Chase@InsanePaint

Ok. So here's my two cents......
 
As a guy who does this by PROFESSION & FOR PASSION of automobiles.....I've been detailing for longer than some people on this forum have been alive. I'm not saying I know everything, because I DON'T, I'm still constantly learning and evolving. And I'm VERY MUCH in search mode, always looking for a way to improve and grow, and I'm incredibly open-minded!! THAT BEING SAID.
 
I've seen & heard detailers say things like "Oh my gawd, this is the best thing ever." Or "Dude, there's no other option, you have to do this." Or "Man it's the wave of the future." And I get that progression is the name of the game, I TOTALLY understand that. I get it, I truly do.
 
But this is an UNNECESSARY evolution. And plain and simple, clay bar is still THE BEST way (after personally using a few of these towels) to remove contaminants, safely, effectively, and thoroughly. PERIOD. I'm not gonna repeat everything Dylan just said. But he's dead on. THE TIME YOU SAVE BY USING THE MORE AGGRESSIVE NANO-CLAY (or whatever the hell those stupid things are called) YOU SPEND THAT MUCH LONGER IN POLISHING, CORRECTING ALL THE CRAP YOU JUST SCREWED UP!!!! Makes no sense whatsoever. If you're looking to work against yourself, hell, go drive your clean car through the mud, pull back in the driveway and repeat the wash process!!! It's the same philosophy and that makes no sense at all to me.....?? I don't understand at all why you would intentionally harm the clearcoat?
 
I'm not saying anyone is WRONG here. If you wanna jack stuff up to fix it, BE MY GUEST. I ain't mad atcha playa, lol. But I won't do it. In my experience nothing touches the way a clay bar works, incredibly efficient and incredibly safe. The detailing profession, at times, brings about "new fads" or "bandwagon" products from time to time. And this is apparently one of those products (no different than the infomercials with "NuFinish - the once a year wax!"). Every once in awhile there's a product that's revolutionary.....but this ain't it people. Do as ya please.....

Ok. So here's my two cents......
 
As a guy who does this by PROFESSION & FOR PASSION of automobiles.....I've been detailing for longer than some people on this forum have been alive. I'm not saying I know everything, because I DON'T, I'm still constantly learning and evolving. And I'm VERY MUCH in search mode, always looking for a way to improve and grow, and I'm incredibly open-minded!! THAT BEING SAID.
 
I've seen & heard detailers say things like "Oh my gawd, this is the best thing ever." Or "Dude, there's no other option, you have to do this." Or "Man it's the wave of the future." And I get that progression is the name of the game, I TOTALLY understand that. I get it, I truly do.
 
But this is an UNNECESSARY evolution. And plain and simple, clay bar is still THE BEST way (after personally using a few of these towels) to remove contaminants, safely, effectively, and thoroughly. PERIOD. I'm not gonna repeat everything Dylan just said. But he's dead on. THE TIME YOU SAVE BY USING THE MORE AGGRESSIVE NANO-CLAY (or whatever the hell those stupid things are called) YOU SPEND THAT MUCH LONGER IN POLISHING, CORRECTING ALL THE CRAP YOU JUST SCREWED UP!!!! Makes no sense whatsoever. If you're looking to work against yourself, hell, go drive your clean car through the mud, pull back in the driveway and repeat the wash process!!! It's the same philosophy and that makes no sense at all to me.....?? I don't understand at all why you would intentionally harm the clearcoat?
 
I'm not saying anyone is WRONG here. If you wanna jack stuff up to fix it, BE MY GUEST. I ain't mad atcha playa, lol. But I won't do it. In my experience nothing touches the way a clay bar works, incredibly efficient and incredibly safe. The detailing profession, at times, brings about "new fads" or "bandwagon" products from time to time. And this is apparently one of those products (no different than the infomercials with "NuFinish - the once a year wax!"). Every once in awhile there's a product that's revolutionary.....but this ain't it people. Do as ya please.....

