Buying the 7424xp as my first real detailing tool!

N

NiSyam

New member
Joined
Dec 11, 2009
Messages
259
Reaction score
0
Hey guys

So im ready to buy the Porter Cable and i was wondering what kind of pads should i buy at the same time ? What are the pads that are more commonly used? Should i stick to the 6" size since im a noob ? Should i buy backing plates or they are included? if not what size should i get ?

Thank you so much!!
 
3.5" and 5.5" plates will do you good. IMHO the 7424XP doesn't have enough power for the 6.5" pads.

Have you considered the Griot's Garage DA? Much more power and a lifetime warranty to go along with it.
 
not really!! i would look into it. So the griots is a better DA than the PC ?
 
yeah you are right.

so what should i get beside the DA? in terms of pads and backing plates?

thank you again!
 
the pc is a good starter tool. i would get the 5" pads and the 3-m heavy duty backing plate with it. megs twins, wgdgps 3.0 and some pinn. liq. sovereign and you'll be all set.

make sure you get a couple of white, orange, grey and blue pads.
 
go with the 5.5" pads,i bought the pc package with 6.5" pads and i can use them on the flats but any panel with curves or creases the smaller ones work much better. i recommend the hydrotech's.
 
NICOBKN said:
so what should i get beside the DA? in terms of pads and backing plates?
Click to expand...

You're already getting good advice, lemme jump in here with some of the results of trial and error and spending a couple of years buying stuff that I wish I would have started with in the first place.

The GG DA is a good choice. The GG, PCXP, Meg's 110v2, Flex etc are all good machines. Only the GG has a lifetime warranty. If you sign up for their newsletter on the GG Web site they sometimes send you a welcome message with a limited time discount offer.

I started with 6.5" LC pads. Picked up a backing plate and 4" pads for spot correction and tight spots later. I ended up with pads of every color in the rainbow and found I was only using a few colors regularly. After trying the 5.5" pads I discovered they were easier for me to work with, corrected better and were still large enough to cover wide open spaces. If I were always working on a 70's Lincoln with an acre of sheet metal on the hood, trunk and roof I'd probably go with larger pads. But I found I really liked the 5.5s much better.

If you're just starting out and only working on your personal vehicles anything that can do double duty saves money. The cyan HydroTech will take out any defect you're likely to run into depoendent on aggressiveness of the polish. The tangerine HydroTech corrects milder defects well and finishes nice... very nice combo of attributes. I'd recommend starting with a couple of each in both 5.5 and 4" sizes along with appropriate backing plates. If you're going to apply an LSP with a DA you'll want to pick up at least 1 blue or red pad as well. I prefer flats over CCS.

As for polishes, Meg's 105/205 combo is tough to beat for versatility. There's a bit of a learning curve but if you're just starting out you don't have to unlearn what you've been doing with diminishing abrasives. An added plus is they're both available in 8 oz sizes.

You can chase the carrot continually and spend money on equipment and supplies but IMO, the above is a good place to start.

TL
 
When looking to buy tools the most powerful isn't always the way to go. The first thing is to look at the manufactor. Porter Cable is one of the best tool makers out there. You will be just fine with the pc kit with 5.5 pads and the Megs twins. The pc has plenty of power to turn the 6.5 inch pads but if you put 5.5 pads on any of the da's you are going to be able to correct better.
 
I too suggest 5.5 inch pads and a 5 inch backing plate as possible. All three entry level da's offer a great reward.
 
ASPHALT ROCKET said:
When looking to buy tools the most powerful isn't always the way to go. The first thing is to look at the manufactor. Porter Cable is one of the best tool makers out there. You will be just fine with the pc kit with 5.5 pads and the Megs twins. The pc has plenty of power to turn the 6.5 inch pads but if you put 5.5 pads on any of the da's you are going to be able to correct better.
Click to expand...
I agree. The most power is not necessarily what you are looking for in your first DA. You will likely find that it takes a while to get comfortable with running a powerful machine on your car's paint. I started with an old style PC 7424. It has been a very reliable machine. I did just buy the GG because I wanted more power. I think it would have been tougher to find that comfort level if I had started with the beast of a polisher that the GG is.

I am not saying dont buy the Griots, but, the PC is an excellent choice.
 
5.4 Shelby said:
I agree. The most power is not necessarily what you are looking for in your first DA. You will likely find that it takes a while to get comfortable with running a powerful machine on your car's paint. I started with an old style PC 7424. It has been a very reliable machine. I did just buy the GG because I wanted more power. I think it would have been tougher to find that comfort level if I had started with the beast of a polisher that the GG is.

I am not saying dont buy the Griots, but, the PC is an excellent choice.
Click to expand...

That is not what I was getting at,was not saying start off with something with less power, saying just because it has more power it is a better tool. The first thing you should look at is quality.Once again the pc with 5.5 inch pads and the Megs twins will be more than enough.
 
cooksnj said:
megs twins, wgdgps 3.0 and some pinn. liq. sovereign and you'll be all set.
Click to expand...
can anyone translate for me please?
Im not familiar with detailing products at all !!



TLMitchell said:
You're already getting good advice, lemme jump in here with some of the results of trial and error and spending a couple of years buying stuff that I wish I would have started with in the first place.

The GG DA is a good choice. The GG, PCXP, Meg's 110v2, Flex etc are all good machines. Only the GG has a lifetime warranty. If you sign up for their newsletter on the GG Web site they sometimes send you a welcome message with a limited time discount offer.

