the stickies scared the hell out of me. i have absolutly no experience with buffers/ machine polishing. my paint is in really good condition except that i have a lot of swirl marks all over the car. now im not sure if i should even buy the porter cable buffer and polish/wax the car with it. can i really damage the paint and clear coat??

im just looking for that shinny, deep gloss mirror like finish that i have never seen on my car

share your experiences

 

I thought the same thing but decided to go ahead with it anyway. Got it at Amazon's tool crib and price-matched to Lowe's low price to get it a bit cheaper.

The way i see it, a random orbit buffer paired with good pads is basically idiot proof. You'd have to force the buffer to destroy your paint to even get there.

I've played with my set a couple of times since i got it and i can tell you this - i can destroy my paint far easier by using a cheap wash mitt than i can with the polisher.

 

what is a good pad i can match up with the proter cable

 

Yuo can buy complete kits:

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/pcdepot.html
http://properautocare.com/bufpol.html
http://www.topoftheline.com/tolae/po...-polisher.html

Go for it..it works great !

Bob

 

Tip: It's cheaper to get the 7336 from Lowes/Amazon and the Sonus Das kit from Autopia than to get any of those kits

For the price of their polisher *alone* i paid for both polisher and pad kit.

 

Go to http://autopia-carcare.com/freeguide.html and download the guide to detailing. You will have to register it to get it for free. Basically he just wants your email to advertise. It has a chapter on using a PC.

UPDATE: You can also go to http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=24 for just the chapter on using a PC. This website has all the chapters for the autopia book.

 

A PC really is pretty much idiot proof. Not completely, but someone who has never used one before can do so without training and not worry about it, as opposed to someone who has never used a high speed rotary and attempts to do so (NOT a good idea).

The great thing about a PC is that you can get into a lot more tight spaces than you can with a rotary, and you don't have to worry about swirls and burning the paint. That being said, I still use a high speed rotary to buff, but I know how to use it.

(I have a random orbital for wax applications, or polishing after removing swirls)

 

Whats the difference between the 7424 listed on the sites mentioned and the 7336 mentioned by soundmike? The 7336 seems cheaper and more readily available (on ebay at any rate).

 

damn them pads are $$$$$ lol

 

7424 is the one you want. Buy it from autopia, and you can buy the buffer with pads for like $199 IIRC. WELL worth the $$ at that price.

 

They're both the same internally, just marketed differently. The 7336 is marketed as a sander and comes equipped with a sanding pad and a 6" counterweight.

The 7424 is sold as a polisher and comes with a polishing pad and a 5" counterweight.

Most people i know who buy the 7424 end up purchasing the 6" counterweight (or if you get it at Coastaltool they give it for free) as well as a new backing plate and pads (the one's included on the 7424 are junk IMHO).

That said, the 7336 with a pad kit is just a better buy overall.

 

Why is that? Is soundmike incorrect?

 

No, it just depends on what you intend to use it for. Ive been a PC user for years (business and personal) and Ive never needed to do/change anything (save the backing plate, the one that comes with it is useless for auto detailing) to/on it. It all boils down to preference. The reason I suggested the 7424 from autopia is that it comes with a kit with everything you need (even a mild polish!) to start detailing a car correctly.

 

Well you could still get those things seperately though right? The 7336's on ebay looked like they'd be going for a bit over $50 (maybe $75) while the 7424 is $150. If they really are the same I'd just get the 7336.

I actually think my dad might have one, of course I'd have to wash off the sawdust .

What kind of compounds would one use with this. At work and on my car I use meguairs fine cut cleaner, swirl remover, show car glaze and hi-tech yellow wax all by hand. I'm really quite please with the results. Are the good products to use with one of these or no?

 

any feedback on the crafstman polishers? i saw a bunch at sears....

 

Which ones? Are you talking about the ones in the 8" or 10" and have two handles on the side? If so, those polishers are more designed for wax application and removal than paint defect correction.

The sticky for machine polishing is designed more for a rotary than a PC and I really need to add a section regarding the PC.

 

well they had a bunch over there and a few fall into the category u described.

 

I have the 10" one, I used it on lukes car in the "serious paint problems" sticky...

 

looked up 7336 vs 7424

7336:


7424:





to my understanding. as mentioned previously by someone else, they are exactly the same damn thing except one is sold as a polisher and the other sold as a sander. 7336 being the sander has EVERYTHING the 7424 has and on top of that it has sanding discs.

im not sure about the prices but if the sander is going to be significantly cheaper (which doesnt make sence since it comes with more stuff in the package) then i will most likely buy that since it already includes the polishing pad. i can save the extra money for wax and extra pads.

am i taking the right path here or do i really wanted 7424?? cuz i really dont see a difference in features.....

help please i love .org

 

If i'm not mistaken the 7336 is different from the 7336SP in that the "SP" comes with the sanding disc and polishing pad.

