Counter weight/backing plate concern

[blkSRT]

There's a 10 gram difference between the two PC 7424 counterweights.

[TTQ B4U]

I've not once had any difficulties spinning 6.5" pads on a PC. I even spun a 8" Megs W4000 wool pad on it. If you're stopping the pad you're putting too much pressure on it.

^^ This. We read a lot about it here in the forums but I've used a PC and Schurhold which are about the same in power and never had a problem. I use 6" pads on mine with no issues. I would love to upgrade to a Flex but this isn't a job for me just a hobby and one where I'll polish friends and neighbors vehicles throughout the year but with two people and two buffers time usually isn't a huge issue.

[dlc95]

^^ This. We read a lot about it here in the forums but I've used a PC and Schurhold which are about the same in power and never had a problem. I use 6" pads on mine with no issues. I would love to upgrade to a Flex but this isn't a job for me just a hobby and one where I'll polish friends and neighbors vehicles throughout the year but with two people and two buffers time usually isn't a huge issue.

Well, I sold my Flex 3401, because I never used it. Every time, I was able to get more plate rotation with the PC than the 3401. I loved that thing too, but it was too much money to just be sitting around, or getting set aside in favor of the PC. Once I did a bucket truck with heavily oxidized fiberglass hood cover with the PC, I knew that was really the best fit for me.

I never have issues with pad stall. If it slows down, it's usually because I don't have the pad flat, or that I need to use a smaller pad to get into a mote complicated area.

[Setec Astronomy]

Well, I sold my Flex 3401, because I never used it. Every time, I was able to get more plate rotation with the PC than the 3401.

How can you get less plate rotation with a forced-rotation machine?

[BillE]

The counterweight is meaningless for how we use the PC. When I started the PC would come with the 5" counterweight, and the places like Autogeek would sell the 6" counterweight so we could all change them. The counterweights are for using the machine as a sander, as has been stated it doesn't really make any difference for how we use the machine.

Ding ding ding...We have a winner!

Seriously, changing the counter-weight for OUR application really doesn't do a thing.

Bill

[uziel5000]

So, to summarize:

The counter weight on the PC is a remnant of it's original function as a sander. Using different backing plates with the same counter weight doesn't seem to affect effectiveness (not enough to notice anyway) so it shouldn't be a big issue.

Setec Astronomy... Too many secrets?

[dlc95]

How can you get less plate rotation with a forced-rotation machine?

The gearing limits it's speed potential.

[dlc95]

How can you get less plate rotation with a forced-rotation machine?

Post 2, by Kevin Brown touches on this here:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...ex-3401-a.html

Todd Helme touches on it here at about 8:33:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s_o9wqQ0iB0

[Zubair]

Overall speed the PC spins faster(6800opm)than a Flex-Fact, so DLC is right.
Now before the eyebrows are raised by the 3401 guys(I too own one), thinking PC=6800opm vs Flex advertised 9600opm(nooone not even Flex knows where this figure came from), the truth is... Mike Phillips has a thread where he measured the amount of orbits per rotation and they were "11" orbital movements for every rpm/rotation. Now what is accurate is a Flex at maximum speed 6 rotates at 480rpm. 11 orbits x 480rpm=5280opm, very far off the pie in the sky 9600opm.

Simple maths: PC 6800opm - Flex 5280opm = 1520opm advantage the PC has over the Flex.

In Free air spin at speed 6, I can hear and see my DAS6(PC) spin faster than my 3401 at speed 6.

HOWEVER....

Once you put the polisher and pad to the paint, pressure and curves takes its toll on the PC. In a perfect world the PC will outspin a Flex3401, but we live in a world where cars have curves and deeper swirls need more pressure. This is where the 6800opm of the PC starts to slow down atleast 50%. So opm drops from 6800 to roughly 3400opm.

The Flex on the otherhand being forced rotation will maintain 5280opm no matter what the circumstance and thats what has earned the 3401 such cult status, apart from being built like its meant to survive an apocalypse.

[dlc95]

Nice summary, Zubair!

My experience has been different. Like Kevin stated, factors such as pad type, compound, and technique should also be factored in. I know that when I use stiff cutting pads I lose a ton of rotation on curves and contours. The pads and compounds I use are better able to maintain rotation in those situations. These same pads make handling the 3401 a lot more comfortable to use - for me.

But you have a great lot of info in your post!