Using a rupes 15

[Lawlmens]

I was using my rupes 15 today for the first time extensively on a full correction, ( I don't have a rotary at the moment ) What I noticed is that on my truck, it's a 2018, more of the newer vehicles have a lot of bends / curves in back panels and hoods, my rupes kept stalling out on almost anything except a flat surface. I've heard that I just need to change my pressure points on the machine pretty much, and I've always heard it's because it's a rupes. Does anyone have some good videos / tips / advice on how I can keep it from stalling so much, or how to apply pressure to certain areas when working around curves / bends on panels. Thanks!

[rlmccarty2000]

Keep it flat (the pad)as possible. Use very little downward force. Use Rupes pads. You will not be able to halt all stalling, but you should be able to minimize it enough to do a good job.

[Lawlmens]

I was trying out some 3D pads today, I wasn't a fan of them. maybe the pad wasn't seasoned yet, but it seemed like it kept flaking on me spitting up some white little spots. I have rupes pads, but I haven't used them yet since I was using my 3D pads, and LC pads last time I used it. What do you do around curved surfaces since it wont be flat for say?

[SWETM]

On curved panels I try to have the center of the pad on the panel and have the polisher leveled on that spot. Not much pressure is needed and just follow the curved panel as leveled as possible.

Here are some interesting thoughts about how to polishing.

YouTube

[hmardown]

you'll get use to it, I did. I noticed that myself about the stalling. but in a way it's protecting you from doing any damage. put a magic marker mark on your backing plate. then you'll be able to see when it's moving or stalled. this should help you. and definitely use the rupes pads, they work great with that polisher. good luck.
hmardown

[BudgetPlan1]

Some thoughts from the first time I fired up a Rupes 15 Mk2; it's amateur hour around here so these thoughts come from that perspective:

Firing that thing up and getting to work (Technique):
As it’s winter here in NE Ohio, best I could do to try and work this thing is to use it on some work vehicles, mostly Ford Econoline vans and a GMC Sierra pickup truck. Since I had already started working the Sierra w/ the GG6, figured may as well finish it up with the Rupes stuff. Slapped on a blue Rupes pad, dropped a few (3 to 4) drops of Zephir Gloss Coarse Gel Polish on it (middle 1/3 of pad circumference), put pad to paint and hit the trigger on speed 2 to kinda prime/spread polish around. Seemed to be going OK as I got a nice thin layer over a 18” x 18” working area on the side of the truck bed so I ran the speed up to 5…and watched as polish slung itself all over the place. Doh! Had read the various methods/theories on priming Rupes pads so figured I’d run into this. Kept at it despite the sling which I eventually managed to minimize/eliminate as I went along doing more 18 x 18 sections. This truck was pretty beat up but the burgundy metallic paint beneath all the oxidation and swirls really wasn’t that bad. Started doing the section passes and immediately discovered that what appeared to be relatively flat sides of the truck bed were anything but as the pad began stalling on first few passes. As I went along I was able to eliminate much of this stalling by (wait for it….) actually paying attention to the pads contact with the surface of the area being polished. Very close attention.


As for the stalling…obviously my technique needs significant improvement. Running the speed up to 5 to 6 certainly helps but it’s gonna be a matter of getting used to not only the machine, but the Rupes pads as well. Just for giggles I put on a Megs microfiber cutting disk w/ D300 and stalling went down 80-90%, likely due to even the smallest amount of cushion with the Megs microfiber discs. It ran like a complete champ with the Megs discs and compound. Those Rupes pads are stiff, although they got a little more pliable as they were used, but they pretty much have no give (blue pad) to accommodate any contours. I have not dropped a properly sized/ground down washer on this thing yet and really don’t plan to do so until I can become competent and minimize the stalling with the thing in it’s out of box configuration.


