Pictures: 1991 Alfa Romeo - Porter Cable 7424XP Ultimate Challenge!

I would like to see the pics after using the porter cable also. It is what I have and am getting ready to do my wife's black honda pilot once there is a break in the rain. The alpha sure looks nice though!! Good job.
 
This might be confusing to some but I have to add my .02...........
Having worked on this car side by side with the crew, the results from using the Porter Cable were stunning to say the least!
We put a lot of time into this car and the years of wear and tear really showed after compounding. The worst parts were the hood and trunk lid
We compounded using foam due to the fact 1-Mike prefers it, 2-with the majority of the guys being "newbies" and 3- this was original paint!
Least aggressive method!
We performed the compound step with Orange cut pads and got great results, but if it were in my shop I might have used micro fiber pads for that step (but that's me)
We could have used MF on the PC and got the results that we got with the Flex but it was getting late and we just wanted to get done!
We just used the Flex on the hood and trunk and only to compound out the RIDS ( random isolated deeper scratches)
As the owner of a detail shop, I have many tools in my arsenal and my PC is used regularly!
I will say due to time constraints I prefer a different tool for compounding step but finishing is great with a PC!
Mike, as usual I had a great time and met some real nice guys, had some good laughs and ate some great pizza!
 
Just a question (or two)...

Did you jump to the Flex because the PC could NOT remove the RIDS using only foam pads?

Did you grab the Flex because of running short of time, not because the PC couldn't do the job?

That Alfa IS a gazillion times better no matter what!

Bill
 
Impressions said:
This might be confusing to some but I have to add my .02...........
Having worked on this car side by side with the crew, the results from using the Porter Cable were stunning to say the least!
We put a lot of time into this car and the years of wear and tear really showed after compounding. The worst parts were the hood and trunk lid
We compounded using foam due to the fact 1-Mike prefers it, 2-with the majority of the guys being "newbies" and 3- this was original paint!
Least aggressive method!
We performed the compound step with Orange cut pads and got great results, but if it were in my shop I might have used micro fiber pads for that step (but that's me)
We could have used MF on the PC and got the results that we got with the Flex but it was getting late and we just wanted to get done!
We just used the Flex on the hood and trunk and only to compound out the RIDS ( random isolated deeper scratches)
As the owner of a detail shop, I have many tools in my arsenal and my PC is used regularly!
I will say due to time constraints I prefer a different tool for compounding step but finishing is great with a PC!
Mike, as usual I had a great time and met some real nice guys, had some good laughs and ate some great pizza!
Click to expand...

Thanks the insight. Microfiber pads on my pc do a great job on rids. The pc is a good, versatile tool.
 
Horrified by the before, exasperated by the after, and driven to hunger by the pizza pic!

I've been wanting to try the Blackfire products. It's nice to see what they are capable of. Many, many thanks!
 
BillE,
1- the pc may have been able to remove rids with another type of foam cut pad, but we were 15+ guys working on a tiny car in each others way and just wanted to get it done
2- time is always a factor at the Showcar Garage! we still had to finish polish, eat, touch up the chips and wax the car! So when Mike grabbed two Flex 3401's and said lets knock this out so we can get done and go home, I wasn't gonna argue
Like I said from my experience the pc can and has gotten the job done way before the Flex 3401 or the Rupes were designed
 
Impressions said:
BillE,
1- the pc may have been able to remove rids with another type of foam cut pad, but we were 15+ guys working on a tiny car in each others way and just wanted to get it done
2- time is always a factor at the Showcar Garage! we still had to finish polish, eat, touch up the chips and wax the car! So when Mike grabbed two Flex 3401's and said lets knock this out so we can get done and go home, I wasn't gonna argue
Like I said from my experience the pc can and has gotten the job done way before the Flex 3401 or the Rupes were designed
Click to expand...

Thanx!

That IS what I was thinking...time constraints.

I like (your comment) and agree about using the PC (before Flex, Rupes, etc)..it will just take a bit more time and effort.

Thanx again...

Bill
 
The PC didn't create the "show car garage" finished results we all are waiting to see, so they added the flex. No biggie in my opinion. It's good to know the limits of our machines and the know the importance of the right tool for the desired results. Great thread!





What I wish I had the time to do and think would be a great thread would be 3 cars, all the same model, similar swirled paint (preferably black or a dark color) and a showdown between the Rupes (my personal favorite) the Flex and the PC (my first machine). It would show us the exact time savings, correction advantages and strengths of each machine!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top