Makita BO6040 Removing Sanding Marks

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Makita BO6040 Removing Sanding Marks


MakitaBO6040Test002.jpg


Earlier today I tested out the new 3M 6 inch #3000 Foam Finishing Disc now available in single packs plus the 3M 3 inch #3000 Foam Finishing Discs for doing spot repairs, sanding next to edges or in and around tight areas. When I was done I then re-dampsanded the entire panel using the new 3M #5000 Foam Finishing Discs and posted a thread about them here,


3M Trizact 6 Inch 3000 Grit Performance Sanding Disc 01459 - Singles


Since I had a black test panel already for compounding I thought today is a great day to test out the Makita BO6040 Orbital Sander/Polisher.

MakitaBO6040Test027.jpg



The backing plate measures approximately 5 3/4" in diameter so 6.5" buffing pads are going to be a good match.

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For this test I'm going to use 3 Pro Grade Body Shop products that will tackle just about any product that ever drives into your shop or garage with just about any pad and tool combination known to man.
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This is the only picture I took that is out of focus, (sorry), but you get the idea, I primed the 6.5" Orange CCS Foam Cutting Pad and then placed 3 drops of M105 on the pad.
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I put the tool into the Forced Rotation Mode and on the highest speed setting which is the 5.0 speed setting and made about 8 section passes and removed all the #5000 Grit sanding marks easily.

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Next I primed a 6.5" CCS White Polishing Pad and then placed 3 drops of product on the pad and re-polished the same section.

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Here's a tip...
Always wipe compounds and polishes off while they are still wet and the polishing oils will act as lubricants to aid in removal without marring.

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Then I sprayed the paint with Diamondite Perfect Vision Glass Cleaner to strip off any polishing oils to inspect the finish.

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You can see just a little micro-marring... this is very soft paint so this is normal for a white polishing pad on this paint system.
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Next I primed a 6.5" Gray Finishing pad and buffed the paint again...

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Looking good! I'll let the pictures do the talking...

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On the Autogeek.net Store


Makita BO6040 Orbital Sander/ Polisher

The Makita BO6040 Orbital Polisher is an ingenious polisher that works as an orbital polisher or a forced rotation orbital polisher. The random orbital action is great for finish sanding while the forced rotation setting is fantastic for aggressive swirl and defect removal. The Makita BO6040 Orbital Polisher is like having two machines in one!

An orange knob on the Makita Polisher makes it possible to switch back and forth between random orbital and orbital forced rotation. Just be sure the machine is off when you make the switch. The speed control on the back of the machine allows you to operate at anywhere from 1600 to 5800 OPM, no matter what mode you are in. Use the random orbit mode for gentle polish and wax application and buffing. Use the forced rotation orbit for compounding and scratch removal.

One machine does it all!

Best of all, when the Makita BO6040 is in forced rotation mode, it still orbits to provide the same safeguard against burning the paint as random orbital setting. This lessens the risk of producing swirls while still giving you the cutting power of a forced rotation orbital polisher. You should still take great care when operating the machine in this setting by starting at a low speed. We recommend starting at 2 until you are more comfortable.

The Makita BO6040 Polisher comes with a one year factory warranty and a handy carrying case. It also comes with a wrench to remove the included 6” Hook & Loop backing plate.

The Makita BO6040 replaces two machines, making it a great value. If you do not currently own a buffer, or you are not sure if your vehicle’s scratches will come out with an ordinary dual-action polisher, the Makita BO6040 is an excellent choice. Start out with the random orbital setting and a low-cut polish. The general rule is if your fingernail catches the scratch, you’ll need to do some compounding to totally remove it. If the random orbital setting is not working, just turn the machine off, turn the orange knob, and turn the polisher back on. The orbital motion with forced rotation will level the scratch until it is completely eliminated.


If you only buy one polisher, make it the Makita BO6040 Dual-Action Polisher. This one machine will take care of all your detailing jobs, large or small, with just the turn of a knob.

  • 2-mode switch for "random orbit" action (finish sanding) and "random orbit with forced rotation" action (aggressive sanding and polishing)
  • Superior engineering and design reduces vibration by 20% and noise levels almost 2 to 1 over the competition
  • Variable speed control dial (1,600 - 5,800 OPM; 180 - 670 RPM) for various applications.
  • Compact tool height (5-3/16") increases efficiency and maneuverability.
  • Small diameter barrel grip for optimum comfort and control.
  • Uses convenient hook & loop abrasive sanding discs and accessories (hook & loop backing plate included).
  • Efficient through-the-pad dust collection system with built in dust port for a cleaner work environment.
  • Includes: 1 ea. Abrasive Disc (#120; 794610-1), Hex Wrench (783203-8), Rubber Pad (193286-4), Wrench Holder (410047-0) and Plastic Tool Case (824591-5).



Comes with a nice Plastic Tool Case too!


MakitaBO6040Test001.jpg



buffing.gif
 
What would the progression have been from this?

For example...Menzerna 4500 on a Black pad..or a blue pad?

Is that considered fine enough to jewel the paint?

What speed would you recommend with the 4500 (or whatever superfine polish is used)?
 
What would the progression have been from this?

For example...Menzerna 4500 on a Black pad..or a blue pad?

Is that considered fine enough to jewel the paint?

What speed would you recommend with the 4500 (or whatever superfine polish is used)?


This was mostly to show that this tool works to remove defects because it's a Forced Rotation Dual Action Polisher. The rest was just to show a complete process but to answer your questions, "yes", I would have finished out with SF 4500 and a finishing pad.

All paints react differently and this paint actually buffs really well. I'm getting ready to have both panels re-cleared before a show coming up that I'll be demonstrating at as this panel and another have been sanded and buffed a lot...


