What's in the box? Griot's GR3 Mini Rotary Polisher!

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

What's in the box? Griot's GR3 Mini Rotary Polisher!




The Griot's Garage GR3 Mini Rotary Polisher

TOOL TIME! More fun in your garage!

Griot's Garage just introduced their brand new GR3 Mini Rotary Polisher. Below you'll find LOTS of PICTURES to show you everything that comes in the box PLUS a detailed overview of the tool itself.

I know before anyone purchases a tool, they want to gather as much information as they can to enable them to make the right decision and this is especially true when it comes to tools. So take a look at the pictures below with my commentary and if you have any questions - please post them to this thread and I promise to do my best to answer them.


Like all Griot's Garage products, the packaging is not only descriptive and professionally laid out, in this case the box also serves as a storage case and a carry case.

When you first open the box you'll find a chart that you can attach to your garage wall for quick reference for available pads and products.

Under the chart and the packaging tray, you'll find the polisher and the storage bag for all the included backing plates, tools, brushes, warranty card, owner's manual etc.

To the side of the polisher are to rotary extensions. Don't forget to remove these so they don't get lost or accidentally thrown away.

After removing the tool, under the tray you'll find the power cord.

Here's everything removed from the box except the wall chart.

Here's the owner's manual.

Here are a set of spare carbon brushes. (removed from their plastic storage bag)

The GR3 comes with 3 backing plates - 3", 2" and a 1" size options.

These small size backing plates actually come in real handy for doing intricate work on thin panels or in tight areas.



Here's the 3" backing plate.

Here's the 2" backing plate.

And the 1" backing plate.

Griot's always includes a Griot's "Fan Sticker". :xyxthumbs:

The registration card for you tool is included in the storage bag - don't stall out, fill it out and send it in.

Griot's has one of the best warranties for their tools in the car detailing industry.

Rotary Polisher Extensions

Here's the 70mm extension, which is about 2.75 inches in length

Here's the 50mm extension which is about 2 inches in length.

This is the Extension Wrench - you use this to tighten the extension snug onto the spindle.

The GR3 comes with a quick-connect 18 gauge rubber power cord.

I hand zipper pouch to store all the tools, backing plates and other items so they don't get lost.

Storage box is also a carry case

And a nice feature about the box the tool comes in is the built-in carry handle. It's so much easier to carry a box with a handle than it is to actually hold and carry a box. If you're a professional detailer you'll likely remove the tool and all the accessories and then throw the box away. But if you're an enthusiast, aka a weekend warrior, chances are you'll want to keep the box to store the tools and accessories in when not in use.

That's wraps up what's in the box, next we'll take a closer look at the tool itself.




On Autogeek.com

Griot’s Garage GR3 Mini Rotary Polisher

All Griot's Garage Products

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued....


Now let's take a close-up look at the tool itself...

In the below pictures we'll take a look at the same features on the actual tool as shown on this diagram in the Owner's Manual.

Ergonomic Textured Rubber Grips

All around the tool, basically anyplace it would be natural to grip and hold the tool while operating it - you'll find textured rubber overmold to make it easier and less fatiguing to use this polisher. Nice touch. :xyxthumbs:

Even finger grooves on the forward portion of the head of the tool.

Rubber Tool Rest
You don't know how much you appreciate a tool rest on the back of a tool until you use a tool without one. This simply allows the tools to lay flat upside down without falling over.

This rubber section here is also a tool rest.

Ambidextrous Speed Control Dial - adjustable from either side of the tool for left or right hand operators.

Carbon Brush Inspection Cap - Convenient location making it easy to inspect and/or replace the carbon brushes.
(for some tools, the brushes are enclosed inside the tool body)

Power tools like these have a set of 2 brushes - thus two brush inspection caps.. These caps are removed using a simple flat head screwdriver.

Fresh air intake screen - allows fresh air to enter the tool body for cooling purposes while filtering out debris to keep the inside of the tool clean.

