recommended speed settings on random orbital polisher

[ski2]

Here is a list of articles and links by Mike Phillips that will help you out: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-phillips.html

As others have said get a quality 5" backing plate and quality 5.5" pads ASAP--there have been many reports of the HF 6" BP having a severe wobble and the pads shredding exposing the backing plate to the paint.

You might want to take a look at the thin pads offered by Lake Country and Megs as they will improve the performance of your polisher.

[Mike Phillips]

Just to chime in...


As for what speed to use, normally for compounding and polishing you're going to be on the 5-6 speed setting.

Here's the deal and the BIG PICTURE

The pad MUST ROTATE in order to do work.


Work is defined as removing swirls, scratches, water spots and oxidation.


Here's the deal, you remove defects by removing a portion of the surface to LEVEL the surface.

Make sense?



So you need the pad rotating. The original 8mm free spinning orbital polisher is the Porter Cable 7424XP. All others that look or work like this tool are copies. This would include the HF polisher.

While they all work the same, because the electronics and quality of electronics plus the quality of the moving parts are all very different the best way to "know" what speed setting to use is to,

A: Understand the pad must rotate to do work.

B: Place a mark on the back of the backing plate to make it easy for your human eyes to "monitor" pad rotation. If the pad is not rotating turn the speed up. If you have turned the speed up all the way and the pad is not rotating then it's something else.



If the above makes sense then click the link below and look at the pictures and watch the short video.

Video: Mark your backing plate to make it easy to see pad rotation


There's also MORE INFORMATION in the above article with links to things like

5" backing plate
5.5" pads
Compression washer


Plus links to even MORE information.


So do some reading. My new favorite saying is this,


Buffing out a car starts with the brain, not the buffer -Mike Phillips

[Mike Phillips]

If you have not read this yet... read it.

Read it BEFORE using the polisher for the first time it will prevent you from making all the newbie mistakes....


DA Polisher Trouble Shooting Guide


And remember thin is in.... I coined that term back in 2010 and it's still accurate today. That is thinner pads rotate better than large thick pads. So keep that in mind when trying to work fast and trying to work efficient and choosing your pads and this also would mean choosing your backing plates.


Thin is in...



Here's some thin pad options...


5.5" SUPER THIN FOAM PAD OPTIONS for your Dual Action Polisher






Nothing wrong with the "normal" Lake Country 5.5" Fat Pads. I show them in all my classes and they are in fact thin.




5" Backing Plate
Lake Country 5" DA Backing Plate <-- Get this one as the Velcro will match Lake Country Pads


The 5" Lake Country Backing Plates fits all popular dual action polishers including Porter Cable, Griot's Garage and Meguiar's.




Lake Country

5.5" Flat Pads

In order from the most to the least aggressive

Yellow = Cutting pad (most aggressive)
Orange = Light Cutting Pad
White = Polishing Pad
Black = Finishing Pad
Blue = Waxing Pad (softest)

[Mike Phillips]

And if you're new to machine polishing, watch this video...

[Paul A.]

^ This one video, right here, in my opinion, should be THE STAPLE of everyone's training whenever starting out with a DA. WATCH THIS VIDEO and if necessary watch it a few times to really absorb every aspect of Mike's several and comprehensive points and concepts. I remember seeing this when Mike first put it out and I go back and watch it as a refresher from time to time.

I, like many here, have a lot of experience with each type of machine...DA, forced rotation DA, long throw DA and rotary. Most of us start out with a basic DA and this video shows graphically AND verbally the concepts of how to do it perfectly! Having noted my experience level above, that means I may have "wandered" a bit from some of these basic concepts. This video is a perfect "reset" to go back and review EXACTLY how it should be done thus correcting any variations or deviance from the basics I may have picked up. Basically, not only is this the Bible for those just starting out with a DA machine but it has served me well as a periodic refresher and should be used by us with experience as well.

I think my customers get the best possible results because of what I have learned from Mike and others here. Take this video (and several others) and store it on your computer and use it to maintain your proficiency!

Now...what speed to use? 4 to spread and 6 to work.

[Riff]

I use speed 5 to compound and polish and 2-3 for waxing and sealant. You don't need a lot of speed to spread wax. You need more speed to cut for compounding and polishing.


Sent from my iPhone using AGOnline