Rotary vs random orbit?

D

DigitalN.

New member
Hey all, I have a question. I feel that I am somewhat efficient in the ways of polishing cars, and have been doing so for about a whole summer now and I keep improving by trying new products and such, however I am noticing that the results just aren't what I like after coming here and seeing everyones work that they do, it's amazing!



However it brings me to my question, I want to get a new tool to help me with polishing/waxing, but I am not sure which one to get. I want to get a VW GTI, and from what I have read, it has a very hard clear which makes me want to get a rotary and some panels from the yard and practice up alot before I buy the car. However, I am afraid that I simply don't have the skill yet to use such a powerful buffer and may mess it up royally when I do a full vehicle.



Sorry for the life story :p But what I am asking, if you were in my spot being a noobie willing to learn, would you get the Porter Cable with some 4" pads, or the Makita and see where that takes me? Thanks alot!
 
the porter cable is a good option and i use it all the time at work and it gets the job done for applying waxes and things like that, but for true buffing work and the best results get a rotary buffer and just take your time. Also when buffing without a paint depth gauge only cut the paint a maxium of 4 times any more than that and your asking for trouble. For example if the paint has a LOT of imperfections use a heavy cut compound once or twice and then use the swirl mark remover then polish. Its safe to say you can use almost as much polish as you want because its extremely light on the paint (aka not very abrasive). Then apply the pre wax cleaner then a paint sealant. Long i know but i hope this helps.
 
If the rotary seems to scary for you there is always the FLEX 3401. It will be able to work with rotary friendly products, and provide great results...just not quite as quickly.
 
The rotary isn't scary, so much as I am just worried I won't have the appropriate skill to pick it up and be able to cut, polish, burnish and apply a wax without any holograms.



I will have to go read up some more on the flex it would seem, last I checked it was quite expensive though. I think I may have to go get an old hood and a rotary and practice up
 
It's difficult to generalize paint and this gets people into all kinds of trouble. For example, when I polished a White VW GTI and exclaimed that it was some of the softest paint I had yet encountered, everyone in the VW community was astounded.
 
Holden_C04 said:
It's difficult to generalize paint and this gets people into all kinds of trouble. For example, when I polished a White VW GTI and exclaimed that it was some of the softest paint I had yet encountered, everyone in the VW community was astounded.
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I've only ever heard of how ridiculously hard VW paint is... That is indeed strange.
 
Get yourself a rotary. I don't know why so many people are afraid of them. I have been polishing for a very long time, but I learned pretty quickly.





John
 
Orbitals are nice because they are simple to learn and easy to use. I started with the pc and 6 in pads and the results on hard paint just were not satisfying. So now i have a rotary and i have never looked back. I took a few hours to learn, and about 4 or 5 cars to really get comfortable with it. i still am not perfect, but it is one of those things that you naturally get better at as you do it more and more.



Even though i love the rotary, the PC has its place. It does a fantastic job at applying Waxes and sealants. The carpet brush on the PC is also a very useful tool and i highly recommend it.
 
I own a '01 VW GTI. I have polished exactly two cars in my life using a PC, including mine. 4" pads are required for any real effect on my clear. However, my time is important, so I got a Makita. Simply put, I'm not going back to a PC except for plastic parts or soft paint.



As long as you're well-read on the particulars of the rotary, you should be ok. Make sure you do the research first on usage and caveats.
 
docrice said:
I own a '01 VW GTI. I have polished exactly two cars in my life using a PC, including mine. 4" pads are required for any real effect on my clear. However, my time is important, so I got a Makita. Simply put, I'm not going back to a PC except for plastic parts or soft paint.



As long as you're well-read on the particulars of the rotary, you should be ok. Make sure you do the research first on usage and caveats.
Click to expand...



See, I'm with you - except I use my flex on plastic parts, and I use my rotary on soft paint because there is nothing like that combination.
 
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