Will I really see a difference?
Just depends on a lot of
different factors as, thank God, we're all different.
1: If you only work on white and light colored cars - probably won't see a difference.
2: If you work on black and dark colored cars, (or any color of cars), but don't have great eye sight? you probably won't see a difference.
3: If you don't inspect in good light or strong light AFTER some time has passed and any polishing oils and/or wax or sealant has worn off so there's nothing filling in the holograms - then "no" you probably won't see a difference.
I'm 100% confident I have more articles and more in-depth replies, (which are like articles), on the topic of
holograms than anyone else breathing. It's a
COMMON topic that once in a while can lead to emotional differences of opinion. A quick search on Skynet using the below search terms,
Holograms rotary buffers swirls mike phillips autogeekonline.net
And here's what I found.
So I'm real comfortable talking about rotary buffers or as some call them rotary polishers and also the scratch pattern they impart specifically and technically referred to as holograms but also called buffer trails or buffer swirls.
Just joined the forum but have viewed a few times in the past. Hats off and thanks to Mike for all the valuable videos and info; I really enjoy them.
Thank you. Without trying I ended up teaching people
the difference between a swirl and a squirrel.
Not a pro, just an enthusiast who owns a DeWalt 849X rotary. Owned the old Black and Decker Buffmaster before that. I have some experience with rotary, but not sure I qualify as "good" with it..
Have done some minor damage in a few small spots over the years, but I've always enjoyed using the polisher and felt it always improved the appearance of the paint.
Lately, I've used Lake Country pads and various Menzerna polishes/compounds.
My first polisher is the Makita 9207SPC - to my knowledge, this was the first variable speed rotary polisher. Before this they are either one speed, (fixed speed), or 2-speed, a low and a high setting.
I say this is my first polisher because I still own it. It's about 5 feet from my monitors here at my desk in my antique wax collection and collection of unique tools.
The DeWalt is powerful, but can get heavy on vertical panels after a while.
Agree. The DeWALT 849X is a great tool but it's also a full size rotary. Not a big deal size and weight-wise until you start buffing out a lot of vertical panels.
The difference between buffing out horizontal panels versus vertical panels
Horizontal Panel
You pretty much guide the polisher where you want it to go as the weight of the tool, 7+ pounds, is often all that is needed for light to medium correction work. Of course you can bear down on it when you need to do some heavy cutting or as I like to call it - chopping.
In this picture, for the most part I'm letting the weight of the DeWALT 849 do all the correction work, (together with a wool pad and a compound), and all I'm doing is guiding it around the Bat Antennae.
Kind of hard to see the actual antennae in this shot,
You can see it here though,
I was very careful as I didn't want the wool pad to grab the fragile Bat Antennae and
yank it out of, and off of the Batmobile. :wowwow:
Vertical Panel
You have to both PUSH the tool against the panel AND HOLD THE TOOL UP. This isn't a big deal but it will tax different muscles and more muscles. Over time, for example if you're buffing out a neglected boat, you'll feel it the next day.
In this pictures, I LEANING into the DeWALT 849X to show a class how to remove deep oxidation.
Seriously considering the new Flex Supa Beast forced rotation orbital.
My question is this: Does the orbital really improve the final finish over the straight rotary?
An orbital polisher, be it a free spinning random orbital polisher or a gear-driven orbital polisher,
guarantees zero holograms left in the surface. For most people, this would equate to really improving the finish, including me.
I keep reading about these holograms left by rotary polishing and I just don't see it after polishing my truck or wife's car.
I listed factors as to why you might not see holograms left in the paint after using only a rotary above in the first portion of my reply.
I'll share my opinion.
When a pad is ONLY spinning in a single direction on a painted surface, it will impart it's own unique scratch pattern - whether your eyes can detect it or not. It's there. If you don't see it, then there's no visual downside to finishing with a rotary only. I do make the case that even if you don't see hologram scratches - there is a downside in that the surface is left more open and this can lead to faster deterioration simply due to a great overall surface area being exposed to the elements.
I explain this in detail in this article, the only article I've ever seen like it. Point being, anyone can buff out a boat or a car, but to use a keyboard to dive deep down the rabbit hole takes time and wordsmith skills. For what it's worth. :dig:
Holograms in gel-coat boats by Mike Phillips
Love the concept of it being safer and more aggressive than the random orbital polishers. Not being a pro, I figure there must be something to this orbital as all the pros seem to use them along with or instead of rotary machines.
If you're just doing your own cars and you're happy with the results from the DeWALT rotary, there's nothing wrong with that. If you want the correction ability of a rotary buffer but without the downside of requiring more muscle to hold, press and control any brand of rotary buffer, then a gear-driven orbital is the next best thing.
As a professional plumber, I wouldn't hesitate to spend $435 on a tool I used every day. As a guy who just likes detailing and polishing, it's more than double what my DeWalt cost me, so it would be a big investment.
Agree. The FLEX tools are not the lowest cost options on the market. I would say this though, you RARELY ever see any of the BEASTS for sale used. AND when you do see one for sale, my personal experience knowing some of the people that have bought and then sold their FLEX BEAST tools is they ALWAYS regret it. And then buy another.
I've also read some don't like the fact that they rotate counter-clockwise. I am used to the clockwise rotation, but not sure that should be a deal breaker or matter at all.
To me, and again this is just my opinion and the opinion of a guy that teaches pretty much all the various tool options on the market, the direction any tool spins a pad is a non-issue. I'll just leave it at that. :bolt:
Lighter? More comfortable to use? Most importantly, better results?
Welcome all input if you've used the new Beast, 3401, or even the Mille.
The PRIMARY benefit to any brand of gear-driven orbital is ZERO PAD STALLING. Or as the saying one of our forum members
vobro coined, (and I agree and like the saying,
All BRAWL and ZERO STALL
He was referencing his FLEX 3401 but the zero stall feature applies to any gear-driven orbital.
As a person that has buffed out cars for decades using primarily a rotary buffer, (the Makita in the above picture), and this was because all the cool tools we have available to us today had not been invented yet, I love rotary buffers or to use the more accepted marketing term now days, I love rotary polishers - when they are the right tool for the job.
When I can get the job done without a rotary, then I grab the Supa BEAST.
And when I do use a rotary, the first rotary I grab is the cordless FLEX PE14. Unless I'm removing sanding marks out of a boat I've machine sanded, it will do everything else. And if I am removing sanding marks out of a boat hull - then I grab the corded FLEX PE14
And for everything I wrote above - standard disclaimer, these are my thoughts based upon my experience, your mileage may vary.
:buffing:
