How to get PROFESSIONAL paint correction with an entry-level polisher | RUPES LHR12E

With a few simple tools and techniques, you can fix scratches and scuffs on your car's paint right at home! In this video, we break down paint correction, all of the items necessary, as well as present the processes to get the best results.
RUPES LHR12E Duetto: www.esotericcarcare.com/rupes...
RUPES White Finishing Pads: www.esotericcarcare.com/rupes...
Meguiar's MF Cutting Disc: www.esotericcarcare.com/megui...
Jescar Correcting Compound: www.esotericcarcare.com/jesca...
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#DIYpolishing #detailtutorial #paintcorrection

[@Esotericdetail]

If you're looking for more detailed information on how to be better at paint correction and ceramic coating, then check out our new ONLINE training at: www.esotericdetail.com/education

[@viper200075]

I'm glad there's still professionals still teaching how to do it right,outstanding video

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you!

[@grandfinish8929]

Professional level results articulated and demonstrated properly in a way that truly inspires. There was a time when that whole fender would have been my work section and my results would have been false and a waste of time. These videos are a masterclass of detailing. The actual training academy has to be mind blowing.

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you as always! Keeping the work area small, and combining with the right pressures really make a huge difference.

[@danlc95]

This is one of the best channels for info out there!

[@scottpage4229]

Grand Finish it truly was a terrific experience, so glad I went

[@alexred9693]

The first step to rehabilitation is admitting the problems you have and disorders.

[@intrinsicfineautofinishing4660]

Grand finish if you can afford to go, it would certainly be worth it. I was there two years ago and it made a significant difference in how I approach detailing. They also have online courses today.

[@dougnelson423]

Todd, I just found your channel. Absolutely the very best I have ever seen. Outstanding. Thanks

[@LilRick96]

I did great results just like that on heavy swirled Yukon Denali with a Makita 6 inch orbital buffer 🤙🏽 great demonstration! It's so easy and to not really spend so much on a expensive polisher is a huge plus. Love Sonax perfect finish

[@detailingyoda1652]

Another great video Todd, with the right techniques you can definitely get great results with a hobby grade machine! I cover this on my channel quite often for the beginner or home detailers

[@LetsDIYIt]

This is the second video of yours I've watched. A wealth of info articulated simply and quickly. Thank you. I have 2 black cars and wanted to learn how to keep them looking as best I can. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. Thank you

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you for the positive feedback, and glad to hear that you're enjoying the channel. Thanks for watching!

[@hendrikjan9116]

very nice results. it so satisfying to see

[@markmoore6264]

Very informative video , the little Duetto gives some great results .

[@Esotericdetail]

Thanks, and yes it does!

[@AR-rs2dy]

Top notch videos my man.

[@J1Z06]

Love this video! basic process,stellar results! Have a good weekend to everyone at ESOTERIC :)

[@Esotericdetail]

Thanks so much!

[@jaysoncarlos8651]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and techniques to all of us. You are amazing guy. More blessings to you and your family!🙏

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you!

[@kurtavery1703]

the only car detailing channel I follow. 👍

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you Kurt!

[@bluegrasskid4835]

Thanks for the great video Todd. You mentioned you often see cars with compound haze due to the body shop or dealership skipping the finishing phase. It has been my experience that car dealerships tend to instead of using a finnishing phase, they cut corners and you filler heavy glazes to conceal the haze. So the car will look wonderful upon delivery but after a few rain showers or car washes, the glaze is gone and all the haze and buffer trails come right back and the customer knows none the better what happened.

[@Esotericdetail]

Most of the time anymore, they don't even go to that level...that's just "one more step in the process which requires too much time"!

[@robbienyc3102]

This was quick and to the point....

[@TheCarDetailingChannel]

I have a Porter Cable dual action polisher and a Makita dual action polisher with forced rotation. The Porter Cable is an entry level polisher and was my first polisher that I learned on about 8 years ago. I can still fully correct a vehicle with my PC with no problem. The Makita is a pro grade polisher which gets the job done much quicker and will never bog down like entry level polishers.

[@barkingshark6413]

Good video Todd. I only have a porter cable now, but use that exact combination used in this video. Jescar correcting compound with Sonax Perfect Finish. I get stunning results every time. I do plan on buying a Rupes soon however.

[@Esotericdetail]

That's great to hear. I/we started off in the Porter Cable world, and produced stunning results back then as well.

[@404notfound.....]

Nice vid! I have used menzerna 400 compound on a LC orange correction pad on GM hard clearcoat and no haze. Yup it finish's that nice! 🙂

[@Esotericdetail]

The same can be said about Jescar, but it has to be on that outlier type of paint.

[@robrob7140]

Those meguiars pads are the best I've every used, been using them for a decade now..

[@antyvyruz]

Top notch good shit Tood maistro well done once again

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you!

[@ricvanwinkle1665]

Thanks for the advice as I have the same GM black paint on my Camaro. I actually bought the 15 over the 12 Rupes so I guess it will go a bit faster. This combo made my SS look better than showroom. Thanks again

[@bpsdetailing8822]

You the man!!

[@DmDetails]

Fantastic work

[@Esotericdetail]

Many thanks

[@JWL-UK]

Great video and spot on recommendation. Here in the UK this Rupes Lhr12e is not exactly entry level at £250+ I have recently invested in a similar yet cordless model from UK popular brand Sealey (CP18VOP). It sells for £178 but you'll need an extra battery at £65 to do the whole car. It's an amazing machine that coupled with right pad for the job e.g. Lake Country's Orange pad for a quick one-step renders great results on a budget.

[@Esotericdetail]

Entry level, or consumer-grade, doesn't mean "budget". Within the Rupes lineup, it's definitely the entry level or consumer-grade machine. We have a tremendous amount of people buying the LHR12E as their first machine simply because they want to purchase a quality tool to start with.

[@parthbhatt2131]

Nice job bro

[@marybetheby5184]

Oh yeah,that looks like a great one to start my Rupes collection with!Please post some pics of that Caddy on ig when that bad boy is done!😎👍

[@Esotericdetail]

Great machine indeed! We are doing a huge project on this car...paint correction, tinted windows, all chrome blackout (painted, not wrapped), painted brake calipers, new rotors, Forgeline wheels, etc. We will definitely be posting up more information on this one.

[@marybetheby5184]

@@Esotericdetail Sweet!😎

[@CyberJenni722]

I love my Duetto, it is a sweet machine. The 12mm DA with 5.5" is a perfect piece of my kit combined with my older 8mm DA (now at 3") and the Rupes Nano. The Duetto is well-balanced and powerful, and a big step up from my other DA - the difference is remarkable. My experience is that the one-step method with a Rupes yellow pad and Sonax Perfect Finish handles most of my needs - I have a Cadillac SUV with black metallic paint, a Hyundai with black paint, and a Chevy with silver metallic paint. The Duetto handles compounding very well and powers through paint correction. Highly recommended.

[@Esotericdetail]

Agreed. A lot of people still use a Porter Cable, which is definitely a capable machine, but the Duetto is such an upgrade by comparison.

[@KrispyKarl7]

ESOTERIC literally the exact switch I made.... couldn’t be happier with my decision. And of course I threw the kamikaze backing plate on that baby and she’s a beast! Thank you for all that you do! It doesn’t go unnoticed 👍🏼

[@ad_182_uk]

I currently have a real heavy old school rotary that takes my 5.5in pads, but being only a weekend warrior, would the duetto be a good upgrade? I am guessing it will be lighter and smoother, would correction be slower and would the duetto bog down on curves?

[@Jasonion74]

Thank you 👍

[@ramautodetailing2011]

Thank you

[@poyter7904]

Would love some advice Todd: We run an all Mercedes-Benz Black Car Service. Traditionally we have always used instant detailer and a clean microfiber to wipe down before each customer. i.e. 10 times per day. Snow foam minimum 1 x week. Gorilla Glove to wipe down break dust between each client. Wheel cleaner minimum 1 x week. Whilst the vehicles are always immaculate… the paint has swirls and needs attention…. Minimum polishing. The question is what & how would you recommend doing with such high frequency cleaning… and would you recommend using a ceramic coating or not?

[@Esotericdetail]

Doing that many wipe-downs are a recipe for disaster, really. In that scenario, you have to ask yourself what you'd rather have...dusty cars that are swirl-free, or dust-free cars full of swirls? Ceramic coating is not going to have a positive impact against wipe-induced swirls and marring.

[@danlc95]

It's hard for me to see a big difference in performance between the Duetto and the 21. I definitely don't consider it a consumer grade tool. A lot of people aren't aware that as the orbit size decreases, the RPM of the spindle increases: LHR21 MK2/3 = 2500 - 4700 RPM LHR15 MK2/3 = 2500 - 5300 RPM LHR12E = 4000 - 5500 RPM LHR75E = 4000 - 5500 RPM This is done to make up for a reduction in orbit, to sort of "even out" the amount of friction on the surface of the vehicle, so that It's comparable down the line. I work at a shop that has the 21, and 15 mk2, and I like I said, I have a very hard time detecting the difference in performance through the line. They all perform spectacularly. That all being said, I seem to work faster and better with my old Porter Cable, which doesn't make a lot of sense.... Then again, I suck at getting the Flex 3401 to do any major heavy cutting.. 🤷‍♂️

[@1kontrabida]

