Review: Noob gives Rupes LHR15 Mark II HD Version a shot

[BudgetPlan1]

Background:
Just kinda a garage hobbyist, been going at it since last April w/ a Griot’s Garage 6” DA. Mostly using 5.5” LC Flat, LC HydroTech foam pads and Megs 5” microfiber cutting discs. Started out w/ the WG Uber Compound, Total Swirl Remover & Finishing Glaze, moved to Menz FG 400 (FG400), 2400 (PO83), 3500 (PO106-FA) & 3800 (PO85RD) and have dabbled with HD Adapt, HD Speed, Megs M101 and my favorite combo, Megs D300 w/ their cutting discs; that combo seems to work no matter how hard I try to screw it up. Previous to discovering the financial rabbit hole that ‘somewhat real’ detailing involves, I was pretty much one of those Zaino zealots, each Spring pick up the ‘Showcar Kit’ for $100 or so, clay the car, layer a bunch of Z-5 on it over the Spring/Summer and call it a day. My credit card longs for those days when $100 a season was the usual ‘car-related’ appearance expenditure. Doh!


Anyway after getting our cars polished with the WG ‘Twins’ followed by Uber Ceramic, I kinda got addicted to the whole detailing ‘thing’ and started doing friends/acquaintances cars since I had so much product left after trying numerous things to find what I preferred. Did about 20 or so cars last summer, the problem being that doing a car (most of which were 2 steps of compound/polish during that phase, if not 3 using 3800 to try to eek out more gloss and clarity than a silver Chevy Cruze could give…or deserved) would suck up an entire Saturday (12-14 hours) and leave my hands/arms kinda beat from using the GG6 for that long. Ok…I’m easily distracted so likely a portion of that time was not exactly ‘machine on paint’ time but still…


Why I began looking at something more ‘refined’ than the GG6:
Well, mostly because I wanted to; this is all kinda a hobby for me, never charge anybody to do their cars, and wanted to try moving to something more efficient, smoother and could possibly cut down on the time I spent compounding/polishing. Also, I just plain wanted a new toy, a ‘better’ toy even though it’s pretty much overkill for what I do. The more I read about the Rupes (and long throws in general) the more I heard about needing improved technique to master the tools, something that interested me as well.


Rupes vs. GG Boss
I read and read and read about the advantages/disadvantages to each to each, it seemed that for my particular situation the GG Boss line would better suit my needs, largely based upon the economy of getting a new polisher and associated pads/liquids to go with it. And yet despite the ‘paper’ advantages, the Rupes just kept calling to me as a more ‘artistic’ kinda tool so of course I tossed the practical analysis out the window and went with the Rupes. Using the discounted Gift Certificates that were starting to pop up at the occasional PBMG sales, I started hoarding enough of them to eventually use purchasing a Rupes LHR15 Mk II.

Ended up with:
Rupes LHR 15 Mark II HD w/ 25ft cord (6" Pad Kit Combo)
(6) 6" Buff & Shine Uro-Tec Foam Pads (Heard some did not like the Rupes Green Pads so this was a substitution)
(6) 6" Rupes Blue pads
(6) 6" Rupes Yellow pads
(6) 6" Rupes White pads
(6) 6" Rupes UHS pads
(6) 6" Rupes Blue microfiber Cutting Pads
Rupes Keramik Gloss Fine Gel Polish 1 Liter
Rupes Diamond Ultra Fine Gel Polish 1 Liter
Rupes Zephir Gloss Coarse Gel Polish 1 Litre
Rupes UHS Polishing Compound 1 Litre


Unboxing/Unpacking:
Machine itself: Definitely a nice tool, can tell just by taking out of the box and holding it that it is a solid, well designed implement. HD 25’ cord is nice and heavy, will take a while to get the ‘memory’ out of the cord after having been tightly wrapped and zip-tied in box. No big deal.


Pads: Wow, Rupes pads are pretty dense/stiff. The UHS pads are *really* stiff.


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.


