Quote Originally Posted by Dr Oldz View Post

Honestly the direction of rotation really doesn’t matter. (At least to me) I have been using rotary polishers that spin clockwise forever.


I was hesitant to get a Flex 3401 when they came out due to its counterclockwise rotation......... Then I tried a 3401 and after 1.5 seconds of polishing it didn’t matter.
Totally agree and like you I started out with a Makita rotary buffer. Most of the tools on the market today did not exist when I started detailing cars.


Quote Originally Posted by Dr Oldz View Post

To this day I have no trouble switching between machines that spin one way or another.
Totally agree.

This is also why I laugh when I see some fan boy of any tool state they don't like the way one particular tool pulls them because what they are really saying is THEY LIKE the way their tool of choice pulls them and that's all just ridiculous. Time to hit the gym and work on your core and your upper body and then learn how to manage any tool.


Quote Originally Posted by Dr Oldz View Post

The only way I could see someone saying I don’t like the direction of the spin would be because they are picking up a bead on the wrong side(due to habit) and splattering compound or polish all over the place. To date I haven’t seen a single person complain of that on the Forums.

And picking up a bead of product at the right location of a pad in context of the direction you're moving the polisher over the paint and the direction of pad spin is something you practice until you perfect your technique.


This video shows how to pick up a bead of product using a rotary from different directions - as you learn the way of the rotary you learn it's all relative. I think I say that in the video.


Tips for using a Rotary Buffer and the Flex 3401 on vertical panels



That video is from 2012 - back when we used to make real how-to videos....