I tested the Makita rotary water yesterday!

[Spilchy]

Well, I haved joined the rotary club! :up



I jumped right in without practice on a customer's white Acura :scared I figured Baptism by fire



I have worked on this Acura before and received the owner's permission to test the Makita.



I taped all trim and emblems and covered all the windows with newspaper. Took about 15 minutes but WELL worth it! It was sling city with the product! I wore a belt of polish along my waist the first few passes. The covered windows got a good coating too



I love the wind up of the Makita to full speed and then the ability to lock it in place. To start I used my trusty #80 Speed Glaze with an old orange LC pad that has lost a little bite. The pad was misted once with FI.



I was a little nervous which was evident my first 2 minutes. I allowed the rotary to take me for a ride instead of controlling it, if you guys know what I mean! I had to reel her in a bit - let her know who is boss. She was like a Tasmanian Devil the first 5 minutes! I started out at 900rpm and then moved up to @1250 where I stayed for the duration of the car.



I found that the faster speed was easier to control. I allowed the polisher to move accross the surface without much pressure. It just glided nice and smooth from left to right in a slow, uniform fashion with very a methodical broad stroke. I just didn't go a zillion miles and hour up and down, left to right. Also, I found that next to no pressure and a light grip on the rotary was best. I had problems if I tightly gripped it. If you clench up and get all wound up and uptight, you'll have problems. In essence, I simply let it rip and I just gently guided it. Let the weight of the polisher (with a little pressure) guide you accross the surface and break the product down. I like the handle too including the "tail" handle on the bottom. It is light and well balanced.



The product breaks down real fast leaving an incredible near perfect, glass-like / mirror-like finish. It was remarkable! 99% of the flaws just went away in seconds! I won't go in to how great the rotary is. We know it's benefits over the PC. After the whole car was polished with #80 I could have easily gone to my LSP, but I used NXT with a PC (and then topped with #16 by hand).



HOWEVER (and maybe someone can help me here)... Out of nowhere, I would lose control and she would go haywire and skip and bounce on the surface. I had to shut it off and start up again. Also, I found that she didn't like going up and down, rather only left to right. When I tried going up and down, she would pull hard to the right.



How have you guys mastered controlling it? Particulary going up and down. I noticed my issues would occur when the polish would start to dry up an cake up. But even when it was wet, going up and down was hard :nixweiss



Now...about those holograms...NONE!!! After polishing, I pulled the car into the sun and even took out my 1000 W halogens. Zero. I know it's white, but I couldn't see any, no matter how I scrutinized it. Also, 99% swirls and scratches were gone. It was amazing. I only saw little whisps of tiny little scratches here and there. Nothing anybody but us would notice.



It's common sense - Use a light polish, a nice clean polishing pad, slower speeds and you should be ok. Move up the scale as required. I'm sure when I do a dark car, I may have them, but they are easily cleared up with a PC (done it a zillion times).



Overall, I am hooked. Polishing time was cut in half. Sling became minimal but annoying once I got the hang of it. Controlling it was very good for the most part (not great). I still need some practice and help with the up and down motions. Again, Any feedback would be appreciated.



I look forward to using a heavier polish and pad for surface correction.



Again, the rotary isn't "hard". It's common sense, a relaxed confident attitude along with a strategy in mind on how to attack the surface.



If you ain't got one yet, what are you waiting for? :xyxthumbs



Thanks for your time guys :wavey

 

[Corey Bit Spank]

Congrats. I'm going to learn soon.

 

[Accumulator]

Spilchy- Glad to hear your first rotary experience went so well!



The control issue might be somewhat a function of your product. #80 isn't the greatest for use by rotary, it sorta gums up a little and that might have contributed to the wrestling match. Other than that, it's just a matter of gaining experience. IMO it's never quite as easy when you go counter to the machine's rotation, just the nature of the thing.

 

[Bill D]

That's great!



I'm working on reducing sling. Tried the technique in the Megs vidoe as well as smearing with the pad beforehand--gotta try that with the edge of the pad next. I'm glad I have an apron to wear. I'm betting pretty soon I'm going to go ahead and just do the marring that's been bothering me for a very long time now

 

[kempie]

I use the 3M pads and Menzerna Intensive w/the rotary and have very little sling.

As for control, keeping the pad level to the surface is the most important part of control.

Sometimes I will have to mist the pad twice before all the product is used up.

Rotary is the only way for me to go now, followed by the PC.

 

[jerry@robs]

gumming up pads lead to skipping, as does the angle of the buffer.



try to hold the buffer differently when working up and down, soon you'll find an angle that best "rides" with the torque of the machine and it'll glide smoothly regardless of what direction you're buffing...



Welcome to the club



Be very careful with hops, as each hop-landing can cause a permanent burn.

 

[jimmybuffit]

Spur.



Clean the pad at least after every panel, if not more often. A toothbrush works for foam pads.



When it starts to hop, manipuating the 'tail' gently, left/right, up/down, sems to help. But, cleaning the pad is best.



Jim

 

[Spilchy]

Thanks guys for the tips :xyxthumbs



I found holding it at a SLIGHT angle greatlt helped with the control. I know too much of an angle is no good.



I just wish the Meguiar's video was still up and running. I would of loved one last look before I used the rotary Oh well, maybe when DavidB increases the bandwidth, he'll put it back

 

[Bill D]

Spilchy,



You have to constantly reload it and take a break and come back to it here and there, but eventually each segment of the video will play.



For me, more so than sling, I have most difficulty guiding the rotary from top to bottom, lots of resistance from the buffer. I'm going to try and practice again just in this direction on that blasted silver fender . I will be sure to use plenty of product, mist the pad and I have orrdered a pad cleaning tool :up