FESTOOL ROTEX RO90 Question regarding its uses?

[venk67]

???  Is the surface area for polishing/ applying wax too small to be used on a car?

I have read some prior posts about the shinex and the Ro125 and Ro150 to work on car detailing, but wondered if anyone has any experience with the much smaller RO90?

Also, can anyone tell me when it is bestto use the firm(hard) polishing pad vs the softer one?

Thanks

VL

 

[VictorL]

RO-90 as a polisher is too small for cars, but it might be very useful in tight areas.
Hard and soft polishing felt pads are used in different stages of polishing.

Regards,
VictorL

 

[kdzito]

For cars it's the 150, the 90 is way too small!!!

 

[tbellemare]

Also, can anyone tell me when it is bestto use the firm(hard) polishing pad vs the softer one?

Are you asking about the pads or felts, as Victor replied?

The hard pad is better for flat surfaces and crisp edges. The soft pad can help with contours.

Tom

EDIT: Since you also asked about polishing, the polishing pad is smaller diameter and hard. The smaller diameter helps ensure that it won't catch an edge.

 

[awdriven]

I've used the RO90 for car polishing - but just in small areas where my Flex VRG is too big to reasonably reach. (Front bumper air inlets, etc).

It gets uncomfortably hot if you're working at higher speed for more than a couple minutes at a time. Sanding with a dust collector isn't an issue as I think the air being sucked through the tool by the CT helps to cool the RO90 down.

 

[Sam Murdoch]

RO-90 as a polisher is too small for cars, but it might be very useful in tight areas.
Hard and soft polishing felt pads are used in different stages of polishing.

Regards,
VictorL

How about for a Mini  [unsure] ?

[big grin] Geez, what a wise guy.

 

[VictorL]

RO-90 as a polisher is too small for cars, but it might be very useful in tight areas.
Hard and soft polishing felt pads are used in different stages of polishing.

Regards,
VictorL

How about for a Mini  [unsure] ?

[big grin] Geez, what a wise guy.

New Mini is higher than Altima or Accord. So there is no Mini anymore.
As a polisher it's great for Harley and such.

Cheers!
VictorL

 

[Cableaddict]

I understand that the RO 90 is not the best tool for the job, but let's say it's the only polisher you have.  

Would it work, just slowly, or would it literally not do, because the wax would dry before you covered enough area, or it would be hard to keep level, or something else?

 

[NoBreyner]

Being a detailer from years past it's not an issue of wax drying prematurely, or any difficulty with the Ro90.  The Ro90 can do the job perfectly it's more of an issue of patience.  The other options ie. Shinex Ro125 or Ro150 can polish a car out in no time with large pad sizes.  The Ro90 in my opinion would take twice as long or longer to do the same job.  With that said I would not hesitate to use the 90 on the headlights or tail lights with some Meguiar's Plastix  or attempt to polish out scratches or level touchup paint with the surface, otherwise I'd find another option.  If it's the only polisher you have by all means use it, just expect it to take a while.

 

[venk67]

Thanks,  I had similar thoughts about doing minor repairs/ corrections with the Ro90 in rotex mode ( with orange pad) then using another non-rotex rotary for polishing and buffing with finer pads and less aggressive polish.

Do not see any problems with that idea.

Venk