What type/brand of buffer/polisher...

[198686d]

...should I buy? I want one that I can use on all of our cars.
Suggestions are appreciated. Also, what type of polish is recommended?

Thanks for your help.

dave in University City, MO
60 BE
04 Mini CooperS
04 Vespa ET4

 

[Keoke]

None. Probably burn the paint-----------------Keoke

 

[Andrew Mace]

However, if you must buy one (and I have no brand recommendation for either buffer or polish compound), practice on something you can't really harm, whether it's the roof of the aging family minivan or a junk fender or your old beer fridge in the workshop!

It's all too easy to buff through to the primer (or worse), especially on swage lines and other body creases and crevices!

 

[CinneaghTR]

Check the restoration/car care forum for my recent query on that. The consensus was the Porter Cable 7424. They sell kits to get you started, but check Meguiar's and the other companies to see what they recommend.

 

[DNK]

The paint ball

 

[CinneaghTR]

Oh yeah, I got one of the Mother's balls for Christmas. I have not tried that yet...

 

[TR4nut]

I've used a Makita 9227C polisher for a while, pretty nice, a little heavy - and yes if you are not careful you will cut right through the paint into the primer. And that is all I am going to say about that.

Randy

 

[DNK]

Oh yeah, I got one of the Mother's balls for Christmas. I have not tried that yet...

Well, get it out so we know how much of a scam it is.

 

[rustbucket]

+1 on the Porter Cable 7424. The boat guys on the boat forum I read are all positive about it, especially for novices.

It's on my tool wish list, if I ever get some paint on the ol' bucket worth polishing...

I'd like to hear if the Mothers paint ball is any good too.

 

[mallard]

The one I have is an 7336SP Porter Cable 6" Random orbit polisher. I've had mine for six years that may explain the differant part number. Random is the key word in polishers. I use mine on my 6, truck, and wifes car and never damaged anything. Just make sure you know what foam pad you are using. I would not be without one. I think if you order one from Meguiars it will come with a lifetime warranty. It might not say Porter Cable on it they put there own sticker on it. I got mine from Detail Solutions. No idea if they are still around. They had the best price at the time.

 

[Brosky]

I use my trust old B&D, but I learned how to use a buffer a long time ago. If you are not taught properly, you can do a lot of damage rather quickly. That's why the best route is a random orbital.

 

[3798j]

I'm into my second year using Griot's Garage random orbital buffer.
I really am impressed with the results, plus it's actually enjoyable and easy to use.
I also wonder why I waited so many years to invest in one.

 

[GilsTR]

I finally sprung for the Griots orbital polisher a year ago.
Also purchased the DVD re how to use it. I think it was about
$130. DVD was a real help...took a lot of the fear away. First time to use the machine probably cut my wax time in half and did a much better job. These old shoulders just cannot do the same wax job I did @ 20 years of age.
Overall pretty happy with the Griots products I have purchased. And no...I do not work for them!
https://www.griotsgarage.com/category/car+care/car+polishing.do

 

[DougF]

I also have a B&D that I bought many years ago. I have given many free detailing to friends with cars that were getting long in tooth. I received criticism along the way for wasting my time on a piece of junk. But it was time very well spent.
I use only 3M compounds now because of quality and availability. Maguire's products are also very good.
A couple hints, never let your wheel turn into an edge. Never buff over ridges or high spots with little surface area such as the finger hold to a gas door. Paint disappears quickly. Run the buffer at lower speeds. Keep the buffer moving. Always be aware of every part of your wheel. Be sure of the pad you are using, whether it is aggressive or soft. If you get into an area that makes you feel uncomfortable, do it by hand.

 

[Popeye]

Just tripped across this while surfing - guide to buffing:
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=184233

 

[rchakr]

Ditto the favorable comments about Griot's Garage products. They too recommend the Porter Cable random orbital polisher. Their stuff is expensive, but it does an excellent job.

 

[trfourtune]

If you have an air compressor, get a chicago pneumatic polisher.All the others are toys IMHO
Rob

 

[PC]

Before deciding on a particular machine, you should decide on the type machine that best meets your needs. The two most common types of polishers used for detailing are rotary and random-orbit.

Rotary machines, like the Black and Decker and Makita 9227 already mentioned, can correct serious defects quickly, so they are very popular with professionals. But that also means they can do serious damage <span style="font-style: italic">very</span> quickly if used improperly. There’s a steep learning curve to the rotary, they require considerable practice to use well. I would never recommend a rotary for the occasional user.

Random orbit machines like the Porter-Cable 7424 family and Griot’s are much easier to use and waaaaaay safer for a finish. You can learn to use one in a few minutes and if you use appropriate chemicals, pads and technique it’s nearly impossible to damage a healthy finish. (note: If a finish is already in poor condition and near failure anyway it doesn’t matter whether you work by hand or by machine, you can damage it.)

Ironically, I’ve seen much more paint damage done by hand than by RO machines and it usually takes a machine to repair it.

The down side to that safety and convenience is that ROs won’t correct defects as quickly and if you have serious defects the RO may not be practical for removing them at all. In that case you have to live with it, take it to a <span style="font-style: italic">competent</span> pro or learn to use a rotary.

For a pro or really hard core DIY’er who wants to do it all, I’d recommend <span style="font-style: italic">both</span>. There are times when you want a ratchet and there are times when you want an impact wrench.

So, for an enthusiast caring for a few cars with no serious defects I’d definitely recommend an RO.

As for which RO, all of the popular heavy-duty machines have loyal followings. I don’t think you’d go wrong with any of them. The Porter-Cable family, Meguiar’s G110, Griot’s and Cyclo should all do the trick. I’m quite satisfied with my Porter-Cable.

