I have a WEN 7010 10" random orbit 1800/3000 OPM machine that my wife gave to me a few years back.

I just took deliver of a SCREW Lariat in black and I starting to bring myself up to speed on detailing via this forum.

Is this machine worth using or am I asking for trouble?

My first wash/wax is planned for the coming weekend.

Being a total amateur I will;

Wash using Meg's Deep Crystal
Wax Using Meg's NXT Tech Wax
Treat the tires with Meg's Gold Class Endurance

I have a feeling this is the start of a long slippery slope....

 

Yep. And the process you laid out is the norm for amateurs. Youll get into polish, new buffers, better products, microfiber, etc.

That buffer will be fine for applying any wax. By that I mean liquid, or wax that can be pulled out of the jar. However, that buffer wont be anywhere near what you need for polishing and removing swirls. So dont expect anything spectacular with that process.

I really would clay before waxing to make sure the surface is very clean.

 

NeedA

I think your WEN will fit the bill. However, do not depend on the advertisements that indicate using an orbiter will allow you to add your choice of wax, then buff to a no swirl shine.

I own both the inexpensive Sear's and a Porter Cable orbiter. Applying liquids with these orbiters isn't that bad, but it does not do a smooth job and some liquids fly off the pads. I apply my Mothers Carnuba Wax my hand. Then I take my larger Sear's orbiter and place a terry wash cloth or terry rag between the fiber cover of the orbiter and the paint. This takes off the greater amount of the wax without plugging up the orbiter's cloth cover with excess, dried wax. Then I take my PC and do the same method of terry cloth rag between the PC's microfiber and paint. This may sound like the long way around, but in each case I just zip over the dried wax, not trying to take it to shine. Then for those stubborn spots I go over them with the naked microfiber on the PC. These 3 passes takes only a short amount of time and saves washing orbiter pads about every thrid time and still while taking off the excess dried wax. Then I finish off by hand with a Terry cloth towel. No swirls. Happiness again in Fordville.

 

Thanks for the responses. I am sure you will be hearing more from me in the coming months as I get hooked.

 

Hmm, the terry cloth doesnt swirl the paint? I wouldnt dare touch my black paint or customers paint with a terry cloth, quality microfiber only. If your wax is that hard to remove, then you need a new wax. Also, the liquid should not be flying anywhere.

 

Possibly you are correct. I am blind.

 

mustang03....

i have seen your work and it looks great...

not having heard you mention what machine you use...i would guess that its a true variable speed orbital like a dewalt or makita or the like...or do you use a porter cable da??

 

clay before waxing it really makes a difference and use clean microfiber towles.

 

Thank you. I use a PC 7424 with the Edge pads. My next polisher will be a cheap rotary or the new UDM. But that probably wont happen until next summer.

 

ok thats clears it up...i use only rotary polishers...found it a bit odd that the other guy mentioned "some liquids fly off the pads" and you said "the liquid should not be flying anywhere" with a full rotary it will have little specs going everywhere. i like a full on rotary over da for speed and abiltiy to cut major scratches and for full vehicle color sanding and polishing. i could not image the time it takes to do an entire vehicle with a pc only...tried a couple of pannels with a pc before and the vibration makes my arm/hand numb in about 5 mins.

 

lol .. that made me smile .. I never really noticed it before .. but this weekend I went back and forth a couple of time between my DeWalt and my PC pretty quickly, and the difference in the two machines was highly contrasting .. way different feel to them ..

 

Apply small dabs of polish on pad, pat pad on paint in area to be polished, turn polisher on low speed to spread evenly, turn rpm's up to work polish in. Why would it be slinging anywhere?

Using the PC does take longer for obvious reasons, and it does vibrate a good amount. But its never bothered me, and Im getting excellent results on every car Ive done. So no need to change to a rotary, yet.

 

once you start to use a rotary full time....it will sling! if its not slinging, its too dry. on rotary you put polish on car and walk pad into polish in an angle with pad spinning...da you apply to the pad. and its like the merry-go-round 500 rpms on 8 inch pad the outside gets moving. kick it up to 1200 and it will do more. its not like quarts are coming off...its just a fine pin dot freckles.

oh yeah and not for sure....but i think the pc i tried had a larger counter weight for more "action" i guess that can be done to those machines...that could be why the vibration was just too much.

 

Yeah, I tend to agree with that. The banners that are on my walls in my garage certainly would mimick that thought as well.

As for a PC, you're not going to have sling. It is, however, a fantastic way to eliminate lots of minor paint issues. A rotary can do more work over time but, the PC is light years safer...

Tinkering around with my 'test hood' (that was disposed of a couple of weeks ago), I put a new, dry 6" pad on the rotary and cranked it up to see what it would take to 'burn' the paint (as I had really never experienced it). It was ALARMING at how fast it happend.

Same test with the PC -- well, I couldn't get it to burn. I marr'd the heck out of it but, I never got any smoke. I did with the rotary... in something like 7 seconds. HAHA!

The heavier counterweight will help but, it's not substantial in my opinion. Like 03mustang, I would concur that the vibration is something that most can handle when it yields great results and my customers are happy.

-RP-

 

yep .. I have a dozen or so shirts that have little dots all over them ..