Unless you plan on developing a "crackhead like" addiction to making your wheel wells shine like your paint!!!!!! I hate you Undercarriage Spray, you've ruined my life..........that is all.
:willy: :willy:

When I was back home in Kansas this week, did some SERIOUS polishing on a 2011 CTS-V.  Not only for paint correction, but for massive protection for the incoming winter...
 
These first couple are JUST after polishing.  No wax.  No sealant.  No glaze.  No filter.  RAW PAINT.
 

 

 
All done......!!!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2001 Chrysler Prowler. Mulholland Blue.

Got the pleasure of detailing & polishing a true "1 of 1" 2007 Saleen 302 Mustang a couple weeks back. It was built as a collaboration for the Midnight Club Racing video games. TONS of true carbon fiber, true 100% glass roof, and a WICKED "Cherry Bomb" metallic paint! Here she is.....

INDOOR REFLECTION SHOTS













SUN PICTURES POPPIN' THAT METALLIC!

















ENGINE BAY READY FOR SHOW

This thread will somewhat run in conjunction with my "BEFORE & AFTER PIC THREAD" - but not totally.  I just wanted to create one simple place, where the finished detail could be shown off a bit.  So in this thread, you'll find the "Facemelting" end result, of some of our favorite details!!  Creating a deep, rich, WET shine, is the specialty of the relationship between Adam's Polishes & Insane Paint Auto Detailing.  Remember, I'm readily available for product consultation, via PM or phone call/text.  AS WELL AS, if you'd like to book a detail with me.  So now that the formalities are out of the way.....LET'S SEE SOME SEXY RIDES!!

Here's a 2011 Bentley Mulsanne we completed recently.  These first few pics, are from just when we backed it out to rinse off, after polishing.  No sealant, no wax. -













Then we pulled it back into the owners garage, applied (secret) - did all the final touches with Adam's SVRT, Detail Spray, Double Soft Microfibers, etc.  And here she sits!

We use the Rupes EXTENSIVELY in our shop.  Here's why it does that:
 
1) On curvy panels - The throw of the LHR21 is so massive, that it creates a different kind of force in the way that it works a panel.  And when you're working on the higher speeds (primarily 5 & 6), that force will separate the pad from its backing.  The reason for this is because it's not making full contact with the body panel, and the throw of the machine is yanking itself away from the pad.  On slower speeds, it won't do this as aggressively.
2) On smaller panels than the size of the pad - Same thing. 
 
The LHR21 will do this all day long.  It's truly designed for bigger, flatter panels.  Once this is understood, you'll find you won't have this issue anymore.  There's a lot of "nay-sayers" about the Rupes, but it's because those people don't truly understand the machine, and haven't logged any time in trying to learn its power curve.  However it's a good reason why the Flex AND Rupes, make sense to have both in your arsenal.  We just bought the new Rupes LHR12 Duetto for this reason also.  And we are in love with it.  If you're truly passionate, and love the craft of detailing, it's incredibly smart to have separate polishers, for separate jobs:
3" polisher - 5" polisher - 6" polisher
The Rupes LHR21 is an incredibly phenomenal machine (It's my personal favorite), but it has its place.  Hope this helps. 

I was SO STOKED to work on this baby!  I knew it had some cool custom touches, was loved by the owner (despite the lack of proper paint care), and it had been painted by Goolsby Customs, so I knew I was dealing with a righteous ride!!  This client GLADLY ordered up the finishing coat of Adam's Patriot Wax, after seeing results on my FB page from other cars.  Here we go!
Gentle hose off engine bay with Adam's Firehose Nozzle to remove dust & surface dirt Blow dry critical areas of engine bay with Metro Vac Sidekick Blaster Full 2-bucket wash with Adam's Car Wash Shampoo & Adam's All Purpose Cleaner to strip old protection Clay bar vehicle with leftover rinse water, Adam's Detail Spray, & Adam's Great White Drying Towel Polish vehicle with Rupes LHR21 Bigfoot & Cyclo Polisher 3 passes of Adam's Correction Polish & Adam's Microfiber Cutting Pad / 1 pass of Adam's Finishing Polish & Adam's White Foam Pad Wipedown car with Adam's Waterless Wash & Waterless Wash towel to remove polishing dust Detail door & hatch jambs with Adam's Detail Spray & Adam's Utility Towel Apply Adam's Brilliant Glaze with Rupes & Adam's Red Glaze Pad Apply Adam's Patriot Wax Dress engine bay with Adam's In/Out Spray & Adam's SVRT Seal wheels with another brand Rim Sealant (client request) Treat all plastic, rubber, & tires with Adam's SVRT Quick vacuum interior Treat all interior panels with Adam's Total Interior Detailer Clean glass with Adam's Glass Cleaner & towel Final inspection handled by Adam's Detail Spray & Adam's Double Soft Towel  
Ooooooontoooooo the pics   Paint upon inspection, after clay:
 

