Pads for rupes bigfoot 21 mark 2

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hooley

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I have been reading alot on this forum about the rupes bigfoot mark2 21. I have a few questions. Do you have to use the rupes pads? I understand they are recommended, but what other pads have people used and had succes with. What size pads 6 inch, 6.5 inch, 7 inch and 7.5 inch? Should i look at pads with the hole in the center just like the rupes. Am i just better off buying the rupes pads?

Also people with experience these machines. I am going to be doing alot of fulls size trucks and suvs, i have about 5 cars i will be doing also. I am a weekend warrrior not a professional. Will i be ok with the 21 or am i better off with the 15. I am mainly doing friends cars right now for side money. I would like somethimg better than my porter cable 7424xp. Thank you for taking the time to read this and reply.

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From experience using the RUPES tools. From experience teaching classes on the RUPES tools and system and after doing the research to write the RUPES how-to book, I'd strongly recommend using the RUPES tools as a system approach not a piecemeal approach.

Once you become experienced, skilled and proficient with the RUPES system then you can start testing out other pads and products to see if you find a combination that you like better.

The RUPES system works plain and simple. The pads are engineered for the long orbit stroke, high OPM and RPM speeds. This includes the adhesive that holds the velcro to the back of the foam and this includes the style of Velcro synchronized to the type of velcro used for the RUPES backing plates.

And all of the above is engineered to match the counterweights, reciprocating assembly and power designed into the tool.

I just returned from the RUPES Detailing Seminar in Norway where I worked with Marco D'Inca the engineer behind the RUPES tools and paint polishing system as well as Jason Rose their Global Director of Training and everything they said and everything we taught in the Saturday training sessions matched what I've written in my RUPES how-to book.

Just some friendly advice for what it's worth...


If you purchase a RUPES tool and then use non RUPES pads and products AND if then if you're not getting the results you want you won't be able to put the blame on the tool.

You'll have to start by troubleshooting your choice of pads and chemicals.


Out of the three components, I'd say the most important are the RUPES tools and pads. Then as long as you use GREAT abrasive technology you should get great results.

When we buffed out the Ferdinand Magellan Railcar we used RUPES tools with Meguiar's thin pads and the abrasive technology was Pinnacle Advanced Compound followed by Pinnacle Liquid Souveran Wax and the results were nothing short of phenomenal.

So other pads and product will work with their tools as we demonstrated on the HUGE antique Railcar with single stage paint that was swirled out and oxidized.


But again... I'd still recommend starting with the RUPES "system" and then once you become proficient branch out from their.

I personally find I can tackle most projects using the RUPES BigFoot 21 with Blue/Blue and White/White.

That is

Blue/Blue = The blue RUPES coarse foam cutting pad with the Zephyr Diamond Ultra Fine Polish.

White/White = The white RUPES ultra soft foam finishing pad with the Diamond White Ultra Fine Cut Polish.

The above keeps your investment simple while enabling you to tackle just about anything that pulls into your garage or driveway.


Hope that helps...


:)
 
I have not documented every class I've taught training the class on how to use the RUPES paint polishing system but I think it's fair to say I've fully documented more classes with before, during and after pictures than anyone else.

Many of the students that attend my classes have never machine polished with any tool ever including the RUPES tools.


List of RUPES BigFoot Detailing Classes at Autogeek



The person using the RUPES BigFoot in the below picture is the head engineer for RUPES - Marco D'Inca
Andrea_Marco_Mike_07.jpg



Click the link below and then click through the LINKS in the list and you'll see amazing cars transformed by my classes using the RUPES system as a system.


List of RUPES BigFoot Detailing Classes at Autogeek


:buffing:
 
What Mike said...

With what you are doing "full size trucks and suvs,...about 5 cars" I would recommend the 21.
The Rupes 21 MK II with the Rupes pads are a killer combo. They are designed to work together.
You can vary out with different pad and product combinations later. Start with the baseline first.

BTW - You WILL love the Rupes 21 MKII in comparison to the PC. My Rupes 21 is my go-to tool.
 