Actually it does, everyone is too worried about the mm throw and how fast they can compound and polish the paint these past few years and forgot about the joy and time it takes to learn and have to go through the process on how to detail cars on which to answer ur mystery on why ur better working on the 7424? the lesser the throw the finer the finish and far less mistakes so ur not back tracking ur work every time when using force rotation, DA with

[@stevelangsdorf7307]

@@1kontrabida Finally someone who gets it. It's not about how fast you can do it,it's about how good a job you can do. I treat my family's car like I treat my customers car's there is only one way to detail a car and that's to the best of your ability. When I walk away it's the best I can do or I'm not happy, if I have to spend some more time SO BE IT THAT'S THE JOB, NOT HOW FAST I CAN GET MY MONEY. It ain't about the it's about the shine. NUFF SAID 👍

[@irdibasha391]

I have a 60 euro polisher and works also great

[@Dejan_23Unlimited]

Thanks Todd for another beautiful video 👍🏼 At the beginning of the video, Sonax perfect finish bottle Is looking different than what’s on the market now! Is that new packaging or the old one ? Also, do you see benefits working on the cutting stage with Macquarie pad instead of the Rupes blue pad ? Happy Saturday and stay safe 🙏🏻

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you. They just changed their labels, and this was actually the first we had seen them when we shot this video.

[@amelhankic3062]

I am always impressed with people giving tutorials and instructions and in process possibly losing money and customers but still sharing knowledge.

[@Esotericdetail]

We've always went by the old adage of "out-educating your competition". :)

[@John-xk7uo]

Can you do a video on the nano rupes

[@abwhsucchdueueuc6450]

What is your opinion based on the Rupes Mille? Is the machine necessary to have, or what good scenario’s can it be good for?

[@Voiceofreason99ify]

Todd excellent videos you are a legend for making this so accessible and not too convoluted! Two things : I still saw some residual circular marks at the end - how would you remove those? I have all the gear but still not sure how to tackle say a silver car vs black car to get the perfect deep lustre Polish. Would be nice to see that ! All the best and thanks again!

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you. The only thing you saw was the transition to the area that wasn't polished. The area that was actually worked was crystal clear. So if you were working the entire panel with this methodology, the only thing that (might) remain would be very deep scratch remnants.

[@Voiceofreason99ify]

ESOTERIC thanks so much! You are a legend .

[@biggreasytaco3140]

Great Video! If the consumer grade DA delivers such good results, what is the advantage to a "professional" level machine? Also, do you have an opinion on forced rotation DA's?

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you. The professional series, let's call it the LHR15 and LHR21, has even more cutting ability, and can make the work quicker and more effective on challenging vehicles. The ergonomics of them also work really well with daily use. As for forced rotation, I'm not a big fan myself. I can get better results from the long-throw DA's (15 and 21), with total control of the machine. Others feel the same way because we sell maybe 1 forced rotation for every 50+ DA.

[@TheZigzone]

Todd, I’m seriously considering upgrading to the Duetto. Can you talk about the “washer mod” pros, cons, etc

[@Esotericdetail]

It frees up some orbits. Just a simple M8 washer...no "magical" washer is needed. Small increase in performance.

[@moholdt3335]

i liked the video before watching it

[@markevanado9463]

Will there be a mark3 with a 12mm throw?

[@iamsam8446]

Sonax FTW!

[@raining7049]

Where can I get Jescar in the UK?

[@letsemir3943]

Hello, you have great videos! I have a question. What do you think about the rupes LK900 is it any good?

[@Esotericdetail]

It's a good machine, however we prefer the true dual action machines as opposed to the gear driven ones.

[@gerardgibson9252]

Hi Todd, Great video!! Quick question, you mentioned you used Jescar Compound and Polish products, but the bottle where you squeezed the product from, says Gyeon, which product did you actually use on the test section? Thanks.

[@Esotericdetail]

We put our Jescar and Sonax compounds / polishes in the universal Gyeon bottles to keep things consistent.

[@autostudiopanama6619]

Is the Megs MF Cutting pad still your go-to cutting pad? Greetings from Panama, we are fans down here

[@ashleystratton352]

great video todd. did i hear you correct when you said there is no need to prime the microfiber pad? that goes against what everyone tell us to do.

[@Esotericdetail]

Yes, you heard me correctly. I talk about that more in the video linked at the end (5-Steps video).

[@ashleystratton352]

@@Esotericdetail ok todd ill check it out. thank you.

[@raviles420]

Hi first of all I love your show!!! I just wanted to ask you; in your opinion what it's the best polisher that you tried?

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you. Our favorite, and best seller, is the Rupes LHR15! www.esotericcarcare.com/rupes-lhr15-bigfoot-mark-iii/

[@jf-iw7jo]

Great video thank you. I have some minor crows feet on my hood. I know this can only be fixed by a repaint, but is it ok to polish over them?