Firing that thing up and getting to work (Performance):
Wow, this thing is smooooooooth. On the first try I did get a little pad ‘hopping’ but once the pad got a bit more covered in polish/compound and the speed went up, it smoothed out completely. With the GG6 the ‘natural’ grip on the machine kinda puts one hand directly over the head of the machine which I think unknowingly helps to keep the pad flat. The Rupes, with its overhanging grip on the front, long body with kinda extended rear grip amplifies any uneven positioning with pad to surface orientation. I was kinda teeter-tottering at first, which also led to stalling. Again, actually paying attention alleviates this although I do have somewhat of a habit to push down on back of polisher/handle, raising the front up and leading to stalling. Will just have to unlearn GG6-bred machine handling habits. Like Mike Phillips says “Forget everything you've learned and know from your experience using other polishers.”


Even though it took a bit to become barely marginally functional with the Rupes, the results were quite impressive. Less taxing on the body, quicker results and an overall more comfortable experience and much better results were apparent, even after thinking I was making no progress. Just for giggles I grabbed the ‘ol GG6 and did a vertical section of the truck bed, low and all the way down by the bottom and then did an adjacent section with the Rupes; no comparison. The GG6 had my arms aching by the 6th to 8th section pass (pressure + position + ergonomics) while the Rupes had finished up nicely after the 5th pass and without the need to apply much pressure, the larger area covered by each stroke, the lack of vibration and the ergonomics of the machine, it's a much more pleasurable and *effective* experience.


Conclusion:
Yeah, the Rupes certainly is a more expensive proposition and in my case it’s overkill for just being a garage hack but in addition to the results, comfort and efficiency, it’s just a more entertaining tool to use. Now, I know I’m likely at about 5-10% competent using this thing after only 5-6hrs but damn, it’s sure a nice piece of kit. I look forward to learning how to use it effectively, more of an ‘artistic’ approach to the process.


Going forward I’ll probably snatch up a Kamikaze backing plate to go with the LHR15 and have ordered the Rupes LHR 75E Mini this morning to help deal with tight spots. Although it’s kinda duplicative/redundant I’m also eyeing up the Duetto because, well…just because. I snatched up a LOT of gift certificates in the recent sale so really, it makes perfect sense to snatch more Rupes at 20-25% off, real money cost. OK, it doesn’t really make any sense but neither does most of the other $1000’s I’ve spent at PBMG over the last 18 months. And to think I used to worry about spending $125 or so a year on the Zaino kit each Spring.

[lane5515]

Background:
Just kinda a garage hobbyist, been going at it since last April w/ a Griot’s Garage 6” DA. Mostly using 5.5” LC Flat, LC HydroTech foam pads and Megs 5” microfiber cutting discs. Started out w/ the WG Uber Compound, Total Swirl Remover & Finishing Glaze, moved to Menz FG 400 (FG400), 2400 (PO83), 3500 (PO106-FA) & 3800 (PO85RD) and have dabbled with HD Adapt, HD Speed, Megs M101 and my favorite combo, Megs D300 w/ their cutting discs; that combo seems to work no matter how hard I try to screw it up. Previous to discovering the financial rabbit hole that ‘somewhat real’ detailing involves, I was pretty much one of those Zaino zealots, each Spring pick up the ‘Showcar Kit’ for $100 or so, clay the car, layer a bunch of Z-5 on it over the Spring/Summer and call it a day. My credit card longs for those days when $100 a season was the usual ‘car-related’ appearance expenditure. Doh!


Anyway after getting our cars polished with the WG ‘Twins’ followed by Uber Ceramic, I kinda got addicted to the whole detailing ‘thing’ and started doing friends/acquaintances cars since I had so much product left after trying numerous things to find what I preferred. Did about 20 or so cars last summer, the problem being that doing a car (most of which were 2 steps of compound/polish during that phase, if not 3 using 3800 to try to eek out more gloss and clarity than a silver Chevy Cruze could give…or deserved) would suck up an entire Saturday (12-14 hours) and leave my hands/arms kinda beat from using the GG6 for that long. Ok…I’m easily distracted so likely a portion of that time was not exactly ‘machine on paint’ time but still…


Why I began looking at something more ‘refined’ than the GG6:
Well, mostly because I wanted to; this is all kinda a hobby for me, never charge anybody to do their cars, and wanted to try moving to something more efficient, smoother and could possibly cut down on the time I spent compounding/polishing. Also, I just plain wanted a new toy, a ‘better’ toy even though it’s pretty much overkill for what I do. The more I read about the Rupes (and long throws in general) the more I heard about needing improved technique to master the tools, something that interested me as well.


Rupes vs. GG Boss
I read and read and read about the advantages/disadvantages to each to each, it seemed that for my particular situation the GG Boss line would better suit my needs, largely based upon the economy of getting a new polisher and associated pads/liquids to go with it. And yet despite the ‘paper’ advantages, the Rupes just kept calling to me as a more ‘artistic’ kinda tool so of course I tossed the practical analysis out the window and went with the Rupes. Using the discounted Gift Certificates that were starting to pop up at the occasional PBMG sales, I started hoarding enough of them to eventually use purchasing a Rupes LHR15 Mk II.

Ended up with:
Rupes LHR 15 Mark II HD w/ 25ft cord (6" Pad Kit Combo)
(6) 6" Buff & Shine Uro-Tec Foam Pads (Heard some did not like the Rupes Green Pads so this was a substitution)
(6) 6" Rupes Blue pads
(6) 6" Rupes Yellow pads
(6) 6" Rupes White pads
(6) 6" Rupes UHS pads
(6) 6" Rupes Blue microfiber Cutting Pads
Rupes Keramik Gloss Fine Gel Polish 1 Liter
Rupes Diamond Ultra Fine Gel Polish 1 Liter
Rupes Zephir Gloss Coarse Gel Polish 1 Litre
Rupes UHS Polishing Compound 1 Litre


Unboxing/Unpacking:
Machine itself: Definitely a nice tool, can tell just by taking out of the box and holding it that it is a solid, well designed implement. HD 25’ cord is nice and heavy, will take a while to get the ‘memory’ out of the cord after having been tightly wrapped and zip-tied in box. No big deal.


Pads: Wow, Rupes pads are pretty dense/stiff. The UHS pads are *really* stiff.


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.


Firing that thing up and getting to work (Performance):
Wow, this thing is smooooooooth. On the first try I did get a little pad ‘hopping’ but once the pad got a bit more covered in polish/compound and the speed went up, it smoothed out completely. With the GG6 the ‘natural’ grip on the machine kinda puts one hand directly over the head of the machine which I think unknowingly helps to keep the pad flat. The Rupes, with its overhanging grip on the front, long body with kinda extended rear grip amplifies any uneven positioning with pad to surface orientation. I was kinda teeter-tottering at first, which also led to stalling. Again, actually paying attention alleviates this although I do have somewhat of a habit to push down on back of polisher/handle, raising the front up and leading to stalling. Will just have to unlearn GG6-bred machine handling habits. Like Mike Phillips says “Forget everything you've learned and know from your experience using other polishers.”


Even though it took a bit to become barely marginally functional with the Rupes, the results were quite impressive. Less taxing on the body, quicker results and an overall more comfortable experience and much better results were apparent, even after thinking I was making no progress. Just for giggles I grabbed the ‘ol GG6 and did a vertical section of the truck bed, low and all the way down by the bottom and then did an adjacent section with the Rupes; no comparison. The GG6 had my arms aching by the 6th to 8th section pass (pressure + position + ergonomics) while the Rupes had finished up nicely after the 5th pass and without the need to apply much pressure, the larger area covered by each stroke, the lack of vibration and the ergonomics of the machine, it's a much more pleasurable and *effective* experience.


Conclusion:
Yeah, the Rupes certainly is a more expensive proposition and in my case it’s overkill for just being a garage hack but in addition to the results, comfort and efficiency, it’s just a more entertaining tool to use. Now, I know I’m likely at about 5-10% competent using this thing after only 5-6hrs but damn, it’s sure a nice piece of kit. I look forward to learning how to use it effectively, more of an ‘artistic’ approach to the process.


Going forward I’ll probably snatch up a Kamikaze backing plate to go with the LHR15 and have ordered the Rupes LHR 75E Mini this morning to help deal with tight spots. Although it’s kinda duplicative/redundant I’m also eyeing up the Duetto because, well…just because. I snatched up a LOT of gift certificates in the recent sale so really, it makes perfect sense to snatch more Rupes at 20-25% off, real money cost. OK, it doesn’t really make any sense but neither does most of the other $1000’s I’ve spent at PBMG over the last 18 months. And to think I used to worry about spending $125 or so a year on the Zaino kit each Spring.

Interesting write up. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[Zubair]

You did well for your first time and obviously did your homework prior which made you knowledgeable and things worked out great.

[jdubs]

It's good to know there are other people like me out there. This spring i'm hoping to start making a little bit of my money back.

Keep up the good work.

