How to keep pad spinning on angled surfaces?

WRXINXS

WRXINXS

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Hello,

I have a PC7424XP and I was polishing a test spot on my hood today. It was on a spot that had a car body line crease in it and the pad stopped spinning but I was not pressing very hard. I think it was because I had come to like a "valley" and the pad was not on level surface. How do you guys deal with this? Do I just adjust my pressure and pad position until it is level?

Thanks,
Drew
 
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Smaller pad and lighter pressure. Try to keep the PC as flat as possible on the surface you are trying to polish.

Doesn't always work.
 
Hi Drew,

What size pads are you using?

Porter Cable style machines perform better when armed with the 5 1/2" pads.

Also, too light pressure can cause a pad to stop spinning...
 
BobbyG said:
Hi Drew,

What size pads are you using?

Porter Cable style machines perform better when armed with the 5 1/2" pads.

Also, too light pressure can cause a pad to stop spinning...
Click to expand...

I was using 5.5" LC CCS foam pads I think maybe I was actually not using enough pressure and that I was not on there flat. This was my first time polishing anything lol.

Drew
 
I know that many will disagree but correction can be achieved by a DA polisher without spinning the pad. It's not as easy or as fast but trust me the pad doesn't have to spin to achieve some level of decent results. That's another myth of the DA polisher and the beauty of it because what causes correction is friction... That's all and friction is definately what the DA polisher produces even without rotating the pad. The elliptical movement alone can produce enough friction to produce results in most cases.
 
You could ditch the DA & get a FLEX, they ALWAYS rotate.
 
This is EXACTLY why I gravitated back to the Flex 3401, the pad never stops spinning.
 
I recently got the GG6 because of the PC always stopping. I find it difficult to do certain things with it...especially compound.

To keep it spinning I would usually either turn the speed up, or either press, or depress pressure. Depends on the situation. It's a funky machine...doesn't like to cooperate IMO.
 
ss 07C70 said:
You could ditch the DA & get a FLEX, they ALWAYS rotate.
Click to expand...

07 z-oh-6 said:
This is EXACTLY why I gravitated back to the Flex 3401, the pad never stops spinning.
Click to expand...
I thought this as soon as I read the title of the thread but I wasn't going to say it because it doesn't help you in your immediate situation.

If I were forced to use just a traditional style DA such as the PCXP I would suit the machine up with 4 inch pads (of course with the correct backing plate) and tackle all the corners, edges and tight areas first with the 4 inch pads before replacing with the 5.5 inch pads to go back and correct the larger flatter areas where pad rotation is made simple. I recommend the Cyclo 4 inch foam (and wool pads if needed) as they outlast anything on the market in a 4 inch pad due to the way the velcro is double bonded on them. IMO there's nothing worse than spending good money on flat 4 inch pads to have them delaminate before finishing the first job you use them on.

Seriously though, if you intend on polishing up more than just one car you may want to look into the Flex 3401 and save the PCXP for spreading wax with. The PCXP can and will do correction work with good technique but if you intend on doing any volume of work the 3401 will cut out the need for a lot of the learned technique and save a lot of frustration and time and that to me is worth more than the cost of the 3401 IMO.
 
tuscarora dave said:
Seriously though, if you intend on polishing up more than just one car you may want to look into the Flex 3401 and save the PCXP for spreading wax with. The PCXP can and will do correction work with good technique but if you intend on doing any volume of work the 3401 will cut out the need for a lot of the learned technique and save a lot of frustration and time and that to me is worth more than the cost of the 3401 IMO.
Click to expand...


Really good advice Dave... plus with the Flex 3401 you don't have to worry about leaving behind holograms. With the new adapter to enable a person to use 4" pads it's a powerful and versatile tool.


:xyxthumbs:
 
Rsurfer said:
:confused:
Click to expand...

Ron,

It does sound strange because naturally if you have no pressure at all the pad spins freely.

There also seems to be a range where just some, or light downward force keeps the pad oscillating but not spinning. Adding additional pressure with the pad flat seems to start the pad rotating again.

This was also more of an issue when I was using the 6 1/2" pads.

On my first generation Porter cable 7424...
 
tuscarora dave said:
Seriously though, if you intend on polishing up more than just one car you may want to look into the Flex 3401 and save the PCXP for spreading wax with. The PCXP can and will do correction work with good technique but if you intend on doing any volume of work the 3401 will cut out the need for a lot of the learned technique and save a lot of frustration and time and that to me is worth more than the cost of the 3401 IMO.
Click to expand...
You nailed it, Dave! :dblthumb2:
 
tuscarora dave said:
Thanks Mark. Hey, Isn't in like 3:58 am out there? You just getting up or you still up partying from Friday night?:poke: Just Kidding... Have a great weekend.
Click to expand...
:laughing: :laughing:

I woke up at 3:30 AM because I fell asleep at 7:00 PM last night!!

Partying will be tonight!!!! Im the MAN
 
tuscarora dave said:
I recommend the Cyclo 4 inch foam (and wool pads if needed) as they outlast anything on the market in a 4 inch pad due to the way the velcro is double bonded on them. .
Click to expand...

The Cyclo pads look very similar to the B & S 4" pads.
 
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