Is it worth it?

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Whipped500

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Is this machine worth it or get something different?

Here's my scenario and I know it's not apples to apples but should be pretty close. I got a chance to try a friends HF dual action (yes I know, not a supporter and not as nice) but very close from what I read. I got a neighbors boat to play with. I was using a very crappy HF cutting pad (new) which fell apart real quick and 3m compound and finishing material (06044). When I first started, I thought it was working pretty nice for a POS but then half way through, noticed the pad wasn't spinning much at all. Reminded me of my orbital. Was I pushing it too much or are these not that great? I was thinking of buying the porter cable but I am having second thoughts now. I would mainly use it for polish and wax on a boat and then for everything for paint correction on my cars...I just wanted to see what it would do since it wasn't my boat, boat owner didn't even care what it looked like...was just going to dump in with now wax! I have a rotary for my boat, just wanted to see what it can do.

Any help would be great!
thanks in advance!!!
 
Whipped500 said:
I would mainly use it for polish and wax on a boat and then for everything for paint correction on my cars...
Click to expand...

if you're going to use it on boats and cars then the flex 3401 would be a good choice. it's gear driven (forced rotation) and will not stop spinning no matter how much pressure you put on it. it also can be equipped with a 4" backing plate that will allow you to use 4" pads, and the stock 5.5" backing plate that comes on the machine you can use 6.5" pads. there is also a 4 3/8 backing plate you can purchase as well in which you can use 5.5" pads too. if you're looking for a traditional pc-style DA then i would purchase the GG6 and buy the 3" HD backing plate & 5" vented backing plate which will allow you to use a variety of pads like the flex...

Griots Garage 6 Inch Random Orbital Polisher FREE BONUS!

Griots Garage 3 inch HD Backing Plate

Griots Garage 5 Inch Vented Orbital Backing Plate

also, you can use your rotary for your boat then on the cars use the HFDA (if money is an issue) with same size backing plates above and pick up some quality pads (3.5/5.5" BOSS or LC Thinpro)...
 
If you were using it with the HF pads then I think it's safe to assume you were running it with a 6" setup which only lessens its potential and gave you even less of a real impression of what the actual machine can do for you.

In my opinion if your boat is currently in rough safe then you're better off knocking through the grunt work with your rotary 1st... But if it's in ok shape and you're just looking to maintain it every once in a while then that HF polisher can do the job, just make sure to buy a 5" backing plate and some quality pads.
 
repack the grease in the HF unit and then install a 5inch vented Griot Backingplate
ditch the 3m compound and the HF pads
look into LC purple wool or their hybrid blue wool for boats
also check out Marine 31 for the boat.
HF has more torque then the PC..if you still want to upgrade to another standard throw, GG6 is where its at

but since you mentioned boats and will also do cars
go Makita PO5000c
and pickup Gyeon compound and polish and some LC thinpros for when doing car
..or if you dont mind giving up a lil smoothness, Buff N Shine Low pros...or LC HDO(has 3.5 pads too if you convert HF to 3in griot boss plate)

LC = Lake Country
 
The HF doesn't have the grunt to do any compounding on fibreglass. Stick with rotary. I have used the HF and a GG6 to apply wax on countless boats and it works just fine. For wax I will stick with 6" bp and black finishing pad. I can tear thru a 31" boat in no time.

I am curious if the new Makita will have the backbone in forced rotation to tackle gelcoat correction.
 
I was just trying the HF to see what it could do. It was basically given to me. I was told just to hold on to it and that if they need it back, they know where to find it. I like to have my own stuff and that is why I was asking because I was thinking about buying the PC. I guess for as little as I am going to use it on the cars (again, have the rotary for the boat, just wanted to see what the DA can do) I should just take the freebie.

With that said, I had bought the DA deluxe foam pad kit for it. It is the ccs pads and a 5" backing plate. Is this a good kit for the cars? I hope I don't need to exchange/ return. I didn't use these pads on the boat because I didn't want to wreck any of the pads on this boat that I was just playing with. These pads were bought to be used on my cars.
 
Any opinions on if the deluxe foam pad kit was the right choice for a newbie that is playing around when time permits? It has the 5" backing plate with the 6.5" ccs pads.
 
if you're going to use a 5" DA backing plate you'll want to use 5.5" (thin) pads to get the most out of the polisher and maximize rotation...
 
That's not good. I was hoping to not have to return/exchange that kit. I figured it might not be the best but it would be good enough for playing around with. I guess in all reality I didn't need everything that came. I just need the smaller backing plate and a compound, polish and wax pad. I'll have to call tomorrow when I have time and see if I can exchange?
 
that's why i'm not a fan of kits unless you plan on using everything in it. it's best to pick and choose exactly what you will use so nothing goes to waste...
 
If your going to buy a DA polisher get the Griot's GG6. It's a great polisher with a life time warranty, Griot's is a fantastic company with the best customer service in the business! Buy a good 5" backing plate and 5.5" Buff and Shine flat pads or LC thin pro pads and you have a great setup!
 
If you're going to be doing a boat, and you need new stuff anyway, I would actually suggest getting the Griots Garage G21. Get something with a long throw because polishing a boat will be tiresome and will wear on you, so get something that will do the work for you. No real pressure needed, the long throw does the work for you. Get it with LC thin-pro pads and pick up some better compound and polishes to do the work. Getting a MF cutting pad will do great for you. Griots Garage has great levelling fluids and will make your work go a lot easier and you'll ache less.
 
I have a dwp849x for the boat. A buddy gave me the DA so I wanted to see how it would handle compounding a boat. From what I am hearing, a DA really isn't strong enough to compound gel. That's fine because I have a rotary and now I know what a DA will and won't do.
The biggest problem now is getting my DA deluxe foam pad kit exchanged out for some 5.5" pads.
I'm learning as I go and thanks to everyone hear, I am learning a little faster. My biggest complaint is I really don't have enough time with work to spend the time I want on my cars and Boat. The last couple of weeks, I have been looking a lot at AIO and pushing the cleaner, polish and wax to the back of the shelf.
 
I bought one of the kits with the CCS pads. I've since switched to thin pros and they're much better with this DA, and the couple AIOs I've tried. Autogeek would be wise to make a kit with this set up instead. The CCS pads are a bit dated, and don't work as well with all in ones.
 
Whipped500 said:
Is this machine worth it or get something different?

Here's my scenario and I know it's not apples to apples but should be pretty close. I got a chance to try a friends HF dual action (yes I know, not a supporter and not as nice) but very close from what I read. I got a neighbors boat to play with. I was using a very crappy HF cutting pad (new) which fell apart real quick and 3m compound and finishing material (06044). When I first started, I thought it was working pretty nice for a POS but then half way through, noticed the pad wasn't spinning much at all. Reminded me of my orbital. Was I pushing it too much or are these not that great? I was thinking of buying the porter cable but I am having second thoughts now. I would mainly use it for polish and wax on a boat and then for everything for paint correction on my cars...I just wanted to see what it would do since it wasn't my boat, boat owner didn't even care what it looked like...was just going to dump in with now wax! I have a rotary for my boat, just wanted to see what it can do.

Any help would be great!
thanks in advance!!!
Click to expand...

GG6 more power than pc.IntIially rotary is better for boats cuts quick less constant heat.Gelcoat gets matted from to much heat from a da.All boat conditions vary some need rotary some you can do with da with a aio. And call it done.Majority of boat owners just want a shine rarely do they want to pay for a 2 step then a lsp.
 
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