i want to buy a random orbit buffer, but i want something really good and easy to use. i dont want to worry about burning my paint. i know the porter cable is good. any suggestions?

 

The PC/UDM, 7424, 7336 is one of the most economical machines you could purchase. It has very good correction abilities for most users needs, when combined with proper pads and polishes.
Ive seen them stripped for about $120.00, but you still need a backing plate which runs around $15.00-$20.00. The one I distribute comes eqipped with one polishing pad and the backing plate.
Next step up would be the Megs G110. Buy through Megs for a lifetime warranty (which you ultimately pay for), has .3 amps+ more then the above referenced.
Griots also makes one, slightly higher then the Megs polisher (I believe), and lastly the Flex Orbital, which has balls more power but runs around $240.00 +/-.

 

For the Megs G110, do you know if the pads/backing plates you sell will fit the G110? Reason I ask is because looking on the Megs site, the only backing plate I see for the G110 is for 6.5" - 7" pads. From what I have been reading on here (unless I got confused somewhere along the way?) is that you can get better correction with a smaller pad(the 5.5 or 4)? If this is true, then that would lead me to get the PC/UDM over the G110.

Hope that made sense?

 

I'm now thinking about the G110. Wondering if it would be better than the Griot's. I'm off to research.

 

For the Megs G110, do you know if the pads/backing plates you sell will fit the G110?
Yes..............

 

I enccourage the two of you two do side by side spec comparisons on all the products you are considering.

 

Do I have the following right?......

The PC & G110 are Dual Action. Rotary AND Orbital
The Griots is: Orbital. Doesn't do any Rotary at all (?)

I saw the vids of the Griots on youtube and find it odd that I often can't see the pad moving at all as he moves it across the car.

I saw some vids of the Meguiar's and it seems noisy in a bad way. Squeelish. I read a comment about that on a forum. That would drive me nuts.

Tdottsx - If you have any epiphanies, please post an update. This is a complete nightmare.

 

All four, PC 7336, PC 7424, PC/UDM, Flex, Griots, and Megs 110 are Random Orbital. None are rotary. Metabo is a Random Orbital/Rotary (Around $300.00) The 1st three mentioned are all made by the same company. Want to solve this real quick? Conduct a poll for user popularity.....

 

I am very happy with my PC 7424

 

It seems the Griots doesn't move as much as the G110 or PC. Doesn't have that wobble effect it seems. I've no clue why or if that's good or bad.
I'm gleaning it might be quieter with less vibration to the hands (maybe due to less movement?).
I also like the concept of the velcro as an easy way to add/remove pads.

But seriously, I can't post links in this Wash/Wax forum for some reason, but if you search on Youtube for Griot's orbital and watch that pad with writing on the side moving - I don't get it. Seems for brief instances, the pad doesn't move at all as he pulls it along the car. This really threw me.

 

I have a PC and the first generation UDM .. happy with both.

 

Ive gone through 2 PC's and Im on my second UDM. VEry happy with either or.....

 

i have two udm's one still in box brand new, couldnt be happier....

the griots machine is 120 bucks, it looks just as good as the others, i imagine there isnt much difference in the 3 major machines....if i was buying again, i would just get the udm/pc....or pony up for the more expensive flex orbital....but truth be told, since i only do my car and i only use the machine about every 3 months, the one i have is perfect...

plus since they sent me a replacement udm without my original breaking is such a nice bonus....

 

I have a PC works great, thinking about getting a flex.

 

I'm not a professional detailer, but the 7424 is awesome! Great results and easy to use. Has the velcro backing and the pad size is 5", which I also like.

 

The Flex is definitely a big step up from the PC, you'd certainly be happy with the upgrade. I'm typically able to correct twice as many imperfections in nearly half the time. To me this is what makes the unit worth the difference in price.

One feature of the Flex that differentiates itself over most buffers is that it is a true dual action machine, meaning that it oscillates and utilizes forced rotation of up to 480RPM. The huge motor allows you to generate 9600 OPM vs the PC's 6000 OPM and gives you the ability to apply a lot of pressure without the machine bogging down.

The ergonomics on the Flex are more user friendly IMO than the PC. The hand positioning is over the pad and the variable speed trigger is a feature that is tough to live without once you get the hang of it. This allows you to control your speed on the fly, which is nice for spreading product on the surface before working it in. Then you can jump right to your desired speed without the need to stop look at your dial and set it.

One of the downsides of the Flex is the lack of backing plate options, which leaves you limited to 6 or 6.5" pads. One of the nice features of the PC or some of the others buffers mentioned in this thread is the ability to use smaller pads, which allows you to get in smaller areas, more control when moving the buffer and it generates more energy in a smaller area giving more bite to the buffer. The Flex has more than enough power to compensate for the lack of being able to use smaller pads, but figured I'd point that out.

