Time saved with rotary vs. PC

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doc-rice

New member
I nudged this question into another thread but didn't get a full answer so I'm posting it again (as it was originally somewhat off-topic anyway).



I've done a few cars with the PC so far and each time it takes me 15 - 20 hours to go through the polishing stage. I'm either really slow or just deliberately careful (and I'm also working on hard clears in not-so-great condition). I might be doing a few more of my friends' cars and considering the amount of time I spend polishing, I'm thinking it might be worth jumping to a rotary to save time (practicing on a few junkyard pieces first). I can put down $200 for a rotary, and if I can save even a day or two's amount of work vs. the PC, it'd be worth it for me.



So to boil down the question: in general (with much estimation I'm sure) with all else being equal, how much time would one save when using the rotary on a given car, assuming equal amount of experience with the PC?
 
ALOT less that 15hrs!



I would say you can polish a car in about a 1/4 of the time BUT you have alot more of achance of ruining the paint





Put it this way I have a rotary and still use PC cause i dont have confidence in ti to use it on a customers car
 
Honestly, I could do a car in 8 hrs with the PC and get mediocre job. I can do a job on the rotary in 8 hours but basically have the car 99.99% defect free.



I think if you learn the rotary and the way the polishes break down on it. I think you will be able to speed up a remarkable amount and still getting better results. I believe its common since, if you LEARN the rotary the right way and learn to use it, you will get better results in a faster time than with the PC.
 
I learned the rotary on boats. It started doing my father's 21 footer....then 23...then 32....then 31....then 40!!!! In between, I would use a DA at times, as we only had one rotary, one DA. This will never happen again!!! I now have a 21' Triton 205, my personal boat. I just did it the other day with a rotary. Understand, I "wax" this boat three times a year, but it still cuts my time drastically.



Rotary is the way to go, but it takes practice... and lots of it. If you have never really had any experience with a rotary, do what a lot of guys suggest. Go to a local junkyard, but a hood/door that is in bad shape, but reclaimable. Work on it an refine your techinique. Learn your different pad/product/rpm combinations. It is an ongoing process. And trust me (and most others), this is the right place to search for suggestions!!!



By the way, here is a pic of my boat:



DSC00819.jpg
 
I have a rotary and PC and find the rotory best for correction and the PC for finish work. The pads fit both machines, so no duplicate expense. There is an art to detailing a car that takes time to develop. The rotory takes practice and its easy to go overboard pretty quick. Find someone to give you a few lessons and the junk yard hood or trunk lid is a good test bed. The first detail or two, the rotory will probably not save you any time. But your speed will improve with practice and experience. But if you need a rotory a lot, then you're taking on a lot of dogs!
 
doc-rice said:
I nudged this question into another thread but didn't get a full answer so I'm posting it again (as it was originally somewhat off-topic anyway).



I've done a few cars with the PC so far and each time it takes me 15 - 20 hours to go through the polishing stage. I'm either really slow or just deliberately careful (and I'm also working on hard clears in not-so-great condition). I might be doing a few more of my friends' cars and considering the amount of time I spend polishing, I'm thinking it might be worth jumping to a rotary to save time (practicing on a few junkyard pieces first). I can put down $200 for a rotary, and if I can save even a day or two's amount of work vs. the PC, it'd be worth it for me.



So to boil down the question: in general (with much estimation I'm sure) with all else being equal, how much time would one save when using the rotary on a given car, assuming equal amount of experience with the PC?
Click to expand...



The amount of time it's taking you to do a complete polishing job with a PC sounds perfect to me; that's the same time range it was taking me, as well. Expect to cut the time in half, once you're proficient with a rotary. I can now do a three stage polishing job on a large car in the 8 to 10 hour range.
 
I can't put a number on it, but using the rotary saves a *HUGE* amount of time when I do use it.



More importantly, it lets me get more correction done on very hard paint in the time I can/will spend. I could probably get the Audis 95% via PC/Cyclo, but I simply won't spend that kind of time (many hours per panel) on this stuff. A few hours by rotary actually *accomplishes* something significant.



On softer paint though, I don't need/use the rotary. I can do the Mazda MPV just fine with a PC/Cyclo and the time I'd save with the rotary would be offset by time spent taping and the danger of damaging the soft, thin paint. Even the PC has caused some issues on that thing (really crappy OE paintjob on that one) so it's plenty aggressive enough.



Guess it just depends on what you're working on.
 
I don't foresee working on an Audi anytime soon, but certainly VW. I'm assuming they have equivalent tough clear coats? I might be also working on a couple of '99 Ford Mustangs, but I'm not sure how the paint is on those. Hondas, on the other hand, I hear is soft / thin and I'll probably just use the PC on those.
 
doc-rice said:
I don't foresee working on an Audi anytime soon, but certainly VW. I'm assuming they have equivalent tough clear coats? I might be also working on a couple of '99 Ford Mustangs, but I'm not sure how the paint is on those. Hondas, on the other hand, I hear is soft / thin and I'll probably just use the PC on those.
Click to expand...



