I just love your videos, they always put a smile on my face 🙂. Not only do you impart plenty of vital information and advice, but you have a wonderful dry sense of humour which reduces apprehension for a novice rotary pilot.
Subscribed! Just bought a rotary and everyone makes it out to be extremely difficult. You answered all my questions in this 13 minute video and added a lot of value by doing so.
You are the Bob Ross of the auto detailing art. I see you have the same barber. Your voice is calm and soothing through the whole thing. I put your video on and go about my work glancing up every few minites to see how you are doing. By the time you are done I am done and both projects look great. After listening to your videos I feel like I could go out in the yard and wham bam dial the Ram right in.
I'm more versed on the DA but the rotary definitely gives a better finish. Low speed, no pressure, let the machine do the work and your process very quick and simple. Excellent video Mr. Lacroix
Great video Yvan, I don't have a rotary polisher just yet, however, I have applied your methods to my polishing process with a DA and have had much better results. Thank you for sharing so much knowledge will all of us.
Have always buffed with a random orbital but recently obtained a dewalt rotary. Used it on an Audi q7 on some heavy defects and it looked awesome. Two days later im at the dealer and see holograms everywhere. Pulled out the random orbital and fixed it but after watching some of your videos I know what I did wrong and id like to give it another chance. Thanks for the video!
Great review on using a rotary. I just tried to practice with mine on customer vehicle roof on a large SUV. It was easy to work while stretching to cover that top.
Very good informative video, I want to get into using a rotary to get that perfect finish especially on my carbon roof on my ZR1 but I hesitate just from all the horror stories I’ve heard.
One of your best videos yvan, keeping the rotary alive. The Industry needs to fully adopt spray polishes like the one I've used for 12 years and optimum polish. Keep those pads clean, what I've been saying for yonks. Pad washer makes it easier than ever
@@Detailers-Business-Academy its time for more manufacturers to throw those old formulas out and make the switch but do many of them really care to bother, that's the question.
I learned more from this short video than I have watching hours of DA video's for paint correction. As a detailer at a high volume Toyota Dealership (Soft paint) I thank you Yvan. Looking forward to the new work week as we have an 'olskool' rotary I've never used and hoping to see a difference from the Rupes LHR-21 I currently use. Cheers, :)
hey friend, how do you aproach these japanese very soft paints that become sticky. because ive learned the hard way! whats your aproach so you dont burn some soft clear?
I used to detail Rolls Royce in Melbourne Australia at a large Dealership in the 1980s,we would use the Rotary and finish by dry buffung on a new pad using cornflour for great results-swirl free. I still do this today for select customers who are extremly happy with the finished result. Thanks Ivan and best wishes
When I start doing this as a business I had to choose to buy one machine because I didn’t have enough money to afford both rotary and DA and I preferred the rotary. I had to learn how to deliver a great polish work with no marks just using rotary. They are pretty good, and like you said, it’s the machine that leaves marks but who is behind it. Thanks for the content.
Thanks for getting me over the hump and into using the rotary, I've been using it more frequently and enjoying every minute of it. I think one of your most under-rated bits of wisdom is posture and working a controlled area from shoulder to shoulder... the results are better, achieved more quickly and with less fatigue. Sometimes the smallest pearls yield the greatest returns.
do you also cut with the rotary? at what exception would you use a rotary to cut instead of a DA or vice-versa and why? i just got my rupes lh19e and thought it would do the job to cut because i buy and sells cars from 2010 models to 2015 and most of them are extremely neglected and all kind off different depth scratches but now i'm confused with how you would proceed to DA cutting and rotary finishing ( all i'm looking for is to make my cars look great enough to sell for top dollar, not get them showroom condition)
@@rochlanteigne5123 I normally use a DA to cut. The exception being in tight areas, a rotary is sometimes the only way to correct an area efficiently. Sometimes hand polishing is the only way to correct paint (like under door handles). If you aren't going for near perfection, none of this really matters. I find a DA cuts better with most modern pads/abrasives, while adding some safety. You can do a refining polish with a DA too, but sometimes soft, dark paint is too finicky for the more violent action of a DA, no matter how soft of pad you use. You can use a rotary to cut, as well. You just need to be more careful and have good technique on body lines and edges so you don't burn through. When I polish/refine with a rotary, I use a very low speed (never more than 30% of full speed) and careful not to add any pressure from my hands. I think you would be best off by going over the vehicles with a good all-in-one (rupes UNO advanced) paired with light to medium cut pad - depending on how hard the paint is you are working on. Just go after the light defects, but you will make the paint glossy as heck. Plus, you will spend minimal time, make the cars look good to 99% of people, and you aren't removing much material so there is minimal risk in doing any damage. You made a good purchase to do what you want to do - a quick polish on your inventory. Use a slow speed, dont fight the machine - more of guiding it in the direction you want, stay off body lines as much as possible, you shouldn't have any issues. If you find you are leaving marks behind from your machine, slow the speed down and use a less aggressive pad.
