Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher - Extreme Demo - Warning!
12-01-2009, 09:19 AM
#1
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher - Extreme Demo - Warning!
Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher - Extreme Demo - Warning!
Warning! Please don't try this on your own car.
I've had a number of people ask me about the power offered by the new Generation II Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher and so after scratching my head and trying to think of some kind of demonstration I could do and then share the pictures from I came up with the below Extreme Demo.
Please understand, it's only common sense that this 3" Mini Polisher is not made for or intended to be used to remove sanding marks out of clear coat paints. In a best "worst case" scenario, you would finish out with #3000 or #4000 grit paper. I chose #2000 to make it extreme.
This 3" polisher definitely has more power than the first generation offered by Griot's Garage but it's not for removing sanding marks, it's for removing light surface defects with an emphasis on the word LIGHT. It can also be used for applying wax or paint sealant to small or thin panels or for things like Motorcycles.
Note: There are more aggressive products you can use and it's possible to make a more aggressive 3" pad but in my life I've noticed when working with small pads like this there's a tendency for increased potential for haze and micro-marring when getting small. It is important to keep the surface slippery for this kind of defect removal.
And for what it's worth... I've been doing this for a few years and sometimes a little experience in the craft of polishing paint can go a long ways...
Without further ado...
The polisher on the right is the first generation, the polisher on the right is the new Generation II Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher. I chose the Wolfgang Twins because they are both very wet products and you need hyper-lubricity to help aid in pad rotation when removing below surface defects, or in other words to remove a little paint.
Meguiar's #2000 Nikken Finishing Papers were used to give me an extreme test section and I used the Griot's Garage foam polishing and waxing pads for sanding mark removal and final polishing.
Not pictured is the Detailers Pride Max Wax which I applied after polishing
One section of the test hood was thoroughly wet-sanded using Nikken #2000 Finishing Papers
If you look closely you can see a few very light tracers, in the REAL World, anytime you're doing sanding you would remove the sanding marks using a rotary buffer and/or a DA Polisher if you have the knowledge and skill to use these two types of tools for this type of work. You would not use nor expect these kinds of dramatic results from the tool I used but I'll let the results speak for themselves.
After results
Nikken reflection shot
Flipped horizontally...
In this shot I'm actually focusing on the sanding marks between the wall poster and the reflection of the wall poster.
In this shot I'm focusing on the reflected image...
In this shot you can see the subtle distinction between the seam in the poster in the reflected image.
And a self-portraight...
Question: Does the new Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher have more power?
Answer: You betcha!
Should it be the only polisher in your detailing arsenal? No not at all. It's a nice complimentary tool for thin panels, small components, motorcycle detailing and anything else you can find a use for it.
Products shown
Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher
3-Pack of 3" Polishing Pads - You want lots of these, 2-3 packs
3" Waxing Pads
Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0
Wolfgang Finishing Glaze
Nikken Finishing Papers
Meguiar's E-7200 Backing Pad
Not shown
Detailer's Pride Max Wax
Cobra Supreme 530 Microfiber Towel 6 Pack
I use to live life on the edge of the razor blade... now I live life on the blade of the butter knife - Mike Phillips
Had to throw that last quote in there, I made it up years ago and after doing this extreme demo it seemed fitting...
Warning! Please don't try this on your own car.
I've had a number of people ask me about the power offered by the new Generation II Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher and so after scratching my head and trying to think of some kind of demonstration I could do and then share the pictures from I came up with the below Extreme Demo.
Please understand, it's only common sense that this 3" Mini Polisher is not made for or intended to be used to remove sanding marks out of clear coat paints. In a best "worst case" scenario, you would finish out with #3000 or #4000 grit paper. I chose #2000 to make it extreme.
This 3" polisher definitely has more power than the first generation offered by Griot's Garage but it's not for removing sanding marks, it's for removing light surface defects with an emphasis on the word LIGHT. It can also be used for applying wax or paint sealant to small or thin panels or for things like Motorcycles.
Note: There are more aggressive products you can use and it's possible to make a more aggressive 3" pad but in my life I've noticed when working with small pads like this there's a tendency for increased potential for haze and micro-marring when getting small. It is important to keep the surface slippery for this kind of defect removal.
And for what it's worth... I've been doing this for a few years and sometimes a little experience in the craft of polishing paint can go a long ways...
Without further ado...
The polisher on the right is the first generation, the polisher on the right is the new Generation II Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher. I chose the Wolfgang Twins because they are both very wet products and you need hyper-lubricity to help aid in pad rotation when removing below surface defects, or in other words to remove a little paint.
Meguiar's #2000 Nikken Finishing Papers were used to give me an extreme test section and I used the Griot's Garage foam polishing and waxing pads for sanding mark removal and final polishing.
Not pictured is the Detailers Pride Max Wax which I applied after polishing
One section of the test hood was thoroughly wet-sanded using Nikken #2000 Finishing Papers
If you look closely you can see a few very light tracers, in the REAL World, anytime you're doing sanding you would remove the sanding marks using a rotary buffer and/or a DA Polisher if you have the knowledge and skill to use these two types of tools for this type of work. You would not use nor expect these kinds of dramatic results from the tool I used but I'll let the results speak for themselves.