I started with 6.5" LC pads. Picked up a backing plate and 4" pads for spot correction and tight spots later. I ended up with pads of every color in the rainbow and found I was only using a few colors regularly. After trying the 5.5" pads I discovered they were easier for me to work with, corrected better and were still large enough to cover wide open spaces. If I were always working on a 70's Lincoln with an acre of sheet metal on the hood, trunk and roof I'd probably go with larger pads. But I found I really liked the 5.5s much better.

If you're just starting out and only working on your personal vehicles anything that can do double duty saves money. The cyan HydroTech will take out any defect you're likely to run into depoendent on aggressiveness of the polish. The tangerine HydroTech corrects milder defects well and finishes nice... very nice combo of attributes. I'd recommend starting with a couple of each in both 5.5 and 4" sizes along with appropriate backing plates. If you're going to apply an LSP with a DA you'll want to pick up at least 1 blue or red pad as well. I prefer flats over CCS.

As for polishes, Meg's 105/205 combo is tough to beat for versatility. There's a bit of a learning curve but if you're just starting out you don't have to unlearn what you've been doing with diminishing abrasives. An added plus is they're both available in 8 oz sizes.

You can chase the carrot continually and spend money on equipment and supplies but IMO, the above is a good place to start.

TL
Click to expand...


Hey thank you for the input!! I would look into what u recommended :xyxthumbs:
ASPHALT ROCKET said:
When looking to buy tools the most powerful isn't always the way to go. The first thing is to look at the manufactor. Porter Cable is one of the best tool makers out there. You will be just fine with the pc kit with 5.5 pads and the Megs twins. The pc has plenty of power to turn the 6.5 inch pads but if you put 5.5 pads on any of the da's you are going to be able to correct better.
Click to expand...

Hey

You are also right! no wonder why porter cable is so popular right? but the lifetime warranty does sound good right ?

i would like to thank everyone for the input guys!!

My budget is around $300
I also forgot to mention that i own a Makita 9227c, i bought it for xmas.. got it for 40%off(thats why i jumped on it). I know it is not recommended to start with a rotatory and that is why im buying a DA.

I tried to google the megs twins but i couldnt find it.Is this some sort of kit ?
 
Meg Twins = Meguiars M105 and M205
wgdgps 3.0 = Wolfgang deep gloss paint sealant 3.0
pinn. liq. sovereign = Pinnacle Liquid Sovereign wax
 
ASPHALT ROCKET said:
That is not what I was getting at,was not saying start off with something with less power, saying just because it has more power it is a better tool. The first thing you should look at is quality.Once again the pc with 5.5 inch pads and the Megs twins will be more than enough.
Click to expand...
I should have made a sep paragraph between I agree and the rest. I was saying I agrre with you, then adding my opinion after that.
 
So im gonna go with the Griot's as a DA for the lifetime warranty, im also gonna get the Mig's twings, 5.5" and 4"pads( whats size backing plate do i need for the 4" pads?)

As a sealant im gonna use the klasse all in one and high gloss, i already have them( these were bought around 2 years ago but never been used)

What should i get in terms of wax ? My car's paint has pearl in it. I know there are some waxes that make the pearl really show or am i wrong ?one of my friends told me about competition waxes. is that true ?i would like to get a wax for my moms and brothers car, they are red. Is there a particular wax for red paint ?

And the last 2 questions.. I need a good product to polish my exhaust tip ( made of SS) and a good product for cleaning my wheels, i have ceramic pads and they produce a lot of dust( if i seal or wax my wheels, would this make the cleaning faster? less scrubbing?. For cleaning my wheels im gonna go to the ez detail brush.

Thank you again guys!!:xyxthumbs:
 
NICOBKN said:
So im gonna go with the Griot's as a DA for the lifetime warranty, im also gonna get the Mig's twings, 5.5" and 4"pads( whats size backing plate do i need for the 4" pads?)

As a sealant im gonna use the klasse all in one and high gloss, i already have them( these were bought around 2 years ago but never been used)

What should i get in terms of wax ? My car's paint has pearl in it. I know there are some waxes that make the pearl really show or am i wrong ?one of my friends told me about competition waxes. is that true ?i would like to get a wax for my moms and brothers car, they are red. Is there a particular wax for red paint ?

And the last 2 questions.. I need a good product to polish my exhaust tip ( made of SS) and a good product for cleaning my wheels, i have ceramic pads and they produce a lot of dust( if i seal or wax my wheels, would this make the cleaning faster? less scrubbing?. For cleaning my wheels im gonna go to the ez detail brush.

Thank you again guys!!:xyxthumbs:
Click to expand...
Good choice. You will be happy with it. AG sells a 3.5" backing plate for the 4 in pads.

You will get a million different answers for your wax question. If you want high end the Fuzion and souveran get high marks. I have not used them. They are more money than I want to spend on a wax. For the money, I really like Pinnacle Signature Series II. Goes on easy, comes off easy, does not stain trim and smells great. Not to mention it looks fabulous. If you want cheap, Megs #26 hi-tech yellow liquid is a pleasure to work with and gives a great result.

I use Griots metal polish on my SS exhaust tips on a tatty microfiber towel.

I treat my wheels like paint. They are clear coated aluminum. So I clay them and wax them. I do tend to use a sealant rather than wax on my rims. I clean them with quick detailer in between washes just as I would my paint. Again, I use an old MF towel for the wheels.
 
NICOBKN said:
ahahah thanks!!!
Click to expand...


sorry about that. i should no better, cause it has taken me some time to pick up on some of the lingo on here.

your on the right track. get the 3.5 backing plate for the 4" pads, i think it's 3.5?

if you wax or seal your rims, it will help with the cleaning. i use the dp... there i go again. detailers pride wheel gel to clean mine, but i don't have allot of brake dust.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top