There's a fresh air filter screen on each side of the tool.

Dual-Pivot Variable Speed Trigger Throttle

The center of the trigger is on an axis that enable it to pivot or be depressed from either side.

This dual pivot variable speed trigger is a nice and also unique feature that enables the user to run or feather the speed from different hand-holds on the tool body.

Speed Trigger Lock Button

Quick Connect or Disconnect Power Cord Design

To insert or remove - simply depress the locking tab on the underside of the cord end.

Strain Relief Connector for long cord life

Spindle Lock Button - to lock the spindle in place when tightening a backing plate or extension onto the spindle

There are flat spots on the spindle where the spindle lock pushrod engages to hold the spindle from rotating

Here's the 3" backing plate installed.

All backing plates use 5/8" U.S. Standard Coarse Thread - this is standard for all U.S. rotary type tools.

Installing the 2" backing plate

Installing the 1" backing plate

The Griot's GR3 comes with 2 backing plate extensions.

You can use these by themselves or attach them together for a total of 5 inches of extension reach into tight areas.


Here's the 70mm extension, which is close to 3" long.

To use the extension you simply thread onto the spindle and then attach the backing plate of choice or the other extension for extended reach.

The Griot's GR3 with a 70mm extension and a 3" backing plate

Wrench Slots - Both extension have cut-out slots where you can attach the Extension Wrench to tighten the extension to the spindle.

The Griot's GR3 with a 50mm extension and a 1" backing plate

The Griot's GR3 with both the 50mm and the 70mm extension connected and a 1" backing plate

The Griot's Garage GR3 Rotary Polisher

My comments...

A compact, lightweight rotary polisher is a great addition to your car detailing tool arsenal. With the assortment of backing plates and extension plus all the available buffing pads, there's simply no place on a car that needs paint correction or polishing that you cannot reach. With the powerful 6 AMP and 700 Watt motor, there's always more than enough power for any detailing job.

With an RPM range of a low of 800 RPM to 2500 RPM you have all the RPM range you need for any correction or polishing work with the dual pivot variable speed trigger throttle locked into place using the trigger lock button. For careful or surgical buffing you can feather the trigger and control the RPM from zero to 800 RPM.

For most of us, we can tackle the larger flatter panels with a Griot's orbital polisher. But there are always times and places where the best tool for the job is a rotary polisher and all the power it brings to the table and in the case of the Griot's Garage GR3 - all the finesse it brings to the table.




On Autogeek.com

Griot’s Garage GR3 Mini Rotary Polisher

All Griot's Garage Products

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued....


Here's a brand new video with Rod Kraft from Griot's Garage. In this video we take a look at the latest tools from Griot's Garage including,

The GR3 Rotary Polisher
The BOSS 21 - 21mm Long Stroke Random Orbital Polisher
The Boss 15 - 15mm Long Stroke Random Orbital Polisher
The G9 - 9mm Short Stroke Random Orbital Polisher
The G8 8mm Short Stoke Random Orbital Polisher


Plus all the current and new Griot's buffing pads!



Check it out!

 

[wcharon]

Hi @Mike Phillips.

Hope everything is Ok and that i am posting this question on the right place.

I am a novice on detailing my own cars and have a Griots G9 which i use on my 3 cars (Explorer, Nissan 350Z and Mustang 2019).

On the 3 cars there are tights spaces that i have to work manually and i am in the fence if i should get a 3" or 2" polisher as i can't use a smaller backplate on the G9. If that will be the case which one you recommend? I was thinking between the GR3 or the G8 to stay in the same line but it is not a most.

Thanks once again for your advise.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I am a novice on detailing my own cars and have a Griots G9 which i use on my 3 cars (Explorer, Nissan 350Z and Mustang 2019).


On the 3 cars there are tights spaces that i have to work manually and i am in the fence if i should get a 3" or 2" polisher as i can't use a smaller back plate on the G9.


If that will be the case which one you recommend? I was thinking between the GR3 or the G8 to stay in the same line but it is not a most.

