Guess I read different than others still I stand by what I said
I really didn't get offended, but yeah, his post wasn't that political as it should, because like you and me, there are tons of people that can't afford a flex.... I'm quite sure there are some guys that can't even afford a PC and hang around here.
Anyway, back to the topic.... yesterday I took some more videos and tried to figure the vibration issue.
My findings:
1- No load (no disc or backplate connected), the machine vibrates like crazy, you can fell the kick from the counter weight, which would led one to think there is something really wrong with the machine balance calculations. But hold that thought for a little while.
2- No load, without the top counter weight: vibration reduced a lot, less kick. Fact that would lead one to think the counter weight might be the problem.
3- With 5" backing plate + 5.5" foam + top counter weight: the machine felt pretty stable, no kick at all. Much less vibration. I couldn't see any off plane movement. When put upside down on the floor the machine could stand without drop on the it's sides, but rotated counterclockwise, which is perfectly fine by the law of conservation of momentum. But as the machine was upside down it would spin clockwise on the right position. This would mean when polishing a car you have to push, just a little, the back of the machine to the right to compensate this effect.
The number 3 result was to be expected, because when the orbital motion from these machines are calculated the engineer must take into account that there will be a mass moving and rotating out from the center of gravity from the orbital mechanism itself and the top counter weight is there to adjust that and try to put the center of gravity where it should be. That's why the machine vibrates like crazy when no load is connected, because we always use it with load....
I still don't know when I'll field test the GG ROP again, but I think it will be much stable next time..... my guess is that the counter weight was loose and that's why it vibrated that much on the video..... I pretty much had around 80-100 hours on it already and the counter weight bolt isn't locked with any kind of glue, so it sure will get loose with time.
I don't have my camera right now but latter at night I'll upload a new shot where the orbital motion can be perfectly seen. :dblthumb2:
I guess it's just too early to give a verdict about the machine.