don't even try using the blue, green or grey foams with a washer mod installed. The excess rotation will spit that compound all over the place.
Second thing I had an issue with was trying to polish after thoroughly cleaning the tool. I didn't realize that lubrication on the backing plate was necessary. The pads would barely spin, and little shards of black rubber from the shroud scattered over my work area. Then the shroud wore itself down, and free spun. I ordered a new shroud, and keep it lived with a little dielectric grease. You probably don't have a problem with this being your tool is probably new.
Third issue was using those stiff foam pads in concave areas.I still sort of struggle with those, but getting the edge in there, and letting the orbit do some work gets the job done.
I was never into using heavy pressure. I instinctively used my Porter Cable 7424xp like I did the rotary. Lighter pressure, let that pad doing and do some work.
With the Rupes tools, the large movement of the orbit makes up for the regulated rotation caused by the anti-spin feature. Also, Rupes recommends light pressure, so that was a natural course of action for me.
rlmccarty2000
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I still don’t use the Rupes blue pads even though I know to “warm” them up a bit. Microfiber pads just make things so much easier. I need to sell my blue ones on eBay or something.
Dr Oldz
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- Aug 31, 2010
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I’ll chime in here. Some good advice above.
First thing is to get a little time behind the machine and that only comes from using it.
Secondly.... hone you technique to the point where the pad is ALWAYS rotating. This again takes some time under your belt until you get a feel for it. Once you are holding the polisher properly, it will rotate the pad.
I don’t apply much pressure to a long throw DA as the large orbit doesn’t require as much pressure as a typical short throw DA.
Curved areas can be tricky but are doable. Always try to keep the curve centered on the pad and you will get rotation. There are even instances where the polisher may seem to reverse rotate when edging and that is actually ok as it is still rotating.
Personally I prefer a rotary or forced rotation machines for cutting/compounding and a DA style machine for finishing. That being said, a long throw polisher is certainly capable of doing all processes, it just takes a lil time and experience behind the machine.
First thing is to get a little time behind the machine and that only comes from using it.
Secondly.... hone you technique to the point where the pad is ALWAYS rotating. This again takes some time under your belt until you get a feel for it. Once you are holding the polisher properly, it will rotate the pad.
I don’t apply much pressure to a long throw DA as the large orbit doesn’t require as much pressure as a typical short throw DA.
Curved areas can be tricky but are doable. Always try to keep the curve centered on the pad and you will get rotation. There are even instances where the polisher may seem to reverse rotate when edging and that is actually ok as it is still rotating.
Personally I prefer a rotary or forced rotation machines for cutting/compounding and a DA style machine for finishing. That being said, a long throw polisher is certainly capable of doing all processes, it just takes a lil time and experience behind the machine.
Have you guys tested to prime the Rupes blue and green and grey pads as they recommend?
You hold it on the same spot for 25-30 seconds I think it was. So you warm the pad up and also saturate the foam a little. Then reload the pad with little polish before starting your section passes. This says to help with both slinging polish and the stiffness the pads has to be more following on the paint. Even helps with the durability of the pads and especially the green rupes pad. Think it was in a The Rag Company video where Dylan IIRC showed this. Could help with a better experience with them. The yellow and white foam pads you don't need to be doing this with.
You hold it on the same spot for 25-30 seconds I think it was. So you warm the pad up and also saturate the foam a little. Then reload the pad with little polish before starting your section passes. This says to help with both slinging polish and the stiffness the pads has to be more following on the paint. Even helps with the durability of the pads and especially the green rupes pad. Think it was in a The Rag Company video where Dylan IIRC showed this. Could help with a better experience with them. The yellow and white foam pads you don't need to be doing this with.
dlc95
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- May 18, 2013
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Once I saw that demonstration I immediately incorporated it into my approach, and it has made those pads very usable for me.
Since I started doing things that way, I also find the pads take longer to exhibit signs of wear.
dlc95
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Those green pads are firm.I put the green pad in the palm of my hand with pressure & warm it up. It only takes a few seconds & it’s ready to go.
This fix was so easy & quick, using green pad with green rupes medium gel.
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Looks great!
I was pleasantly surprised to be honest. I really learned a lot from this Autogeek forum. 40 years ago I was waxing cars for extra cash. And I didn’t have a clue as to what I was doing. I’ve learned more in the last 2 years here than the past 40. Thanks to Mike & all the talented members here.
Carlo
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Carlo
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dlc95
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It's a whole new world.
I started in the infancy of the internet - 1996. I wouldn't get a computer until 2004.
So much information, so many tools, products and accessories since those days.
DETAILROOKIE
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- Jan 19, 2016
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I tried a Rupes 15 MKii for the first time today and stalled horribly on curves. So much so that I gave up and used the G6 to finish the SUV.
It came with the Gray backing plate and I read that it was not a good backing plate, so I purchased the Blue backing plate. Unfortunately it came in after I finished the SUV, so I didn't get a chance to use it.
I have a G21 & had a G15 and they dont stall anywhere near as much as the Rupes. Will the Blue backing plate make a difference in stalling? I greased up the shroud and the backing plate, anything else I should try?
.
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It came with the Gray backing plate and I read that it was not a good backing plate, so I purchased the Blue backing plate. Unfortunately it came in after I finished the SUV, so I didn't get a chance to use it.
I have a G21 & had a G15 and they dont stall anywhere near as much as the Rupes. Will the Blue backing plate make a difference in stalling? I greased up the shroud and the backing plate, anything else I should try?
.
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dlc95
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The issue with the grey plate was vague. Some say it was a "bad batch", but more likely is was user error.
I'm guessing it was the heavy pressure some enjoy using, overcoming the hook barbs on the grey plate. The extra pressure creates a lot of heat, possibly melting the thinner hooks, resulting in reduced, or inability to hold on to the loop material on the pads.
The difference between the blue and grey plate is how hard it holds on to the pads. Everuthing else should be the same.
It took quite a while for me to get the hang of using Rupes tools as intended. I had to switch back to the PC 7424xp many times because I just couldn't get the hang of it.
Once I did get the hang of it, it became a very efficient and effective ally in polishing and correcting paint.
Does your G15, and G21 have the washers installed?
Be careful with the grease. Too much will actually restrict rotation. Just need a very thin film on the contact platform on the backing plate.