[@Esotericdetail]

As long as it doesn't look like it's actually cracking. If it looks severe, we'll tape over those areas. Otherwise, just polish on top of them without any issues.

[@hayden199516]

Is that shirt available anywhere? Love it! Great high quality video, as always!

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you! www.esotericcarcare.com/esoteric-team-t-shirt/

[@hayden199516]

@@Esotericdetail are you wearing the gray one? It looks Heather, and that's what I'm wanting! Do they fit true to size, or more fitted?

[@Esotericdetail]

@@hayden199516 I'm wearing the black one, and they're more of a "fitted" sizing. Very comfortable material!

[@scottpage4229]

I love mine wear it often

[@adamcoe]

Not sure if anything with the word Rupes on the side of it is "entry level" exactly, but nonetheless great instruction and I'm sure the same principles would apply to a Porter Cable/Torq/whatever polisher.

[@kevincarter3423]

Great video. I just started paint correction a few months ago. I have already burned up 3 Bauer and one maxshine M8S V2. I will run them 6 hours daily on a car. I am now looking at SHINEMATE EX620 5" 15MM or this Rupes Duetto seems like it might be the way to go. If you were just starting out which one do you choose? Thank you for the great video. Just saw u for the first time.

[@Esotericdetail]

You can spend a little bit of money a lot of times, or more money fewer times. In this case, you definitely get what you pay for. Also, make sure you're not running your machine at full speed for all that time. For all of the Rupes machines, we recommend speed 4.5 out of 6.

[@kevinkiraly7113]

I wish the dust when I compound is minimal like yours here lol....

[@mueldaddy]

Hi! Is the Sonax Perfect Finish the actual wax and final step, or does it still need a carnauba wax applied like Meguiars Gold Class? I have always been old school and used a carnauba wax on my vehicles. I do want to learn how to correct paint and use a better process and products though. Your Verdi’s are very informative. Thanks!

[@Esotericdetail]

Perfect Finish is simply a polish, with no protection in it. After polishing, you would apply your protection of choice. Thank you.

[@lozzarichards5515]

Hi Todd, I have a rupes 75e mini, the rupes pads that came with the machine fit snug to the circumference of the backing plate with no over spill to the edge. Is it still ok to fit other pads to the 75 that may be slightly bigger on the Velcro side but are still 4" on the polishing side. And is this the case for the Rupes 15e. By the way Great channel and you're teaching methods 👍

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you. I'd only go for the slightest overhand...like you would get with a Meg's MF Cutting Disc on the Rupes backing plates. I wouldn't use a 4" standard pad on the 75.

[@epattonm]

Do you use the same pressure and machine speed during the polishing step that you did during compounding?

[@Esotericdetail]

Machine speed, yes. I'll back off my pressure just a little bit when doing finish polishing.

[@bekiro28]

because of how compact it is and the 12 mm throw does better vs 15 or 21mm throw when it comes to finish polish specially on soft paint i don't think its a consumer machine todd i believe every pro should have one in their arsenal

[@wasabitimepiece1]

Great video. How many towels would you use on that entire car for a one step? And which would you recommend? Cheers

[@Esotericdetail]

For a one-step, we'd probably use 6 or so towels. Our favorites are: www.esotericcarcare.com/esoteric-red-premium-microfiber-towel/

[@wasabitimepiece1]

@@Esotericdetail Thank you

[@theorangeguyna6762]

Hi Todd, thanks for the video. Would a 1-step process with Rupes Yellow and Sonax Perfect Finish produce acceptable results with that car?

[@Esotericdetail]

For most people, a one-step using the Rupes Yellow pad and Sonax Perfect Finish would look absolutely fantastic on this car. Your deeper stuff would still remain, but in testing on it, I could get about a 70-80% correction rate. It literally went from grey to black!

[@joeydny5816]

I just purchased the yellowed pad and sonax perfect finish, my cars paint has light defect. The 1 step should be perfect then. I do have the jescar and meguires just incase. Thanks in advance

[@johngabriel8743]

Hello, did you do clay bar before you start compounding the panel?

[@Esotericdetail]

That car would have gone through full decontamination before paint correction...

[@thesybe]

Do you have a video on how to determine the correct speed for your polisher?

[@Esotericdetail]

For D/A polishers that vary from 1 to 6, speed 4.5 is where you should concentrate whether you're compounding, one-step polishing, or finish polishing.

[@thesybe]

@@Esotericdetail Wow that's interesting. I would have thought that it would vary according to the process but I'm a noob so thanks for the info! I also live in Ohio so I think it's really cool your on Columbus, I'm in Cambridge.

