Mike Phillips
08-10-2015, 07:59 AM
Good vibrations.... (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/94179-good-vibrations.html)
That's the title of a song by the Beach Boys from 1966 and while it's a great song it has nothing to do with this article.
Good vibrations are zero vibrations when it comes to machine polishing with Rupes tools.
The RUPES engineers designed their pads specific to the RUPES tools and backing plates for the intended purpose of reducing and eliminating vibration.
This means the size, shape, thickness and weight of the pads are such that when attached to the matching RUPES backing plate and RUPES tool there is zero or very little vibration.
I have demonstrated this to people simply by
First - Hold a RUPES polisher in the air with no foam buffing pad attached to the backing plate in the [ON] position on speed 6. You will feel the tool vibrating.
Second - Attach the correct size RUPES pad for the backing plate and matching RUPES tool and repeat the above. That is hold the tool in the air in the [ON] position on speed 6. You will feel no vibration and a very smooth operating tool.
Now after doing the above so you know what vibration feels like with no pad and what zero vibration feels like with the engineered pad, repeat the test with the pad you're thinking of using and see if there is any vibration.
If no vibration, your choice, use or don't use the pad.
If you feel vibration you will know it's the pad, not the tool.
I've done my research and real world testing and what I've experienced is that what RUPES states is true and that is they engineered their pads, backing plates and tools to work together to eliminate vibration.
This is an important benefit to RUPES to offer with their tools. Check with Todd Helme or Jason Rose if this is accurate or not.
In this picture, this RUPES BigFoot 21 is running on the 6.0 speed setting and is vibration free.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=90067
Don't matter to me what pad anyone uses on any tool I just wanted to point out that when RUPES states their pads, backing plates and tools are engineered to work together to eliminate vibration they mean it.
I've always been what I call a "system guy" that is given the choice I prefer to use a system approach versus mixing and matching products, pads and tools from multiple brands.
I'm not saying mixing and matching doesn't work but I think you hedge your bet when you stay inside a system designed by the same company. I also know it's the nature of the beast for people to want to experiement and use pads other non-RUPES pads or pads they already own.
So if you want to know if the pads you've chose to use with your RUPES polisher will work vibration free or if they will be the cause of vibrations, then do the above simple test.
Here's what I do know... when I hold the RUPES tools in the air with the appropriate and matching RUPES backing plates and pads there is virtually zero vibration and that's what you want.
On Autogeek.com
RUPES Color Matched 7" Foam Buffing Pads (http://www.autogeek.net/rupes-7-inch-foam-pads.html)
RUPES Color Matched 6" Foam Buffing Pads (http://www.autogeek.net/rupes-6-inch-foam-pads.html)
RUPES Color Matched 4" Foam Buffing Pads (http://www.autogeek.net/rupes-4-inch-foam-pads.html)
:)
That's the title of a song by the Beach Boys from 1966 and while it's a great song it has nothing to do with this article.
Good vibrations are zero vibrations when it comes to machine polishing with Rupes tools.
The RUPES engineers designed their pads specific to the RUPES tools and backing plates for the intended purpose of reducing and eliminating vibration.
This means the size, shape, thickness and weight of the pads are such that when attached to the matching RUPES backing plate and RUPES tool there is zero or very little vibration.
I have demonstrated this to people simply by
First - Hold a RUPES polisher in the air with no foam buffing pad attached to the backing plate in the [ON] position on speed 6. You will feel the tool vibrating.
Second - Attach the correct size RUPES pad for the backing plate and matching RUPES tool and repeat the above. That is hold the tool in the air in the [ON] position on speed 6. You will feel no vibration and a very smooth operating tool.
Now after doing the above so you know what vibration feels like with no pad and what zero vibration feels like with the engineered pad, repeat the test with the pad you're thinking of using and see if there is any vibration.
If no vibration, your choice, use or don't use the pad.
If you feel vibration you will know it's the pad, not the tool.
I've done my research and real world testing and what I've experienced is that what RUPES states is true and that is they engineered their pads, backing plates and tools to work together to eliminate vibration.
This is an important benefit to RUPES to offer with their tools. Check with Todd Helme or Jason Rose if this is accurate or not.
In this picture, this RUPES BigFoot 21 is running on the 6.0 speed setting and is vibration free.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=90067
Don't matter to me what pad anyone uses on any tool I just wanted to point out that when RUPES states their pads, backing plates and tools are engineered to work together to eliminate vibration they mean it.
I've always been what I call a "system guy" that is given the choice I prefer to use a system approach versus mixing and matching products, pads and tools from multiple brands.
I'm not saying mixing and matching doesn't work but I think you hedge your bet when you stay inside a system designed by the same company. I also know it's the nature of the beast for people to want to experiement and use pads other non-RUPES pads or pads they already own.
So if you want to know if the pads you've chose to use with your RUPES polisher will work vibration free or if they will be the cause of vibrations, then do the above simple test.
Here's what I do know... when I hold the RUPES tools in the air with the appropriate and matching RUPES backing plates and pads there is virtually zero vibration and that's what you want.
On Autogeek.com
RUPES Color Matched 7" Foam Buffing Pads (http://www.autogeek.net/rupes-7-inch-foam-pads.html)
RUPES Color Matched 6" Foam Buffing Pads (http://www.autogeek.net/rupes-6-inch-foam-pads.html)
RUPES Color Matched 4" Foam Buffing Pads (http://www.autogeek.net/rupes-4-inch-foam-pads.html)
:)