 

 

 

 
During Polishing:
 

 

 

 

 

 
Afters:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
This thing was a blast.  Static dropped on coilovers & sittin' RIGHT.  And I'm normally not a huge fan of chrome.....but on this car, for some reason....I really dug it!!  Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did detailing it!! 

They have a "less aggressive" backing plate with a lighter stick Velcro to cure that issue.  We've used it.  And eventually ended up going back to the original one.  But if you want a less aggressive Velcro, there is another backing plate to cure it.
 
The washer mod does help a little bit, but it's not what I'd consider a "deal breaker."  The reason you may not "feel" like it cuts as much, is because the Rupes machines are muuuuuuuuuch smoother in their operation.  When you're used to the "brute muscle car" feel of the Flex, almost ANYTHING else is gonna feel like a cake walk, lol, or like it's not as "aggressive."  But in my opinion, the Rupes is equal to or greater in cutting force, but it does it in a TOTALLY different, more streamline fashion....so I can see where it might "feel" like it doesn't do the work.  Going from the Flex to the Rupes, is like hopping out of an old Chevy with a supercharged 572, into a Ferrari 458 Italia.  Both fast.....but VERY different power delivery.  Just my opinion though.  And you know what they say about opinions, lol. 

Go with the Flex if you want to stick with Adam's products.  Optimal results with the Rupes can only come when it is used as a system - meaning Rupes polisher, Rupes pads, & Rupes polishing gels.  Every complaint I have ever seen about Rupes polishers are from folks not utilizing the complete system...a case in point is this thread.  

Chase,
 
I respect your opinion.
I prefer the feel of a Ferrari over a Chevy, would like to own both but I can only afford one.
 
Which polisher would you recommend (coming up from a PC) for more applications also considering this pad life issue?
 
Not a pro but lots of family and friends.

The boys speak the truth Ralf!!  They're dead on.
It has it's place.  HEAVY CUTTING.  Paint correction polish with a D/A is going to get most jobs done with just a few passes, when you're only dealing with moderate defects.  But when you need a "no-holds-barred-full-on-heavy-cut-paint-restoration."  You'll need the PE, otherwise you'll be working one panel for an hour, just trying to cut through heavier defects (water etching, deep marring, etc).  The rotary, flat out....GETS.  SHIZ.  DONE!

You'll love it mark, the size is something to adjust to for a little coming from the older larger rotaries.  But once you get used to its dimensions you won't go back, love my PE.  Congrats!

I finally bit the bullet and ordered a Flex Rotary
 
I've been wanting one for a long time and got a great deal on another site.
 
I've been using my Makita 9227C for over 8 years now, and while I love it, it's really large and gets heavy under an 8 hour polishing session.
 
My new Flex rotary is coming this Monday and can't wait! 
 
Hope it lives up to all the hype.

Thanks for all the info guys!! I was curious about it because recently I have corrected a few cars that were absolutley hammered, i used the two step system and MF pads but I just felt the 3401 didn't have the power I needed to cut through all the damage rhat was present. I am looking into wool pads for my flex so I think I will try that first before taking a plunge on a new flex rotary. All the info is greatly appreciated and this is why I asked here!!