Being a novice - I would go with the Griot's G8. This is an 8mm free spinning random orbital polisher - very close to the same action and performance of the G9 plus a great selection of the Griot's pads and products.


Here's my review for the Griot's G8

What's in the box? Griots G8 Mini Random Orbital Polisher by Mike Phillips



It's also a great headlight sander. I use it this why myself and show it as a headlight sander in my classes.


Review: Griot's Garage G8 Headlight Sander


The Griot's Garage G8 Headlight Sander

 

[wcharon]

Being a novice - I would go with the Griot's G8. This is an 8mm free spinning random orbital polisher - very close to the same action and performance of the G9 plus a great selection of the Griot's pads and products.


Here's my review for the Griot's G8

What's in the box? Griots G8 Mini Random Orbital Polisher by Mike Phillips



It's also a great headlight sander. I use it this why myself and show it as a headlight sander in my classes.


Review: Griot's Garage G8 Headlight Sander


The Griot's Garage G8 Headlight Sander

Perfect. Thanks @Mike Phillips... It is a GO coming from you.....

 

[DetailingDoak]

Hi Mike,

I find the struggle I have with headlights is getting into corners and along the edges of headlights, especially with a DA. When picturing this tool in my mind, the 1" or 2" pad on the extension seems like it would afford me the precision and control I would need to move along the edges and into corners. Then pop a 3" pad on it (or go to my CG6 w/ 3" pad) and hit the rest of the headlight. My experience with headlight sanding has been limited to using a Fein multi-tool with a 3" packing pad, a 3" pad on a CG6, and a 3" pad on a 3M pneumatic 15mm DA, so far.

I've been thinking about using this tool (GR3) solely for headlights, or maybe even the Flex cordless Mini (Pixie). Although that's twice the money, the quick change head would be really nice, especially for this application of going from a 1" to 3" pad without needing a wrench handy.

What are your thoughts on using this GR3 solely for headlights?

PS: I ordered a GR3 last week along with a new G9, but as luck would have it, it was back ordered. Tools in my arsenal won't be a bad thing, though. Expanding my ability to have the "Right tool for the right job".

Thanks,
Alex

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

What are your thoughts on using this GR3 solely for headlights?

PS: I ordered a GR3 last week along with a new G9, but as luck would have it, it was back ordered. Tools in my arsenal won't be a bad thing, though. Expanding my ability to have the "Right tool for the right job".

Thanks,
Alex

It would work great for buffing out headlights but you cannot machine sand with a rotary polisher.

When you sand with a rotary polisher it's no longer sanding - it's grinding. You will gouge the plastic and hate yourself.

So "yes" for buffing, but no for sanding. You'll also want to get some small wool buffing pads, B&S and Lake Country make 3.5" wool pad for getting into corners.

Also - while it doesn't bother some people and some people don't see the holograms - ANYTIME you buff with a wool pad on a rotary polisher you're going to leave holograms - "yes" even in headlights. So to fix, you simply re-polish with ANY orbital and a foam pad.


I teach these techniques in all my classes by the way.



Production Detailing

Up to this point - everything has been what I teach as Show Car Detailing. Think about it. All 8 of the cars the class has detailed so far have undergone MULTIPLE STEP paint correction and then were ceramic coated using different brands of ceramic coatings. Now the class is going to learn production detailing - that is how to use an AIO to reduce step and knock a car out really fast while keeping their quality really high. During this session I cover a LOT of different topics besides using an AIO on the paint.

For the Production Detailing Class we have a severely neglected Chevy HHR and also a really cool and LARGE 1965 Cadillac.


Headlight Correction

As you can see, this HHR is in dire need of headlight correction.

Griot's Garage G8

AT the time of this class the Griot's Garage G8 was just beginning to ship. It was introduced at SEMA in 2019 and this class was in February of 2020. I'm proud to say Richard Griot and his team think so much of the hands-on aspect of our classes that they sent Autogeek TEN brand new G8's for the class to use and TEN brand new G9's.

