Detailing Best Practice DA/Rotary

XJL

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I'm looking for some feedback from the many experts here at AG who have both a rotary and a DA polisher.

Do you:

#1 Compound with a rotary and do the LSP with a DA?
#2 Do all steps with a rotary.

I realize there are endless variables (speed, technique, products, machines, etc.) and I have done it both ways without any issues but I've read many of the pros use a DA for the last step to avoid the dreaded holograms. Your thoughts?
 
#1. I do all correction down to finessing finish polishes with a rotary and use my DA for LSP's. And you left out another option...#3 use a DA for everything and use your rotary for spinning pads dry after cleaning!
 
#1. I do all correction down to finessing finish polishes with a rotary and use my DA for LSP's. And you left out another option...#3 use a DA for everything and use your rotary for spinning pads dry after cleaning!

Primarily to avoid holograms?
 
I Think it really depends on the paint itself and the skill of the person using it. I could do everything with a rotarty, its how i learned and never used a DA, then I got a DA and did everything apart from bumpers with the rotary and used the DA on the bumpers (was worried about heat, that changed with experience)...Over time i then used the Rotary for cutting and polishing and the DA for refining to ensure no hologramming and have a perfect finish. Sometimes depending on the paint ill used the rotary for cutting, DA with MF system to polish then depending how i feel DA to refine or Rupes.....or rotary.

But there is a whole new catagory....Rupes Bigfoot for a full correction, really i dont rate the system at all. I used it but never for cutting, always use the rotary for that.
 
You left out another option:

#4 Compound with rotary, polish with DA, LSP with DA.
 
I Think it really depends on the paint itself and the skill of the person using it. I could do everything with a rotarty, its how i learned and never used a DA, then I got a DA and did everything apart from bumpers with the rotary and used the DA on the bumpers (was worried about heat, that changed with experience)...Over time i then used the Rotary for cutting and polishing and the DA for refining to ensure no hologramming and have a perfect finish. Sometimes depending on the paint ill used the rotary for cutting, DA with MF system to polish then depending how i feel DA to refine or Rupes.....or rotary.

Pretty much exactly this^^
 
I started with a DA, then started using a rotary for heavy correction and a DA for everything else. Now I'm moving more and more toward the rotary for everything. Like others have posted it depends on a lot of variables.
 
I started with rotary and tried DA a couple of times. I only incorporate a DA with softer paints or when I can't get rid of slight holograms. So really no need for a DA. Then again my DA is 10 years old. I'd like to try out the new long throw.
 
Im just waiting for someone to say they used a Rupes Bigfoot for everything...A DA/Rupes will never match the cutting abilities of a Rotary
 
I found this post by Mike back in 2012 that really sums it all up for me:

Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Autogeek View Post

I also believe and use as my own practice changing the action of the tool for my last machine process on most projects.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony L View Post

Can you explain what that means?

It means to change from using ONLY a rotary buffer and it's direct drive rotating action in a SINGLE direction to a tool that offers both rotating and oscillating action at the same time.

You change the action of the tool...


By changing the action of the tool you, KEY WORD... ensure you leave a swirl-free or hologram finish.

Link: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/43684-hologram-free-rotary-buffer-2.html
 
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