Fell for the sales pitch - Griots Garage Orbital

[LEDetailing]

I’m still amazed at how well my Rupes Mini and Rupes 15 can remove defects with MF cutting pads and a good compound. I came from a rotary and the long-throw DA’s didn’t floor me at first, but the more I use them the more I prefer the DA to a rotary.

[rduchateau2954]

Just curious......did you use 6" pads and backing plate or go to smaller plate and 5 - 5.25" pads?
The work at hand might have been more than the machine is capable of regardless of pad size but smaller pads do make a difference.

Standard 6"

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[MarkD51]

Standard 6"

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

I see. A smaller Backing Plate, a 5" with 5.5" Pads will help with better rotation and less rotation bogging-stalling. Griots Garage makes a nice Ventilated 5" Plate. I have one for my Porter Cable 7424XP.

And you can go further yet. A 3.5" Backing Plate for use with 4" Pads, and even a 2-7/8" Plate can be used with 3" Pads. Again I have all these on hand. These help with the tighter areas, and smaller panels where you have better finesse and control in those areas.

One trick most us folks do, is we mark the top of the Backing Plate at the outer perimeter with a Magic Marker, or a Sharpie Pen. You can then more clearly see and keep an eye on Pad rotation as you use the machine. With no rotation, there's virtually zero in the way of correction with a D/A. With no rotation, all you have then in your hands then is one of those jiggle machine waxers from wally world.

[MarkD51]

Unless we're talking about the Flex 3401, or other forced rotation D/A machines, there's not one free wheeling D/A Machine that cannot be stalled.

Yeah, they're tricky, there is a learning curve where you have to pay constant strict attention to how you hold the Machine, and Pad against any panel, any curve or dip.

Truthfully, I think the Flex 3401 would've been more your personal cup of Tea with its forced rotation.

Many of us hobbyist folks here do have more than one machine. As well as most pros have a host of them for sure.

I'm just a hobbyist and I have the Milwaukee Variable Speed Rotary, 3 D/A Machines, the Griots Boss-15, the Baby Griots 3", and the Porter Cable 7424XP.

And there's probably a good chance that one day I might just get a hair up my butt, and I'll be ordering a Flex 3401 for myself. There are 2 different size Backing Plates from Flex, the standard 6", and I believe an even smaller Plate. Plus Lake Country also makes a 2-Plate Kit as well for the 3401.

What I do with my 3 machines on hand now, is the Griots Boss-15 will remain set up for use with the 5" Stock Backing Plate and 5.5" Pads. The Porter Cable with 3.5" Backing Plate and 4" Pads, and the Baby Griots with either 3" or even 2" Pads, as there is a smaller Backing Plate now available for that machine now too. (I have it)

Again, hope this helps you.

[RTexasF]

Standard 6"

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

I can see why you were disappointed, the smaller pads and backing plate make a huge difference. Even with that it may not have been up to the task but I strongly recommend you try the smaller plate & pads before condemning the Griot's machine.

[SWETM]

I have the microfiber pads with the fast cutting cream. Tried various pressures, etc. At one point I turned it up to 6 and just held it there. Nada.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

When you tackled those scratches with a rotary did you edgeing the pad to get a more isolated pressure and a smaller area where you cut those scratches? Cause that is a big downside with DA polishers that when you do that you stall the pad. With takeing out those kind of scratches with a DA you wet sanding it down by hand and then compounding those sanding marks out. And you have to overlapp with a DA as you get more correction a half inch in from the orbital coverage movement. So to get the most cutting you move the DA in center of the pad and the scratch is vertical to the movement. English is not my native language so hope I explain it right LOL.

The scratch from the tree branch seems quite deep. Do you really think it's not down in the primer?

You seemed to get the swirls out. And just had problems with the deeper scratches or did you have problem with getting the swirls out too?

The switch to the 5" backing plate is a necessary thing to do. And mark the backing plate to be seeing it's spinns as fast as possible. And there is wool pads that work on DA too. Lake Country Thin Foam Wool Pads is one option that I think cuts more than a mf cutting pad. Don't know the level of cut Fast Correcting Cream has. But Carpro ClearCut and Menzerna SHC300 and Sonax Cutmax is some compounds with a great cut from them. It could be an option to test those out. But do feel you can do what you did on your paint with a rotary polisher in both cutting and finishing. Then you would benefit from the hazzle to find out what works for you on a DA polisher.

