Flex

[Jet Black]

I just ordered my flex3401 I know I just got my PC but it was disappointed using it on the doors for whatever reason it didn't want to spin, I probably didn't notice the first time I used it cause I was just excited to be detailing my own car. :doh:

I also picked up some Menzerna sf2500 and pf2500 and a few extra MF towels good earth day for me:xyxthumbs:

[mpkav]

I just ordered $300 in products! I've been waiting for earth day!! Haha...have fun with your new flex!!

[Mike Phillips]

I just ordered my flex3401 I know I just got my PC but it was disappointed using it on the doors for whatever reason it didn't want to spin, I probably didn't notice the first time I used it cause I was just excited to be detailing my own car. :doh:

I also picked up some Menzerna sf2500 and pf2500 and a few extra MF towels good earth day for me:xyxthumbs:



Bot are good tools, here's a tip to help you know when your pad is rotating or just vibrating against the paint when using a Porter Cable DA Polisher.


Video: Mark your backing plate to make it easy to see pad rotation (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/show-car-garage-how-videos/49489-video-mark-your-backing-plate-make-easy-see-pad-rotation.html)


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1423/MarkYourBackingPlate01.jpg

Here's a quick video that show how and why to mark your backing plate to see and monitor pad rotation while doing any correction or polishing steps.





How To Check Pad Rotation on a DA Polisher -...



It's also important to maintain pad rotation with PC style tools when using a one-step cleaner/wax or AIO type product on neglected paint.

It's not vital to maintain pad rotating when applying a finishing wax or finishing paint sealant to a finish that you've just buffed out.

Note: Finishing Waxes and Finishing Paint Sealants would be of the type that don't offer any cleaning or abrading ability.


:xyxthumbs:

[Mike Phillips]

I'm not sure the value of the 1957 Corvette I worked on this last Wednesday but it's a 95 to 100 point Certified Bloomington Gold NCRS Car so it's probably worth quite a bit.

The paint was swirled out and we used a Porter Cable to fix it...


:xyxthumbs:

[Mike Phillips]

Also, if you're new to the PC "style" of tool, be sure to read this BEFORE you need to troubleshoot...

DA Polisher Trouble Shooting Guide (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/37769-da-polisher-trouble-shooting-guide.html)



Tyler, age 15 removing swirls using a Porter Cable 7424XP Dual Action Polisher
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1436/medium/1965Plymouth035.jpg


When you're first starting out machine polishing and learning to use a DA Polisher it's common to have questions about your results and your results are directly tied to your technique.

Here's a list of the most common problems,

1. Trying to work too large of an area at one time.

2. Moving the polisher too fast over the surface.

3. Using too low of speed setting for removing swirls.

4. Using too little downward pressure on the head of the polisher.

5. Using too much downward pressure on the head of the polisher so the pad quits rotating.

6. Not holding the polisher in a way to keep the pad flat while working your compound or polish.

7. Using too much product or using too little product.

8. Not cleaning the pad often enough.

Here's a list of the solutions in matching order,

1. Trying to work too large of an area at one time.
Shrink the size of your work area down. You can't tackle to large of an area at one time. The average size work area should be around 20" by 20". Most generic recommendations say to work an area 2' by 2' but for the correction step, that's too large. You have to do some experimenting, (called a Test Spot), to find out how easy or how hard the defects are coming out of your car's paint system and then adjust your work area to the results of your Test Spot. The harder the paint the smaller the area you want to work.


2. Moving the polisher too fast over the surface.
For removing defects out of the paint you want to use what we call a Slow Arm Speed. It's easy and actually natural for most people new to machine polishing to move the polisher quickly over the paint but that's the wrong technique. One reason I think people move the polisher too quickly over the paint is because they hear the sound of the motor spinning fast and this has psychological effect which causes them to match their arm movement to the perceived fast speed of the polisher's motor.

Another reason people move the polisher too quickly over the paint is because they think like this,

"If I move the polisher quickly, I'll get done faster"

But it doesn't work that way. Anytime you're trying to remove swirls, scratches, water spots or oxidation using a DA Polisher you need to move the polisher s-l-o-w-l-y over the paint.



3. Using too low of speed setting for removing swirls.
When first starting out many people are scared of burning or swirling their paint, so they take the safe route of running the polisher at too low of a speed setting but this won't work. The action of the polisher is already g-e-n-t-l-e, you need the speed and specifically the pad oscillating and rotating over the paint as well as the combination of time, (slow arm speed), together with the abrasives, the pad aggressiveness, and the downward pressure to remove small particles of paint which is how your remove below surface defects like swirls or scratches.

Removing below surface defects is a leveling process where you need the abrasives to take little bites out of the paint and to get the abrasives to take these little bites with a tool that uses a Free Floating Spindle Bearing Assembly (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/23995-free-floating-spindle-assembly-story-behind-story.html) you need all of the above factors working for you including a high speed setting.