@@scottmattern482 hey scott thank you so much to elaborate over the topic as much as you did, i do have a clear understanding of why you would use 1 over the other, great tips i'll see how this will work out for me 👍🏼
Have you used a vertical polisher? If so, any pro’s/ con’s over a traditional rotary? Will a vertical polisher work well on horizontal surfaces? Shinemate has one that I’m kinda interested in.
Questions about using the pad washer...1. After you have used the pad washer, are the pads damp? While the pad is still in the washer, when you turn up the speed to get rid of the extra water, is the pad still damp enough for continued polishing? 2. If you are continuously using the pad washer as you polish a vehicle, is your cleaning solution a no rinse product, or one of the powdered brands that I have seen you use?
Main reason I went to rotary is because I was looking at having to have major wrist surgery. All the years using da and junk polishers in the beginning wrecked my hands. Started using rotary and it’s not so painful on my wrist!!
great vids ivan! thank you. how do you aproach correction on factory very soft and sticky paint? some say, never use a rotary on soft paints only DA and one step. but i have situations that cars paint is very neglected and one step just masking the problem. whats your opinion and aproach on factory soft and sticky paint ?
I use the rotary and waffle pads. The softer the paint, the more you’re going to like the rotary. Don’t try it with a flat pad though, you will detest it.
Very great video ! My 16 year old D.A Porter Cable broked (LOL) and I purchased a small rotary polisher. Already learned from you : pad always flat on surface, low speed always, let the machine do the job : no pressure,, waffle pads , don't do long lateral movements getting out of reach , don't dance with the machine (making artistic performatic passes) and keep good posture . Amazing content ! Perhaps someday you can make a vid about rotary polisher on concave and convex surfaces 🙌. Repetition is the soul of learning. keep up the good videos !
Finally after years of nonsense on the internet. I always polished with a rotary. I’d use a DA on a new car before sealing or coating only for the sake of preserving clear coat and not achieving perfection. I’ve never removed compounds off panels when moving into a less abrasive polish. I only tape off plastic trim so I don’t burn it and on emblems to give myself less clean up after. No one is spending 20+ hours with 2 machines and a mise en place of polishes and compounds and making money. One thing I do is wash the car down with dawn after to remove dust before sealing or coating. Crucify me.
All good, with the exception of washing with Dawn. Yes it cleans oil off Ducks, but it definitely doesn’t strip anything off of cars. Dish soaps leave a film by design to promote a slow sheeting action so dishes dry evenly. This same sheeting action is why the old wives tale of “Dawn strips waxes” persists.
Hey Yvan, something I've never seen you discuss on RU-vid is whether or not you use a small polisher for edgework. I'm looking into getting a little 1 or 3 inch polisher for intricate body panels and hard to reach places. Is that something you recommend? If so, would you go for a rotary or a random orbital for your small polisher? Thanks!
Would The Miner towels by The Rag Company be good towels for this? It's what i normally use and love them but sometimes they can be a hassle do you recommend anything else?
Ywan you changed the way i am thinking about polishing waffle pads, spray polish, system 4000 pad washer and a rotary is not only the most effective way of polishing it's also meditating i have a mini rotary polisher i am using now but i want to get another rotary polisher i am thinking getting the milwauke cordless rotary and 15 mm da combo to cut the cords but this pe 14 is a killer machine it's confusing me so did you made the transition to cordless fully or you still prefer to work with this machine please give me your thoughts on this thank you so much for all the killer tricks you teached all of us
Do you recommend staying in the same brand of products when doing this type of 2 step? I mean can I use whatever brand X compound and go over it with XY spray polish?
I have to ask Yvan, how much defect removal did you achieve? I'm very interested in learning to use a rotary, but on black paint, especially GM black, I'm concerned I'll be too aggressive. Do you have a before and after or side by side comparison?
Few questions I got . Wouldn't not wiping off the compound off leave some interference with applying the coating off the bat. and also I notice when I use a damp pad and wet polish slings it leaves white specs that aren't easy to wipe off
The compound doesn’t need to be wiped off in most cases, the polish does need to be wiped off. If you are getting sling your pad is still too wet, or you are using too much product on your pad.
Can you do a video to talk how your experience with using the rotary avoids the issue of holograms? Okay hit 11minutes and hear about swirls but is part of your success in using the foam versus traditional wool pads?
