Rotarys Dangerous?

[kastanaras]

I am thinking about buying one and practicing on a scrap body panel and wondering are they that dangerous to burn through paint.

From what I have learnt tell me if this is right,

#1 Keep them always moving and never let them sit on one spot of they will generate too much heat and burn thru paint.

#2 Start at around 1000rpm and don't push it past 1500rpm.

#3 Don't work too fast or you will get many buffer swirl marks but don't work too slow so you don't generate too much heat. Just nice even movement.

I work at a carwash and have seen them used and have tried it once or twice at low speeds and they don't seem that dangerous.

I have been using a RO but found it useless so will be buying a PC next 2-3weeks and get few months practice with that then later this year buy rotary.

I mainly want to start using one to get better results and the work alot faster. Random Orbitals do a good job but just are way to slow to do a whole car.

Any advice will mean alot.

[TrufflePig]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

I am thinking about buying one and practicing on a scrap body panel and wondering are they that dangerous to burn through paint.

GOOD IDEA!!!

if you have plenty of experience with a DA it'll help you in using the rotary. they are totally different though.

and remember, you put the product on the vechile not on your pad.

[kastanaras]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

So how do you put product on a vertical panel. Also I saw a video where you lift up on side of pad and go over product on panel so you don't get any splatter when applying product to panel, is this right?

[Coupe]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

GOOD IDEA!!!

if you have plenty of experience with a DA it'll help you in using the rotary. they are totally different though.

and remember, you put the product on the vechile not on your pad.

I apply it to the pad.

[kastanaras]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

When you apply it to the pad do you dab it and then lay it flat then start the machine. Also do you find it safe to go around taped indicators, tail lights, headlights, and around windscreen washers. Is it safe for rotary to take quick pass on 3m blue painters tape and how do you guys manage places like under door handles.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

From what I have learnt tell me if this is right,

#1 Keep them always moving and never let them sit on one spot of they will generate too much heat and burn thru paint.

Yes, this is true. The direct drive rotating action of the rotary buffer exerts a lot of power to the surface and from this power you can generate a lot of heat very quickly. If you leave your buffer with this rotating pad in one place with even a light pressure you could heat the paint up and potentially burn or melt the paint.

#2 Start at around 1000rpm and don't push it past 1500rpm.

Actually, you set the speed you want to work with and start at that speed. How many RPM you use depends upon what you're working on and your skill level. When you're first starting out a range from 1000rpm to 1500rpm is good range.

#3 Don't work too fast or you will get many buffer swirl marks but don't work too slow so you don't generate too much heat. Just nice even movement.

You don't want to work to fast or you won't get any work done. Just like the G100/PC you need to let the combination of foam, chemical and rotating action do some work in one area before moving to a new area.

Some guys do move the rotary buffer quickly over the surface, in most cases it's because they've never had any training on how to use the tool or the product line they're working with.

You get buffer swirls from the physical contact of the pads and chemicals rotating against the paint. Whenever you work on paint the potential exists to instill swirls or scratches by hand or machine. Your job is to reduce the potential. You do this by using the best pads and the right pads for the job, the best chemicals and the best technique and skill you possess.

A big misunderstanding that seems to be common on 'other' detailing discussion forums is the misconception by other people that heat is required when using a rotary buffer. Hopefully over time the word will travel from here to there and this misconception will be removed from the advice given out on all these other forums by well-meaning people that are likely just parroting what they read on another forum and then repeating it in the forum world they hang out in and thus the cycle feeds on itself.

Heat is not a necessary component of using the rotary buffer, it's a byproduct of the process.

I work at a carwash and have seen them used and have tried it once or twice at low speeds and they don't seem that dangerous.

I have been using a RO but found it useless so will be buying a PC next 2-weeks and get few months practice with that then later this year buy rotary.

I mainly want to start using one to get better results and the work alot faster. Random Orbitals do a good job but just are way to slow to do a whole car.

Any advice will mean alot.

Learning to use the rotary buffer is a matter of practicing on something that's not important to you or anyone else. That is to say, don't learn how to use a rotary buffer on a Black Viper.

Practice on a junked out car or a panel from the wrecking yard. Don't try to do to much in one day, just tackle a hood or deck-lid to start with, that is...