[AZ Mike]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I have a Porter Cable DA and find that having to use correct technique to keep the pad spinning a frustration. I purchased a Flex 3401 and love that it spins even if I do not have the pad perfectly flat on a panel. Still having read the wonderful reviews of the Rupes machines, I want to try one.

[KS_Detailing]

I use a 15 mark II daily. I used the 15 mark I for years before. It's a great machine. Depending on the size of the contour, move down your pad size. Use a 3"-4" pad on the mini. The 15 is a great improvement over the legacy model. When I first starting polishing/correcting the options were a flex, pc or gg6. I wasn't the biggest fan of the flex 3401. I actually preferred the gg6. I started working in a shop and the owners son just bought the 15 and 21. I got the chance to have some real seat time with both. We had 5" bp on both. The 15 appealed to me more. Even the more I researched, everyone chose the 21. I have both and will occasionally break it out for certain jobs but 15 is my go to.


Sent from my iPhone using Autogeekonline mobile app

[The Guz]

Nice feedback. It takes a little getting used to the machine. Once you figure it out, you will enjoy it even more.

Sounds like you did very good for your first time. I have an LHR15 MKII and I have yet to use it at speed 5. Speed 3-4 has been doing very well.

If you have not read this yet, then I recommend checking it out on priming the blue pad.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-polisher.html

I have used the blue pad and have not had any issues with slinging using Mike's method. I get product dusting as the pad is open celled.

The UHS pads are another pad that needs to get used to. They feel stiff but after they warm up they soften up. Definitely check out this thread on priming the UHS pads. See Todd's post about halfway through the page.

Ferrari Daytona vs. Mk II BigFoot!

Looking forward to some feedback on those uro tec pads.

I need to try out the washer mod on mine even though it works fine as is without it.

Forgot to mention to get yourself a nano prior to a duetto.

[Whitewater25]

I think a lot of us here are in the same boat. It's funny how these machines seem to multiply on us with a little help from the gift certificates....and the products that go with them. Mini is cool tool,just used my new one today,very smooth & user friendly.

[dlc95]

Keep working the system. It gets easier as you get accustomed to it.

The Duetto is a sweet tool. I thought about picking up a 15, but I hate that body style, and decided to pick up another Duetto/Mini combo as back up.

[fightnews]

Background:
Just kinda a garage hobbyist, been going at it since last April w/ a Griot’s Garage 6” DA. Mostly using 5.5” LC Flat, LC HydroTech foam pads and Megs 5” microfiber cutting discs. Started out w/ the WG Uber Compound, Total Swirl Remover & Finishing Glaze, moved to Menz FG 400 (FG400), 2400 (PO83), 3500 (PO106-FA) & 3800 (PO85RD) and have dabbled with HD Adapt, HD Speed, Megs M101 and my favorite combo, Megs D300 w/ their cutting discs; that combo seems to work no matter how hard I try to screw it up. Previous to discovering the financial rabbit hole that ‘somewhat real’ detailing involves, I was pretty much one of those Zaino zealots, each Spring pick up the ‘Showcar Kit’ for $100 or so, clay the car, layer a bunch of Z-5 on it over the Spring/Summer and call it a day. My credit card longs for those days when $100 a season was the usual ‘car-related’ appearance expenditure. Doh!


Anyway after getting our cars polished with the WG ‘Twins’ followed by Uber Ceramic, I kinda got addicted to the whole detailing ‘thing’ and started doing friends/acquaintances cars since I had so much product left after trying numerous things to find what I preferred. Did about 20 or so cars last summer, the problem being that doing a car (most of which were 2 steps of compound/polish during that phase, if not 3 using 3800 to try to eek out more gloss and clarity than a silver Chevy Cruze could give…or deserved) would suck up an entire Saturday (12-14 hours) and leave my hands/arms kinda beat from using the GG6 for that long. Ok…I’m easily distracted so likely a portion of that time was not exactly ‘machine on paint’ time but still…


Why I began looking at something more ‘refined’ than the GG6:
Well, mostly because I wanted to; this is all kinda a hobby for me, never charge anybody to do their cars, and wanted to try moving to something more efficient, smoother and could possibly cut down on the time I spent compounding/polishing. Also, I just plain wanted a new toy, a ‘better’ toy even though it’s pretty much overkill for what I do. The more I read about the Rupes (and long throws in general) the more I heard about needing improved technique to master the tools, something that interested me as well.


