Finally using Rupes as the system intended..

[idriveblackcars]

Hello everyone, first post but I feel like I have been here for years with the amount of time I spend on the site. Quick question, I'm about to polish my car soon for its yearly "after winter" correction and this time instead of using other brand pads and polish with my rupes I invested in some of their products. I will mainly be using a Rupes 15mkII.

I purchased 2 of every color pad they offer plus a few micro fiber cutting pads(big fan of micro fiber cutting pads). My vehicle hardly has any swirls and a few small scratches picked up from the long winter. I always do at least a 2 step and really wanted to get some insight as to the best possible combos. I do plan on using a test spot but i'm thinking the blue micro fiber for cutting with Quarz but for finishing not really sure.

I know the yellow rupes pad gets praise along with Keramik but I was thinking of using their white pad with Diamond. I have a test trunk lid I can test on but really want to keep the fresh new pads for my paint. I know the yellow is for polishing and white for finishing but would love to here some users feedback.

Any advice and experience is much appreciated. Car is a 2015 GTI black :dblthumb2:

Thanks!

 

[refreshauto]

Least aggressive method. Why wouldn't you try the green and see what that does before you straight for the most aggressive method if your cars isn't that bad to begin with. I would finish with the white as well

 

[idriveblackcars]

Least aggressive method. Why wouldn't you try the green and see what that does before you straight for the most aggressive method if your cars isn't that bad to begin with. I would finish with the white as well

Thanks for the reply man, and agree completely. I'm thinking green with Quarz maybe to test? Should correct well enough with a few passes and keeping the technique consistent. And finish with diamond and a white pad. I can't see needing a step in between but I'm not really sure, are guys really doing a 3 or 4 step correction process with the Rupes system?

 

[manateemark]

On my car which was neglected for the first 9 out of 10 years of its life I have polished it using the blue pad and then going straight to white to make it extra beautiful. It's and 05 Toyota Camry, not really sure how the paint is in terms of hardness compared to others. I use the appropriate polish with the pad for both. Keep in mind though I have been doing heavy correction. For light swirls and scratches I wouldn't be surprised if you were able to manage using only the yellow pad. Just start off working on a small panel and then find out what will work the best.

 

[The Guz]

Is try the yellow pad with keramik as a test spot and go from there.

 

[Zubair]

UHS is a nice test spot on hard German paint.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Welcome to AuotgeekOnline! :welcome:


Question?


Did you get a copy of my RUPES how-to book and read it?

 

[2011 Kona Blue]

Welcome to AuotgeekOnline! :welcome:


Question?


Did you get a copy of my RUPES how-to book and read it?

Mike,

After months of going back and forth, research and videos between the Flex 3401 and the Rupes Bigfoot 21, I just pulled the trigger last night and bought the Flex 3401VRG. Of course I purchased this at Autogeek along with assorted buff of shine micro fiber cutting and finishing pads.

I've read good things about the Bigfoot 21 but the Flex 3401 seemed to have overwhelming awesome reviews and results. My wife and I have a side detailing business and been using my PC 7424 XP and Lake County foam pads for the waxing and paint corrections. I feel the PC 7424 is just not making the paint corrections on the deeper scratches and swirls needed for the results I want. Perhaps the foam orange or yellow LC cutting pads were not cutting as much as I hoped for. Hopefully I will get better cutting with the microfiber pads coupled with the Flex 3401

After research , it seems that the Flex 3401 just corrects paint faster and better than the Rupes Bigfoot 21,

 

[dlc95]

Is try the yellow pad with keramik as a test spot and go from there.

This is where I start most times. If I have a little more defects I'll start with Keramik on the yellow microfiber disc

Mike's book is a modest investment compared to the content it contains. It made a significant difference in my approach of the system, and gave me a much deeper understanding of the the smallest details of the system.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Mike,

After months of going back and forth, research and videos between the Flex 3401 and the Rupes Bigfoot 21, I just pulled the trigger last night and bought the Flex 3401VRG. Of course I purchased this at Autogeek along with assorted buff of shine micro fiber cutting and finishing pads.

Thank you for your trust and your patronage. Did the FLEX 3401 package you bought come with my FLEX How-To Book?

I've read good things about the Bigfoot 21 but the Flex 3401 seemed to have overwhelming awesome reviews and results.

I meet people that love the FLEX 3401 and prefer it over the RUPES polishers and I meet people that Love the RUPES polishers and prefer them over the FLEX 3401 - it's really an example of how we as humans are all uniquely different and there is no size for all solution. That's what's so great about having so many tool choices and options here in the year 2016.

Even better is for those that can swing it, attend one of my 3-day classes and use ALL the cool tools on really cool cars and by the end of the class you'll know exactly which tools you love and which tools you take a pass on. Need some help funding my class? Simply copy Ryan's success.