[@dezcanso1540]

hey Todd Should wiping down panels or the whole car be done during each stage after claying? So for instance clay the whole car, dry it then geon prep wipe down, then compound, then wipedown again, then polish and wipe down again before applying a coat or a sealant? Thanks, love your videos.

[@Esotericdetail]

That is the smart way to do it, yes!

[@dezcanso1540]

@@Esotericdetail thanks!

[@careyivery7690]

Question, should I use compound on very soft black paint on Acura / Honda?

[@Esotericdetail]

Only if necessary. If you're looking for close to perfection level, then do a test spot with a one-step combo first (yellow Rupes pad, Sonax Perfect Finish) to see how good it gets. If you're happy with the results, then stick with that combo. If you're hoping for a higher level of correction, then go to a multi-stage like we did here.

[@whiskkers9291]

Thanks for the video, I've always been a big fan. I have a novice question. What does the higher end polishers do that entry level polishers can't? This is not to be an insulting question; I'm very new to this. I have always used polishers in the $100-$150 mark, but I use quality polishes and pads and always had great results. I am always looking to improve but just don't understand what a $300-$600 polisher does different. I'm not a professional detailer but I do a lot for friends, family and neighbors.

[@Esotericdetail]

Thank you. The more premium polishers typically have a larger orbit, which translates into greater correction rates. Additionally, they are much smoother in operation so it's less fatiguing on your hands and body.

[@whiskkers9291]

@@Esotericdetail Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate you clearing that up. Sometimes I'm just looking at a machines RPM, torque, speed settings, and other basic functions so they all tend to look the same after a while. That makes a lot of sense that a better polish machine would also have better bearings and such to make it easier and smoother on the operator. I never thought about the throw so that's something I will look at on my next purchase. Thanks again for all the videos and guidance.

[@nicksdragon6929]

Is it safe to also use the Rules 3" backing plate on the 12e?

[@Esotericdetail]

No, they are not compatible.

[@kevinwalsh6234]

Just curious, what are the advantages of using a white rupes finishing pad instead of yellow? Could a yellow pad have been used with the finishing polish on the 2nd step? Just FYI, I recently found your page and have watched many of your videos. Very informative and excellent job! Thanks

[@KamiruNusbaum]

White Rupes pad is even more softer than Rupes yellow pad, so it leaves even better finish. Todd used it here, beacause, judging on how fast he corrected defects during compounding stage, that CTS-V has got a soft paint, so a yellow Rupes pad, might've been too agressive here, despite the fact, that it is a finishing pad. Belive it or not, I've done almost perfect correction using white Rupes pad and Koch Antihologram polish on some black Jaguar, just beacause the paint was so, so soft that yellow Rupes pad was actually marring it.

[@CyberJenni722]

A white pad and a final polish step might only most noticeable on a shiny black car. Even then, it is hard to see the difference on my black metallic car between the yellow/Sonax Perfect Finish one-step and an additional white/final polish step. Yellow pad and a final-grade polish might not be different than the Perfect Finish reducing to a polish.

[@Esotericdetail]

With this soft, finicky paint, the white finishing pad was a better solution as the yellow left a little bit of hazing. On some soft black paints, the yellow will work better, and on others, the white will work better. It's all in the test section to determine what works best on that particular car, on that particular day.

[@wyattwrx]

Can sonnax perfect finish be used on gloss black wheels?

[@Esotericdetail]

Sure can!

[@bluegrasskid4835]

Thank you for the video Todd. At 2:30, you mentioned black paint tends to be softer. Do auto manufacturers use different clear coats for different color paints? I ask that because we really are not polishing the black paint but rather the clear coat above it.

[@Esotericdetail]

Yes, there are different clear coats for sure depending on the color. We were working with a car manufacturer on a training project, and they had 4 different clear coats they used for the same model car, depending on the base color being used.

[@bluegrasskid4835]

@@Esotericdetail Thank you for the reply, I did not know that.

[@brianplatt5029]

How does this work in a body shop setup? Wet sanding with final grit of 3k or 5k. On the fence about switching to da buffing. Thanks

[@Esotericdetail]

I would use the LHR15 or LHR21 for that, but you should be able to easily take it to perfection-level finishing in just 2 steps after sanding.

[@matthewsmith5394]

How is the meguiars pad vs the lake country pad

[@Esotericdetail]

The Meguiar's MF Cutting Disc is the reference in the industry!

[@drmikeyb1]

What made you choose the white pad over the yellow. Thank you

[@Esotericdetail]

It would be based off of a test section to see which one is giving me the desired results based off of goals for the job.

