Hey all, I am sure this is on here in a thread but I am in my international finance class right now and need to get back to my notes lol. I just bought a Makita and was wondering if someone could point me to a link or give me an overview of the rpm range based on the dial on the machine. I know there is a diagram above the dial but was wondering if someone could give me a more detailed outline. Thanks guys! Chas
1 = 600, 2 = 900, 3 = 1500, etc.. If you want other speeds you have to approximate.. you could measure the dial and draw additional lines.. Like 1.5 = 750, etc. Or if you really wanna be precise you could buy a tachometer and check the speeds yourself.. I think they make ones for remote control hobby airplanes that would connect.
confused as to why you can't read the mini chart? it says the speed and the number..where is the confusion? obviously the point in between two numbers is the difference between the respective speeds.. just as strs90 has 1.5=750 and so on.. it's simple.. plus you never wanna go above 1500 rpms..i have seen people go to 2k but i would never recommend it.. everyone i see on here that gets stellar results stops at 1500. don't over think things.
It also depends on pad size. 1500rpm on the dial, isn't exactly 1500 on a 6.5" pad, vs 3" pad. I've wondered about what my bad is actually rotating at for any given pad size.. but I've figured that I don't really care enought to do all the calculations . I assume the rpm is when the buffer isn't loaded (i.e nothing on the spindle at all)
I think the rpm is the same. What changes is how fast the outer surface of the pad needs to move to complete 1 revloution vs. a smaller pad in the same amount of time. Works the same as gears on a bicycle. 1500RPM is 1500RPM. The shaft still spins at the same speed no matter the size of buffing pad on there.
I know the SHAFT is moving at 1500rpm, but doesn't the pad move at a different speed depending on size? Or am I :crasy:
If you were to take your finger and stick it to the bottom of the pad at .5" from center at 60 rpm, your finger would not move that fast. If you were to take your finger and stick it at 6.5" from the center at the same rpm, you would have to move it alot faster, since you have a bigger circumference to complete within the same amount of time. Same RPM, different speed.
thanks guys for all the responses, I know it sounded like a dumb question because the chart is right there in front of the dial I just didn't know if there was any variation from this based on your experiences. Its ok now I have been practicing with it a lot lately and I am starting to get the feel for it more and more. Chas
You're confusing rotational speed with tangential speed. Rotational speed is the same for any point on the pad. Tangential speed will vary depending on how far the point is from the center. The outer edges will have a higher tangential speed.
So then does the speed effect the polishes and how they break down then? If the normal zenith breakdown is 900-1500-1800-1200 (give or take) then would you have to adjust per different size pad? Or not? Because isn't it the speed of the pad (and creation of friction) that break down polishes, and RPM is just a number to go by?
I imagine it could, at least a little bit but honestly I don't know. I don't know much about how different polishes breakdown and such. I think that is where experience comes in, experimenting with different polishes, pads and speed combos to see what works best. I'm just a weekend warrior so I have much experience with that.
Well this is just my experience but yes RPM does effect the break down of a polish, now I'm no chemist, nor an expert on polish break down but what I have seen happen is that as you increase the RPM you can see the polish flash over...you have to be paying close attention and literally looking right over the area the rotary is polishing...now I don't know if it's just my eyes playing tricks on me but as you continue to polish the area I've seen the polish flash over....now what is flash over..um..well the best way I can describe it is when the polish goes from a thick creamy looking residue on the surface of the vehicle to a translucent looking polish...um..I repeat, I'm no expert on polish or polish break down I'm just sharing what I've seen, usually the higher the speed the faster you'll cause the polish to flash over not to mention the more dusting that tends to happen...now I wish I knew how speed is correlated with dusting...but a little more reading I'm sure I'll eventually figure it out.
