Should I be paying more attention to my DA?

O

OnTheSpotMobile

New member
Over the years I've grown apart from my DA with regards to correction work. Actually I never really liked it much from the start. It's an Ultimate Detailing Machine I picked up from Autogeek. I found myself steering clear of it and eventually avoiding it like the plague. It vibrates my hands to death and gives them a sickly feel right down to the bone within seconds at any speed above 4. I use it every day however for LSP application at speeds less than 3.



I've become dependent on my rotaries for all correction work and they have done the job just fine, however I find myself taking forever on some jobs to finish out properly. What has got me to thinking lately is that with the option of the Meguiars MF correction system and some of the other polishes that are designed with DA polishers in mind, I may be missing out on an opportunity here while I stand here frowning away at my jack hammer of a DA.



I've decided to go ahead and pick up a new DA (I've chosen the Griots DA), and the MF System and just go ahead and put it to use and see how I make out. I would like to hear your thoughts on how you are incorporating DAs into your business. Most importantly, can your DA save you time over the use of your rotary?
 
I personally use my DA way more than my rotary. I think the DA is an extremely capable machine and has really put my rotaries sitting on the shelf collecting dust. I have the Griots DA as well and really like it, I think you will too.
 
I use the PC7424XP and have actually not touched my rotary since I learned the Kevin Brown method using M105 for correction. I can correct most paint just as fast with the PC now and never have to worry about paint damage, buffer trails, etc. Alot of paint will even finish down LSP ready with the M105 on a DA which saves alot of time.
 
I use my PC7424XP and flex way more than my Dewalt rotary. Basically the only time I pick up my rotary is when correcting any wet sanding that I did, but I eventually finish off with the PC.It does save time of not having to tape off as much, much less clean up due to less "sling" and they finish down hologram free. As for me, I could never finish down hologram free on a rotary...just something I find very difficult.
 
OnTheSpotMobile said:
Over the years I've grown apart from my DA with regards to correction work. Actually I never really liked it much from the start. It's an Ultimate Detailing Machine I picked up from Autogeek. I found myself steering clear of it and eventually avoiding it like the plague. It vibrates my hands to death and gives them a sickly feel right down to the bone within seconds at any speed above 4. I use it every day however for LSP application at speeds less than 3.



I've become dependent on my rotaries for all correction work and they have done the job just fine, however I find myself taking forever on some jobs to finish out properly. What has got me to thinking lately is that with the option of the Meguiars MF correction system and some of the other polishes that are designed with DA polishers in mind, I may be missing out on an opportunity here while I stand here frowning away at my jack hammer of a DA.



I've decided to go ahead and pick up a new DA (I've chosen the Griots DA), and the MF System and just go ahead and put it to use and see how I make out. I would like to hear your thoughts on how you are incorporating DAs into your business. Most importantly, can your DA save you time over the use of your rotary?
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I also still have my UDM 1.0 (had been called by some as someone's Ultimate Disappointing Machine) but I do not use it with the side handle so the vibes are acceptable (did not seem worse than Griots with the handle). My unit still works but I am shopping too. It still performs better than the original PC 7424 (does not stop spinning easily).
 
Still need to use my Dewalt for Audis and really nasty swirls, the rest of the time I can use my 7424 XP and either a yellow LC CCS pad and Optimum Hyper Compound or the new Meguiars MF cutting disc and D300 or #105.
 
havent touched a rotary in almost two years!!!! it used to be the 105/orange combo for a couple passes, but now its surbuf and 105 with one pass to get 90-95% correction.



I still have no clue how people are finishing on ANY paint with 105. The gloss levels are nowhere near what they could/should be. Its a two step process at least when 105 comes out. 105/cyan pad doesnt finish out good enough for me, nor does 105/tangerine hydro pad. There is just too big of a difference that powerfinish one a white pad will make for me not to follow up the 105 process. I would rather leave some defects in the paint and have them blended rather than remove but not have glossy paint....maybe thats just me
 
Scottwax said:
Still need to use my Dewalt for Audis
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Roger that. It seems even for micromarring, if you have an Audi, you best have a rotary too. I do spy a Griot's DA in my arsenal pretty soon though.
 