Hi Yvan I am really hoping yo can help me out. I am brand new to polishing and have been grooming cars for a repair shop and now I have been given the task of polishing the vehicles. So my question is some of the freshly painted panels require getting rid of the small bits of “dust” on the clear coat (which is done with a razor blade) then a 1500 sand followed by a 3000 wet sand. I have then been told to use a rotary polisher with a firm pad, lots of polish,a medium speed and “lean into” and apply pressure to the pad. However I find this creates a lot of heat. On a black vehicle the polishing is a three stage process with a firm pad and to softer pads. My confusion lies in the fact that almost all clips on RU-vid say “heat” is your enemy while polishing. How would you tackle this situation correctly and saving time. Hope I have explained the scenario well enough and thanks for your time.
Unfortunately in body shops they continue to use techniques that should have disappeared with manual chokes and bias ply tires. In my Body Shop we used the DA with a short nap wool pad to cut, and a waffle pad on the rotary to finish.
How do I clean the pad without a pad cleaner? Bought a Makita rotary for my boat, mainly - I invested in four lambs wool pads, so do I just alternate them?
I have a bad tendency to lean way in and it wears out my lower back. I start out being mindful of posture but once I get into a deep focus I just lean way in without realizing it.
With any tool let it do the work, your just their to guide it. By leaning into it and applying pressure your cutting slower, hurting the finish, your polisher, and yourself.
Spray with a pad cleaning solution, work it into the pad, dip pad in bucket, then rinse. If you are detailing for a living though the pad washer should be part of your tools.
@@Detailers-Business-Academy Thanks for the reply and info. Just getting into detailing as a weekend warrior and bought my first rotary.New subscriber here - thanks again for the videos.
I had a Makita rotary and I still have it, but it's too heavy and old. I recently bought a Rupes rotary but I'm not satisfied with it, I don't like the sound and how it fits in my hand. Is it worth changing to the Flex in Videoclip? thanks! I am writing to you from Germany. Good luck, I'm following you.
I’m having a particularly hard time with with getting efficient and effective results on hard (BMW) paint using a heavy cut pad (short microfibre) with heavy cut compound (Carpro ultra cut) to remove moderate scratches that are smooth to the touch. Would a rotary make this process quicker/more effective?
I noticed you didn’t “stamp it out” on the surface to spread the compound. Could you explain your thought prōcess on why it isn’t necessary? (And maybe even why your little goes a long way in this instance.) 🤓😎
Definitely polish on an MF towel by hand! I used to own a PXE 80 with a lot of extra's, so I could use it for specifically that. I got tired from the amount of time it took to use. Then I just tried polish on an MF towel, and got better results in about 1/5th of the time and effort. I quicly decided to sell the PXE lol.
If you use a rotary professionally do yourself a favor and buy the Flex 14-2 that Yvan is using in this video. It is expensive but your neck and shoulders will thank you. Makes a Dewalt or Makita feel like a dump truck.
I started detailing when I was 19. I started out using a rotary back then, and used them for years after. I was pretty damn good with it too. Knew my different pad and compound combinations. Oh, sidenote, when I worked for Value Guard in Blue Ash, which is a suburb of Cincinnati. I used to detail Ken Griffey Jr's twin Lexus'. I was the only one allowed to detail them too lol. He was such a super nice guy, and I always got a big tip lol. Come to find out that I was the only one that didn't take the $200 in cash that he always left as bait in the car. So that's how I ended up being the only person there that could work on his cars lol. Anyway, I eventually went to the da. Da works great, easier when it comes to pads and compounds. Easier to switch up different pads with different compounds. Plus if you burn through paint with a DA they need to run you over with the car you're polishing lol. A rotary can be a lot easier to burn through. Especially if you're using wool or microfiber, they create a lot of heat really fast. I'm going back to the rotary though. You can't beat it's efficiency. You use less product and you use less time.
I started on a budget rotary from harbor freight, and it was a battle to control it. It constantly tried doing its own thing, and pulling. In another one of your videos, you mentioned it's possible it'll do that because of the pad not being wet enough. I got a DA polisher and it's a dream to use. What rotary would you recommend?
Hey Yvan, thanks for the informative video! Been following you and your work on YT for awhile now. I recall from another video you mentioned about DA is doing a better job in cutting, and why is that again? Is it something to do with heat production? And the same reason for the Waffle pad over that MF Pad or Foam Pad? Thanks!
The dual action cuts faster as long as you keep the surface cold. Wool is best for cutting, both DA and Rotary. The waffle pad is my choice because it keeps the surface cooler, it glides over the paint easier, and better surface contact.