4. Using too little downward pressure on the head of the polisher.
For the same reason as stated in #3, people are scared, or perhaps a better word is apprehensive, to apply too much downward pressure to the polisher and the result of too little pressure is no paint is removed thus no swirls are removed.



5. Using too much downward pressure on the head of the polisher so the pad quits rotating.
If you push too hard you will slow down the rotating movement of the pad and the abrasives won't be effectively worked against the paint. You need to apply firm pressure to engage the abrasives against the paint but no so much that the pad is barely rotating. This is where it's a good idea to use a permanent black marker to make a mark on the back of your backing plate so your eyes can easily see if the pad is rotating or not and this will help you to adjust your downward pressure accordingly.

Correct technique means finding a balance of applying enough downward pressure to remove defects but not too much downward pressure as to stop the rotating movement of the pad.

This balance is affected by a lot of factors like the lubricity of the product you're using, some compounds and polishes provide more lubrication than others and this makes it easier to maintain pad rotation under pressure.

Another factor that can affect pad rotation are raised body lines, edges and curved surfaces as anytime you have uneven pressure on just a portion of the face of the pad it can slow or stop pad rotation. This is where experience comes into play and experience comes from time spent behind the polisher.



6. Not holding the polisher in a way to keep the pad flat while working your compound or polish.
Applying pressure in such a way as to put too much pressure to one edge of the pad will cause it to stop rotating and thus decrease abrading ability.



7. Using too much product or using too little product.
Too much product hyper-lubricates the surface and the result is that abrasives won't effectively bite into the paint but instead will tend to skim over the surface. Overusing product will also accelerate pad saturation as well increase the potential for slinging splatter onto adjacent panels.

Too little product will means too little lubrication and this can interfere with pad rotation.

Again there needs to be a balance between too much product and too little product and finding this balance comes from reading articles like this one, watching videos an most important, going out into the garage and putting in time behind the polisher and as you're buffing with specific product and pad combinations, pay attention to pad rotation.



8. Not cleaning the pad often enough.
Most people simply don't clean their pad often enough to maximize the effectiveness of their DA Polisher. Anytime you're abrading the paint you have two things building up on the face of your buffing pad,

Removed paint


Spent product

As these to things build up on the face of the pad they become gummy and this has a negative affect on pad rotating plus makes wiping the leftover residue on the paint more difficult. To maintain good pad rotation you want to clean your pad often and always wipe-off any leftover product residue off the paint after working a section. Never add fresh product to your pad and work a section that still has leftover product residue on it.


Pad Cleaning Articles

Why it's important to clean your pads often... (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/28755-why-s-important-clean-your-pads-often.html)

How to clean your foam pad on the fly (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/20135-how-clean-your-foam-pad-fly.html)

How to use the Grit Guard Universal Pad Washer (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-videos/24325-video-how-use-grit-guard-universal-pad-washer.html)



Tyler, age 15 machine applying a paste wax using a Porter Cable 7424XP Dual Action Polisher

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1436/medium/1965Plymouth067.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1436/medium/1965Plymouth071.jpg



:buffing:

[capnp72]

When I first started using my PC, I had trouble keeping it rotating but with a little bit of use, I don't have a problem with it not rotating now. I think the PC just takes a little experience to get use to it.

[Mike Phillips]

When I first started using my PC, I had trouble keeping it rotating but with a little bit of use, I don't have a problem with it not rotating now. I think the PC just takes a little experience to get use to it.


Just like most things in life, practice makes perfect...


It's very important to hold the tool in such a way that the pad is flat to the surface. This is where the black line on your backng plate will help you a lot.


:)

[Jet Black]

Just like most things in life, practice makes perfect...


It's very important to hold the tool in such a way that the pad is flat to the surface. This is where the black line on your backng plate will help you a lot.


:)

Thanks Mike the first thing I did was mark the pad to make sure it's rotating, I've watched your videos so many times my wife thinks I have a man crush Lol I'm not giving up on the PC yet

One thing Mike in one of your videos you prepped the pad then in another one you just did three little dots? When do you know to prep or just use the 3 dots?

[Velocitybts]

Great choice on the Flex. Ordered the PC and had the same issues as you. Also when doing areas like the top of bumpers, where only half the pad was being used, I found that only no pressure at all was the only way to get the pad rotating. I am sure a dedicated 3" Griots would work great for this using the adaptor Mike Phillips uses, but I wanted one DA to handle it all. I am used to a Rotary so that may have been a slight issue with the PC use.

The Flex is absolutely awesome. You will like it a lot. Easy to use, like the PC, but no worry on the pad spinning. If its running it is spinning. Works great even using only half a pad on a bumper. Would suggest to anyone and well worth the double cost.