What's the issue here?

If you are only using 1 of each pad you are probably clogging it up and or wearing it down (reducing it's cut). Like Richard said.

I love my Flex 3401 and highly recommend it but I've seen Tad (Dark Horse) do amazing transformations with his PC XP.
 
aerogt01,
I can understand where you're coming from. Last year I picked up my first machine to polish up a '77 Vette I had just painted.... I got a DeWalt rotary to polish it after wet sanding. About the same time I found this site and started getting a lot more information on machine polishing and started doing other cars, mostly for friends and family. I wanted something considered safer for working on other's vehicles and I was debating between the PC 7424XP and the Flex 3401. I ended up choosing the PC 7424XP... The first time I used it I was like, you've got to be kidding me, and picked my rotary back up. Every car I was polishing I tried it, but I just didn't like the feel or power and I found myself going back to the rotary. Luckily this year a friend of mine bought a Flex 3401 and let me try it out on my truck. I bought my own from AG the next day! Its more along the lines of what I feel comfortable working with. I think the issue for me was limited experience and starting out with a much more powerful tool. I don't think I could get over the fact that I brought a vehicle with a very dull finish from sanding to a high gloss with a rotary, in less time it was taking me to make a shiny car a little shinier with the PC! I haven't given up on the PC yet because I know a lot of people get great results with it, but its not the first tool I reach for. Sounds like you'd be much happier with a Flex 3401 or a rotary.
 
I think a lot of people are missing that the OP owns the first-gen 7424, NOT the 7424XP. He's also using 6-inch Edge pads - so not only are the pads bigger than would be ideal, they're also thicker than usual. Given that, I'd not find it surprising that he's not getting such great results, even after hours of work.
 
CEE DOG said:
If you are only using 1 of each pad you are probably clogging it up and or wearing it down (reducing it's cut). Like Richard said.

I love my Flex 3401 and highly recommend it but I've seen Tad (Dark Horse) do amazing transformations with his PC XP.
Click to expand...

I have been cleaning my pads on the fly (brush) and flip it over when that side is too saturated or clean the entire pad.

Then again, for me it's like the chicken-or-egg thing. If I want to go out and do more than just wash-and-wax jobs, I would probably be looking at a one-step for most customers (I have a small business that is basically dorment at the moment due to family and school obligations.). However, when I tell customers how long it would take me, they balk at the price (I charge by the hour, I find it the only fair thing), or the time required. Therefore, it is difficult for me to make any money doing this (and then upgrade my equipment) when I can't do highly valuable and advertiseable (every customer's car is a rolling advertisement) work.

So, if I could save time, I could save my customers money.

I'm not looking to quit a full-time job and detail, but it's nice to have a little side income (and to be able to buy new detailing supplies without using personal money).

umi000 said:
I think a lot of people are missing that the OP owns the first-gen 7424, NOT the 7424XP. He's also using 6-inch Edge pads - so not only are the pads bigger than would be ideal, they're also thicker than usual. Given that, I'd not find it surprising that he's not getting such great results, even after hours of work.
Click to expand...

Maybe some people think I shouldn't complain. What I have is better than by hand, and I bought what was available 3 years ago. However, I don't have the $$ to upgrade right now.

I just think my 7424 should be more capable than for me to out-grow it in just a few cars.

When I do upgrade, I will certainly keep this guy around for 4" pads.

Let's just say 6" Edge Pads + 7424 = bad experience for me
 
A side note: I had all my initial investment paid off soon after I first purchased my detailing supplies. For every little bit of extra money I had from detailing, I would use some to upgrade my inventory.

Now there is no credit left on that credit card, so there is no room for initial investment then payoff. (How that card got full is another story, suffice it to say it was not my doing.)
 
I know how you feel. I have a first gen as well, and I realize it isn't extremely powerful.

however, you did mention using "as much pressure as you can muster"
Do you have a mark on the backing plate to watch? Is the pad just "jiggling" against the surface and not actually spinning?

That could be causing you to work much harder than needed.
 
The Edge pads do not have a visible backing plate. I could see some color variation on the up-facing side of the pad and could see it rotating fairly easily.
 
Make a mark on your backing plate so you know its spinning. If your putting so much pressure on it that it's just vibrating on the paint its not going to remove any defects. 6 inch pads are too big IMO opinion for the PC. 5 inch work much better. Make sure you are you are using proper arm speed, pressure, product, machine speed, ect. These all play a curtail part in the effectiveness. Polishing paint is an art. I hope this doesn't come out wrong but if your used to using high powered power tools, DA's are a whole different ball game. Its not about grinding through the paint as fast as possible. There's much more finness involved then cutting through a chunk of metal with a grinder.

With all that said, more powerful machines are very nice to work with. Such as the FLEX PE. But my DA will always have a spot in my detailing arsenal. Rotary polishers just can't finish as well as a DA can, and there's nothing better for applying a wax or sealant. Just my .03, I hope none of that came out wrong. Good luck!
 
Teaching the wifey college physics tonight, then tomorrow it's work then off to see the in-laws for the weekend, work Monday, then homework due Tuesday!

Maybe I'll get a quick session in tonight. . .

Shawn: None of that came out wrong at all. The encouragement is appreciated.
 
You deff need 5" or 5.5" pads instead of 6" pads on a PC. You also say you only have 1 pad of each you will need several pads cause you can only clean the pads on the fly soo much it doesn't really take the saturation out and will become more heavy for the PC to do its job. Soo get more and smaller pads and that should show a change maybe not dramatic but you should get better results. The Griots Garage 6" polisher has alot more power and probually the better choice for you. When using a 5" backplate / 5.5" pads on the GG ROP with several pads to change out theres no stopping the rotation and power of this DA. Setting 5.5 is what I work it on with M105 and setting 4.5 with M205. Even setting 6 don't feel wobbly and as long as you have the pad centered correctly and keep the pad flat speed 6 will work with no problem.
 
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