AFAIK VWs are usually about the same as Audis. I've heard that Fords are fairly soft but no first-hand experience.
 
i would have to say that its alot eaiser to correct with a rotary then it is with a PC. But the way i look at it is no matter which one your using its just how good you are with either and how much time it will actually take to correct and polish everything the way you want.
 
I'm curious about rotary vs PC also, when you say 10+ hours, does that mean 10+ hours of actual PC on the car time? I have a PC but havent used it extensively yet.
 
doc-rice said:
I nudged this question into another thread but didn't get a full answer so I'm posting it again (as it was originally somewhat off-topic anyway).



I've done a few cars with the PC so far and each time it takes me 15 - 20 hours to go through the polishing stage. I'm either really slow or just deliberately careful (and I'm also working on hard clears in not-so-great condition). I might be doing a few more of my friends' cars and considering the amount of time I spend polishing, I'm thinking it might be worth jumping to a rotary to save time (practicing on a few junkyard pieces first). I can put down $200 for a rotary, and if I can save even a day or two's amount of work vs. the PC, it'd be worth it for me.



So to boil down the question: in general (with much estimation I'm sure) with all else being equal, how much time would one save when using the rotary on a given car, assuming equal amount of experience with the PC?
Click to expand...



how many steps or you doing? 15-20 hours just for polishing sounds like ALOT of time. a rotary would save you alot of yuor time. with all the new abrasives in the polishes you should only need to do a 2step polish. 3step for extreme correction. with a rotary should only take about 3hours for 2 step. and that is at the very most. i have done it.



as far as the money you have to spend oin a rotary. $200 will get you a nice one. go for the hitachi. i have seen them from $160-$180. it is a great machine. has i think 5year warranty,as long as you register it.
 
I generally agree with stiff dog in that I spend about the same amount of time with my rotary that I was with the PC but the results are MUCH better. I've never gone more than a full day(6hours) with my rotary and that's when it's 99.5% finished. Further, I can't imagine ever needing 15 - 20 hours with a rotary so you would definately save some time there.
 
doc-rice said:
I nudged this question into another thread but didn't get a full answer so I'm posting it again (as it was originally somewhat off-topic anyway).



I've done a few cars with the PC so far and each time it takes me 15 - 20 hours to go through the polishing stage. I'm either really slow or just deliberately careful (and I'm also working on hard clears in not-so-great condition). I might be doing a few more of my friends' cars and considering the amount of time I spend polishing, I'm thinking it might be worth jumping to a rotary to save time (practicing on a few junkyard pieces first). I can put down $200 for a rotary, and if I can save even a day or two's amount of work vs. the PC, it'd be worth it for me.



So to boil down the question: in general (with much estimation I'm sure) with all else being equal, how much time would one save when using the rotary on a given car, assuming equal amount of experience with the PC?
Click to expand...



just found this while i was surfing. it is right in you price range.



Basic Rotary Kit
 
keep_it_clean said:
how many steps or you doing? 15-20 hours just for polishing sounds like ALOT of time. a rotary would save you alot of yuor time. with all the new abrasives in the polishes you should only need to do a 2step polish. 3step for extreme correction. with a rotary should only take about 3hours for 2 step. and that is at the very most. i have done it.



as far as the money you have to spend oin a rotary. $200 will get you a nice one. go for the hitachi. i have seen them from $160-$180. it is a great machine. has i think 5year warranty,as long as you register it.
Click to expand...

agree totally, although I understand being a bit OCD, but time is money in this profession and unless there paying by the hour, I am not spending that much time on the paint, even a completely hammered, scratched and swirled car 6-8 hours tops and thats rotary compound heavy, rotary polish, polish with DA and seal/wax by hand
 
keep_it_clean said:
just found this while i was surfing. it is right in you price range.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads-up. I may consider this, although I was initially looking at the Makita. I guess I'll have to spend some more time researching this if I do decide to go rotary.
 
doc-rice said:
Thanks for the heads-up. I may consider this, although I was initially looking at the Makita. I guess I'll have to spend some more time researching this if I do decide to go rotary.
Click to expand...





hitachi is a very light weight machine. and also has a soft start to prevent slinging.



metabo 5lbs

hitachi 6.4lbs(5lbs) 2 different weights were stated

makita 6.6lbs

dewalt 8.25lbs

milwaukee 8.75lbs



has alot of the same features as the metabo just $100-$150 cheaper



the hitachi has 11amp motor -vs- makita's 10amp. not sure if it matters to you but the hitachi is like 1.5 inches shorter
 
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