If you have any other questions on the Flex let me know.

George

 

Thanks for this information George! I'm sure this information would help some of the newbies understand the difference between the PC and the Flex 3401.

 

What's the price of the Flex?




2009 Kansas City Acura Meet-May 17th
https://acurazine.com/forums/midwest-312/kansas-city-2009-spring-all-acura-meet-may-17th-12pm-%40-jay-wolfe-acura-714994/

 

All I have seen is around $289 .. all the vendors say is a dictated fixed price so I stopped looking .. on top of that the backing plates from the PC don't fit it.

 

i have never polished my car. so i need to buy everything asap, including a polisher. what is everything i need to get started? Excel Detail, if you can put down a list of products that i will need i will purchase them from you. thanks a lot
p.s. i got a ton of swirl marks all over my car

 

I actually answered your PM before I saw this.......
I just went through this with another detailer, lol.

 

This is only my advice but take it as you will but don't be in such a rush to get this going. Sure you can buy everything you need but you still need to learn how to use the stuff you're going to buy. Patience is key...

 

Exceldetail, Do you have any package deal that includes, Porter cable 7424 and lake country pads (might just needs yellow or orange, white, and softer one for sealant)
Also great swirl remover + polish and finish? I was debating between Menzerna and Pinnacle.

Thanks in advance.

 

I do sell the PC with a combination of 3 differing pad setups (Cutting/polishing/finishing)
I do not carry the Menzerna or Pinnacle lines........ My go to's are either Optimum,1Z or Four Star....

 

imo i would get the udm/pc if you never work with any polisher or any kind of power tools..
then upgrade to a flex or rotary, and then use the udm/pc for small tight places with 4inch pads..
btw there's new pc coming out soon its stronger and looks sexier

 

 

I would rank DA's as follows:

1. Flex XC3401VRG
2. Ultimate Detailing Machine (UDM) - old version since new version has been detuned.
3. Meguiars G110
4. Porter Cable 7424

I own #1, #2 and #4. All of these have their place in my arsenal.

 

Interesting, my Flex came with a 5.5" backing plate so I am able to use 5.5" polishing pads.

 

That's right, good catch. How do you like your Flex?

I've only used the 6.5" pads so far with outstanding results, I can only image the 5.5" pads offers more cut and better efficiency breaking down the polishes.

Cheers,

George

 

Ya but doesn't that take away any margine of error?

 

I would certainly feel more comfortable using a 5" BP with 5.5" pads.

 

The car polishers in the ~$120 price range are all just re-purposed random orbit sanders. The Griot's machine claims to have a fan that keeps the pad cool, but it really is the dust collector in the sander version. There are some differences but in my opionin for the average home detailer none of the differences are that big to worry about. I think people that come on forums like this (including myself) tend to over analyze things. I ended up getting the best overall deal I could find and got the G110. The reason.. price, it came with a case, it has a bail handle, and a nice rubberized coating. It comes with a backing plate and at the time I got a few pads thrown in. I think it works well enough for my purposes. It seems well built and has more than enough power and settings. Is is louder than the PC?? I don't know, but does it matter? Neither is so loud you need hearing protection so unoless you are polishing all day I don't think this is a worry.

The Flex I think has forced rotation which is one of the reasons it is so expensive.

Hint.. You might be able to find a random orbit sander at a pawn shop cheap. Just get a backing plate and some pads.

 

I love the Flex! the 5.5" pads allow for better control and access to tighter areas. The 5.5" pads are not as thick as the 6.5" pads so I use a little more caution. The cut is better so I only have to use a finishing polish on my cars.

 

I'm still undecided which chemicals to go....man so many good choices.

 

AND

Dale and Patrick,

Unfortunately the Flex uses a proprietary backing plate that is not compatible with standard PC backing plates. A little extra safety is preferred but this is not an issue since I'm extra careful. Since the backing plate comes out to the edge of the pad I am able to ensure complete pad contact on the paint surface.

 

I use 5.5 pads on my Flex too. I've always preferred the 5.5 size for polishing.

It was a kind of a gamble when I first bought it, all my air polishing stuff is already based on 5.5 pads, so changing pad sizes wasn't an option. As long as the pad is centered and your careful, it really works good. 5" BP would be ideal, but it does operate fine as is.

Flex XC

 

+1 Nice to see that DI is also a sponsor here (my home is E46Fanatics). I definitely recommend the FLEX, it has a lot of power which makes it much more efficient than the PC while still having the safety that a DA polisher offers.

 

The Flex does have drawbacks....Price, and backing plate selection. Nice machine however. I could probably get used to the backing plate issue, if I had the $ hanging around in my pocket for a purchase......