[@jjjjjjjjjjjhjjjjjhjj]

What was the speed setting for the compound step and also for the polish step? Same or different / What number

[@Esotericdetail]

4.5

[@Lighthouse094]

So you do this on the car. Does that then thin out or "weaken"the clear coat? Thanks in advance.

[@Esotericdetail]

You're only removing a very small amount of clear, particularly when just doing a one-step polish. So if you have about 120 microns of total thickness (color, plus clear), you may be removing only 2 microns of material.

[@markevanado9463]

Does the duetto have a variable speed trigger?

[@Esotericdetail]

No, just on or off. The speed does ramp up though when you turn it on so it's not abrupt.

[@Badmastard]

After doing these 2 stages shown in the video, can you spray panel whip and then use Gtechniq serum light ceramic?

[@Esotericdetail]

That would be the process, yes.

[@Badmastard]

@@Esotericdetail thank you so much. Great videos. Keep it up.

[@mkiv_bangbros3333]

Is an 8mm throw DA to weak? I’m curious if I should upgrade my DÁ.

[@Esotericdetail]

I ran my business for many years with just an 8mm throw DA machine. When you get the bigger throw machine, you can reduce your pressure, which means you're less tired at the end of the day!

[@gregmile8715]

If the defects aren't being removed, is that more likely a problem with the pressure applied or the compound being used. -- Mothers Ultimate Pure Polish with Simoniz Yellow Hex Compound Pad on 2012 Ford Grey

[@Esotericdetail]

It's most like a combination...if you don't have the right combo of products, tools, AND techniques, your results will suffer.

[@MiataPower96]

What RPM do you aim for when cutting and polishing? And also do you always reapply 3 drops of product for every 2ftx2ft section?

[@Esotericdetail]

On our Rupes machines, we're at speed 4.5 almost all of the time regardless of process. And yes, re-apply more polish with each section.

[@semeryuk2]

Hey Esoteric, A few questions about Sonax PF, it was my understanding that this polish uses diminishing abrasives and is primarily designed for finishing out with a rotary? I also saw they have produced a DA specific version and I'm not sure the big difference. Being diminishing, it always seemed like it needs to be fully broken down for that "perfect finish," indicated by the product film turning clear - I guess this would be where the DA specific version differs, it breaks down easier? I have my first bottle of PF coming in in a few days and wanted to get some questions I had about use answered, if possible. Also, if all other variables are kept the same, is it less abrasive to step down from a compounding step to a polishing step with a compound pad and polish or stepping down to a polishing step with a compound and polishing pad? (Just a hypothetical, always have been curious about this). You guys are awesome, thanks!

[@Esotericdetail]

It's a mix of diminishing and non-diminishing abrasives and it does not matter one bit whether it's used with a DA or a rotary. The EX04-06 is similar, but not nearly as effective. We talk about this a bit more in our EX04-06 video. As for your other question, (a) you wouldn't really have a need for either of those combos after compounding, and (b) there are too many variables involved to give a specific answer. Thank you!

[@semeryuk2]

@@Esotericdetail Thanks!

[@richardfield5176]

Is the Dueto considered a DA machine? Would this be a good polisher for a first timer vs. a cordless model?

[@Esotericdetail]

Yes, this is a DA machine that is great for beginners and professionals alike! www.esotericcarcare.com/rupes-lhr12-duetto-one-step-polishing-kit/

[@tedmoore7385]

Hi Todd , How do you rate the Rupes blue coarse microfibre cutting pad compared with the Megs Cutting pad ?

[@Esotericdetail]

They're very good pads, however I don't find them to be quite as consistent across all paint types as the Megs.

[@tedmoore7385]

@@Esotericdetail Ideal thanks I have recently.bought a load of the white and yellow pads with Sonax perfect finish , I was using scholl S20 before. I just have 5 of the rupes microfiber discs after them give megs ones a go. Thanks

[@J1Z06]

Do You always use two passes? nice work!

[@Esotericdetail]

Correct, and thank you.

[@J1Z06]

@@Esotericdetail keep making those finishes glossy/protected!!

[@Himoutdoors]

You should use IPA or panel wipe to properly inspect your results. The residue polish can mask defects unless removed. Good tutorial though, and I follow this methodology 👍🏻

[@Esotericdetail]

We typically use Gyeon Prep or Rupes Reveal for this purpose.

[@Himoutdoors]

@@Esotericdetail Hi Todd, not heard of Rupes reveal, will check it out thanks 🙏

[@Esotericdetail]

@@Himoutdoors It's new...great stuff!

[@lukas9610]

Can you do a video comparison of results working with primed vs unprimed foam and MF pads? I’m sure everybody wants to see this “myth” confirmed or busted.

[@luchoperuano6617]

With foams is not necessarily to prime but with microfiber or wool is a must

[@jackemerson1171]

So can’t swap to a 3” with duetto ?

