Some Input Needed

[SkinnyJ012]

Alright so I've been into the detailing scene for awhile, doing my car, and on the occasion a couple friends, but its just been the wash, wax, shampoo the carpets, wipe down the interior, all that good stuff. It wasn't until i got on here and have become very interested in a DA (I've looked into the PC, and the G110). My questions are:
1. Are they a difficult thing to use? (Ive read the tutorial vids, and want some more opinions)
2.How long does it usually take to remove moderate swirling from an average size car (Honda Civic)
3. Where can i find a used one for sale
Are there any other brands or types out there that i can look into getting? I'm very interested in them and would like some input.

-Cheers

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Some Input Needed

Here goes.

1. There is a learning curve. Applying the correct amount of pressure, How much product, work times of product.Arm speed. But these are not that hard to master. There is a trial and error period with most things.

2. It all varies. Once you do your test spot and get the right product for the job, it goes fairly well. It is hard to make a blanket statement because of all the variables. (paint hardness, proper product, technique etc.)

3.Try e-bay. A g-100 is really a rebranded unit from Porter-cable. There model numbers are 7436 andI believe its a 7434?

Hope this helps you out some.

[Nappers]

Re: Some Input Needed

Here goes.

1. There is a learning curve. Applying the correct amount of pressure, How much product, work times of product.Arm speed. But these are not that hard to master. There is a trial and error period with most things.

2. It all varies. Once you do your test spot and get the right product for the job, it goes fairly well. It is hard to make a blanket statement because of all the variables. (paint hardness, proper product, technique etc.)

3.Try e-bay. A g-100 is really a rebranded unit from Porter-cable. There model numbers are 7436 andI believe its a 7434?

Hope this helps you out some.

To add:

1) clean pad on the fly (pad saturation makes the pad not spin)

2)

3) 7336/7424.....Now I can't remember the numbers....

Google Porter Cable Polisher.....

ADS has packages for the G110 that come with pads and products for reasonable

Meguiars Direct also sells the G110 obviously.

I've seen G100/PC polishers pop up on Ebay once in a while for reasonable. They also have the G110 too.....

Last I checked, I think it's called Coastal Tools for a PC for 100 bucks.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Some Input Needed

It wasn't until i got on here and have become very interested in a DA (I've looked into the PC, and the G110). My questions are:
1. Are they a difficult thing to use? (Ive read the tutorial vids, and want some more opinions)

Compared to a rotary buffer they are easy to use and easier to master. They are small, light weight and yes, for the most part easy to use. Best of all is you can get much better results much faster than working by hand. There's been a HUGE increase of enthusiasts moving from working by hand to working by machine and the machine everyone moves to is the DA Polisher like our G110 or the Porter Cable version.

If you want to remove swirls, then power is going to be your friend and our G110 offers more power and you'll appreciate this about 10 to 15 minutes into your first detailing session where you're removing swirls.

2.How long does it usually take to remove moderate swirling from an average size car (Honda Civic)

Not including washing and drying the car, not including claying the paint, not including polishing or waxing?

If you mean how long does it take to turn the polisher on and all you're going to do is go around the car and remove the swirls, then this time period will honestly be around 4 to 6 hours.

It's not fast because the tool is safe. By this I mean, the tool has a clutch which will prevent the buffer from spinning if too much pressure is applied or the buffing pad is against a high point. This is THE feature most people like about the tool because it's the feature that prevents you from burning through the paint on an edge or instilling swirls.

That's the trade-off, safety for time.

The rotary buffer on the other hand will remove swirls much faster but because it's a direct drive machine it presents the risk of burning through the paint or instilling swirls.

Most people are surprised to find out how long it takes to remove the swirls out of the clear coat finish on the average sized car but that's the nature of the paint and the machine.

You can't speed up the process and get good results as removing swirls means removing a little paint and that takes time using the right pad and chemical and a methodical approach for massaging each square inch of the paint.

Some people when first getting into machine polishing will focus only on a panel or section of a car at a time.

Are there any other brands or types out there that i can look into getting? I'm very interested in them and would like some input.

At this time, our G110 gives you the best bang for your buck. This is has to do with keeping the pad rotating for the swirl removal process and at this time our G110 offers the most power thus the best ability to keep the pad rotating.

Paint is removed best when the pad is rotating over the surface. Because dual action polishers have a clutch for safety you can only press down so hard on the head of the unit and still keep the pad rotating, thus the time factor which is also the safety factor.

There's a thread in our Hot Topics forum that I'll dig up and post here, until then maybe some of our other members will chime in on their thoughts after switching from working by hand to working with a DA Polisher.