Thin pros will work nicely
Boss pads and low pros will also work well but will make things inbalanced at speed 4 and up

It's not really bad with the Griot Boss machines but Rupes is more balanced out the box
So if you are all about the balance
Rupes pads
Thin pros would be great alternative.. These improved machine inbalance on my G21
 
Will the blue pad be too aggressive for minor swirl marks? Will the Rupes microfiber blue and yellow pads work also? I have some panels I will be testing on before I try them on a car.
 
hooley said:
Will the blue pad be too aggressive for minor swirl marks? Will the Rupes microfiber blue and yellow pads work also? I have some panels I will be testing on before I try them on a car.
Click to expand...

Yes - the blue pad could be too much. Start with the green or yellow.
I can't comment on the MF pads. I've never used them. From what everyone says - the cutting power is awesome.
 
The blue pads have scoured just about every paint I've tried them on.
 
The meguiars thin discs work well with long throws.

The Boss pads work great

The rupes pads are good (I really only like the green, yellow and white)

Lake country thin pros

All work well with the Rupes machine.

However I would stay away from the Rupes cutting foam pads, there a little tough to use, heck I'm a pro, and I have a hard time using them.

If you want to cut easy, try to boss microfiber cutting pads, they cut excellent and save you alot of time.

Or use the Megs microfiber cutting discs.

Then use your choice of foam to polish out the marring.

Remember : if your doing a multi step correction, it doesn't matter much how good your compound finishes out, as long as your removing the damage, so 1 section pass with a microfiber cutting pad, is better then, 2-3 section passes with a foam cutting disc.
 
The Rupes polishers ARE tuned around their pads as far as balance/smoothness. The other long throw polishers aren't as sensitive to different pads as far as balance, but they are not the same quality of the Rupes polishers.
 
hooley said:
Will the blue pad be too aggressive for minor swirl marks? Will the Rupes microfiber blue and yellow pads work also? I have some panels I will be testing on before I try them on a car.
Click to expand...

Yeah, for minor swirl marks, the yellow foam or microfiber pad should be fine, paired with Keramik.
 
I have had really good luck with the Rupes system on my lhr15. The only pad I struggled with was the blue pad which I have since replaced with the Meguiars microfiber disc and d300 or m105.
 
I almost always use and start with the blue RUPES pads with the RUPES Zephyr Gloss Compound and have never scoured anything.

In fact for the last 4 years I demonstrated this on black paint under excruciating lights in front of thousands of people and I always have the utmost confidence that when I wipe off the results and let all the attendees inspect the results will be phenomenal.


Look at the title of the article I wrote for this topic....



Mind Blowing - Rupes Blue Foam Cutting Pad and Zephir Gloss Coarse Gel Compound


Something that was absolutely mind blowing at SEMA was demonstrating the Rupes Duetto with the Rupes COARSE blue foam cutting pad on a BLACK demonstration panel.

The paint was flawless and looked like we just removed a show car wax.

Did this over and over and over and over again for 4 day in a row, thousands of eyeballs watching under incredibly bright lights.

Here's a picture or the Rupes Duetto with their coarse, blue foam cutting pad and our black demo panel.

Mike_Phillips_Demonstrating_Rupes-Duetto_at_SEMA.jpg



Anyone watching we would first have them FEEL a clean, blue Rupes foam cutting pad.

They would always say,

WOW!



Because it feels so aggressive and scratchy. Then do the demo, wipe off the residue and voil --> almost a show car finish.


Can I get a witness? We had plenty of forum members stop by the booth and watch the demo.


:)
 
Same here, never had an issue with the Blue pad even on the softest of paints.
 
The blue tends to freak people out on first impression due to the feel... what the foam does under load and with the small amount of friction generated heat is fairly counter intuitive based on that first impression.

You would assume it would scour and haze up finishes, but it actually finishes exceptionally clean... even cleaner than many of the less aggressive feeling foams people are accustomed to.
 
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