I have to agree with above, Ive had my PE for a bit over a year now and honestly still pick up my 3401 for a large majority of my work.  With advances in pads and polishes the area of workability of a rotary has been made smaller and smaller.  If you are thinking rotary IMO the PE has everything you will ever need, and the small design is awesome when you do get into tight places.  idk in my opinion I still feel its a bit overkill for a weekend warrior to pick one up, unless you have the money just laying around.  If you are getting a good amount of cash, it is definitely a good idea, time benefits are nice.  

My PE-14 is definitelty THE nicest rotary (dare I say nicest machine buffer/polisher?) I have ever used. It's lightweight and packed with power so there really isn't much you can't tackle with it and all the while it won't make you feel like YOU have been tackled at the end of a long detail. It really is a precision machine.
 
At the same time and to echo one of Dylan's comments above, you can achieve the same correction ability of a rotary these days by utilizing different (and safer) combinations of machines, pads, and products. In many cases all you need is to get the same cut as a rotary is a PC equiped with MF pads. The difference is that the PC and MF combo will provide you with a little more room for error.

If you are comfortable with a rotary then there is absolutely no reason you shouldn't own the PE-14. 
 
Its the nicest rotary tool I've ever picked up. Extremely well balanced, very smooth and quiet. Its definitely one of, if not the best rotary tool on the market. 
 
Just keep in mind, rotary has a time and place where its appropriate... with advances in pad and chemical technology theres fewer and fewer reasons to 'need' a rotary tool on any given detail. 

I really prefer the Flex Rotary vs the other rotary tools out there.  It's so smooth and easy.  Makes rotary kind of fun.

Very light weight and agile - with a 2 7/8 flexible backing plate and extender it will go places the 3401 and any other DAs can't dream of and its cutting & finishing abilities are fantastic.  If you can justify the cost of running both machines, go for it.  The Festool Shinex is also in that price range and is an incredible machine as well...it's also a whole pound lighter than the Flex.

I've also noticed that the backing plate on the Rupes doesn't allow the Velcro to separate as easily. Therefore you find yourself grabbing the side if the pad and pulling from there causing the glue to separate from the foam and Velcro. I've noticed this with both the microfiber and foam pads on the Rupes.

I had the veeeeeeeerrrrrry great pleasure of testing this product.  Dylan knows I'm honest about things.  If there's something I don't like, I'll say it......
 
YOU GUYS ARE GONNA CRAP YOUR PANTS WHEN YOU USE THIS STUFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
 
So easy to go on.  So easy to take of.  And it is purely.....110%.....the most absolutely.....slippery & shiny stuff I've used to date!!!!!  ABSOLUTELY INSANE!!!!  What you feel under the towel, will blow your freaking mind.  Carry on.......

We use the Rupes EXTENSIVELY in our shop.  Here's why it does that:
 
1) On curvy panels - The throw of the LHR21 is so massive, that it creates a different kind of force in the way that it works a panel.  And when you're working on the higher speeds (primarily 5 & 6), that force will separate the pad from its backing.  The reason for this is because it's not making full contact with the body panel, and the throw of the machine is yanking itself away from the pad.  On slower speeds, it won't do this as aggressively.
2) On smaller panels than the size of the pad - Same thing. 
 
The LHR21 will do this all day long.  It's truly designed for bigger, flatter panels.  Once this is understood, you'll find you won't have this issue anymore.  There's a lot of "nay-sayers" about the Rupes, but it's because those people don't truly understand the machine, and haven't logged any time in trying to learn its power curve.  However it's a good reason why the Flex AND Rupes, make sense to have both in your arsenal.  We just bought the new Rupes LHR12 Duetto for this reason also.  And we are in love with it.  If you're truly passionate, and love the craft of detailing, it's incredibly smart to have separate polishers, for separate jobs:
3" polisher - 5" polisher - 6" polisher
The Rupes LHR21 is an incredibly phenomenal machine (It's my personal favorite), but it has its place.  Hope this helps. 

We've gotten 2 from Home Depot for half that price.  Love em.  Need em.  But that one's overpriced.