Rupes vs. GG Boss
I read and read and read about the advantages/disadvantages to each to each, it seemed that for my particular situation the GG Boss line would better suit my needs, largely based upon the economy of getting a new polisher and associated pads/liquids to go with it. And yet despite the ‘paper’ advantages, the Rupes just kept calling to me as a more ‘artistic’ kinda tool so of course I tossed the practical analysis out the window and went with the Rupes. Using the discounted Gift Certificates that were starting to pop up at the occasional PBMG sales, I started hoarding enough of them to eventually use purchasing a Rupes LHR15 Mk II.

Ended up with:
Rupes LHR 15 Mark II HD w/ 25ft cord (6" Pad Kit Combo)
(6) 6" Buff & Shine Uro-Tec Foam Pads (Heard some did not like the Rupes Green Pads so this was a substitution)
(6) 6" Rupes Blue pads
(6) 6" Rupes Yellow pads
(6) 6" Rupes White pads
(6) 6" Rupes UHS pads
(6) 6" Rupes Blue microfiber Cutting Pads
Rupes Keramik Gloss Fine Gel Polish 1 Liter
Rupes Diamond Ultra Fine Gel Polish 1 Liter
Rupes Zephir Gloss Coarse Gel Polish 1 Litre
Rupes UHS Polishing Compound 1 Litre


Unboxing/Unpacking:
Machine itself: Definitely a nice tool, can tell just by taking out of the box and holding it that it is a solid, well designed implement. HD 25’ cord is nice and heavy, will take a while to get the ‘memory’ out of the cord after having been tightly wrapped and zip-tied in box. No big deal.


Pads: Wow, Rupes pads are pretty dense/stiff. The UHS pads are *really* stiff.


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.


Firing that thing up and getting to work (Performance):
Wow, this thing is smooooooooth. On the first try I did get a little pad ‘hopping’ but once the pad got a bit more covered in polish/compound and the speed went up, it smoothed out completely. With the GG6 the ‘natural’ grip on the machine kinda puts one hand directly over the head of the machine which I think unknowingly helps to keep the pad flat. The Rupes, with its overhanging grip on the front, long body with kinda extended rear grip amplifies any uneven positioning with pad to surface orientation. I was kinda teeter-tottering at first, which also led to stalling. Again, actually paying attention alleviates this although I do have somewhat of a habit to push down on back of polisher/handle, raising the front up and leading to stalling. Will just have to unlearn GG6-bred machine handling habits. Like Mike Phillips says “Forget everything you've learned and know from your experience using other polishers.”


Even though it took a bit to become barely marginally functional with the Rupes, the results were quite impressive. Less taxing on the body, quicker results and an overall more comfortable experience and much better results were apparent, even after thinking I was making no progress. Just for giggles I grabbed the ‘ol GG6 and did a vertical section of the truck bed, low and all the way down by the bottom and then did an adjacent section with the Rupes; no comparison. The GG6 had my arms aching by the 6th to 8th section pass (pressure + position + ergonomics) while the Rupes had finished up nicely after the 5th pass and without the need to apply much pressure, the larger area covered by each stroke, the lack of vibration and the ergonomics of the machine, it's a much more pleasurable and *effective* experience.


Conclusion:
Yeah, the Rupes certainly is a more expensive proposition and in my case it’s overkill for just being a garage hack but in addition to the results, comfort and efficiency, it’s just a more entertaining tool to use. Now, I know I’m likely at about 5-10% competent using this thing after only 5-6hrs but damn, it’s sure a nice piece of kit. I look forward to learning how to use it effectively, more of an ‘artistic’ approach to the process.


Going forward I’ll probably snatch up a Kamikaze backing plate to go with the LHR15 and have ordered the Rupes LHR 75E Mini this morning to help deal with tight spots. Although it’s kinda duplicative/redundant I’m also eyeing up the Duetto because, well…just because. I snatched up a LOT of gift certificates in the recent sale so really, it makes perfect sense to snatch more Rupes at 20-25% off, real money cost. OK, it doesn’t really make any sense but neither does most of the other $1000’s I’ve spent at PBMG over the last 18 months. And to think I used to worry about spending $125 or so a year on the Zaino kit each Spring.

i think im going to go with the flex i never noticed tiring out on the gg6 as a problem.