After results
Nikken reflection shot
Flipped horizontally...
In this shot I'm actually focusing on the sanding marks between the wall poster and the reflection of the wall poster.
In this shot I'm focusing on the reflected image...
In this shot you can see the subtle distinction between the seam in the poster in the reflected image.
And a self-portraight...
Question: Does the new Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher have more power?
Answer: You betcha!
Should it be the only polisher in your detailing arsenal? No not at all. It's a nice complimentary tool for thin panels, small components, motorcycle detailing and anything else you can find a use for it.
Products shown
Griot's Garage 3" Mini Polisher
3-Pack of 3" Polishing Pads - You want lots of these, 2-3 packs
3" Waxing Pads
Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0
Wolfgang Finishing Glaze
Nikken Finishing Papers
Meguiar's E-7200 Backing Pad
Not shown
Detailer's Pride Max Wax
Cobra Supreme 530 Microfiber Towel 6 Pack
I use to live life on the edge of the razor blade... now I live life on the blade of the butter knife - Mike Phillips
Had to throw that last quote in there, I made it up years ago and after doing this extreme demo it seemed fitting...
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12-01-2009, 10:46 AM
#2
Uber Waxer
damn you people, always making me want more stuff!
I had been thinking about one of these to use to bridge the gap between the flex mini rotary with a 4 inch pad and my pc with the 4 inch pad adapter.....
I had been thinking about one of these to use to bridge the gap between the flex mini rotary with a 4 inch pad and my pc with the 4 inch pad adapter.....
12-02-2009, 08:28 AM
#6
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Over on DetailCity.com I was asked a question about this tool in my post over there, I'll share my answer here but if you want to read the question you can find it over on DC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Begin copy and paste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few comments...
First I just want to note that my review and extreme demo of this tool isn't an endorsement of this tool, if anyone re-reads my initial post that started this thread I stated that I've had numerous people ask me if the new version indeed has more power than the first generation and the purpose of my demo and this thread was to answer that question and show that it has more power.
I think my post and the demo accomplished that goal.
Second, I don't know who manufactured the first generation and I don't know whose making the second generation. The first generation looks like a red Metabo, (Metabos are green), and it worked just like my old green Metabo which by the way I never used because it didn't have enough power to rotate a pad thus it didn't have enough power to do any correction work.
As for how long it will last that's anyone's guess. I have to use the black panel for another project this week so I need those sanding marks removed which I'm going to use a rotary buffer to remove them, but... I will test out the purple foamed wool pad to a similar sized section and see how the foamed wool pad works on this tool. That will kill two birds with one stone, it will test out the wool pad and it will see if the machine will tackle another test spot like I quoted you from your post.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End copy and paste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'll post the follow-up over there...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Begin copy and paste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few comments...
First I just want to note that my review and extreme demo of this tool isn't an endorsement of this tool, if anyone re-reads my initial post that started this thread I stated that I've had numerous people ask me if the new version indeed has more power than the first generation and the purpose of my demo and this thread was to answer that question and show that it has more power.
I think my post and the demo accomplished that goal.
Second, I don't know who manufactured the first generation and I don't know whose making the second generation. The first generation looks like a red Metabo, (Metabos are green), and it worked just like my old green Metabo which by the way I never used because it didn't have enough power to rotate a pad thus it didn't have enough power to do any correction work.
As for how long it will last that's anyone's guess. I have to use the black panel for another project this week so I need those sanding marks removed which I'm going to use a rotary buffer to remove them, but... I will test out the purple foamed wool pad to a similar sized section and see how the foamed wool pad works on this tool. That will kill two birds with one stone, it will test out the wool pad and it will see if the machine will tackle another test spot like I quoted you from your post.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
End copy and paste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'll post the follow-up over there...
12-02-2009, 05:03 PM
#7
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Just to update...
I few minutes ago I tried the 3.5" purple foamed wool pad with the GG 3" Mini Polisher and the tool did not like this pad at all. It was very hard to keep the pad rotating. It's really the wrong pad for this kind of tool and remember, this tool was never designed for this kind of work so keep that in mind.
Pictures...
Heavy Duty Compound
Testing the Purple Foamed Wool Pad on #2000 Grit Sanding Marks
Not working good. The wool pad was too hard for this tool to keep rotating at a good clip.
Tried again with more product, pd still not rotating...
Switched over to foam pad and it rotated much better. Still a struggle as this tool is not designed for this kind of extreme correction work.
After spending some more time with this tool it is for light correction work. You still have to use good technique with it just like any other DA style polisher.
I few minutes ago I tried the 3.5" purple foamed wool pad with the GG 3" Mini Polisher and the tool did not like this pad at all. It was very hard to keep the pad rotating. It's really the wrong pad for this kind of tool and remember, this tool was never designed for this kind of work so keep that in mind.
Pictures...
Heavy Duty Compound
Testing the Purple Foamed Wool Pad on #2000 Grit Sanding Marks
Not working good. The wool pad was too hard for this tool to keep rotating at a good clip.
Tried again with more product, pd still not rotating...
Switched over to foam pad and it rotated much better. Still a struggle as this tool is not designed for this kind of extreme correction work.
After spending some more time with this tool it is for light correction work. You still have to use good technique with it just like any other DA style polisher.
