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How often do you guys break these out and use them. I have a set of gsf rims that have some light scratches from shipping and a small dent in it so not sure how to approach it.
Not very often as you don't have to be correcting if you have proper wash and drying techniques. At some level, you'll occur some minor scratches, but those will buff out pretty easily.
Reviving this thread as I'm getting serious about purchasing a polisher of some sort. My paint is in great condition and only requires touch ups once a year or so.
The Griots garage and Porter cable both look like good options.. money well spent purchasing either of them I take it??
[QUOTE=SeanO;10286140]Reviving this thread as I'm getting serious about purchasing a polisher of some sort. My paint is in great condition and only requires touch ups once a year or so.
The Griots garage and Porter cable both look like good options.. money well spent purchasing either of them I take it??[/QUOT
Sean-
I would NOT steer you wrong my friend! Feel free to check out several other Forums I'm on w same Screen Name (Dodge Cummins, AutoGeek, Ducati)
Been using the Porter Cable 7424XP for YEARS and have not had ONE incident, mishap, error, or damaged paint on 6 cars since buying it in, hmmm - 2006 maybe?
As stated above, id like to consider myself somewhat of an Amateur Detailer - meaning i don't do anything for money on friends cars and trucks.
The PC comes with enough to get started, and can even be bought with Products (I use Pinnacle) all together off many Detailer Sites. (I'd wait until AutoGeek offers 25% off as they do once a month) It will have the Pad Mounts which screw into the unit, and the different colored pads which indicate what type of matter you wish to tackle. Im sure you've done your homework already. When I say this thing is literally "Foolproof" I truly mean it. There really is no way you can screw up your paint unless you forget to put a Pad on, or tighten the backer down.If your paint has no swirl marks and is in top shape, no need to do anything more than applying whatever your favorite type of wax is - Liquid Waxes obviously work best with this machine. If you DO have swirl marks and some "Light" contamination that doesn't require doing Clay Bar work - then use the respective pad, and an Advanced Polisher prior to doing wax. No doubt someone here uses the Griots machine-which I cannot comment on since I never tried one, therefore would never bad mouth it. Just my 7 cents for a Thursday morning man! Best wishes with whatever you get, and if you ever want details on anything, feel free to PM me with ANY questions whatsoever!
Semper FI !!!
Reviving this thread as I'm getting serious about purchasing a polisher of some sort. My paint is in great condition and only requires touch ups once a year or so.
The Griots garage and Porter cable both look like good options.. money well spent purchasing either of them I take it??
Either machine should be fine. I'd lean towards the griots because it's supposed to be slightly more powerful.
Originally Posted by GunnyFitz
ADDENDUM _ Just looked and AutoGeek is running that 25% Discount right now (Thursday August 23rd!)
Polishers are usually off limits with discount codes. If you get a unique discount code from autogeek (the ones they don't advertise) or wait it out for a "no exclusions" sale you can buy a pc, griots, or flex at a discount. Rupes doesn't go on sale.
Awesome fellas thanks for the help. I've also read that the Griot's has a slightly larger motor which helps when applying pressure. I also like the handle better on the Griot's as its more adjustable.
Do you guys use 3" backing plates with your 6" orbital? I was thinking the 6" and 3" would work well for any contours on the car.. Just need to get a 3" backing plate and install it..
Amazon has good prices on the Griot orbital I might just end up buying it from there..
Awesome fellas thanks for the help. I've also read that the Griot's has a slightly larger motor which helps when applying pressure. I also like the handle better on the Griot's as its more adjustable.
Do you guys use 3" backing plates with your 6" orbital? I was thinking the 6" and 3" would work well for any contours on the car.. Just need to get a 3" backing plate and install it..
Amazon has good prices on the Griot orbital I might just end up buying it from there..
I've never liked using the handles with the machines. I'm more inclined to hold the machines at an angle when the handle is mounted.
I use 4", and 5.5" pads with my porter cable. I prefer the 5.5" over the 6.5" pads because it's easier to get up close to the edge. Plus the smaller size is a little bit cheaper which helps when buying in bulk.
I've never liked using the handles with the machines. I'm more inclined to hold the machines at an angle when the handle is mounted.
I use 4", and 5.5" pads with my porter cable. I prefer the 5.5" over the 6.5" pads because it's easier to get up close to the edge. Plus the smaller size is a little bit cheaper which helps when buying in bulk.
How do you find the 4" pads with the porter cable? Mine just showed up today I bought backing plates for 4" pads and 6" pads but it says 6" pads only right on the thing.. Do you just keep the speed a bit lower or?
How do you find the 4" pads with the porter cable? Mine just showed up today I bought backing plates for 4" pads and 6" pads but it says 6" pads only right on the thing.. Do you just keep the speed a bit lower or?
You can get 4in pads on Amazon, Autogeek, Detailed Image and other places. It says 6in pads only on the PC? That is incorrect unless they are just talking 6in pads for the 5 or 5 1/2 backing plate which is true. You use the 4" pads with the 3 or 3 1/2 backing plate. You don't have to keep the speed lower for the 4in pads.
How do you find the 4" pads with the porter cable? Mine just showed up today I bought backing plates for 4" pads and 6" pads but it says 6" pads only right on the thing.. Do you just keep the speed a bit lower or?
I don't use the 4" pads too often on the porter cable. I only use it on areas that are really compact (like bumpers). The 4" pads are unbalanced on the machine, so the amount of vibration increases. I do turn the speed down by 1, but if I need more speed, then I'll up the speed and increase the pressure on the machine.
I mostly use 5.5" pads, and I have the appropriate 5" counterweight for the machine. The PC comes with a 6" counterweight installed from the factory.
If you were asking where to get pads, then UDel covered all of that and the info about BP size relative to pad size.
Have a '16 ES350. I usually try to get a coat of wax on her twice a year but I am developing some issues with my hands/wrist. I have always done it the old fashioned way by hand but i am wondering about the Orbital Buffers/Polishers in the $30-$50 range. Any recommendations? Are these "you get what you pay for" or are there some out there worth the while? Not looking to do any heavy polishing or anything like that.............just wax on/wax off. I have never used a buffer/polisher before.
THANKS!
Yep the Harbor freight dual action polisher gives you the most bang for your buck hands down. It's in your price range to just upgrade the backing pad if you must.
If you're looking for the lowest cost of entry, Harbour Freight's DA is not a bad choice at all...
A nice step up is the Porter Cable, followed closely by the Griot's Garage 6.
I personally opted for the GG6 primarily due to the more powerful motor and lifetime warranty, GG really stands behind their products and while the Rupes crowd likes to hate on 'em, I enjoyed mine so much that I ended up buying a GG Boss 15 long-throw for bigger projects. I also am a big fan of the GG Boss creams.
Check out AutoGeek and see if Mike is doing a clinic anywhere near you in the future...it could be a great opportunity to get in some hands-on time and practice with different DA's before you pull the trigger, and you'll learn from one of the absolute best in the game.
Have a '16 ES350. I usually try to get a coat of wax on her twice a year but I am developing some issues with my hands/wrist. I have always done it the old fashioned way by hand but I am wondering about the Orbital Buffers/Polishers in the $30-$50 range. Any recommendations? Are these "you get what you pay for" or are there some out there worth the while? Not looking to do any heavy polishing or anything like that.............just wax on/wax off. I have never used a buffer/polisher before.
THANKS!
I am a mechanic, and I use heavy polishing machines but as I learned from my experience that using the wrong machine can cause you some serious problems. As I would suggest you to look for a reasonable Dual Action Polisher because it will prevent you from damaging your car.
08-06-18, 04:53 PM
Porter cable !!
