Bumblebee - Testing out the NEW DeWALT DWP849X

[Old Tiger]

I agree with a guy needs a heavy and a light rotary. My kids got me a Festool Shine-X a while back. It weighs only 4.2 pounds and is magnificent with 5.25" pads. Jewelling is a breeze with it.

[choijw2]

Test Spot Results

Did 3 Test Spots starting with the least aggressive products and pads to get the job done...

After each section was buffed I then wiped the section clean using MS followed by IPA.

The percentages below are simply based upon experience from doing compound and polish testing. Usually it's timed, for this test I just counted to 6 section passes after 1 pass to spread the product out.

• Test Spot 1 - Optimum Finish with a Gray CS Finishing pad on 1000 RPM - 65% Swirl Removal

• Test Spot 2 - Optimum Polish II with White CS Polishing Pad at 1000 RPM - 80% Swirl Removal

• Test Spot 3 - Optimum Compound with an Orange CS Cutting Pad at 1000 RPM - 95% Swirl Removal

After the compounding on Test Spot 3 I then re-polished using the gray finishing pad with the Optimum Finish and chemically stripped again with both MS and IPA and the finish looked swirl free. The sun is too far down in the sky to pull the car out and inspect in the sun so all I used was the Brinkmann Swirl Finder Light.






Tried to take close-up shots across from where I marked the painter's tape with the numbers, 1, 2, and 3 but what I could see with my eyes I just couldn't capture with my camera.

Bump,


Mike, I see that you used same RPM for all test spots.

Just wondering, because I also met someone who compound and polish at only 600rpm even with smaller 3" pads.

[Mike Phillips]

Bump,


Mike, I see that you used same RPM for all test spots.

Just wondering, because I also met someone who compound and polish at only 600rpm even with smaller 3" pads.

It's kind of personal preference but here's my opinion and practice....

You don't need to run rotary buffers at high speed. Back in the old days when there were only 2-speed rotary buffers, a low and a high speed setting the low was like 1500 RPM or higher. So your least aggressive option was still aggressive.

Then varible speed rotary buffers were introduced and the low on these was 1500 RPM so even the lowest speed setting was still fast or aggressive.

Fact is Clearcoats don't like heat, that is it's NOT good to heat up a clearcoat. On page 124 of my how-to book, The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine I introduce the term,

Destructive Polishing

Which is a term I learned from Jason Rose, (I always give due credit where credit is due) and in that section I share to avoid temperatures over 160 to 180 degrees.

Anway, with smaller pads and modern compounds you don't need or you don't have to buff at high speeds you can acomplish the same work while keeping temperature lower at low speeds.

[precisionmobile85]

I think the rubber hand pad on the head of the buffer was a great idea. I use mostly a rotary with a stick but I def like that feature on the d.a.'s that I have used. It's comfortable and you have total controll over the movement of the machine. Glad to see they incorporated that on the dewalt.

[Mike Phillips]

I think the rubber hand pad on the head of the buffer was a great idea.

I use mostly a rotary with a stick but I def like that feature on the d.a.'s that I have used. It's comfortable and you have total control over the movement of the machine.

Glad to see they incorporated that on the DeWALT.

I agree. It is also the trend for car detailing power tools, that is a rubber overmold to provide a comfortable, ergonomic grip station on the tool.

The rubber overmold also helps to reduce felt heat from the tool as well as reduce felt vibration.


This was a very interesting car to buff out. For anyone that has not read the entire thread, it's jam-packed with lots of tips and techniques. Definitely a good read not just to learn about the DeWALT rotary buffer but about buffing with rotary buffers in general.

This was also a rotary buffer ONLY detail job with no visible holograms in the end results as shown by the Sun Shots.

[Mike Phillips]

Shared here,


Tire shop messed up my paint, sooo.....