How to pay for your Competition Ready 3-Day Detailing Class with GoFundMe

My wife and I have a side detailing business and been using my PC 7424XP and Lake County foam pads for the waxing and paint corrections. I feel the PC 7424 is just not making the paint corrections on the deeper scratches and swirls needed for the results I want. Perhaps the foam orange or yellow LC cutting pads were not cutting as much as I hoped for. Hopefully I will get better cutting with the microfiber pads coupled with the Flex 3401

Yes you will get more cutting by using a fiber pad but what I teach in my classes are to stick with foam pads when using the FLEX 3401 as microfiber pads don't "feel good" when buffing with this tool.

Besides that, Lake Country Hybrid foam cutting pads like I recommend in my classes and my book,

How to use the Flex XC3401 VRG Dual Action Orbital Polisher

Provide all the correction you want and need for buffing out the factory paint on daily drivers. If the defects don't come out with this combo (plus a quality compound like I show in my book and in my classes), then the defects are likely too deep and you should let them remain as the factory paint on modern cars is thinner than a Post-It Note. (Also in the book and the class)

After research , it seems that the Flex 3401 just corrects paint faster and better than the Rupes Bigfoot 21,

[/quote]

Due to the gear-driven operation of the FLEX 3401 you can certainly do as I like to say,

Power through a detail


The RUPES with practice is also a formidable defect destroyer.

 

[2011 Kona Blue]

Ahhh... What a great place to show off what I feel is a great example of how fantastic Wolfgang looks! This is 3 coats of the Wolfgang paint sealant. And obviously everything looks better in the shade, but those shaded pictures were just too good looking not to include.

Mike, when you refer to buffing, Are you talking about paint correcting such as compound or swirl and scratch removers.

You don't like using the mirco fiber cutting pads for the Flex 3401? Do they not work?

 

[2011 Kona Blue]

Ahhh... What a great place to show off what I feel is a great example of how fantastic Wolfgang looks! This is 3 coats of the Wolfgang paint sealant. And obviously everything looks better in the shade, but those shaded pictures were just too good looking not to include.

Mike, it came with you're how to video on the flex 3401,

 

[idriveblackcars]

Welcome to AuotgeekOnline! :welcome:


Question?


Thanks for the replies everyone. Can't wait to start using the complete system. Mike thanks for the reply, don't have your book definitely need to pick up a copy. I'm sure it's filled with vast knowledge and experience.

Did you get a copy of my RUPES how-to book and read it?

Thanks for the replies everyone. Mike I definitely need to pick up a copy. I'm sure it's filled with great info.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Mike, when you refer to buffing, Are you talking about paint correcting such as compound or swirl and scratch removers.

Yes.

You don't like using the mirco fiber cutting pads for the Flex 3401?

Do they not work?

I personally don't use or even like using microfiber pads for paint correction. That's just me though. I prefer foam or if I need MORE cutting power I either use a NORMAL wool pad on the FLEX 3401 or I use the FLEX PE14 Rotary Buffer, which is all the power you need.


Half of my work on the forum is simply remembering what I've already created. Here you go...


Almost as fast as a rotary buffer but a lot safer - What is it?

Most microfiber pads are thin and don't offer the "cushion" that foam pads offer and to me they simply don't feel good when moving the a GEAR DRIVEN FORCED ROTATION FORCED OSCILLATION polisher over paint.

So it's only with the FLEX 3401 that I don't prefer to use microfiber pads for cutting and instead if I want to cut hard with the FLEX 3401 I'll simply use a NORMAL wool pad like I would use on a rotary buffer.

NOTE that microfiber pads do work great and feel okay when using FREE SPINNING ORBITAL POLISHERS. I need to point this out even though I find too many people don't read they just scan and I'm confident what I've written here will be mistaken by someone. :laughing:

Again... if you're working on a daily driver then if a Hybrid orange foam cutting pad with a quality compound doesn't remove the defect I would necessarily get more aggressive I would tell the customer to stop putting deep scratches into the paint because it's too risky to remove them.

Factory clearcoat paint is thin. Even if you don't burn through the clearcoat when removing defects you could leave the clearcoat so freaking thin that it will suffer CLEARCOAT FAILURE down the road, which would be at least partially your fault.

Think things through. Re-read my article here,


A few tips on starting a part-time detailing business
Match your services to your customer

Mike, it came with you're how to video on the flex 3401,

Well that's the ONLY DVD on the market for how to use the FLEX 3401 and it does cover everything you need to know.

Notice that DVD also shows how to use the FLEX PE14 Rotary Buffer.

 

[idriveblackcars]

Such great advice here!

 

[idriveblackcars]

Car is filthy but took out the Rupes light, doesn't seem like I will need much correction this season thankfully

Some light swirls around the C pillar

And a few small surface scratches and love marks here and there. Plan on testing with the yellow pad first and go from there.

 

[Tony C]

Welcome to AuotgeekOnline! :welcome:


Question?


Did you get a copy of my RUPES how-to book and read it?

I bought the book recently and it was excellent! Answered so many questions (even ones I hadn't arrived at yet). Highly recommend it since these units are a big investment and should be used to optimize their effectiveness and longevity. My 2 cents. Thanks Mike.