Which polisher to invest on?

VISITOR said:
if you want the best of both (rotary and DA) worlds in one polisher then the flex 3401 (forced rotation/gear driven) would be a great choice (can use pads from 4" - 6.5" with the appropriate backing plates). if you're looking for a large throw DA then the BOSS G15/G21 would be an excellent choice as well. having different tools in your arsenal will allow you to accomplish a variety of tasks...
youtube.com/watch?v=FtpgZV9vL1A
youtube.com/watch?v=i8eIKCHq72A
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It is already hard to find Flex here in South America. Griot's Garage is impossible LOL :(
 
jeanjaian said:
Actually, I am required to do all kinds of jobs. I work on my own studio. So I get very neglected paints all the time, specially because here the culture of detailing is not a habit.

So I cut with rotary, and also eliminate the holograms by using Menzerna 2500 and 4000, focusing on a perfect, spotless finish (all with rotary).

Some part of me tells me that a DA would be an unnecessary spend. And a PE 14-2 would be better when talking about ergonomics and health...
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Since you are doing re-finishing type of detailing work, i will suggest to go for a DA mainly because you already have a rotary. Similar to many who do this for a living, we are always pursuing how to get result in the shortest time. Not saying that rotary cant achieve the result you desire, just that in my experience after trying plenty of polishes from US, EU and Asia, DA is just much easier to achieve a good cut and finish at the same time.

When you are talking about ergonomics and health, i believe you are referring to vibration? Nowadays, there are many DA system that almost eliminate vibration or reduce to the extend where it is generally a non issue. Some Japanese manufacturer even go to the extend to measure the myoelectricity of their technicians' muscle strength when use with their DA system vs rotary system and concluded that their DA system uses only 10-20% strength needed than a rotary. Having said that, these are just data that are relative which changes with different methodology. More importantly is to use high quality polishes, pad and methodology ideally for DA.
 
Hello Jean,
In reading your post I am also looking for a DA polisher as I am still using a Milwaukee 2800 rpm buffer and have used these for the past 35 years.
In your quest as in mine I have looked at several and have asked about the difference in them and I am looking at the Porter Cable 7424xp.
Having experience with this kind of buffer and the kind of work I do and have done I find these DA polishers a little bit light and I hope they can be as dependable as the Milwaukee has been, I wet sand and buff and polish vehicles for a classic car broker and you cannot make a mistake and of course regular vehicles detailing them throughout. I have notice that no one here uses the detailing products or chemicals and waxes I use from Pro-Wax. But in all good luck in your search . . . . .
 
dschia said:
Since you are doing re-finishing type of detailing work, i will suggest to go for a DA mainly because you already have a rotary. Similar to many who do this for a living, we are always pursuing how to get result in the shortest time. Not saying that rotary cant achieve the result you desire, just that in my experience after trying plenty of polishes from US, EU and Asia, DA is just much easier to achieve a good cut and finish at the same time.

When you are talking about ergonomics and health, i believe you are referring to vibration? Nowadays, there are many DA system that almost eliminate vibration or reduce to the extend where it is generally a non issue. Some Japanese manufacturer even go to the extend to measure the myoelectricity of their technicians' muscle strength when use with their DA system vs rotary system and conclude their DA system uses only 10-20% strength needed than a rotary. Having said that, these are just data that are relative which changes with different methodology. More importantly is to use a high quality polishes, pad and methodology ideally for DA.
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Actually I'm talking about lighter weight and more compact size (than a full-size rotary). And I believe vibration also is important because of the weight and the effort I have to make to hold it still...

Thank you for your piece of advice!
 
hkirch74 said:
Hello Jean,
In reading your post I am also looking for a DA polisher as I am still using a Milwaukee 2800 rpm buffer and have used these for the past 35 years.
In your quest as in mine I have looked at several and have asked about the difference in them and I am looking at the Porter Cable 7424xp.
Having experience with this kind of buffer and the kind of work I do and have done I find these DA polishers a little bit light and I hope they can be as dependable as the Milwaukee has been, I wet sand and buff and polish vehicles for a classic car broker and you cannot make a mistake and of course regular vehicles detailing them throughout. I have notice that no one here uses the detailing products or chemicals and waxes I use from Pro-Wax. But in all good luck in your search . . . . .
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Yes. I endeavor not to make mistakes, specially with a rotary in my hands. And I'm careful with any car, either classics, expensives or popular ones.

Thank you very much.
 
PLEASE ANSWER. How are opm's measured on a DA polisher. Before a pad and polish are applied or after pad and polish are applied and DA is in use?
 
If i were in your position, jeanjaian, this is how i would look at it. You already have both a rotary and the skills to use it. If i only had a rotary and was looking for an additional machine i would be getting a forced DA unit like the Flex. Reason being, for versatility. As Mike P has said a number of times before, sometimes you want to change the action of the machine. I have had some paints that just don't like to be finished down with a rotary. It's rare but it happens and my test spot allowed me to figure out i can refine it better with my DA after cutting it with my rotary. Plus the fact i machine apply all of my LSP's and i would NEVER try that with my rotary.

For tight areas and those requiring less than a 4" pad, i would use my rotary with pads as small as 1" available now!

If my rotary died i would tackle the rest of the job with my forced rotation Flex with wool, MF or cutting foam pads.

Just my thoughts and opinions if i were standing in your boots, brother. I would simply consider the wider versatility and uses of a forced rotation DA, especially if i already have a rotary.

Buster906, i don't know the definitive answer but you will probably get better results if you take your first sentence and start that as a seperate, new thread title.
 