Here's Christabella machine sanding a headlight with the new Griot's G8

 

[DetailingDoak]

It would work great for buffing out headlights but you cannot machine sand with a rotary polisher.

When you sand with a rotary polisher it's no longer sanding - it's grinding. You will gouge the plastic and hate yourself.

So "yes" for buffing, but no for sanding. You'll also want to get some small wool buffing pads, B&S and Lake Country make 3.5" wool pad for getting into corners.

Also - while it doesn't bother some people and some people don't see the holograms - ANYTIME you buff with a wool pad on a rotary polisher you're going to leave holograms - "yes" even in headlights. So to fix, you simply re-polish with ANY orbital and a foam pad.

Thanks Mike. I remember you and Yancy in one of your videos talking about how sanding with a rotary is a no-no and wondered if that same concept would apply here. Like I mentioned, the precision of the small pad and extension is what drove my interest in this machine for headlights. A couple cars I've done, like my personal Nissan Altima, has a very tight corner and sanding into this corner with a 3" pad, even taping up the paint around it, was challenging and couldn't remove all the old coating. I resorted to hand sanding, but just trying to refine and speed up my process and make it more uniform, as those sanding marks didn't really remove very well. And maybe I just need more practice.

AD

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Thanks Mike. I remember you and Yancy in one of your videos talking about how sanding with a rotary is a no-no and wondered if that same concept would apply here. Like I mentioned, the precision of the small pad and extension is what drove my interest in this machine for headlights.

I let a student "try" to machine sand a headlight with a rotary buffer. I told EVERYONE ahead of time exactly what was going to happen. And it happened.

He tilted the backing plate/sanding disc for a brief moment and gouged into the plastic.

It took me about 30 minutes of block sanding to flatten out the plastic. Longer for the whole ordeal.

There's some people that will not listen, they have to make the mistake in order to learn. :dunno:

A couple cars I've done, like my personal Nissan Altima, has a very tight corner and sanding into this corner with a 3" pad, even taping up the paint around it, was challenging and couldn't remove all the old coating. I resorted to hand sanding, but just trying to refine and speed up my process and make it more uniform, as those sanding marks didn't really remove very well. And maybe I just need more practice.

AD

Sometimes you just have to go old school and work by hand.

Me? I'm more of a BIG PICTURE detailer, I get cars real good. Perfection is a noble goal but usually never profitable or appreciated.

 

[DetailingDoak]

I let a student "try" to machine sand a headlight with a rotary buffer. I told EVERYONE ahead of time exactly what was going to happen. And it happened.

He tilted the backing plate/sanding disc for a brief moment and gouged into the plastic.

It took me about 30 minutes of block sanding to flatten out the plastic. Longer for the whole ordeal.

There's some people that will not listen, they have to make the mistake in order to learn. :dunno:





Sometimes you just have to go old school and work by hand.

Me? I'm more of a BIG PICTURE detailer, I get cars real good. Perfection is a noble goal but usually never profitable or appreciated.

I appreciate you taking the time to respond, Mike. I'm glad I asked before I made the mistake

Now I just need to get out of Iowa for a few days and come to one of your classes. :buffing:

Thanks,
Alex

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I appreciate you taking the time to respond, Mike. I'm glad I asked before I made the mistake

If a person was really careful and was using slow RPM - like 400 to 600 RPM AND REALLY CAREFUL - and also using a interface pad with a foam cushioned sanding disc like Mirka Abralon, I'm sure it could be done. The thing is - most people don't have all the right products or tools that spin that slow.

I have all these things I still never use a rotary to machine sand headlights.

Now I just need to get out of Iowa for a few days and come to one of your classes. :buffing:

ThE most hands-on classes on Planet Earth. I prove it every time I have a class.


Detailing Classes, Florida Detailing Classes, learn how to detail


:cheers:

 

[Mgavin1985]

Well this write up sold me I like that it comes with everything you need