I live in Canada and I really want to buy the Porter Cable 7424. My prob is that it is hard to get here.
I have a few options, I can either get the 7424 polisher or the 7335 or 7336 sanders and counterweight to convert to polisher. I will be using it for sanding & polishing so I am trying to go with the cheapest option.
What I need to know is for polishing, what pads/accessories to get. I know I need the hook & loop pad for all the accessories, but should I get PC polishing pads (I can order with the PC for cheap shipping), go for Meguiars polishing kit (expensive to order to Canada) or are there some other good ones out there.
This would be for removing swirls, fixing some wetsand marks, & waxing. :bugthumb:
I would like a full kit that would allow me to do nearly any application, but do I need all of the stuff or just a select few pads?
The only difference between the 7424 and the 7336 is the counterweight. The 7424 comes with a 5" counterweight, where as the 7336 comes with a 6" counterweight. I recommend going with the 6", which you could convert on the 7424 as well.
Personally, I would just go with the 7336 since it already comes with the 6" counterweight. From there, you're going to need to get a properly sized backing plate and the appropriate pads. Go with a 5" hook and loop velcro backing plate or a flexible blacking plate if you can find one, and 6" (6.5" at some places) foam polishing pads.
Onto pads, there are many different brands and types of pads available. The 3 main ones are cutting pad, polishing pad, and a finishing pad. A cutting pad is the pad to do all the heavy work which is fairly rare, a polishing pad will most likely be the workhorse, and I've yet to use the finishing pad because I've always applied wax by hand. Lake Country and Meguiar's both offer decent pads, but you'll find a lot more people preferring Lake Country. Also, you can never go wrong with too many pads. I would recommend getting at least 2 of each at the bare minimum - trust me one this.
I'm from canadia as well. You can get a PC 7424 from canadian tire. The catch, it's $299CAD. You're better off getting it from our sponsor (click the ad above). I'm going to. Even after the exchange and s/h, you'll still come out on top.
Originally posted by gioe I'm from canadia as well. You can get a PC 7424 from canadian tire. The catch, it's $299CAD. You're better off getting it from our sponsor (click the ad above). I'm going to. Even after the exchange and s/h, you'll still come out on top.
RAPE!!!! Home Depot, house of tools, and a couple of other places will order one for me for $215. I will go that route...... any ideas where to find pads locally or shall I go through the sponsor? The pads are alot more expensive then I thought...... hopefully they last a while!!!
You need what's called a backing plate. Most pads available for the PC use a Hook-and-Loop system where the pad adheres to the backing plate using velcro so that the user can change pads quickly. If you're worried about the velcro not being secure enough, you don't need to because it's incredibliy strong. It takes quite a bit of force to take off the pads from the backing plate.
I recommend a 5" backing plate and using 6-6.5" pads. This ensures enough protection around the edge of the backing plate, so that it never comes in contact with the surface of your car when you're buffing. Plus with the 5" counterweight, using this combination is ideal for creating the least amount of vibration.
i got the 5" backing plate with one of each pad except the light cutting and polishing pad, i got two of them.......
is that a good start???
what cutting compound should i use first a rubbing compound???
In general, it's always a good idea to have a wide arsenal of pads. The reason is because pads can become contaminated, overloaded with products, and damaged during the polishing process. If you only purchase just one of each, you're forced to make compromises whereas if you're properly equipped and prepared, you'll be set in no time at all.
I would get 3 cutting pads, 4 polishing pads, and 2 or 3 finishing pads to start off with. The finishing pads are to your discretion because I've never found use for them since I mainly apply waxes and sealants by hand anyway.
Another point I'd like to talk about is the differences in the types of pads available. From what I've seen, there are 3 basic types of pad categories, aside from their abrasiveness. There are
Flat pads
Variable contact pads (VC)
Curved-Edged pads
The Curved-Edged pads are usually from a specific supplier, but since they're popular I've included them in the list. You'll find other types of pads like tufted, wool, and so on but I'm sticking to the widely used ones.
The flat pads were the first to be created, and have been used for quite some time.
Then came the variable contact technology where the pad expands in surface area and diameter when there is pressure applied to it. The pad is concave where the inner area is a crater, and if there is pressure applied the inner area comes into contact with the surface. This technology, I would say, is currently dominating the market right now. It also makes the transition moving from flat surfaces to edges and curves easier.
To the best of my knowledge Lake Country came out with their design of the Curved-Edged pads. It utilizes the same technology as the VC pads, but instead there is an outer edge that doesn't come into contact with the surface unless there is pressured applied. Think of it as an elongated "W" or "M" shape when seen from a sagittal view.
I hope that helps in explaining the different foam pads that are available and most commonly used. Now for buffing compounds and polishes, there's a lot of information that's already been discussed in this forum so a search will help you out a lot. Just keep in mind that you will want to use the least aggressive product first on the surface rather than going straight to something abrasive. It's hard to prescribe a certain polish without seeing the condition of your swirls, but I believe you recently got your car repainted correct? In that case, I doubt you have any major swirls or marring so a light polish like Meguiar's No.9 should be a versatile polish for you.
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thanks Denniso 
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