The Dual Action Counterweight 'Controversy'

[inthedetails]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips

Let me put it another way, what size counterweight I have on my personal G100 is the least of my worries when it comes to working on anyone's car.

How's that? [/B]

Well size doesn't matter anyway, right guys.

[Accumulator]

The PC repair people I've spoken with said there were no changes made to the machines actually related to detailing and that the "polisher" thing is really about polishing metal (which is what construction guys I know use them for, very different from detailing). They claimed that the counterweights were designed to compliment either 5" or 6" sanding systems, that is, the different weights of the respective backing plates. Do they know what they're talking about? I dunno.

Note that any foam pad, especially when saturated with product, is gonna weigh a lot more than a single sheet of sandpaper.

Note also that detailing is about the only application for this tool where somebody will put pressure on it as opposed to letting the product do all the work.

I find subtle differences between the two counterweights at speed 6 and I use the larger counterweight with all sizes of pads (even 4" ones). FWIW, I find the machine bogs down less readily with the lightest combination of backing plate and pad and IMO we're close to overloading it's design when we use big pads on the thing- hence the "jiggle machine" reputation. It sure doesn't jiggle when you use it as a sander but then people don't apply any pressure to it then either.

[Mike Phillips]

FWIW, I find the machine bogs down less readily with the lightest combination of backing plate and pad and IMO we're close to overloading it's design when we use big pads on the thing- hence the "jiggle machine" reputation. It sure doesn't jiggle when you use it as a sander but then people don't apply any pressure to it then either.

Great points to bring out.

[hammer55]

thanks everyone for sharing on this, and everything else for that matter

[eric96ser]

Old thread, but I was cleaning my car up a few weeks ago, and with the PC on 5, my right hand was going numb. I hold the back of the buffer with my right hand, and apply pressure with the left. After working on a section, I would put the buffer down, and my hand would tingle. I was swapping pads, and I saw I had the 5" counter weight on the buffer, so I put the 6" on. Using the same pads (8006), and same technique, my right hand didn't go numb. With the buffer on a lower setting like 2 or 3, I didn't have this problem with the 5" weight. With the 5" weight, the buffer wanted to "walk" across the panel, and it was hard to control that.

[Mike Phillips]

Old thread, but I was cleaning my car up a few weeks ago, and with the PC on 5, my right hand was going numb. I hold the back of the buffer with my right hand, and apply pressure with the left. After working on a section, I would put the buffer down, and my hand would tingle. I was swapping pads, and I saw I had the 5" counter weight on the buffer, so I put the 6" on. Using the same pads (8006), and same technique, my right hand didn't go numb. With the buffer on a lower setting like 2 or 3, I didn't have this problem with the 5" weight. With the 5" weight, the buffer wanted to "walk" across the panel, and it was hard to control that.

Were the pads equally saturated or not saturated with product?

Every time to test or compare and different items, you have to have controls and reduce variables to the 9th degree or your results will be skewed.

[eric96ser]

I don't remember them being saturated with product. I think I had worked on 1 panel 2 times, and I use a cross pattern when putting the product on the pad.

[andyo]

same with me my hand turns red and feels like pins and needles. i put the speed on 5.0 and it is better but still red hand and no pain. though i only did my car once so far, so i might have to get used to the pc.

i have no walking and have the pad centered. maby i am doing something else wrong? first time painting and buffing my car.

[OldSchoolDude]

Counterweight only comes in to play when using the DA as a sander.
You can use any size backing plate and pad with the 5 inch CW.