Do you Festool your car??

[Got Wax]

Hello FOG!!!!

Wanted to post here to share my excitement with my recent introduction to the Festool community. I have made my way into your community by way of my being given opportunity to evaluate application of the line in automotive application, specifically, auto detailing. The RAP150 and RO 150 FEQ  both, thus far have been absolutely GREAT!!!! So, far, I've used the tools on four cars and they have proven to work quite well! I am excited with the opportunity to provide future feedback on the pros and cons - hoping there will be no cons - and sharing a few pictorial examples of how Festool has been applied to my craft.

Thanks for having me!!!

Drew

 

[woodshopdemos]

Drew,
  Welcome and I await eagerly to read whatever you have on the subject. There are a number of us who have detailing/polishing experiences. Mine are from years 1955 when I was a certified porcelanizer for a Buick dealer. A lot has happened in the area since then and I read and watch as much as I can on the subject. I have used the RO150 on wood with Menzerna compounds but there is so much more than that.

 

[Got Wax]

John,

Thanks for the reply and the welcome! I'm very excited to have been given the opportunity to share my evaluation of the RAP 150 Shinex and the RO 150 REQ! I have to say that thus far, my experience with Festoool has been great! My usual goto machine is the Makita 9227C - I've never been much of a DA/orbital guy. That said, I do own a Flex 3401 DA in addition to the Flex 3403 rotary, Cyclopolisher and Mirka sander. For me, primary function of the Makita is for larger components of the car: bonnet, boot, panels, etc. When it comes to the tighter areas - vents, mirrors, pillars, bumpers, etc. - the 3403, fitted with a 3" backing plate comes out of the bag. As a pair they have pros, individually they share a common con: it's necessary to have one of each to tend to areas where the other falls short.

Enter the Shinex...ergonomically pleasing and compact like the Flex, smooth and quiet like the Makita. At first glance, I observe The Shinex to be comparable in size to the Flex: compact and easy to manage. Comfortable use on large vertical panels and safe, ease of use around tight areas, the Shinex easily eliminates the need for two machines. In addition to ergonomic appeal, The Festool drive is pleasingly quiet. The annoying scream of the Flex makes its use the single most unpleasant part of my work.  

Features are user friendly while some components are more of the same old thing. Location of the thumb speed dial is conveniently located on top of the Shinex, easily viewable and adjustable.  No more having to stop the machine to confirm or adjust speed intervals. And, gone is the worry about inadvertently dialing up the speed while polishing, which could be catastrophic if you find the machine increasing speed while tending to the edge of the bumper on a client's $250.000 Ferrari. The one "Downside"... the Shinex comes complete with the same "Handlebar" side grip that most all manufacturer units offer! On each rotary purchase, removal of this handle is my first course of action before the unit ever sees an electric socket. This is the one big pro of the Makita over units from all other manufacturers.

As I spend more time with these Festool units, I look forward to sharing my experiences of their use and application in my days work.

Thanks for reading!!!

Drew

 

[Bob Marino]

Drew,

  Welcome. Ditto what John said. Looking forward to reading more. I have been using my RO 125 and sponges on my wife's car and my own with nice results...but if there is a better product, I am all ears.

Bob

 

[Got Wax]

Bob,

Thanks for the reply!! Using the Rotex for polishing on your wife's car is perfect and effective use for the tool!! I don't want to give the wrong impression, I have used the Rotex on a couple cars at the polishing stage between initial correcting and final machine polishing as well as a revisit of a regular client's car - light polishing before winter waxing. The Rotex, like the Flex, does offer power enough to perform some levels of correction but, I prefer to use the DA/Orbital to remove halogramming or buffer trails leftover from an aggressive session with the rotary, removing severe marring and scratches. While capable of removing some defects from most cars paint finish's, the DA/Orbital units take much longer to achieve the results of the rotary. And, if working on the rock-hard nano-particle ceramiclear coat found on many newer, high-end German and Italian cars, the DA/Orbital really isn't capable of matching the results of a rotary in the hands of a professional. That said, for those who haven't yet mastered the rotary, the Rotex is an excellent choice! The DA/Orbital function is a safe alternative to the potentially disasterous results of a high-speed rotary in the hands of an inexperienced user.

My initial impression of the Rotex was that it is big and clunky. Happily, once laid to the surface of the car, the Rotex performs nicely. The option of the forward handle is not necessary. The ability to comfortably mapiulate the machine around the surface of the car is very easy, right out of the box! 30 seconds into its first use I made mental note of my first comparison to the Flex - ease of control. The Flex has a mind of its own; travelling all over the car's surface. One benefit of DA/Orbital use should be peace of mind - being comfortable that you are capable of polishing without worry of damage to your car, which is a bit tough when one is focusing to control the torque of the Flex; having to worry about the machine getting away from you and plowing throught the windscreen!!! And, while the Flex does provide awesome power capable of some levels of paintwork correction, it gets hot...fast!!!!! Be prepared to wear gloves if you want to hold on to this thing for any period of time. And, if you dial up to speed 6, you can forget the long day, thermal shutdown is only about 5 minutes away!! Design of the Rotex, IMO, is far superior to the Flex. Thought was put into the user having this machine in hand during extended periods - working until the job is done! Design also plays into the ability of the Rotex to perform. Comfortable hand placement is essential when moving this machine around horizontal and vertical panels of the car's surface. Having to fight with your tool makes for an exhausting job! In fact, I enjoyed this experience so much, I almost thought about polishing my girlfriends car!!

Thanks for reading!!

Drew

Drew,

 Welcome. Ditto what John said. Looking forward to reading more. I have been using my RO 125 and sponges on my wife's car and my own with nice results...but if there is a better product, I am all ears.

Bob

 

[TheToolPlace]

Bob,

Thanks for the reply!! Using the Rotex for polishing on your wife's car is perfect and effective use for the tool!! I don't want to give the wrong impression, I have used the Rotex on a couple cars at the polishing stage between initial correcting and final machine polishing as well as a revisit of a regular client's car - light polishing before winter waxing. The Rotex, like the Flex, does offer power enough to perform some levels of correction but, I prefer to use the DA/Orbital to remove halogramming or buffer trails leftover from an aggressive session with the rotary, removing severe marring and scratches. While capable of removing some defects from most cars paint finish's, the DA/Orbital units take much longer to achieve the results of the rotary. And, if working on the rock-hard nano-particle ceramiclear coat found on many newer, high-end German and Italian cars, the DA/Orbital really isn't capable of matching the results of a rotary in the hands of a professional. That said, for those who haven't yet mastered the rotary, the Rotex is an excellent choice! The DA/Orbital function is a safe alternative to the potentially disasterous results of a high-speed rotary in the hands of an inexperienced user.

My initial impression of the Rotex was that it is big and clunky. Happily, once laid to the surface of the car, the Rotex performs nicely. The option of the forward handle is not necessary. The ability to comfortably mapiulate the machine around the surface of the car is very easy, right out of the box! 30 seconds into its first use I made mental note of my first comparison to the Flex - ease of control. The Flex has a mind of its own; travelling all over the car's surface. One benefit of DA/Orbital use should be peace of mind - being comfortable that you are capable of polishing without worry of damage to your car which, is a bit tough when, IME, trying to control the torque of the Flex; having to worry about the machine getting away from you and plowing throught the windscreen!!! And, while the Flex does provide awesome power capable of some levels of paintwork correction, it gets hot...fast!!!!! Be prepared to wear gloves if you want to hold on to this thing for any period of time. And, if you dial up to speed 6, you can forget the long day, thermal shutdown is only about 5 minutes away!! Design of the Rotex, IMO, is far superior to the Flex. Thought was put into the user having this machine in hand during extended periods - working until the job is done! Design also plays into the ability of the Rotex to perform. Comfortable hand placement is essential when moving this machine around horizontal and vertical panels of the car's surface. Having to fight with your tool makes for an exhausting job! In fact, I enjoyed this experience so much, I almost thought about polishing my girlfriends car!!

Thanks for reading!!

Drew

Drew,

 Welcome. Ditto what John said. Looking forward to reading more. I have been using my RO 125 and sponges on my wife's car and my own with nice results...but if there is a better product, I am all ears.

Bob

Wow Drew, this is a great read.  Having sold the Makita's, and the Flex you make a very interesting review of the different uses for each unit.  By far the most popular around here is the Makita 9227C which people use in the marine industry and in the autobody and detailing industries.  Since we're new at selling the Festool line I haven't sold any of the Festool machines for autobody use yet.  But  it's great to know the full potential of this amazing tool.

Chad

 

[Got Wax]

Chad,

Thanks for the reply!! After use of the Shinex, the two things, the only two things I believe would place Maikta ahead of the Festool would be the Makita bail handle, which I've already addressed ;D (see pic) and price. While we don't yet know what the Shinex will cost in the U.S., the under $200 Makita may be a factor when deciding RAP vs. 9227C.

Bob,

Thanks for the reply!! Using the Rotex for polishing on your wife's car is perfect and effective use for the tool!! I don't want to give the wrong impression, I have used the Rotex on a couple cars at the polishing stage between initial correcting and final machine polishing as well as a revisit of a regular client's car - light polishing before winter waxing. The Rotex, like the Flex, does offer power enough to perform some levels of correction but, I prefer to use the DA/Orbital to remove halogramming or buffer trails leftover from an aggressive session with the rotary, removing severe marring and scratches. While capable of removing some defects from most cars paint finish's, the DA/Orbital units take much longer to achieve the results of the rotary. And, if working on the rock-hard nano-particle ceramiclear coat found on many newer, high-end German and Italian cars, the DA/Orbital really isn't capable of matching the results of a rotary in the hands of a professional. That said, for those who haven't yet mastered the rotary, the Rotex is an excellent choice! The DA/Orbital function is a safe alternative to the potentially disasterous results of a high-speed rotary in the hands of an inexperienced user.

My initial impression of the Rotex was that it is big and clunky. Happily, once laid to the surface of the car, the Rotex performs nicely. The option of the forward handle is not necessary. The ability to comfortably mapiulate the machine around the surface of the car is very easy, right out of the box! 30 seconds into its first use I made mental note of my first comparison to the Flex - ease of control. The Flex has a mind of its own; travelling all over the car's surface. One benefit of DA/Orbital use should be peace of mind - being comfortable that you are capable of polishing without worry of damage to your car which, is a bit tough when, IME, trying to control the torque of the Flex; having to worry about the machine getting away from you and plowing throught the windscreen!!! And, while the Flex does provide awesome power capable of some levels of paintwork correction, it gets hot...fast!!!!! Be prepared to wear gloves if you want to hold on to this thing for any period of time. And, if you dial up to speed 6, you can forget the long day, thermal shutdown is only about 5 minutes away!! Design of the Rotex, IMO, is far superior to the Flex. Thought was put into the user having this machine in hand during extended periods - working until the job is done! Design also plays into the ability of the Rotex to perform. Comfortable hand placement is essential when moving this machine around horizontal and vertical panels of the car's surface. Having to fight with your tool makes for an exhausting job! In fact, I enjoyed this experience so much, I almost thought about polishing my girlfriends car!!

Thanks for reading!!

Drew

Drew,

 Welcome. Ditto what John said. Looking forward to reading more. I have been using my RO 125 and sponges on my wife's car and my own with nice results...but if there is a better product, I am all ears.

Bob

Wow Drew, this is a great read.  Having sold the Makita's, Flex, and now the Rotex you make a very interesting review of the different uses for each unit.  By far the most popular around here is the Makita 9227C which people use in the marine industry and in the autobody and detailing industries.  Since we're new at selling the Festool line I haven't sold any of the Rotex machine for autobody use yet.  But  it's great to know the full potential of this amazing tool.

Chad

 

[danrush]

Drew,

Glad you're here.  If I'm not being too bold, would you consider a tutorial for us novice detailers?  ( suggested products, as well as technique)  I don't ever expect to get the finish you do, but I would like to step up from my current hand applied Turtle wax system.  I'll practice on my work truck a bit before going after my Honey's new Lexus

Thanks, Dan

 

[peter halle]

Darn Dan,

A Lexus?  Not a German import in a particular shade of Green?  It is interesting what can be arranged in Europe.

Sidebar:  I had a blast talking to you in Indy.  Stay in touch.

Peter

 

[Got Wax]

Dan,

Thanks for your reply. As for your query, there are a myriad of manufacturers and product lines available. Meguiars comes to mind for ease of use and cost. I currently use waxes that run well into the $3k range for an 8oz pot. While these are great products, they aren't practical for daily drivers! Try the Meguiars line! Also, throw out the beach towels and wash cloths, nothing but microfiber should be touching your car. And, a neat little tip, Proline Grout Sponges available at Lowes for $1.39 make the PERFECT wash mitt!!

As for process, the standard rule of thumb: wash, clay, polish, wax. Again, Meguiars has a full line of products suitable for the enthusiast to tackle each of these areas. The Rotex would be very applicable for polish and wax application. Shoot me a PM and I would be happy to spend some time with you to asist you in any way I can. In fact, in late Oct., I will be travelling to Chicago - Glencoe - to service a client's car. Would be happy to meet up if you're going to be in town??

I did intend to clarify what "Paint Correction" looks like. This morning, a potential client walked into our shop and proclaimed, "A friend of mine said I should have you detail my new car!" So, I walked outside to find this (Excuse the cell phone pic)...

brand new shiney Maserati GT...purrrrrrty!!!! I looked at the car and quickly explained that it required a bit of "correction". To which he promptly replied, "What do you mean correction??!!"

So, a quick visual...

Before

Corrected

Before

Corrected

Before

Corrected

Drew,

Glad you're here.  If I'm not being too bold, would you consider a tutorial for us novice detailers?  ( suggested products, as well as technique)  I don't ever expect to get the finish you do, but I would like to step up from my current hand applied Turtle wax system.  I'll practice on my work truck a bit before going after my Honey's new Lexus

Thanks, Dan

 

[danrush]

Darn Dan,

A Lexus?  Not a German import in a particular shade of Green? 

I prefer that particular green in MY side of the garage.

Thanks Drew, I'll get started on Meguires asap.

Dan

 

[Greg_R]

Drew, I've been using Zaino products with my Rotex (polishing only) and have been getting pretty good results.  I'd be interested to hear what sponges and pads are available that can fit on the Rotex150 as well as any tips that you might have.

With the 'paint correction' are you smoothing out scratches on the clear coat (with a polishing compound) or is it some other process?

 

[Got Wax]

Greg,

Zaino offers a terrific line of products for polishing as well as LSP (Last Step Process/Product) protection. For correction, I personally utilize a rotary. In the case of Festool - a Shinex! As I stated previously, the Rotex is very capable of performing a variety of levels of correction. As for pads, as I'm sure you are aware, Festool does offer a line of polishing pads. I personally utilize pads manufactured by SM Arnold. They are, in some cases, twice what the most popular pads sell for. But, that is personal preference. Lake Country is currently the most popular manufacturer of pads in the industry. Many companies just rebrand the "LC" pads. I will share with you that one factor to take into consideration, which Festool has done, is pad thickness, particularly when using a DA/Orbital! DA/Orbital machines do tend to wander a bit. Some more than others. The benefit of pads, such as those with the Festool brand, is that the thinner pads offer better control of the pad and, ultimately, the machine. Festool pads are some of the thinnest I've seen! But, with the thin pads, it's important to keep close eye on how the pad is wearing. Last thing you want is for the pad to delam and seperate from the backing plate!! In any event, a standard size 6.5 inch pad is a pretty good fit for the Rotex. Also, pads are made in both open and closed cell configuration. But, the one factor to consider when choosing a pad is how aggressive the pad is - compounding vs. polishing, etc. The larger the ppi (pores per square inch) the less aggresssive the pad. For example, 70 ppi would be an aggressive pad designed for more aggressive polishing or compounding where a 100 ppi pad has almost zero cutting capability and would be used for LSP application. As for choosing your LSP, I typically suggest application of a poly-synthetic sealant for durability and overall protection. Two layers should suffice. If you seek a little more depth, apply a layer of carnauba wax as a topper to the sealant.

Drew, I've been using Zaino products with my Rotex (polishing only) and have been getting pretty good results.  I'd be interested to hear what sponges and pads are available that can fit on the Rotex150 as well as any tips that you might have.

With the 'paint correction' are you smoothing out scratches on the clear coat (with a polishing compound) or is it some other process?

 

[Got Wax]

Just an update...aside from the Lamborghini I have scheduled, these are the next to be serviced with the Shinex!!!