I've been playing around with the KBM a bit this week. This method was not in existence, or I had not found it posted here at the time I was first playing around with my DA in the past for correction. I'm having some promising results here! I think I am going to have some fun making this switch over. I do not always work in ideal light conditions so I could use some peace of mind that I haven't left holograms that I didn't spot. I am super careful about not producing holograms in my work and that is just taking way too much time. Can't wait for the next vehicle to come along! I'm busy with boats this week... rotary and wool here I come :)
 
toyotaguy said:
..I still have no clue how people are finishing on ANY paint with 105. The gloss levels are nowhere near what they could/should be. Its a two step process at least when 105 comes out..
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That's my experience too, although on some very hard paints M105 finishes out surprisingly well (at least until I get out the SunGun for a *real* inspection). BUT...people I respect insist that if I could just do it correctly, using a finishing pad, the M105 would finish out fine. I can't seem to do it, but there are all sorts of things like that...doesn't mean somebody else can't do it :nixweiss
 
toyotaguy said:
havent touched a rotary in almost two years!!!! it used to be the 105/orange combo for a couple passes, but now its surbuf and 105 with one pass to get 90-95% correction.



I still have no clue how people are finishing on ANY paint with 105. The gloss levels are nowhere near what they could/should be. Its a two step process at least when 105 comes out. 105/cyan pad doesnt finish out good enough for me, nor does 105/tangerine hydro pad. There is just too big of a difference that powerfinish one a white pad will make for me not to follow up the 105 process. I would rather leave some defects in the paint and have them blended rather than remove but not have glossy paint....maybe thats just me
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Eric how are ya man? Been a while. I bolded the statement I still have no clue how people are finishing down with M105. Its actually quite simple. look at this way. Gloss is measured by how smooth and flat a surface is on a microscopic level. Obvious color depth plays a major role. when clearcoat is perfectly flat and level it reflects more light. Swirls and such will cause then paint to refract light instead on reflect it. Anytime you remove clear then refine it its gonna reflect more light. The by product ( polish or compound ) will aid in this. A product like Menzerna powerfinish is a diminishing abrasive so once the abrasive is broken down there is no more cut. If you overwork the product the abrasive actually becomes the pad. With m105 its a non dimishing abrasive. The abasive will not breakdown. These prodducts are completely different in all aspects. I was talking to a good friend about all this and look at it completely different when finishing down with 105. Most products are measured on a scale of 1 to 10. 10 being the most cut. Intstead of thinking how much cut does this product have look at as Rate of cut. Im gonna compare from my exsperiance HDUno vs M105. Both products I love to death and can finish down on. Both products are non diminishing abraisves. They are completely different products to work. M105's rate of cut is fast and to the point. Hduno has a slower rate of cut. Now what this means is that with Uno I work it a little longer to get more cut, as opposed to M105 It custs instantly. NOw we can look at it like this, comparing m105 vs m205. Once is a polish and one is a compound, but both share the exact same abrasive? How is this possible? Think about it M105 is designed to cut faster, as opposed to 205 will cut slower but finish down easier. Its about the oils in the polish. There rate of cuts are different. Ill bet you can get the same results with 205 as 105 when it comes to removing defects. It will just take you a whole lot longer. Work m105 the right way with the right products and your golden. Same with HD Uno.



Now the next step is getting paint clean. once your done polishing and you are truely stripping paint of all oils do you really think you will see a difference in gloss between to products? Once paint is flat its flat. how will one polish look better then another after its oils are gone? Powerfinish is widely know for its filling capabilities. Yes it fills like crazy. If your finishing down with powerfinish and not removing all the oils, these oils will mask the defects and and fill then in creating a artifical layer.At this point your cheating and the oils are creating the gloss and not the paint itself. Thats hy its important to remove all oils.



Long story short If any of this makes sense, Finishing with m105 is easy if you look at things a little different. At the end of the day who really cares as long as your happy and your customer is as well.



TO the OP Due with whatever your comfortable with, but a DA is a very usefull tool.
 
I use my DA's a lot more than my rotary polishers now, especially since the Surbuf and MF pads came into play. Both tools still have their advantages and weakness's, but I wouldn't want to be without one or the other.



I don't find the vibration to be an issue but some people's hand may be different.







Barry, where did you hear that the M105/M205 abrasives are exactly the same? That's news to me....
 
RaskyR1 said:
Barry, where did you hear that the M105/M205 abrasives are exactly the same? That's news to me....
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I've read this somewhere too, but for the life of me I can't remember where. :frown1:

Now that I think about it, it might have been that the abrasives are the same but their concentration is different.
 
RaskyR1 said:
I use my DA's a lot more than my rotary polishers now, especially since the Surbuf and MF pads came into play. Both tools still have their advantages and weakness's, but I wouldn't want to be without one or the other.



I don't find the vibration to be an issue but some people's hand may be different.
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Numerous people on here (including myself) have had gripes about the vibration from a PCXP over a Griot's. I returned my PCXP and got a Griot's and couldn't be happier (especially my hands). The PC felt like my hands were being crushed by Goliath with me wearing my wedding band (in case you've ever felt this sort of a sensation).
 
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