[@Esotericdetail]

No, you cannot, which is why they sell the LHR75e 3" machine.

[@dhruvhere4you]

I think we need to clay the panel first either we are doing 1 step or 2 step

[@Esotericdetail]

If you are polishing the car, then yes. But if it's just a spot polish like this, it's typically not important.

[@troutfisher685]

Why don’t you prime a microfibre pad? Thanks in advance

[@Esotericdetail]

Because it adds nothing when you have the right techniques. It's not needed on foam pads, either.

[@1Nevergone]

curious why you don't prime the pad

[@Esotericdetail]

Because it adds nothing to the performance, and simply uses more product.

[@1Nevergone]

@@Esotericdetail interesting. I always found that by priming the pad lightly beforehand that allows more of the pad surface to be utilized. When I first tested this method I was also just doing a few little drops but I was finding there was still sections of the pad that were dry thus not allowing the whole pad face to be utilized.

[@matiusteddyc.856]

What he call "heavy heavy defect" literally is typically most cars that come to the workshop where i work

[@PowerMindset3]

so some KZbin detailers claim you have to prime the Meg Cutting disk and this dude says it doesn't. Can someone clarify anything?

[@Esotericdetail]

How about just try it for yourself with modern polishes!

[@PowerMindset3]

@@Esotericdetail How about telling the differences and advantages? EDIT: Second thought. Imma try it out and post the difference in here.

[@havocgaming5995]

@@PowerMindset3 Did you try it out?

[@PowerMindset3]

@@havocgaming5995 yeah so far it didnt seem significantly better or somesort. Nor did i notice priming the pad to be more worth it. Only difference i'd seen is that u use less polish and with the non primed pads they get dirt faster on the pad which with primed u could continue further and more than with non primed

[@havocgaming5995]

@@PowerMindset3 Ahh! Ok I will test this theory out too when I have time lol. I am thinking of buying the hex logic pads by chemical guys to compound my car for the first time

[@SuddenDeathSyndrome]

Black colors don't tend to be "softer", it's the clear coat that determents if it's hard or soft (wich brand clear coat, powdered or sprayed, OEM or repainted?...) Same goes for the different car brands, for example a French brand in general has got less clear coat then a German brand in general. Black colors just show the defects much better then a silver color does for example.

[@Esotericdetail]

When talking about "paint", we're talking about the clear. So yes, most black / clear combos are indeed softer...it's not simply because you can see more defects. There are also some oddball black paints with hard clear, but you don't see them very often.

[@tundrawhisperer4821]

Since I don’t have “Esoteric money” 😁, could I use these same compounds with my M15 Pro series ll polisher and still achieve similar results? After the Sonax finishing polish, what would be a good sealant to use? Or does it leave a sealant behind, such as an AIO? Thank you for the video.

[@Esotericdetail]

I'm not familiar with that polisher. But if I look back to the "old days" of using a Porter Cable, we were still getting great results back then...just wasn't as smooth and refined, and may have taken a little longer. By using these polishing combos with the techniques we are teaching, you can get fantastic results. Perfect Finish is just a pure polish with no protective qualities to it so you'd definitely want to add something afterwards. One of our favorite sealants is Master Sealant from POLISHANGEL. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mH3bmn1ui9WUgac

[@tundrawhisperer4821]

ESOTERIC great info, very much appreciated! Yeah, that Maxshine polisher was what I could afford at this time. I have some scratches on my roof top that sine low lying branches got me and I’d like to see if the Jescar might get them out. Now Jescar is German, right? Is Rupes German too? I love a German technology! Where are you located again, was it Ohio? Just seeing what shipping would take to Milton, WA to get some of your products. Thx again.

[@Esotericdetail]

@@tundrawhisperer4821 Jescar is an American company, but their polishes are made in Germany. Rupes is an Italian company, but they now have a manufacturing facility in Colorado. As for us, yes...Ohio!

[@IcatchTuna]

@@tundrawhisperer4821 the maxshine is just as good as the rupes. I'm not saying rupes isnt good but it's way overpriced. I've been a mechanic for years own literally thousands and thousands of dollars in tools. Can repair and hve dicecected most. I have opened up rupes polishers, nothing special in there. I remember them pumping up a variable speed trigger pull on a rotary that's ancient tech but they act like they invented the wheel.

[@Esotericdetail]

@@IcatchTuna It's a much smoother machine than the budget options out there. Yes, you can still accomplish the job with a budget machine, but the experience is completely different.

[@xxdemonshitxx]

What are the differences between the entry-level and pro polishers? Is the pro more difficult to handle than the EL? If so, does the steeper learning curve grant more efficiency or better results? Is it easier to screw up with the pro? Why buy the pro polishers at all if you can get the same results with the EL?