:)
 
Great preview and writeup Mike!! :props:

Like all Makita power tools I own, the design and quality of the Makita BO6040 appears to be no different.....absolutely incredible! If I'm not mistaken this polisher is in the same arena as the Flex 3401.

For some reason I see a shootout between these tow titans in the near future.....:props:
 
For some reason I see a shootout between these tow titans in the near future.....:props:

The Makita has more than enough power in the direct drive mode but it's pretty easy to stop the pad from rotating in the non forced mode. I paid attention and when using firm pad that are dry the pads will rotate good as long as you hold them completely flat against the paint. When the pads start to become wet with product or you tilt the polisher and apply pressure to just one portion of the pad then it will stop rotating.

The Flex 3401 is still the better tool and in my opinion it feels much smoother when using it. I used a Makita RB till I completely wore it out so I'm a fan of Makita power tools.

I have a Honda coming up that I'm buffing out for a friend, it was repainted and never waxed since the new paint job. It's very dull and lifeless so I thought I would do an extreme makeover on it and use the Makita BO6040.

:)
 
Interesting Tool. Couple of questions come to mind. How much does it weigh and is it locked in to the 6" bp?

Looking forward to that Honda Extreme Makeover.
 
Interesting Tool. Couple of questions come to mind. How much does it weigh and is it locked in to the 6" bp?

6.6 pounds. Just placed it on an electronic shipping scale without a pad but with the power cord wrapped around the tool body.

The backing plate is held on by a hex head bolt, so at this time kind of limited to 6.5" pads.



Looking forward to that Honda Extreme Makeover.

Ugh... yeah its silver metallic. Pretty exciting as compared to most of the car I work on...


:D
 
6.6 pounds. Just placed it on an electronic shipping scale without a pad but with the power cord wrapped around the tool body.

The backing plate is held on by a hex head bolt, so at this time kind of limited to 6.5" pads.

Ugh... yeah its silver metallic. Pretty exciting as compared to most of the car I work on...


:D
Thanks Mike, Good info. As far as that Honda, let me restate, I was interested in seeing you use the Makita tool on the car. :dblthumb2:
 
Great stuff mike, that hood looks awesome. I'm actually looking to pick up a "practice hood" myself soon as I am starting to get more into it.

I'm looking for a buffing tool that will do a little more "work" than my 7424xp and was considering a straight up circular polisher, would you say that this Makita is a better option for someone just doing this out of their garage on the side? So far the PC has done a great job on nearly everything I've touched, although I feel i could have gotten some more defects out if I had something with a little more power...

for instance ...
3719_10100918311687953_860509788_n.jpg
 
I have a Makita BO6040 I have done alot of cars with it .I use it more in the random orbital setting.
Now that I have a flex it has not come out of the cupboard much now lol .....
 
I'm looking for a buffing tool that will do a little more "work" than my 7424xp and was considering a straight up circular polisher, would you say that this Makita is a better option for someone just doing this out of their garage on the side?


You can do everything with a rotary buffer and a PC. I know I can. Rotary Buffer does the grunt work, the PC ensures a swirl-free finish and can machine apply wax.

The Makita BO6040 is like a cross between a PC and a Flex 3401 because you get the free spinning mode and the forced orbital rotation mode. Your choice, use the forced mode for heavy correction and the free spinning mode for light swirl removal or machine applying wax.

It's a toss-up as to which choice would be best for you... if it were me I would go for the rotary buffer since you already have a PC, that is if you're in relatively good physical shape as buffing out entire cars using a rotary buffer takes a lot more energy and muscle than using a DA Polisher.

If you want more power but don't want to expend more energy then go with the BO6040 or even better, the Flex 3401


:)
 
Bringing a thread back from the dead....

I find it interesting that you say the 3401 is smoother. The smaller orbit of the BO6040 would lead me to believe that in itself would provide noticeably smoother polishing action?

I watched a couple youtube videos and the BO6040 looks very smooth.

FWIW, according to Todd Helme, the overall numbers(on paper), the BO6040 may have even a bit more polishing potential than the 3401.
 
Hi,

Can anyone tell me the RPM speed for this machine at 1-5?

Thanks in advance.
 
Bringing a thread back from the dead....

I find it interesting that you say the 3401 is smoother. The smaller orbit of the BO6040 would lead me to believe that in itself would provide noticeably smoother polishing action?

Who were you quoting here Mark?


I watched a couple youtube videos and the BO6040 looks very smooth.

The smaller orbit stroke length of 5.5mm does make the Makita BO6040 and the new Makita PO5000C smoother than the FLEX 3401 if you're not holding the any of these tools flat.


FWIW, according to Todd Helme, the overall numbers (on paper), the BO6040 may have even a bit more polishing potential than the 3401.

Looks like Todd may been ahead of his time considering the time stamp of your post is


05-24-2013, 08:55 AM



:)
 
Hi,

Can anyone tell me the RPM speed for this machine at 1-5?

Thanks in advance.


Sorry I just found your post dated about 4 years ago... and it was your first post too...


Guess you're just lurking now?


As to your question... since this thread was posted the Makita BO6040 has been discontinued but there is a replacement and that's the Makita BO6040J


Here's what I found for specs on both...


Makita BO6040

1,600-5,800 OPM
180-670 RPM



Makita BO6040J

1,600 - 6,800 OPM
180 - 670 RPM



Not sure if the above helps or if you even hang out on this forum any longer but this would be my good-will attempt to bring your post to conclusion.


:)
 
Hi members
I went cheap and got a used makita bo6040
Anuone found a Nice 5" backing pad for these machine?

OR
are you happy using The 6" and lager buffing pad?

3 pads and compound suggestions for forced machine
cutting coarse, medium and finishing

Meguiars, menzena? Padtips?
 
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