Andy

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

As if I didn't miss my bike enough... Thanks, Drew   What a fine collection of Ducatis.  Look forward to seeing the "after" pics.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

All the Duc's in a row, sweeeeeet!!! ;D

 

[Got Wax]

Prepping for my next detail, just finished this BMW after sitting on it for a number of days!!

My client left this car at my place over a week ago. With having gone to Beaver Creek for a client and the cold temps last week, I just had the chance to finish this car up today. I didn't get a lot of pics since I ways really trying to get this car out of my garage after 9 days!!

This is by far my favorite sport SUV!!

This car received the basic once over:

Paint/Body -

Pre-treat lower and front end with Enviro Gold Citrus Cleaner
Foam with CG Citrus Wash/APC Mix
Two Bucket Wash w/ Natural Sea Sponge and CG Extreme Suds II
Dry w/DD Uber WW Drying Blankets

Wheels -

P21S 5 minute dwell
Agi w/ RG, SV and EZ Detail brushes
Sealed w/Jetseal 109
SV Pneu

Clean up -

Clay w/Pinnacle Ultra Ply and lube w/ONR Mix
M-105 w/SM Arnold 70 ppi foam ( After giving PFW a shot)
Scholls S30 on SM Arnold 80 ppi foam

LSP -
Two Layers BF Wet Diamond

Trim/Glass -

Black Wow Trim Dressing
Stoners Glass

Lots of Uber MF Towels!!

First up; foam with CG Citrus Wash and APC mix

This car has spent its entire life going thru the weekly tunnel wash so, the wheels have never received a thorough cleaning. Thought about taking them off and giving my new Griot's protective sockets a whirl. The the wheels are farily accessable and this client had me on a $1500 max budget so, no time for removing wheels.

Working the P21s with $1.98 brush

All agitated with RG, SV and EZ Detail brushes

All cleaned up

Plenty of swirls on the fenders

50/50

After two passes with 105 on 70 ppi SM Arnold foam

Working the clear bra

Tight spots

Left C Pillar Before

Left C Pillar cleaned up

Right C Pillar Before

Right C Pillar After

 

[Got Wax]

Hood before under the Surefire Centurion LED

And, after two passes of 105

Hood under metal halite, before

After 105

Driver's door under the Cent LED before

And, after two passes of 105

Had to rush to get a few afters. Losing sun and customer wanted his car!

Thanks for looking

 

[Dan Clark]

Got Wax,

I have a fair amount of experience detailing my cars.  But I'm humbled by your talent!  Using painters tape to block off parts you don't want to polish - nice!  VERY nice work!!!

I'm a fan of LC pads for my PC and Rotex. I like Menzerna polishes and Zaino for LSP.  And a big fan of the two-bucket method with grit catchers combined with a foam gun. 

I posted a two-part tutorial here: http://www.talkfestool.com/vb/other-projects/1873-polishing-your-car-rotex-part-1-a.html.  It's an updated version of the FOG thread that I posted about two years ago.  I think it's decent, but I'd appreciate any criticisms and comments.  (I'll modify the tutorial.)

Thanks and regards,

Dan.

 

[Got Wax]

Dan,

Excellent write up!!! Very thorough and accurate!!! When it comes to products, everyone differs. Only points I would touch on are that washing should be done in an up and down or side to side action - never circular (You may have touched on that and I missed it??). Also, I use either natural sea sponge or grout sponges found at Lowes for $2.00!!!IME, sealants actually give about 60-90 days protection based on weekly washings. A good option for clay lube is ONR/wwater mix (Optimum No Rinse). Again, these are all my personal preferences. Your write up is, again, very thorough and good procees for keep your car's finish top notch!!!

Drew

Got Wax,

I have a fair amount of experience detailing my cars.  But I'm humbled by your talent!  Using painters tape to block off parts you don't want to polish - nice!   VERY nice work!!!

I'm a fan of LC pads for my PC and Rotex. I like Menzerna polishes and Zaino for LSP.  And a big fan of the two-bucket method with grit catchers combined with a foam gun.   

I posted a two-part tutorial here: http://www.talkfestool.com/vb/other-projects/1873-polishing-your-car-rotex-part-1-a.html.   It's an updated version of the FOG thread that I posted about two years ago.   I think it's decent, but I'd appreciate any criticisms and comments.   (I'll modify the tutorial.)

Thanks and regards,

Dan.