Best Buffer?

[Paul Hawker]

Dittos on the Porter Cable.

Now worries about burning and you tend to use 1/2 the wax/polish.

Does a much better job with 1/2 the work of using your hand.

I still buff off the dried wax/polish by hand.

[ViperJay]

is your viper factory paint? looking at the stress crack on my hood i think my viper paint is thick too.

Originally Posted by ViperTony

I haven't tried their ROB, I use the Porter Cable, but I have tried their polishes. All of them Machine Polish I-IV. They work very well on my BMW but didn't do squat on the Viper as far as removing fine scratches and swirl marks. It could be my Viper as I think my paint is uber thick and seems incredibly hard on my '01. I ended up using 3M polishes which worked well for me. Griot's is worth a try since you can send it back if you're not satisfied. I did.

- Tony

[Viper X]

ViperJay,

Yes, Griots is a Porter Cable. Very nice product and product line. The have the hook and loop polishing pads for wax and polish and it's hard to beat their polishes.

I really like their #4 polish and paint sealant on my black SRT-10.

Good stuff!

Dan

[ViperJay]

thanks dan, i think im going to give them a try.

Originally Posted by Viper X

ViperJay,

Yes, Griots is a Porter Cable. Very nice product and product line. The have the hook and loop polishing pads for wax and polish and it's hard to beat their polishes.

I really like their #4 polish and paint sealant on my black SRT-10.

Good stuff!

Dan

[Art 138]

Based on feedback on this forum, I bought the Ultimate Buffer from Autopia; it is a very well balanced machine. It has the same feel of the Porter Cable but higher range of rpms. I tried it out on a fender and am very satisfied. Customer service from Autopia was excellent.....

[Vipers9500]

Originally Posted by Paul Hawker

Dittos on the Porter Cable.

Now worries about burning and you tend to use 1/2 the wax/polish.

Does a much better job with 1/2 the work of using your hand.

I still buff off the dried wax/polish by hand.

Same here with the Porter Cable 7424. I've been using the same unit for the last 4 years witithout a single problem.

It is much more efficent in terms of even application, covering greater surface area and time savings compared to hand.

To remove, I'll use a microfiber polishing bonnet placed over top of the orange foam buffing pad for residue removal. Its burnishing effect leaves the surface cleaner with a more reflective finish.

[Paul Ronald]

Groits is a porter cable for sure
PBR

[ViperJon]

More than just the machine, you have to select the right pad and the right polish. There is a range of pads for varying jobs as well as all kinds of polishes, some more abrasive than others. I think I have tried them all. I wouldn't worry to much about an Porter Cable hurting your paint, you can stand on it and it will not go through the clear. Viper clear is hard as a rock. By the way, if your scratches are deep you won't take them out with a orbital buffer. You can knock down the edges and hide them somewhat, but they will be back. An orbital will not cut the clear coats.

On the other hand, a rotary buffer will take out the deep scratches but can also burn the paint if done improperly. Best to stay away from that unless you really know what you are doing.

[AFL in NJ]

Here's a link to the Porter Cable 7424 for a decent price, he's got 19 of them:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Porter-Cable-742...QQcmdZViewItem

Regards,
Aaron

[Purdue_Boiler_Viper]

Originally Posted by ViperJon

More than just the machine, you have to select the right pad and the right polish. There is a range of pads for varying jobs as well as all kinds of polishes, some more abrasive than others. I think I have tried them all. I wouldn't worry to much about an Porter Cable hurting your paint, you can stand on it and it will not go through the clear. Viper clear is hard as a rock. By the way, if your scratches are deep you won't take them out with a orbital buffer. You can knock down the edges and hide them somewhat, but they will be back. An orbital will not cut the clear coats.

On the other hand, a rotary buffer will take out the deep scratches but can also burn the paint if done improperly. Best to stay away from that unless you really know what you are doing.

Hey Jon,

What do you recommend for pads and polish?

Thanks!

[agentf1]

Originally Posted by Purdue_Boiler_Viper

Hey Jon,

What do you recommend for pads and polish?

Thanks!

I like Zaino ZPC and Menzerna's polishes. My favorite is Menzerna PO106FF and their FPII is also very good. If you need to get it locally I recommend 3M 39009.

As far as pads go I like Lake Country White Polishing pads, Meguiars Yellow or Tan and Edge Blue or Green pads all work well with a ROB. Do not get too aggressive of a pad for your ROB as it will introduce micro marring to your finish which is very hard to remove with a ROB. My theory is if you need a cutting pad on your ROB you really should be using a rotary. A ROB is great for restoring the gloss to your finish but are not that great for removing anything more than mild to moderate swirls at best. I am a firm believer in using the proper tools for the job and for any significant paint defects you WILL need a rotary. JMHO

I hope this helps.

[CROM]

Significant defects I agree, however I've gotten out some pretty nasty stuff on cars with a yellow cutting pad an 3M Perfect It III + 3M Swirl mark remover. I took a swirl marked, scratched to he11 car and made it beautiful. No Viper should need a Rotary.

Ive ordered pads from several vendors. Lake Country makes great pads. I've found that many pads are created equal. Just make sure you have a cutting pad (typically yellow), 2 polishing pads (typically white) and a grey or blue pad for applying wax if you wish to do it by machine. I always apply Zaino and the rest of the waxes by hand.

Honestly the best polish combination I have found is the 3M Perfect It III with the Swirl Mark remover. I have some Zaino PC that I have yet to use. I've tried several brands and if done correctly the 3M looks the best. I usually follow this up with Clearkote Vanilla Moose and several Coats of Z2.

[agentf1]

Somebody just was telling me about the Makita BO6040 and it looks like an AWESOME machine. It is an Orbital like the Porter Cable and UDM but also has an option where it goes into rotary modes and spins but yet still orbits helping to eliminate holograms and has much more power than the PC and UDM. I am definitely going to look into getting one and wish I say this before picking up my rotary. I will let you know what I think when I pick it up.