Harbor Freight DA Polisher - New

[Biatchzxz]

So this sta-lube is what you guys are using mostly I just want to get the best proper stuff. Don't want to jump the gun. Since I don't have an Oreilys Around me I,m going to have to settle for somewhere else

Now I see there's different types of sta-lubes gear oil fuel. Pump oil and other products. Now which is the proper one I should get I was going to just get the extreme pressure version of it. Is that the right one?

[beamerstrumpet]

Just ask the counter, tell them what your doing with it. a good general purpose EP gear grease is all you need.

[spitpolish]

Just ask the counter, tell them what your doing with it. a good general purpose EP gear grease is all you need.

Just emphasize on the EP part...

FWIW this is what I ended up w... functionally and chromatically the same as the Sta-Lube
(which O-reilly's or not, is widely available anyway but I suspect there's a lot of red EP greases that are all the same...)

The very high temp drop point is the critical part. The "high temp" semi-syn grease I tried first clearly ran straight into IT'S drop point and turned to black slime and ran right out of the tool...

[CDot]

So this sta-lube is what you guys are using mostly.

Now I see there's different types of sta-lubes gear oil fuel. Pump oil and other products. Now which is the proper one I should get I was going to just get the extreme pressure version of it. Is that the right one?

A couple important things to remember:

-It must be a gear grease, not an oil.
-It must be a grease rated for extreme pressure, not "high pressure".
-The red Sta-Lube red grease has a rated drop point--the point at which the grease turns to oil--at 500 F. Not only is it extreme pressure, but extreme temps as well. The Lucas product spitpolish posted is excellent too.

[MilkyHime]

Hello! My friend and I recently got into detailing as a hobby and when I first detailed my car my arm was super sore the next day. Wanting better and less painful results I want to get my first DA polisher and since there's a HF near where I live I was thinking of going and getting one.

I already read this entire thread and I settled on getting the Astro Pneumatic 5" backing.

I'm torn on the pads. I know people recommended CCS pads though I was wondering are the HF's pads bad? Sine I was thinking of just using those first to get more experience.

Also, I am hoping that once I get the polisher than the post about changing the grease will make sense to me since right now even with the pictures I'm a little confused... Sorry for being a newbie ^__^;;

A couples of pages back I saw that there were some complied info being pmed and I was wondering if anyone can send that to me too? That would be helpful! Thanks!

Ps. Small question is it better to take polish/wax off using microfiber bonnet or by hand? And should I really go for warranty when Im probably not going to use the polisher too often?

Thanks again and I apologize for the newbie questions!

[mikesal57]

Forget the warranty...
Bonnet over a soft foam pad can get dry wax off ( no wet stuff) ...
My wife picked this up for me at a beauty supply store for a buck..."tint bottle"

loaded the grease in the nozzle only
put into little hole after taking off the red head of the HF
put it on with speed #1 ...squeeze bottle
did this 3 times

Then went through all other speeds

good to go

mike

[ski2]

Ps. Small question is it better to take polish/wax off using microfiber bonnet or by hand? And should I really go for warranty when Im probably not going to use the polisher too often?

If you apply your LSP correctly --that is THIN-- there should be no need to buff off with a bonnet.

You should be able to get the warranty for about $10 for two years full replacemnet--seems like it's worth it.

[CDot]

I already read this entire thread and I settled on getting the Astro Pneumatic 5" backing. I'm torn on the pads. I know people recommended CCS pads though I was wondering are the HF's pads bad? Sine I was thinking of just using those first to get more experience.

You will need 5.5" pads for a 5" backing plate. The HF pads are made for the 6" backing plate that comes with the DA. The Lake Country flat pads from AG are excellent starter pads--you can get 6 for $34.99. I'd seriously consider HexLogic pads from CG as well. They have a 3-pad set + pad cleaner for $19.95.

A couples of pages back I saw that there were some complied info being pmed and I was wondering if anyone can send that to me too? That would be helpful! Thanks!

Check your PM

Ps. Small question is it better to take polish/wax off using microfiber bonnet or by hand?

I like removing wax by hand, feel like I have much more control

[bigJOE671]

Bought the HF DA...glad to have it. Got the compounding pad from HF. This is my first time ever doing this type of detailing. I wet sanded then buffed my hood with Meguairs Ultimate Compound. Thinking of getting M105 to makes things happen a lil faster. It turned out pretty good. Just made a mistake of using too low of a grit and now it takes a lil more time to buff out.

Still need to change the backing plate and do the grease job on it.


50/50 Right half has been cut and buffed

[Biatchzxz]

Hello! My friend and I recently got into detailing as a hobby and when I first detailed my car my arm was super sore the next day. Wanting better and less painful results I want to get my first DA polisher and since there's a HF near where I live I was thinking of going and getting one.

I already read this entire thread and I settled on getting the Astro Pneumatic 5" backing.

I'm torn on the pads. I know people recommended CCS pads though I was wondering are the HF's pads bad? Sine I was thinking of just using those first to get more experience.

Also, I am hoping that once I get the polisher than the post about changing the grease will make sense to me since right now even with the pictures I'm a little confused... Sorry for being a newbie ^__^;;

A couples of pages back I saw that there were some complied info being pmed and I was wondering if anyone can send that to me too? That would be helpful! Thanks!

Ps. Small question is it better to take polish/wax off using microfiber bonnet or by hand? And should I really go for warranty when Im probably not going to use the polisher too often?

Thanks again and I apologize for the newbie questions!

First off welcome to AG my friend. Ok so check it out. Since you going to get the HF DA. Good machine first off to start off on and learn on and even just in general. Now this is what I did when I started with my first machine and still on my first machine. I also went with the astro 5.5 BP. But before getting the new plate I was using the one that came with the HF DA originally. The harbor freight pads are def cheap in price and not terrible but only thing is that with the backing plate it comes with it tends to chew through the pads because of the Velcro setup on the back plate n pads you'll def notice foam dust and ####. I mean not right away but once you start getting the hang of how to properly use it with the right down pressure ull see that happening. But I also figured whatever I didnt care as much at first because I was just starting out and bought a couple pads of each color to just see what the deal was with using a DA and what not. And it did the job. Now i said screw it lemme order me quality pads and a 5.5" backing plate (astro) as well its cheap and works great. Then ordered me some Lake country 5.5 Flat pads of each type. A couple yellows , Oranges , whites , black and blues. Now that def was worth it Although now I still have some new Harbor freight 6.5 or 6 (whatever they are i forget) pads that i never got a chance to use since I got the new backing plate. But maybe ill use them just for the hell of it since they cheap and don't wanna use my LC pads. Like I have I believe a blue ,orange and black. I guess I can either use the black for lsp or whatever or I can just give them away to one of you guys who want/need them.

Now as far as removing wax and stuff with a machine. Truth. I also wondered about that myself. But then I realized that why ! Most people Just buff off using a MF by hand and that's it and say they get a better job done that way. Who know. But so far I have even attempted to take stuff off With a DA with a bonnet and I believe a soft pad covered by a Mf bonnet or whatever. I mean listen I'm sure it's done. But how recommended is it. I have no clue. I mean dont get me wrong dude I wouldn't mind doing/trying it out IF!! I would get great results and I'm sure it could save some time and all (maybe). That's basically my fake and 2 cents on the situation. Hopefully I shed Some light and maybe helped out a little bit


If anyone has any opinions,input or experiences they can share about it to help out. Boot it our your brain for us That would greatly be appreciated by all of us I'm sure. Anyway thanks so much for sharing

B'