Puckman said:
If i were in your position, jeanjaian, this is how i would look at it. You already have both a rotary and the skills to use it. If i only had a rotary and was looking for an additional machine i would be getting a forced DA unit like the Flex. Reason being, for versatility. As Mike P has said a number of times before, sometimes you want to change the action of the machine. I have had some paints that just don't like to be finished down with a rotary. It's rare but it happens and my test spot allowed me to figure out i can refine it better with my DA after cutting it with my rotary. Plus the fact i machine apply all of my LSP's and i would NEVER try that with my rotary.

For tight areas and those requiring less than a 4" pad, i would use my rotary with pads as small as 1" available now!

If my rotary died i would tackle the rest of the job with my forced rotation Flex with wool, MF or cutting foam pads.

Just my thoughts and opinions if i were standing in your boots, brother. I would simply consider the wider versatility and uses of a forced rotation DA, especially if i already have a rotary.

Buster906, i don't know the definitive answer but you will probably get better results if you take your first sentence and start that as a seperate, new thread title.
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Thank you very much for you opinion.

I have already ordered a PE 14-2, because I'm considering quality and comfort (against my current rotary). However, I think I'll invest in a DA (not forced) for finishing in the next months... I don't know yet. Maybe a paint meter would be the next best investment, then a DA.
 
Get them both! That way you'll have the best of both worlds. I have the Flex 3401 and 3403. I would like to have been able to purchase the PE 14-2, because it sounds as if it is the perfect rotary to have, but I'm just a weekend hobbyist, and I have to watch my dollars. I wish you the best of luck in your detailing business.
 
JSMet said:
Get them both! That way you'll have the best of both worlds. I have the Flex 3401 and 3403. I would like to have been able to purchase the PE 14-2, because it sounds as if it is the perfect rotary to have, but I'm just a weekend hobbyist, and I have to watch my dollars. I wish you the best of luck in your detailing business.
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And how was your experience? Do you cut with 3403 and finish with 3401? All rotary and 3401 for sealant and wax? Or Do you do all the job with the 3401?

Thank you very much. I wish you happiness and success in whatever you do for a living.

PS: I would get them both, but I have to watch my Reais as well... LOL
 
I really think if you would get a flex 3401 you would love it.. I went from a porter cable to a torq 10fx n now i have a flex xc 3401 and all i have to say is wow.. Finishes much faster than porter cable and torq 10fx even when adding almost no pressure at all to the machine. I literally have cut down my time on paint correcting cars/trucks drastically. Before i would take a day to compound/polish a car now i take like 5/6 hours to completly detail a whole car. N i mean everything interior/engine/exterior/ only thing i wish they had for the flex 3401 is smaller pads like 3 inchView attachment 41738
 
mannysecodetailing said:
I really think if you would get a flex 3401 you would love it.. I went from a porter cable to a torq 10fx n now i have a flex xc 3401 and all i have to say is wow.. Finishes much faster than porter cable and torq 10fx even when adding almost no pressure at all to the machine. I literally have cut down my time on paint correcting cars/trucks drastically. Before i would take a day to compound/polish a car now i take like 5/6 hours to completly detail a whole car. N i mean everything interior/engine/exterior/ only thing i wish they had for the flex 3401 is smaller pads like 3 inchView attachment 41738
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Nice. I take 2 days to detail the exterior... Detailed wash, clay, taping, cut, refine, finish, wax, etc. Can I ask you... have ever used a rotary?
 
I compound with the 3403 and finish with the 3401. I also use the 3401 on curves, creases and the bumpers. I don't have the experience with a rotary to feel secure enough to go there yet.
 
Thats the time i was taking also but doing show car finishes. I always thought all cars needed that till i came on here and read so much good articles about production work vs show car finish work. But yea i haven't used a rotary I'm a bit scared to lol 😁😁
Maybe ill try one out someday im sure you get faster results with one. But Ive heard they leave holograms behind and what not so you would have to go to another machine like a DA to remove them. I like my flex a lot i always tell myself damn i should have just bought this since the beginning 😊
 
mannysecodetailing said:
Thats the time i was taking also but doing show car finishes. I always thought all cars needed that till i came on here and read so much good articles about production work vs show car finish work. But yea i haven't used a rotary I'm a bit scared to lol ����
Maybe ill try one out someday im sure you get faster results with one. But Ive heard they leave holograms behind and what not so you would have to go to another machine like a DA to remove them. I like my flex a lot i always tell myself damn i should have just bought this since the beginning ��
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Yes, cutting with a rotary leaves holograms. But that's why there is products for refine... like Menzerna 2500... which makes all holograms go away. So there is no NEED to have a DA in this situation... check this out:

So I use here:

Rotary

Menzerna 300 Super Heavy Cut Compound (for cutting)
Menzerna 2500 Power Finish (To get rid of the holograms created in the cutting step)
Menzerna 4000 Super Finish (To jewel the paint... make sure that it is flawless).

Lake Country 50% polyester 50% wool pad
Lake Country White polishing pad
Lake Country Red Super soft finishing pad...
Menzerna 4000

All with rotary, and it gives a perfect result. Look:

Before
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After
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JSMet said:
I compound with the 3403 and finish with the 3401. I also use the 3401 on curves, creases and the bumpers. I don't have the experience with a rotary to feel secure enough to go there yet.
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What speeds do you use?

I compound, polish and finish with rotary and I'm used to it.
 
Damn those are some good results with a rotary not bad... Ill stick to my DA lol dont wanna burn someones clear coat 😁 (knock on wood)
 
mannysecodetailing said:
Damn those are some good results with a rotary not bad... Ill stick to my DA lol dont wanna burn someones clear coat �� (knock on wood)
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LOL. I was really concerned about burning a paint. But then, as I've learned the skills, I got to know that slow speed (1200 - 1600rpm can cut really well, with the right combination of pad + compound), and also not to burn the paint...

Thank you very much. There are more pics at Facebook.com/StrikeAutoDetailing. Check it out.

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