I was surprised that you didn't remove the "cutting" polish before using the finishing polish. I am assuming that once the abrasives are broken down that the polish removal is unnecessary as long as the lubrication is there?
I just watched meguires do a video on there compounds they say you can cut without removing compound and just go over it with a polish or even a glaze then wipe it off.
@@Detailers-Business-Academy I have a Dewalt Dwp849x, a little on the weighty side but a nice machine to use and a Shinemate Ep803 mini rotary which I prefer due to it's size and weight but still more than able to run a full size pad if required . I've also a Dewalt cordless Da which is very convenient and a Flex Pxe80 which is a real dream to use.
Yvan, could you help me understand why optimum clear coat restoration creates a white haze when applied to black paint. It gets worse the further along I go. What is the best way to remedy this problem? Thanks
Not sure it’s the same formula as when I was there, have they been able to help? My initial guess would be that it’s a residue on the surface interacting with the clear coat.
@@Detailers-Business-Academy yes, Dr. G. said to scuff it again and lay down a second coat. He suggested maybe moisture trapped on the surface. I thought i would ask you to see if you knew of a way to prevent it from happening
@@Detailers-Business-Academy I'm pretty sure it's still the same formula. Maybe it has been tweaked. They have never mentioned and reformulations. But you know Dr. G. He doesn't mention it if it's a slight change
Yvan you make that look too easy, is it as easy as you make it look or is that decades of experience showing through? I just picked up an lhr15 mark 3 but your talk of rotary makes me want to attempt it.
@@Detailers-Business-Academy What pad do you recommend to use for cutting on a Rotary? I know you preffer the DA for cutting but if all you have is a Rotary what pad would you use for cutting?
Yvan, for a DA user like myself who has come to really enjoy the DA, what brand is a good Rotary that is not entry level but won't break the bank? Also, have you used the UDOS 51E? I have considered getting the UDOS 51E b/c I am mobile and I like to minimize what I have to pack/unpack for jobs. Merci!
@@Detailers-Business-Academy Yeah but which Rotary machines travel on the "Lacroix Cruiser? If they make the cut for the "travel team" they must be legit!
My G... I really love this, but speaking of effiency; I have been filming myself, just to see where I lose time, and I am losing so much time because my "OCD" comes in to play and guess what I am doing: inspect, inspect and inspect again. ESPECIALLY when I do a test spot. Maybe you can show us how you perform a test spot?
Many people loose time with test spots. Test spots are simply to validate your chosen process . Choose a process with experience and the customers budget/ expectations. Do your small test spot, and if needed adjust. If not finish the job.
I didn’t think you could rotary half a whole truck door with 4 dots of compound. :p I assume you’re not going for anymore than 80% perfection? What compound you using
I’ve never used a cross hatch. Cross hatching is a great way of creating high spots, it’s harder on your body( starting and stopping, and takes longer. Many Detailers overthink Coating application. In reality the instructions should be as simple as , apply to paint, allow to cross link, level high spots, enjoy.
Hello Sir 😊. I hope you're doing well. I have a question for you I mean it's about Machine polishing. I have a small sports bike. I preserved it without swirl marks from 9 months since I bought. Now actually I want to remove factory orange peel & polish as well as protect using ceramic coating....But the thing is my motorcycle has lots of shapes & even if I use Waffle Foam pad I don't know how it will cover those insane angled edges.....what should I do in that edged places Sir?....I mean I feel like I may need tiny polisher for that 😅...or try covering those angles with Waffle foam pads?....I didn't polish yet .....It would be amazing if I get top advice from you Sir 😊.
The lowest speed your polisher will go, 400-800 rpm is ideal. The lower the speed the better the cut and finish, the goal is low heat. In Georgia it’s the 18-19 October 2022, Warner Robins GA.
So in between you're cleaning your pad with the bucket system. So Isn't the pad still wet? Doesn't ruin the Polish in the effectiveness of the overall job?
@@Detailers-Business-Academy I have a question. why is it that people say you should always start if your a beginner with a DA? is it because its "actually safer"? I mean with a DA your speeds are actually faster that a ROTARY. Also from what I understand you can actully damage the clear or paint just as fast as a Rotary, is this true?? I have used smaller pads to do some small areas of paint correection. I used it with a cordless Drill. I also used the Meguiars DA system/ Attachment which you also use with a highspeed Drill as well. Even though this may not be as good as a true DA. I found that using a small pad on a Drill does a better job at correcting scratches or imperfections than using the drill and Meguiars DA attachment/system. So now I actually want to buy a True Rotary Polisher. I was told that I should stick with a DA instead as a Beginner. What are your thoughts?? Last what are some models you would recommend on both? Thank you.