Another item I noticed is the section pass pattern/area of what with the GG6 was mostly clearly delineated by a squarish/box ‘section’ the Rupes will be more of defining a section by what the contours of the panel are willing to give you. An example would be the area directly over the wheel arch/opening which I used to be able to keep as a ‘box’ with the foam pads taking up some of the play/contour as you got to ridge line that is usually over a wheel arch before it transitions to a narrow flat arch right above the wheel opening. Cutting this section into a curved section of the arch itself and then another from the top of the arch upwards and letting the machine follow the contour as opposed to strict up-down, left-right pattern resulted in excellent results. In short, the contour/shape of the panel being worked on will dictate the appropriately shaped/sized section as opposed to breaking things into little squares. Like I said, this is probably pretty much common knowledge for those who better know this kinda stuff but hey, I’m getting there. The Rupes will spend less time moving in strict straight lines during section passes than was possible with the GG6, given the specifics of a given panel. Straight lines are surely preferred when possible but have to be more open to abstract section sizes and shapes as well.

[rlmccarty2000]

I learned on a Porter Cable so stepping up to the more powerful Rupes was not a problem. People coming from a rotary or Flex 3401 seem to have the most problems with stalling. If your vehicle has many curves invest in a Rupes mini to get into those areas or just go to forced rotation.

[SWETM]

A great help if you have a feeling that you have the polisher leveled and want to prove it to your self. Is to setup your mobile phone camera and film you in profile so it filming the leveling you have on your polisher. We have muscle memory and once you feel comfortable and do something repeatly. You can be set to on a leveling angle that is a little to much of where you want to be at. You only need to be doing a couple of sections to warm up and then film when doing 1 section passes. Transfer the video to your computer or tv. And look how you are doing. From your point of view on the polisher it's the leveling up and down which often is hard to get correct. You can explain to a friend or partner to look at the polisher and what they are looking for too. It's hard to look above on the pad if you compress it more on one side as you need to be moving around to see how it looks. And you get out of your natuaral standing. That's when filming it can be a hughe benefit to be doing. The marking of the backing plate is great to do too. And one more thing is to listen to the sound from the polisher and how it revs up or bogs down and where your sweet spot is when looking on the rotation on the backing plate marks. Then the technique comes with time if you pay attention on it and test different approaches if you have problems somewhere. Can take a little longer for us who doing our own cars and a couple of more a year. As if we where to be polishing day in day out or every weekend.

[dlc95]

I learned on a Porter Cable so stepping up to the more powerful Rupes was not a problem. People coming from a rotary or Flex 3401 seem to have the most problems with stalling. If your vehicle has many curves invest in a Rupes mini to get into those areas or just go to forced rotation.

Coming from a rotary to a PC was a dream too.

[dlc95]

When I practice my drumming I have mirrors set up around the drum set.

I had a scrap door in the basement when I got my Duetto. I used the mirrors to keep my technique in check.

I still had a bit of a learning curve when I used it on an entire car.

First thing that was an issue was dealing with the splatter from the blue foam pads, and blue compound. Once the pad softened up, and the reload amount was reduced, that helped a lot.

*note* don't even try using the blue, green or grey foams with a washer mod installed. The excess rotation will spit that compound all over the place.

Second thing I had an issue with was trying to polish after thoroughly cleaning the tool. I didn't realize that lubrication on the backing plate was necessary. The pads would barely spin, and little shards of black rubber from the shroud scattered over my work area. Then the shroud wore itself down, and free spun. I ordered a new shroud, and keep it lived with a little dielectric grease. You probably don't have a problem with this being your tool is probably new.

Third issue was using those stiff foam pads in concave areas.I still sort of struggle with those, but getting the edge in there, and letting the orbit do some work gets the job done.

I was never into using heavy pressure. I instinctively used my Porter Cable 7424xp like I did the rotary. Lighter pressure, let that pad doing and do some work.

With the Rupes tools, the large movement of the orbit makes up for the regulated rotation caused by the anti-spin feature. Also, Rupes recommends light pressure, so that was a natural course of action for me.