Bumblebee - Testing out the NEW DeWALT DWP849X

[Old Tiger]

I agree, Jim! I really like mine! I have become one with my 849X!

Wow Jim! I didnt realize you took the plunge too!

[Dr Oldz]

Wow Jim! I didnt realize you took the plunge too!

I did. I have some miles on it now and I am very happy with my purchase. I think Dewalt really did a nice job on this tool! I am glad you like yours also buddy!!

[Old Tiger]

I did. I have some miles on it now and I am very happy with my purchase. I think Dewalt really did a nice job on this tool! I am glad you like yours also buddy!!

It is my first rotary and it seems so perfect. The ergonomics and power are superb. I may be temptted to get a Dynabraid someday too!

[Dr Oldz]

It is my first rotary and it seems so perfect. The ergonomics and power are superb. I may be temptted to get a Dynabraid someday too!

Great choice for your first. I also entertained the idea of getting the Flex 14 but after I got this in, I knew I made the right purchase for myself. This has the power I need along with the precision that is required.

[Mike Phillips]

I'm curious if you've had a chance to try the new Opt Polish and Finish on the DA yet.

Thanks,
Rasky

Just now found this question Chad...

At the time the answer was "yes" and today the answer is "yes". I've had great results with the Optimum Finish using it with a DA Polisher including the Flex 3401 as well as microfiber pads.

[HateSwirls]

Great thread Mike.

Glad you gave me the link being I should have my Optimum Finish Polish by the end of the week , it will be used mostly for jeweling using my new DeWalt 849x which is really a well balanced machine even though it's on the "heavy side"

I can't compare it to the Flex rotary being I never used it but I prefer the 849x over my Makita that was stolen from the back of my truck.

Like you said when you hit the trigger it does rev up past it's set point but only for a few seconds and not a problem, doesn't take long to get use to that part of its operation.

I prefer the side stick over the hoop handle, a lot of time I put the palm of my hand over the head that covers the gears, on the 849x the rubber cover head really is a nice feature.
The trigger is another feature I love, easy to get twofingers on it which helps with fatigue but then again you can lock the speed just by pressing the lock button in.

I'd reccomend the DeWalt 849x to anyone who wants to learn how to use a rotary or for someone who needs to replace their existing rotary.

[Rsurfer]

Great thread Mike.
I can't compare it to the Flex rotary being I never used it but I prefer the 849x over my Makita that was stolen from the back of my truck.

Do not try the Flex PE or you will have another rotary.

[Mike Phillips]

Do not try the Flex PE or you will have another rotary.

Let me chime in with some actual work to back up my opinion plus pictures and videos just to back up Ron.


Here's the first time an entire wetsand, cut and buff was captured all at once on video and for all the rotary buffer steps I only used the Flex PE14

Unless I'm buffing out a boat I always grab the Flex PE14 first.


How to wet sand a car - Time Lapse Video


Back in March of this year, (2013), I did a complete wet sand, cut, polish and even machine waxed a 1964 Chevrolet Malibu and while doing this project, Yancy set the GoPro camera up to take a picture every minute.

It's been in queue for editing since then but I'm happy to announce it's now been edited and uploaded to our YouTube Channel.

How to wet sand a car

Here's the steps I followed...

Covered windshield using the Beach Towel Tip.

Covered interior and convertible top with Eco-friendly drop cloth.

Removed easy to access chrome emblems and script.

Wiped entire car down with Wurth Clean-Solve per what I wrote in post #5 here.

Taped-off all edges and raised body lines using 3M Blue Vinyl Tape. Tape-off video here.


Machine sanded all body panels using a 2-step system

First sanding step: I used 3M Trizact #3000 Grit Discs. I used 3" discs for thin panels and around edges and body lines. Used the 6" discs for the major flat sections of each panel.

Second sanding step: I used 3M Trizact #5000 Grit Discs. I used 3" discs for thin panels and around edges and body lines. Used the 6" discs for the major flat sections of each panel.


Removed all sanding marks.
For this I used the new Meguiar's M100 Pro Speed Compound with a LC Wool Cutting pad on the Flex PE14. At the time I did this project back in March of 2013 this compound had just been introduced to the market, so it was a new compound and I think this is the first car completely sanded and compounded and caught on video using M100 Pro Speed Compound. Speed on the Flex PE14 = 1000 RPM.



Removed any swirls left by the wool pad and the compounding step.
For this I used Meguiar's M205, the follow-up polish for M100 with a 6.5" Lake Country Flat Foam Polishing Pad on the Flex PE14. Speed on the Flex PE14 = 1000 RPM


Finish Polished to maximize gloss and ensure no holograms
After using the rotary buffer with the M205 I re-polished every square inch of paint using Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish with a 5.5" Lake Country Foam Flat Finishing Pad on the Porter Cable 7424XP on the 6.0 speed setting.


Machine Waxed
After wiping all the finishing polish off I machine applied Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax using the Porter Cable 7424XP with a 5.5" Lake Country Foam Waxing Pad on the 4-5 speed setting.

Removed Wax
I removed the wax wearing microfiber gloves and using super soft rolled edge microfiber towels.



Comments....
I wanted to document not only the process but how long it would take me to do this type of project all by myself working non-stop. If you watch the video you'll see around the 4:47 time stamp that the car has now been turned around and is facing forward in the garage.

Here's what was going on...

While I did the actual work non-stop, as in once I started in the morning I did not stop till end of day, I did have to spread the work out over two days as I have too many other job duties to process outside of the garage.

The first day I sanded all the horizontal panels and the driver's side panels. The second day I turned the car around and only had to sand the passenger side.

In a number of places you'll see me standing while I either sand and buff or sitting on the floor while I sand and buff and the reason for this is we don't have a car lift in our garage and proper technique when sanding and buffing is to always be looking across from the paint you're working on. This is especially true when sanding and compounding. I always say,

If you can't bring the car up to you, (with a lift), then you have to lower yourself to the car"


The entire process from start to finish as I listed the steps above except for the initial wiping down of the car with a waterless wash and removing the chrome trim took me approximately,

12 Hours

I hustled the entire time. Only a few times did I stop to either take a water break, switch to different products or pads, or talk to someone that may have entered the garage.


I don't recommend ever trying to do this type of work in a hurry as you'll make mistakes so I didn't hurry but I did hustle. Time is valuable for all of us and I did this during business hours so another reason I had to hustle is because when working in the garage, other job responsibilities are on standby.

[Mike Phillips]

It was cloudy the day Mike Gelter brought his 1964 Chevy Chevelle Malibu Convertible to Autogeek but I did take a few before pictures to show the current condition of the paint.





Under the cloudy sky you can see the orange peel, it actually looks worse under fluorescents and if I can find the "before" pictures I took under the florescent lights in the studio I'll add them to this thread...







IF you look closely you can see dieback in the paint, that's where the paint shrinks back into the prep sanding marks in the primer. These all sanded and buffed out.

[Mike Phillips]

The only rotary buffer used for this gorgous car was the Flex PE14



Beauty Shots
Until then, here's the beauty shots. I machine sanded twice, compound with wool and rotary once, polished with rotary and foam once, polished with a DA polisher once and then machine applied Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax.































Here's Mike the owner driving the car out of the garage...




The sun shots....