Lake Country Thin Foamed Wool Pads

[rduchateau2954]

When you tackled those scratches with a rotary did you edgeing the pad to get a more isolated pressure and a smaller area where you cut those scratches? Cause that is a big downside with DA polishers that when you do that you stall the pad. With takeing out those kind of scratches with a DA you wet sanding it down by hand and then compounding those sanding marks out. And you have to overlapp with a DA as you get more correction a half inch in from the orbital coverage movement. So to get the most cutting you move the DA in center of the pad and the scratch is vertical to the movement. English is not my native language so hope I explain it right LOL.

The scratch from the tree branch seems quite deep. Do you really think it's not down in the primer?

You seemed to get the swirls out. And just had problems with the deeper scratches or did you have problem with getting the swirls out too?

The switch to the 5" backing plate is a necessary thing to do. And mark the backing plate to be seeing it's spinns as fast as possible. And there is wool pads that work on DA too. Lake Country Thin Foam Wool Pads is one option that I think cuts more than a mf cutting pad. Don't know the level of cut Fast Correcting Cream has. But Carpro ClearCut and Menzerna SHC300 and Sonax Cutmax is some compounds with a great cut from them. It could be an option to test those out. But do feel you can do what you did on your paint with a rotary polisher in both cutting and finishing. Then you would benefit from the hazzle to find out what works for you on a DA polisher.

Lake Country Thin Foamed Wool Pads

I'll check out the smaller pads. Me sticking more money into this orbital is dependent on whether or not I can get my hands on a rotary or if I have to buy one.

As far as that branch scratch there is one point, the initial impact, that might be too deep. Everything else I know I can get out with a foam cutting pad on a rotary without wet sanding.

The pictures I posted are from the orbital. I do not currently have a rotary.

As far as passes, the door was done in 3 sections, 6 passes (up/down side/side) with 40% overlap.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[rduchateau2954]

Unless we're talking about the Flex 3401, or other forced rotation D/A machines, there's not one free wheeling D/A Machine that cannot be stalled.

Yeah, they're tricky, there is a learning curve where you have to pay constant strict attention to how you hold the Machine, and Pad against any panel, any curve or dip.

Truthfully, I think the Flex 3401 would've been more your personal cup of Tea with its forced rotation.

Many of us hobbyist folks here do have more than one machine. As well as most pros have a host of them for sure.

I'm just a hobbyist and I have the Milwaukee Variable Speed Rotary, 3 D/A Machines, the Griots Boss-15, the Baby Griots 3", and the Porter Cable 7424XP.

And there's probably a good chance that one day I might just get a hair up my butt, and I'll be ordering a Flex 3401 for myself. There are 2 different size Backing Plates from Flex, the standard 6", and I believe an even smaller Plate. Plus Lake Country also makes a 2-Plate Kit as well for the 3401.

What I do with my 3 machines on hand now, is the Griots Boss-15 will remain set up for use with the 5" Stock Backing Plate and 5.5" Pads. The Porter Cable with 3.5" Backing Plate and 4" Pads, and the Baby Griots with either 3" or even 2" Pads, as there is a smaller Backing Plate now available for that machine now too. (I have it)

Again, hope this helps you.

The problem I have with the higher end orbitals is they cost more than a rotary. That makes absolutely no sense to me. I can do everything from cutting to waxing with a rotary, I don't have issues with buffer burn, compound splatter, or any of that.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[PaulMys]

The problem I have with the higher end orbitals is they cost more than a rotary. That makes absolutely no sense to me. I can do everything from cutting to waxing with a rotary, I don't have issues with buffer burn, compound splatter, or any of that.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

You said you bought the Griot's 6".

I have the same machine. $150 out the door. Great machines for removing light/moderate swirls or oxidation.

The "Higher end" orbitals are the longer throws. Check Flex, or the Griot's BOSS machines.

I think you read too much/didn't fully understand the scope of the Griot's 6 capabilities before purchase. No harm or foul.

In the future, if you ever need questions like this clarified, this forum is the place to start.

Any number of members here would have immediately steered you in the right direction.

[rduchateau2954]

You said you bought the Griot's 6".

I have the same machine. $150 out the door. Great machines for removing light/moderate swirls or oxidation.

The "Higher end" orbitals are the longer throws. Check Flex, or the Griot's BOSS machines.

I think you read too much/didn't fully understand the scope of the Griot's 6 capabilities before purchase. No harm or foul.

In the future, if you ever need questions like this clarified, this forum is the place to start.

Any number of members here would have immediately steered you in the right direction.

I read thread after thread of people singing high praises of the Griots 6".

That's why I bought it.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk