Porter Cable Nirvana Baby!

[PHX ATC]

Major props to Detailer's Paradise. Major thumbs up.

I ordered my giagantosaurus package containing all sorts of ooey gooey smelly good chemical polishes and one ultra uber cool PC.

It came to the house while I was in Minneapolis with my daughter on a soccer tournament excursion, but last Saturday, I slaved for 7 hours on my wife's 2004.

I have one thing to say after buffing by hand for 20 some years and using a $20 Wallie World random orbit buffer...PORTER CABLE FRIGGIN ROCKS!

If you don't have one, you're missing out on one of the greatest things to detail your car ever invented. Ditch the girlfriend, accidentally forget the wife's birthday present (or better yet get her a PC), stop gambling for a week, or work a couple hours overtime, but get one of these things!

[ScottRiqui]

No kidding - a high-quality random orbital polisher is a thing of beauty. For twenty years, all I used was a cheapo Black & Decker random orbital that had almost no torque, so while it was great for laying down a nice thin coat of wax, it was pretty much useless for any kind of defect repair. I also had "The Battleaxe" - a DeWalt DW849 rotary polisher that had all sorts of torque, but being a rotary, I had to be extremely careful when using it. With the wrong kind of abrasive, you can be down to the primer in a matter of seconds.

Then I got the Griot's Garage RO polisher and have never looked back. I think I've pulled out the DeWalt once since getting the GG polisher, and the Black & Decker is just gathering dust.

Beautiful pictures, BTW - you should be justifiably proud of the results of your labour.

[tedswoods]

Originally Posted by PHX ATC

PORTER CABLE FRIGGIN ROCKS!

Originally Posted by ScottRiqui

No kidding - a high-quality random orbital polisher is a thing of beauty.

That is some serious endorsement.

I now have no choice but to go for one of these.

Will it clean up the rest of my life also (or at least make it look better)?

[PHX ATC]

SR- Thank you so very much. It was well worth it sweating like a stuck pig in 100 degree heat. There's nothing better than cold beer and a great looking car on a Saturday!

Twoods- You will thank yourself for buying one of these. Over and over and over again. Maybe if you carry it around with you, you'll appear to have a cleaner life. Add some polish and wax and wallah, you're good to go.


Next is the 07, the beastly truck, and then the black Caddy. I used to be skeered of the black, but now, with my new trusty best friend, my PC, I'll attack it with vigor and excitement!

[Tu13es]

I used mine yesterday to wax my car. Took me about 30-45 minutes to do the entire car, taking my time. No more 2+hour wax job crap, and no more tennis elbow from it!

[jaayou]

Great job! Beautiful!

[kenchan]

nice garage!

[CR&PW&JB]

Yep, I've been telling NAMmers for months now... you don't know what you're missing until you get a PC random oribital buffer. It'll change the way you look at other people's paint.

['Rita]

along with a Margaritaville Frozen Concoction blender. I figured out the blender but I'm still looking at the PC with bewilderment? It's only girls at my house. We take it out of the box and stare at it...then go in and make a margarita. My daughter asked why I wanted it if I didn't know how to use it....because NAM said I should have it!!!

[CR&PW&JB]

That's hilarious, Rita !!!

I suggest you invest $10 (I think it's still ten bucks) on OctaneGuy's DVD. Spend an hour watching that (an hour because you might have to watch some parts twice), and you'll be SET.

You can buff a little... drink some 'rita... buff a little... drink some 'rita.... buff.... Well, just make sure you don't drink too much marguarita or you might end up buffing something other than your car. Like the neighbor's cat.

[minintrigue]

Originally Posted by CR&PW&JB

That's hilarious, Rita !!!

I suggest you invest $10 (I think it's still ten bucks) on OctaneGuy's DVD. Spend an hour watching that (an hour because you might have to watch some parts twice), and you'll be SET.

$10?! - I just paid $25 for mine...

[CR&PW&JB]

Originally Posted by minintrigue

$10?! - I just paid $25 for mine...

I bought mine almost two years ago. Either my memory is not clear (completely possible), or inflation is really out of hand.

[ofioliti]

Originally Posted by CR&PW&JB

Yep, I've been telling NAMmers for months now... you don't know what you're missing until you get a PC random oribital buffer. It'll change the way you look at other people's paint.

Originally Posted by 'Rita

... My daughter asked why I wanted it if I didn't know how to use it....because NAM said I should have it!!!

OK, I've convinced the wife that we need a Scan Gauge. Now I will print these posts and tell her that we really need a PC as well.

If she refuses, I will give Chillipepperjet her e-mai address and have him e-mail her about the virtues of the pc ... everyday.

[CR&PW&JB]

Yep... leave it up to me. I'll make sure you have a new PC buffer by the end of summer !

['Rita]

Get her the Margaritaville Frozen Concoction maker then she won't care if you buy a PC

OK, I've convinced the wife that we need a Scan Gauge. Now I will print these posts and tell her that we really need a PC as well.

[ofioliti]

Originally Posted by 'Rita

Get her the Margaritaville Frozen Concoction maker then she won't care if you buy a PC

That just might work!

[minipsych]

I ordered the pc then a few days later thought I should get the how to pc dvd by octane guy. So, I got the pc in last night. I'm super excited about it and thankful that it had rained all day on my most recent wash/hydro job and now had an excuse to rewash and then wax! So I pull out the pc and read the destructions (aka instructions) and figure how hard can this be. It took me over an hour to put wax on less than half the car. At this rate, hand waxing will be faster! I'm getting really hung up on the contours such as on the roof of the clubman and near the black trim. I've tried lighter pressure and different angles but I'm either scattering wax across the car or missing parts of the car. I'm trying to be careful as to watch the pad to make sure it is turning.

I'm going out later today to try and finish the rest of the car after getting dinner started in crock pot. Any helpful ideas?

From the posts above, this should be easy and quick!

[CR&PW&JB]

Over an hour and you weren't done ?

Hard to know what you might have been doing differently than most of us to create such a time-consuming process, psych. I'm guessing too much wax on the pads and you're actually trying to work the wax like you would a polish.

With the wax, just a small amount on the pad should do just about an entire panel. Just spread it very thinly and evenly and then move onto the next panel. Should take about 15 minutes to wax the entire car with the pc.

Now... a lot of us choose to wax by hand becasue the pc isn't going to save you a lot of time nor do anything magical when it comes to waxing. Where the PC earns is mettle is in the realm of polishing.

[minintrigue]

I haven't been able to watch the DVD yet but pulled out the PC today given that it was a perfect day weather wise. Took about 2 hours in total, including a polishing and then a waxing - results were fantastic. ALmost too good as on a short test drive, every piece of grass was attracted to the freshly buffed surface. I guess I just need a car duster...


Best part is that I barely broke a sweat- before I would be exhausted from an all day prep, polish, wax job.

[M3NTAL]

Come to West PHX and do mine next ..... K ThX .

Looks good man, nice work! I know how hard of work you put into that with our weather!

[PHX ATC]

You aren't kidding...I was dripping like a sponge when I got done.

I washed it yesterday and it was as smooooooth as a newborn baby's bootay.

In a few weeks, when we get a break from soccer [maybe May by then] I'm going to tackle the red '07.

minipsych - I think you're putting too much wax on the pad or taking just too darn long on one spot. It goes on thinner in appearance than hand waxing and buffing.

[kechman8]

Hi all - been reading this thread and other detailing threads - now I feel the compulsion to buy a porter cable polisher! I have a quick question for you PC owners - has your porter cable ever broken down before? If you can provide the following for context, that would be appreciated 1) how long you've owned it 2) how many times (approx.) you've used it. Just wondering how durable it would be in the hands of a maniac detailer, which I might become if I buy one. Thanks in advance for your feedback!

[CR&PW&JB]

2 years x 3 MINIs x about 2 detailings per year per MINI = 10 to 12 uses, so far.

Not a problem and still looks and runs like new. The PC buffer is well built and very solid. I'm confident I'll own mine for at least 10 years with no problems.

Good investment !!

[OctaneGuy]

I own 3 PC's--I use the PC on every detail--do about a 100 cars a year --amount of polishing time per car with a PC is probably around 3 to 4 hours--still using my first polisher that I bought back in 2003--the one I shared at all my weekend clinics at my house....the PC will last a long time. With a simple mod,it will last even longer.

Richard

[kechman8]

Wow, that's great endorsement on durability. Thanks guys. I think I'll pick one up now. Should I worry about counterweights? I read somewhere that there are two counterweights designed for either a 5" pad or 6.5" pad ... does it matter that much? Am thinking of picking up both types of counterweights just in case I feel compelled to switch sizes - heard that if a particular counterweight is not used there will be excessive vibration and possible damage? Is that right?