CAdetailer
12-29-2021, 02:14 PM
Been using the Chicago Electric (HF) DA for 8 or so years and it finally kicked the bucket (it fell off a bucket and broke the body in two internally) so it's time to get a new one.
Not new to Polishing, started on rotary's back in the day, spent 8 years on the HF doing a couple cars a year. I just bought the GG 5" vented backing plate for the HF DA and it runs much cooler than the old Meg's I smoked on a boat gel coat. I'm also running Buff & Shine 5" flat reticulated pads so I'm fairly set up in the backing plate, pads, and product departments.
No production work all personal stuff that is generally well maintained but has a lot of real estate (1 black SUV, 1 mid sized sedan, 1 full sized Ram extra cab long bed with camper shell, 30 foot box trailer with 750 sqft aluminum enamel panels (no clear coat) + 250 sqft of roof, 30 ft boat, 22 ft boat. I really only do serious correction when something new comes in to the family as it's usually some clapped out piece of crap I'll fix & clean up. Most of my polishing is light contaminant removal and light clean up or thin enamel on aluminum panels with no clear coat.
Based on this I'm looking at the GG6 ($80) or the GG9 ($100) or the GG15 ($250). If I can plastic weld the body back together on the HF DA I'll keep it and run it with some 3" backing plates and pads I have for reaching smaller spaces. If I can't I'm also looking at a PC 7424 ($80) and a small pad/ back up machine.
From my research the GG6 and the GG9 are basically the same machine??? 6 has slightly less throw (8mm), power, & rpm range BUT does higher rpms (2800-6800) VS. 2000-6400 so these and the PC 7424 are pretty similar/ grouped together and the GG15 kind of stands on its own because of the throw?
Given what I use this for, how often I use it, what I already have, and what I can get these for what machine(s) would you recommend based on experience not what you think is best (I can guess for myself)?
P.S. I already have a rotary with wool pads set up so the really heavy lifting is done with that.
P.P.S. I was looking at the Flex 3401 but it seems like it a heavy correction focused machine and would probably eat right through my trailer panels in a hot second, so I'm thinking that's out?
Thanks
Not new to Polishing, started on rotary's back in the day, spent 8 years on the HF doing a couple cars a year. I just bought the GG 5" vented backing plate for the HF DA and it runs much cooler than the old Meg's I smoked on a boat gel coat. I'm also running Buff & Shine 5" flat reticulated pads so I'm fairly set up in the backing plate, pads, and product departments.
No production work all personal stuff that is generally well maintained but has a lot of real estate (1 black SUV, 1 mid sized sedan, 1 full sized Ram extra cab long bed with camper shell, 30 foot box trailer with 750 sqft aluminum enamel panels (no clear coat) + 250 sqft of roof, 30 ft boat, 22 ft boat. I really only do serious correction when something new comes in to the family as it's usually some clapped out piece of crap I'll fix & clean up. Most of my polishing is light contaminant removal and light clean up or thin enamel on aluminum panels with no clear coat.
Based on this I'm looking at the GG6 ($80) or the GG9 ($100) or the GG15 ($250). If I can plastic weld the body back together on the HF DA I'll keep it and run it with some 3" backing plates and pads I have for reaching smaller spaces. If I can't I'm also looking at a PC 7424 ($80) and a small pad/ back up machine.
From my research the GG6 and the GG9 are basically the same machine??? 6 has slightly less throw (8mm), power, & rpm range BUT does higher rpms (2800-6800) VS. 2000-6400 so these and the PC 7424 are pretty similar/ grouped together and the GG15 kind of stands on its own because of the throw?
Given what I use this for, how often I use it, what I already have, and what I can get these for what machine(s) would you recommend based on experience not what you think is best (I can guess for myself)?
P.S. I already have a rotary with wool pads set up so the really heavy lifting is done with that.
P.P.S. I was looking at the Flex 3401 but it seems like it a heavy correction focused machine and would probably eat right through my trailer panels in a hot second, so I'm thinking that's out?
Thanks