[@Esotericdetail]

The more pro-level machines are going to be better built for durability, provide greater results in a shorter period of time, offer better ergonomics, etc. You can get very good results with an entry level machine, but it will most definitely take you a lot longer with much more vibration.

[@xxdemonshitxx]

@@Esotericdetail Thanks for the response. I was going through some info on the Esoteric website, specifically, the gloss meters section and noticed images weren't loading in mobile. Clicking on the images sends me to a "no results found" page. Otherwise, good info.

[@MrDutch1e]

I have to take my truck to dealer tomorrow because dodge at the factory compounded some high spots in the paint and just left it. The right angle with the sun look horrendous. Pathetic something left the factory this was. There's at least 3 spots I've found. Plus they are repainting my hood because of small wrinkle spots and crackle in the paint. Chrysler denied everything but my dealer is fixing it right for me. Hopefully gets done right. Not the experience anyone should be getting with a brand new vehicle.

[@Esotericdetail]

I hear you, however it's common at every level. Buying a 7-figure car gets you the same thing!

[@MrDutch1e]

@@Esotericdetail ya I saw that brand new Benz on your Instagram. Made me feel a little better.

[@Jan-zm2yv]

HELP PLEASE So I recently switched from my rotary DeWalt to rupes 15 inch with 6 " pad Dual polisher Watched bunch of videos and techniques Using blue and yellow rupes pad and blue compound and yellow polished. Took time with one panel . Washed , claybar , sanded gently with 3000 Did step one and two , slow motion , overlap the whole 9 yards And it looked absolutely stunning .....BUT 3 days later I saw it on the sun and 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮 Scratches ( spider ) everywhere, color next to the door I didn't do was too dull as if I am looking through the fog .... I am open to any suggestions and pointers . Understand it is hard without seeing me working it but I figure I would ask anyway . Thank you

[@Esotericdetail]

First...a few recommendations. Switch over to the 5" backing plate and pads as they will give you better performance, and better control than the 6". Secondly, why sand? My guess is that you didn't get rid of all of the sanding marks in the finish, and that could have been a combination of too little pressure, too fast arm speed, and trying to remove sanding marks with blue pads. For heavy compounding, I'd recommend the Meguiar's MF Cutting Discs. If you haven't already, be sure to watch our 5 Tips to Paint Correction video!

[@Jan-zm2yv]

@@Esotericdetail thank you

[@Jan-zm2yv]

@@Esotericdetail promise you this is the last question . Is there a big difference between 15-inch and 21 inch polisher thank you

[@Esotericdetail]

@@Jan-zm2yv Not a huge difference, no. We use the LHR15 most of the time, and only grab the 21 when we have really heavy defects, or exceptionally hard paint.

[@Samlol23_drrich]

Great video but “consumer grade” in my mind is a $75 buffer. Not a $320 machine.

[@Esotericdetail]

But to others, it is...

[@Samlol23_drrich]

ESOTERIC but the world revolves around ME!!!!! But seriously of course you’re correct. It’s all relative.

[@angelniebla7833]

My whole black car paint has pretty heavy swirls. Do I have to clay the paint first or can I skip that step?

[@Esotericdetail]

It's best to do a decontamination of the paint before machine polishing...

[@shawnalexander5661]

What is the difference between the duetto and the next model up which I believe is lhs 15 from rupes? I think the price difference is only around 25 dollars? I think I remember seeing in one of your videos u could also on the plastic surfaces between your front and back windows, is that true?

[@Esotericdetail]

It's a $60 difference between the two machines. The LHR15 has a larger orbit, which gives more polishing action. For B-pillars and such, you would want the 3" LHR75 (which looks a lot like the LHR12 Duetto). The 5" pad on the Duetto is too big to do B-pillars effectively.

[@matthewfitch577]

I wouldn't necessarily say that Rupes machines are entry level, I thought that would be a generic DA machine from Amazon or similar elsewhere. I would like to see what results you can get with a £60-£100 machine.

[@Esotericdetail]

As we have stated many times already, you shouldn't get "entry level" confused with "budget". This IS the entry level for Rupes, and many consumers when starting out like to start with a quality entry level product, as opposed to a budget entry level product. As for results, I can take a 10 year old Porter Cable and get the same results...it would just vibrate the heck out my hands though.

[@jjcvk]

excuse me for being 'that guy' - i'm sure the results in your hands were as pictured, but no panel wipe/IPA demo will lead some to believe they've got the same level of correction when some defects are still filled (Y)

[@Esotericdetail]

That's why you follow the actual instructional video(s) on how to polish paint that we have created. This is simply showing the capabilities of an entry-level Rupes machine.

[@jjcvk]

ESOTERIC makes sense! 👍🏻