Bumblebee - Testing out the NEW DeWALT DWP849X

[jpegs13]

My Bumblebee

[Mike Phillips]

Test Spot Results

Did 3 Test Spots starting with the least aggressive products and pads to get the job done...

After each section was buffed I then wiped the section clean using MS followed by IPA.

The percentages below are simply based upon experience from doing compound and polish testing. Usually it's timed, for this test I just counted to 6 section passes after 1 pass to spread the product out.

• Test Spot 1 - Optimum Finish with a Gray CS Finishing pad on 1000 RPM - 65% Swirl Removal

• Test Spot 2 - Optimum Polish II with White CS Polishing Pad at 1000 RPM - 80% Swirl Removal

• Test Spot 3 - Optimum Compound with an Orange CS Cutting Pad at 1000 RPM - 95% Swirl Removal

After the compounding on Test Spot 3 I then re-polished using the gray finishing pad with the Optimum Finish and chemically stripped again with both MS and IPA and the finish looked swirl free. The sun is too far down in the sky to pull the car out and inspect in the sun so all I used was the Brinkmann Swirl Finder Light.






Tried to take close-up shots across from where I marked the painter's tape with the numbers, 1, 2, and 3 but what I could see with my eyes I just couldn't capture with my camera.

[IID]

Actually, Max took my Beach Towel Tip idea and had soft, microfiber towels made up to use instead, they're soft and washable and easily folded or formed to fit the shape you're trying to cover. They came in on Thursday so this is the first time I've used them.

Is AutoGeek (Max) going to be offering(selling) the beach towels? Would be a good idea,so we could all practice the "Beach Towel Tip"!

[IID]

My Bumblebee

Very Very Nice!

[Mike Phillips]

Also a question about the pin striping...thats something ive wondered about for a while...what do you do with the paint that is BETWEEN the striping/flames. I

ts such a small area that i wouldn't think a pad could get in there (or do you have some sort of technique you use?) or do you hand polish those areas?

You can tackle the paint in-between the pinstripes by hand but if the paint is hard then removing swirls is going to be hard and you have to be careful not to leave Fingermarks behind at the same time.


A good best practice with foam pads is to hold the pad flat to the surface whenever you can hold the pad flat to the surface. In situations where you cannot hold the pad flat to the surface then as an option you can hold the pad on edge. You're choice, rub the swirls out by hand, (actually with a couple of fingers pushing against some type of applicator pad), or by machine and the risks that go along with it...
















I have some 3" pads that are not actually available. I asked Eric Dunn for these late last year and have been using them with great results. You can also see I'm using an Optimum Optimum Double-Sided Rotary Adapter attached to a 2-3/4 inch Hook & Loop Rotary Backing Plate with these small rotary buffer pads.


The adapter acts as an extension which allows me to better see where the pads touching the paint as I buff and also works sometimes to give you enough clearance to buff into tight areas.






Before buffing out a tight, curved area like above you want to prime the outside of your buffing pad and then smear a little product on the paint itself with your finger as shown in this thread,

If it has paint... it gets polished...

[Mike Phillips]

Is Autogeek (Max) going to be offering(selling) the beach towels? Would be a good idea,so we could all practice the "Beach Towel Tip"!

I was given two of them to test out but I'm pretty sure they'll be available on the store site sometime in the future.

[Wills.WindowsAndWheels]

Mike,

Great response to the questions i had regarding tight areas. I really like that extension for the rotary as i have a heck of a time at certain angles seeing where my pad is hitting...which can be a pain. I can also see how it would help get into tighter areas...areas like right under the side mirrors are always a pain for me.

Also the 'side pad' technique showed looks like a life saver too. Do you kick the speed down when doing that...and do you only use that technique with a rotary or would it work with a DA also...just thinking about it i can't see how it could work with a DA with the oscillation...MAYBE the Flex 3401?

The 3" pads are a nice touch too...i ordered some MF ones but some foam ones would be nice to get as well.

Good info as usual, hope you can go deeper into it

[C. Charles Hahn]

Interesting... I never thought the double sided pad adapters would work as spindle extensions for the rotary; I'm going to have to pick one of those up.

[Flash Gordon]

Nice thread Mike

[Mike Phillips]

Also the 'side pad' technique showed looks like a life saver too. Do you kick the speed down when doing that...

Yes to spread out the product to create an even film of working product over the area you're working and then increase your speed. Slowing the RPM's down to spread the product out is just a way of spreading the product out without splattering it on adjacent panels.


Around really thin panels like window frames or the raised body lines you see in the pictures above, I apply some product from the bottle and then simply just spread the product over the area to be buffed with my finger. This gets the abrasives spread over the area to be worked but also lubricates the paint at the same time.

and do you only use that technique with a rotary or would it work with a DA also...just thinking about it i can't see how it could work with a DA with the oscillation...MAYBE the Flex 3401?

Holding a pad on edge when buffing tight or small thin panels doesn't work very well with oscillating tools. You can try and sometimes all you can do is all you can do. In my book anytime I can work by machine I do work by machine. Sometimes you have to work by hand that's why it's important to have both skill sets, the ability to work by machine and the ability to work by hand.

Good info as usual, hope you can go deeper into it

When buffing complicated portions where you have to be ultra careful you want to make sure you have maximum control over the tool What I do and show others is to hold the tool close to your chest with your muscles tightened up.

With the rotary buffer closer to your body you have more leverage over the rotary buffer. The further you have your arms extended away from your body the more leverage the rotary buffer has over you and the less likely a whoops will happen.

I show this in all our advanced classes too... it's pretty easy to demonstrate. Have someone hold the rotary buffer away from themselves with their arms extended and instruct them to keep it directly in front of them. Then have someone grab the rotary buffer and try to move it side to side, it's hard for the person holding the rotary buffer to prevent them from controlling where they want to move the rotary buffer.

Next have the person holding the rotary buffer hold it closer to their chest and tighten up their stance, shoulder and arm muscles. Now have the other person try to move it side to side. The person holding the rotary buffer will now have more leverage over the buffer and will be able to much better control the rotary buffer.

Of course, anytime you're machine polishing with a rotary buffer you shouldn't have any clothes on that could become entangled in the spinning pad, or jewelry and if you have long hair it should be affixed behind your back. Don't get yourself into a panic situation.