However, to answer your question - yes they're all the same body/mechanicals. Just marketed differently.

Lowe's has the 7336 for under $100 right now. They sometimes offer it on sale for about $80 if you're lucky.

Even if you get it at retail and get a good set of pads you only come up to how much it would cost to get the 7424 *alone*.

 

oh yea u are right. thanks for the info.

final conclusion:

7424= polisher
7336=sander
7336SP = sander & polisher

are the pads reuseable or i would need new ones every now and then? cuz i doubt washin will get all the wax and stuff out of them...

*runs to lowes*

 

you dont wash them. You just use the same product over and over on each particular pad. take a peek at autopia to learn more.

 

So do you use one pad for application and one for removal of each product? Like if you where going to use a polish and a wax you'd need 4 pads?

 

Now that the differences between the 7424 and 7336(SP) have been hashed out (they're the SAME machine, just different accessories. Personally, I have the 7336SP)...

About the pads. A lot of it is personal preference. I use Lake Country 7.5" Advanced Variable Contact pads. These pads ARE washable. I wash mine in the machine after each use, and hang dry (these have a hole in the center a small pipe fits through I use for hanging). Some of my pads are over a year old and still going strong. That said, some pads are NOT washable by machine because the adhesive holding the velcro will come off. And to add more confusion, some manufacturers (like Meguiars, unless they've changed recently), recommend not to wash the pads at all. In this case, E55AMG2's procedure is correct (one pad dedicated for only one product, and stored in a ziplock bag to prevent drying).

With all that said, check out Autopia.org and the e-book as mentioned above. Priceless info in the e-book, and the forums on Autopia can keep you learning for an eternity.

Don't be afraid of using a PC and hurting your paint. About the only way you'll hurt your paint is if you drop the PC on it. That being said, just use very basic common sense. Depending on your pad/backing plate combo, watch the edge of the backing plate making direct contact with the paint. If you use LC 7.5" pads (like mine), the backing plate sits down in a "cup" in the pad, and therefore can't hit your paint very easily. Also look in to getting 4" spot pads and a 3 or 3.5" backing plate for it. This is very convenient for spot polishing and for our bumpers.

The PC scrub brush is a very valuable tool for mats, carpets, and even nasty seats. About $13.00 online (check www.properautocare.com I think). Raises the nap and makes carpets/mats look fresh and new when used as part of a steam cleaning procedure. There are some posts on here and autopia.org about it.

Anyways, sorry for dragging this post on. My wife got my PC for our anniversary in '03, and it is probably the best present she has ever gotten me (children excluded). And she's gotten me some really cool gifts (SKS, Marine NCO sword, Shop Vac, and some unmentionable ones). For about $200 or under, you can get the PC, scrub brush, and an assortment of quality pads that will last you easily a year if properly taken care of. For pads, I'd get 2 cutting, 2 polishing, and 2 finishing as a minimum from a reputable manufacturer like Lake Country. 4" spot pads are really cheap and very convenient, so 3 cutting and 3 polishing will do you (they aren't quite as durable as full size LC's).

Remember, a lot of this is personal preference. People have posted good info in this thread. Getting the PC should now be a no-brainer, but with the pad selection you can get 10 different answers. I personally use the LC's 7.5" Advanced Variable Contacts, and see absolutely no reason to switch to any others. Not saying others aren't good, just that I'm satisfied with LC.

Hope this helps.

Dave

 

UPDATE

i found porter cable 7336 SP @ lowe's for only 99.97 bux which is a very good deal. i am going to buy this tomorow and im aware that i need to buy pads on my own.....

i had a coupla questions tho.

1) do you guys think I should buy the pads for polishing, waxing and stuff from pepboys or do u guys recommend better pads that can be bought online. whatever u guys think is the best will be what id buy cuz i know pads are very important.

2) I have no knowledge when it comes down to detailing. i read the PC article regarding how to use it. I understand that the right compound used can make a big difference but the problem is that i dont know where i should start ??? a strong abrasive compound or a weak one or what?

here is what im planning to do and my paint's condition.

last time i clayed the entire car was last year. since then i have just washed and wax (using meguiar's gold class paste wax) everynow and then. im planning to wash the car and clay it one more time before i use the PC on my car. my paint is in EXCELLENT condition. it does not have any paint chips, it does not contain any scratches and the paint has a nice enough shinne to it. however my paint DOES have swirl marks. i was thinkin about using the megiuars 3 step system with the PC but im not sure if thats where i should start. any help using the right compound would be apreciated. I dont want to use something unnecessary which can damage the paint.

here are a few quick pics of the car so u can see the paint.... pics taken after a wash ONLY, no wax on the paint...

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...63_28_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...63_29_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...63_24_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...63_10_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...463_9_full.jpg



thanks in advance

 

BUMP