shinex starter set recommendation

[Holzhacker]

Hello all, I picked up a shinex a while ago on the recon. Summer is approaching so I'm thinking of using it on the cars and bikes. I used my RO90 for various aluminum, headlight and bike polishing but not to the extent I would say I am proficient at it.
My question is for those of you used to using the shinex, do you have a recommendation for pad types, brand, grit, polishing liquids that would be a good starter set to put together to get the hang of using the shinex. On a bike with the RO90 its easy enough. Don't want to make bad mistake on a large car hood or door panel.

On a related note, you can't switch out the newer Planex multi hole pad onto the older Planex right? Or yes?
thanks, markus

 

[Cheese]

Here's my preferred polishing supplies. Menzerna Medium Cut 2500 followed with Menzerna Super Finish 3800 (that has recently replaced the earlier Menzerna 3500). The Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant is specifically formulated for black finishes and is gorgeous.  [smile]

The Wolfgang product has probably recently been replaced with one of the new ceramic coatings. I've not yet applied a ceramic coating.

Sponges are usually arranged in a blue-white-black order... most aggressive to least aggressive. The black sponges are NOT aggressive, they exist only to apply and smooth the sealant.

The small orange sponge is used on headlight covers on a RO 90 to remove the UV haze. In that application, you need an abrasive sponge to attack the UV haze. In this situation, the pad coarseness goes orange-blue-white-black.

I should add, the sponge colors and their relative coarseness in my example are Festool generated. Pads produced by and for 3M, SwissVax, Rupes and Lake Country can vary. Although, most adhere to the white = extra fine and black = ultra fine philosophy.

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[guybo]

Hi, while looking for a larger sponge for my ro 150(I use some 180mm sponges that bis had on sale) 3m is in collaboration with festool auto and offer a whole line of products for the shinex including adapters for small backing plates.I .bought an 8in sponge and sheepskin. https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/1101753O/perfect-it-ex-paint-finishing-brochure.pdf?&fn=Paint%20Finishing%20Guide_60-4402-7884-8_V5_LR_2018_R2.p

 

[Cheese]

Hi, while looking for a larger sponge for my ro 150(I use some 180mm sponges that bis had on sale) 3m is in collaboration with festool auto and offer a whole line of products for the shinex including adapters for small backing plates.I .bought an 8in sponge and sheepskin. https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/1101753O/perfect-it-ex-paint-finishing-brochure.pdf?&fn=Paint%20Finishing%20Guide_60-4402-7884-8_V5_LR_2018_R2.p

I think that's a really good point to make guybo...Festool adds and eliminates products all the time but the Automotive Finishing Division at 3M is a key component of the company and a huge 3M moneymaker. They've been producing sandpaper since 1905 and masking tape since 1925. They will not abandon the automotive market, while Festool may or may not feel that same kindred spirit .  [sad]

 

[Holzhacker]

Thanks for the info. I will order some supplies. I've got the shinex in a big sys as well.

 

[leakyroof]

The only thing I'll add is if your Shinex is like mine, it's rotary, not random orbit. So, more aggressive than a Random Orbit Polisher. This is not a bad thing, just go at it slowly and learn how the Polisher will work differently than using, say a RO 125 or 150 in Random Orbit mode. Many other Polishers are Rotary style, but have been over shadowed by all the new Long throw orbit polishers on the market in the past few years.
The tool is light, not heavy, so at least for me, not tiring to use for the most part.
We own 2 Mini Coopers as well as an older VW Van. So, often smaller pads work better for us than 5 or 6" at times due to curves of the vehicles, at least on the MINI's.    The old VW is slab side basically , so a large 6" pad is way faster to cover the 'acreage' of the vehicle... [big grin]
Your usage will depend on what you're working with... [cool]
I also like Velcro style hand pad holders to use with the 3" or so diameter pads if I don't need my 3" polisher, or the RO 90 with a small pad. Lots of suppliers sell these for hand use, foam button or 'ball shape' basically that's nice on your hands, with strong Velcro to grip the little pad securely.
As one last FYI, I keep our Shinex in a pretty old Large Systainer that's odd ball in size from what replaced it over the years.  My dealer had one sitting on a shelf when I bought the Shinex years ago, it's thinner than the later 'wide' systainer.  There was no foam insert back then for the Shinex, it came in a cardboard box. We added waffle foam inserts to the old systainer, holds the Shinex and some pads, and I added a thin wrench to tighten the pad to the Shinex spindle just so it doesn't go flying off the tool.  Are they offering a dedicated Systainer for the Shinex now?
Years ago on talkFestool, I had pictures of the RO90 and the Shinex side by side, with a review of the then new Shinex.

 

[squall_line]

Are they offering a dedicated Systainer for the Shinex now?

Nah, they still come in a cardboard box.  Cheese and others have moved to a SYS3L with high-density pick-n-pull foam (the low-density stuff is too sensitive for rough use) and an eggshell lid insert for storage.

 

[Cheese]

A number of years ago Festool did offer the Shinex in a Systainer but it was an Euro offered product only...that's so typically Festool. [sad]

Consequently, in the states, we were forced to implement our "yankee ingenuity" and configure the Shinex and its Systainer in our own way, which really did eclipse the Euro version. Now is that a big surprise?

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[leakyroof]

A number of years ago Festool did offer the Shinex in a Systainer but it was an Euro offered product only...that's so typically Festool. [sad]

Consequently, in the states, we were forced to implement our "yankee ingenuity" and configure the Shinex and its Systainer in our own way, which really did eclipse the Euro version. Now is that a big surprise?

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  The systainer that I have mine in is shallower than the one pictured. Wonder how old it is compared to the newer ones?  My Gen 1 Planex set of 2 systainers match the one show with this Shinex. The foam insert for the Shinex is nice too.... [tongue] [tongue]

 

[Holzhacker]

I have my shinex and supplies I've bought so far in a sys max but I sure don't have that fancy foam insert. That would be nice. Thanks for the idea, I'll have to figure out something like that.