What is the 2” cup wheel used for?

The 2” cup wheel is used for making the back grind or undercut before dressing the seam.  When the seam is glued together, this small gap can be packed with Epoxy to give a super strong seam.   It also provides a “rough area” for the adhesive to stick to, since adhesive works better on a surface that is not dressed smooth.

How many pads are needed to dress a seam?

Three at the most, but some people only use one pad in certain situations.  The first pad, which often isn’t needed, is the 60 grit.  This pad will only be used on very hard stones or if more than 1/16” needs to be removed.  The second pad is the 150 grit.  Some people stop at the 150 grit because it makes a great seam.  The third pad is the 300 grit.  A few passes with this pad after the 150 grit will turn a great seam into an incredible seam.

How many seams can you do with a set of pads?

This depends on different factors such as type of stone, how much of an over cut you leave, whether you are doing the back grind, etc.   If you cut with a good saw and you do the back grind, you should get anywhere from 75 to 100 seams from a set of pads.

What speed should the pads or cup wheel be run at?

They will work best near their maximum speed.  Max speed of the turbo pads is 4000 RPM and Max speed of the cup wheel is 10000 RPM.  The main thing to watch is that you don’t get the speed of the Makita set too high for the turbo pads.