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Old     (boardman74)      Join Date: Jul 2012       05-17-2015, 7:51 AM Reply   
I bought a boat that was a bit rough around the edges that needs a good cut/ buff/ wax. I was talking about compounding it at work and my boss offered to buy me a polisher/ buffer if I would do his boat also. Said he'd buy all the pads material act and I could keep it as payment. Told him that would probably be $2-300 and he was fine with that.

So my question is what is a good one? I know we had a Dewalt when I worked for the dealership and it worked well. Also what pads and accessories do I need for it that won't come with it.
Old     (hatepain)      Join Date: Aug 2006       05-17-2015, 8:29 AM Reply   
This is a popular one and they have good kits with everything you'll need.http://www.autogeek.net/po.html
Old     (bass10after)      Join Date: Feb 2010       05-17-2015, 7:19 PM Reply   
Unless you have other uses for them id go to harbor freight and buy their variable speed 7" and the 6" dual action and call it a day. They worked great for as little as I've used them and paid for themselves with the first use. That being said I'd buy you whatever polisher you wanted if thats all it took to have you do my entire boat. It would be a bargainl even if it was $600 or $800- It's a lot of work to do it right. See g's thread on it.
Old     (Jmorlan)      Join Date: May 2013       05-17-2015, 7:35 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by hatepain View Post
This is a popular one and they have good kits with everything you'll need.http://www.autogeek.net/po.html
I have a pc7424 and it won't do ****, it takes a LONG time.
Skip that and jump the the Flex 3401. I wish I would have when I first started detailing. 3401 is forced rotation and much more powerful. More correcting power.
And if you decide to go the porter cable route, look into the grits garage orbital. Same price point, more powerful.
Old     (phillywakeboarder)      Join Date: Sep 2008       05-17-2015, 7:55 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by hatepain View Post
This is a popular one and they have good kits with everything you'll need.http://www.autogeek.net/po.html
I brought my severely sun damaged boat back from the brink with this exact setup, using boat candy products, and it turned out great, but it took a long, long time. On nice thing about it though is that an inexperienced user (like I was) has to try really hard to mess things up.
Old     (Froggy)      Join Date: Nov 2013       05-18-2015, 4:58 AM Reply   
One of the best buffers is the Dewalt DWP849 it has a variable speed set and is variable with the trigger . The Makita is not variable with the trigger. The Flex is also good but expensive. Also get a couple wool pads and some foam pads of different density's. The 3M compound works well then hit it with [3M Finesse it ] followed with wax.
Old     (grant_west)      Join Date: Jun 2005       05-18-2015, 6:13 AM Reply   
I will 2nd the Flex
http://paintcare-n-detailing.com/review/flex/

IMO the ultimate polisher is the Festool shinex Rap 150
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Old     (grant_west)      Join Date: Jun 2005       05-18-2015, 6:15 AM Reply   
http://www.amazon.com/Festool-Rap-15.../dp/B004NRNJ0Y
Old     (boardman74)      Join Date: Jul 2012       05-18-2015, 5:47 PM Reply   
I don't need anything quite that fancy. I am not a master detailer so it would be lost on me.

Is the porter cable 7424XP any good? Seems to have decent reviews.
Old     (hatepain)      Join Date: Aug 2006       05-18-2015, 7:20 PM Reply   
Yes and its hard to mess up with unlike the others that will power through and potentially burn your gel if you don't know what you're doing. Its variable speed but if you push to hard relative to the setting it will vibrate.
Old     (boardman74)      Join Date: Jul 2012       05-18-2015, 8:34 PM Reply   
I think I will try it. Which kit is going to give the pads I need to do fiberglass that is medium oxidized?
Old     (Jmorlan)      Join Date: May 2013       05-18-2015, 9:35 PM Reply   
I'll sell you my pc7424. All I use it for now after having the flex is spreading wax
Old     (hatepain)      Join Date: Aug 2006       05-19-2015, 8:49 AM Reply   
If you can get your boss to step up to over $400 the Flex is better than the PC. Either way get a kit with pads from cutting on up.
Old     (Ewok01)      Join Date: Apr 2013       05-19-2015, 9:24 AM Reply   
Boardman, any of those tools will work for you, but you'll have to work a little longer and harder with the less powerful tool to get rid of oxidation. The threads and posts from Grant are great in WW but it's hard to get them all in one place for reference. Here is a great website with awesome how to videos about using machines to restore and protect paint (very similar process to gelcoat). No matter which machine you end up getting, residue management is huge. Get more than one set of pads for each stage and keep them clean. There are cleaning kits that snap on top of a 5 gallon bucket that work well. When you're doing a big project (and you have 2 big projects) using clean pads that are not gunked up with oxidized gelcoat residue will make the process happen much faster. Good luck.

http://www.ammonyc.com
Old     (grant_west)      Join Date: Jun 2005       05-19-2015, 12:37 PM Reply   
^ Great Advice^ keep your pad's clean and make sure they don't touch the ground and pick up debris. Im a Old school guy and learned how to use a Rotary polisher in high school. DA polishers or "Duel Action" polishers like the porter cable are for either people just getting started or Minor paint correction. I don't own a DA polisher. But if I was just getting started that might be great advice.

Disclamer: If you have major paint correction/oxidation IMO a DA polisher will never get you to the promise land. You need a rotary to "Do Work" and the way I see it you can always Dial down the Rotary but it hard to Amp up the DA
Old     (Jmorlan)      Join Date: May 2013       05-20-2015, 12:12 AM Reply   
Agree with grant. I use a rotary on my boat. But for someone afraid of the rotary or damage to the gel coat, and looking for the DA, go with the flex
Auto geek is having a 20% off for memorial day, not sure if polishers are excluded in this sale, but if you give Nick @autogeek a call, he WILL take care of you. They are a great group of people over there!

Or I can do you one better, and if you don't mind me asking where you're located, you can borrow my flex or pc7424.
Old     (davez71)      Join Date: Oct 2007       05-20-2015, 5:36 AM Reply   
Check out the Cyclo. Hands down the best buffer I have ever used with no vibrations.

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