• Wash
• Clay
• Rotary buffer work
• Dual Action Polisher Work
• Wax
• Call it good for the day

Tackling an entire car in one day your first time is a lot of work, i most cases if you aiming for quality work, this will mean you may be going around the car at least twice with the rotary buffer, once with your most aggressive product and following this with a less aggressive pad and product.

Depends upon what you're working on and what your goals are. After the rotary buffer work you'll want to insure there are not swirls, that means going over each panel with something that's not rotating, either a dual action polisher or your hand.

Starting to get the picture? Doing a full on rotary buff-out to car is not a 3-4 hour job. So when you're first starting out only tackle one panel. Do the entire process to one panel. That will take you plenty of time and give you some experience under your belt.

Make sense?

This took a little while to think out and type, hope it helps..

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

Anyone thinking about moving up to a rotary buffer for doing their detailing work should read all the way through these threads to get some head knowledge before hand.


Questions about how to avoid swirls with the rotary buffer come up often enough that this "Hot Topic" article was created to share a number of relevant and valuable existing threads that if you'll invest the time to read through them and digest the information you'll find your questions answered and you'll know what it takes to machine clean and polish a car using a combination of tools while creating a swirl-free finish.


How to avoid swirls and holograms?

Need HELP! - How to avoid holograms?

Rotary vs PC vs Regular Orbital Buffer



Check out our comments in this thread..
Can a Rotary Buffer like a Makita or DeWalt be as Idiot-proof as a PC?

Switching from 3M to Meguiar's - Rotary Buffer Questions?

[TH0001]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

Heat is an unwanted by product of the buffing process. I guess certain paints may "soften" when heated, thus making them easier to correct, but I would rather have no head, and thus no potential for burning the paint.

When you buff, your goal is to leave behind a level paint surface that will inturn reflect light to its fullest potential.

For picking up product on a pad, I use Mike Phillip's method he showed us at the Tamp Roadshow last year. Lay a bead, about 8 inches long (or so) on the panel and tilt the end of the pad up. If you visualize the pad like a clock, with 12 o'clock straight up, 3 o'clock to your right, 6 o'clock straight down, or 9 o'clock due left, you want to pick the bead up at 10:30. As make your intial pass, you want to finish picking the bead up at 4:30, so that you made a slight angle relative to the bead, sucking the product into the pad evenly.

[gb387]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

There is some very interesting information in this thread, thanks for typing all that up Mike!

[TH0001]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

Here I drew up some quick sketches real quick to explain what I was saying (don't laugh)



In the second one, you can see you are actually making a slight angle for your first pass over the bead. The bottom pad, flipped over, shows how you should pick the bead into the pad, to avoid any dry buffing. The pad on the far right is your starting position, then you move across the white bead of product to pick it up at a slight angle, ending in the position on the left.



If you had to pick up the bead vertically, you would pick it up at the 1:30 area, and finsh just after 6 oclock.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

For picking up product on a pad, I use Mike Phillip's method he showed us at the Tamp Roadshow last year.

Just to clarify, this is the method "Meguiar's" has been teaching longer than I've been alive, I just happen to be the person sharing their information in Tampa Florida on that day.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

Here I drew up some quick sketches real quick to explain what I was saying .

Actually you did a great job of explaining with words and pictures.

Nice work!

[Coupe]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

Its fine you guys do it that way but you cant do the on vertical panels. Since you guys seem to only do it this way how do you do vertical panels?

I always apply my compound/polish to the pad, vertical panel and horizontal. Never had a problem doing it this way, dont know why i would either. Ever since i started doing it this way there is no more slinging.

[TH0001]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

Thanks, and I'm sticking with the Mike Phillip's method, (no matter how much Meguiar's pays you to act like you didn't invent it)

[TH0001]

Re: Rotarys Dangerous?

Its fine you guys do it that way but you cant do the on vertical panels. Since you guys seem to only do it this way how do you do vertical panels?

I always apply my compound/polish to the pad, vertical panel and horizontal. Never had a problem doing it this way, dont know why i would either. Ever since i started doing it this way there is no more slinging.

I get sling if I apply it to the pad. I do it the same way or a vertical panel, just move a little quicker so the product doesn't run.