... what type of polish is recommended?...

Unfortunately no single chemical is appropriate for all finishes, on all cars, in every condition, by all people. If your cars are all in relatively similar condition, have paint with similar workability and you have similar expectations for each, you may be able to get by with one product. More likely, you’ll want to have a few products, some very mild for using all the time and others more aggressive for occasional use on more stubborn defects.

For somebody just starting out, I usually recommend easily available, over-the-counter retail products as a starting point. A mild cleaning polish or cleaner/wax (which will polish and leave behind some wax) like Meguiar’s Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, Mothers Pre-Wax Cleaner, Meguiar’s ColorX, Mothers Carnauba Cleaner Wax or Zymol Cleaner Wax can be used all the time.

For a more aggressive polishing action it’s handy top have something like Meguiar’s ScratchX around. Whether you’ll want to get more aggressive than that or not depends on your paint.

Guys that get really deeply into detailing usually gravitate, at least partially, toward companies like Meguiar’s, 3M, Chemical Guys, Auto Wax Co., Hi-Temp, etc that supply detailing and body shop professionals. They have wide ranges of products from extremely mild to extremely aggressive to cover the full spectrum of finish conditions. These product lines will be sold through commercial suppliers both online and brick & mortar. Retail car parts stores may have some of these companies’ pro products on the shelf, but rarely more than a fraction of what’s available (and the guys behind the counter won’t know diddley squat about how they’re used).

Specialty suppliers like Griot’s, Zaino, Zymol and BCF sponsor American Shine, will also have a wider range of products than you’ll find in retail stores.

The one I have is an 7336SP Porter Cable 6" Random orbit polisher. I've had mine for six years that may explain the differant part number.....

The Porter-Cable RO machines (that would be a <span style="font-style: italic">platform</span> in car maker speak) are all the same machine from the power cord up through the drive mechanism. They differ by application device and a matching counterweight.

The Porter-Cable 7335 has a backing plate for 5” sanding disks (I believe for PSA (sticky backed) disks but I’ve never seen one in person so I’m not sure) and a counterweight for the 5” plate.

The Porter-Cable 7336 has a backing plate for 6” hook&loop (Velcro) sanding disks and a counterweight for the 6” plate.

The Porter-Cable 7424 has a screw-in foam polishing pad and a (I believe) the same counterweight for the 6” sanding plate. Not that it matters, people who have tried both counterweights with polishing pads say you can’t tell the difference. (And PC’s factory white, screw-in pad is universally disliked. Everybody with a 7424 tosses the factory pad and sets up their machines for <span style="font-style: italic">good</span> pads.)

The Porter-Cable 7336SP is a kit that can be configured in either 7336 or 7424 mode.

The Meguiar’s G100 was built for them by Porter-Cable. It came (past tense, they’ve been discontinued) with a Meguiar’s flexible, Velcro faced backing plate and one Meguiar’s foam pad.

The Ultimate Detailing Machine by Porter Cable is built for The Perfect Shine, LLC by Porter-Cable. It comes with The Perfect Shine’s flexible, Velcro faced backing plate and one or more foam pads depending on the “package” you buy from one of The Perfect Shine’s affiliate vendors.

I use my trust old B&D, but I learned how to use a buffer a long time ago. If you are not taught properly, you can do a lot of damage rather quickly. That's why the best route is a random orbital.

I also have a B&D that I bought many years ago. ....

Black and Decker’s professional product line is long gone, but that buffer lives on as Dewalt’s model 849, now molded in yellow instead of black. It’s still very popular with pros.



pc.

 

[dklawson]

I have done some buffing on my project cars, typically to improve the finish of my DIY paint jobs. I decided not to buy new equipment but to modify what I already had.

I have a 5" Bosch random-orbit sander with a hook and loop pad. I made a spacer to move the pad away from the arbor of the tool. After wet sanding with 2000 grit paper to get a uniform matte finish I used progressively finer products by 3M with a lambs wool bonnet. I know lambs wool bonnets are not the preferred item by professionals but they worked for me when using the coarser media. When I was ready for the fine buffing I switched to foam pads which I had to cut to size (I believe all my paint supplier sold were for 7" buffers). The final step was a light buffing with a 3M glazing compound followed by wiping down by hand with micro-fiber towels.

In the end I was pleased with the results and I didn't invest in new tools. The Bosch sander was easily converted back to a sander. None of this is to take away from the advice given above. If you want to buy a nice, dedicated tool then by all means do so.

 

[TR6BILL]

Before deciding on a particular machine, you should decide on the type machine that best meets your needs. The two most common types of polishers used for detailing are rotary and random-orbit.

Rotary machines, like the Black and Decker and Makita 9227 already mentioned, can correct serious defects quickly, so they are very popular with professionals. But that also means they can do serious damage <span style="font-style: italic">very</span> quickly if used improperly. There’s a steep learning curve to the rotary, they require considerable practice to use well. I would never recommend a rotary for the occasional user.

Random orbit machines like the Porter-Cable 7424 family and Griot’s are much easier to use and waaaaaay safer for a finish. You can learn to use one in a few minutes and if you use appropriate chemicals, pads and technique it’s nearly impossible to damage a healthy finish. (note: If a finish is already in poor condition and near failure anyway it doesn’t matter whether you work by hand or by machine, you can damage it.)

Ironically, I’ve seen much more paint damage done by hand than by RO machines and it usually takes a machine to repair it.

The down side to that safety and convenience is that ROs won’t correct defects as quickly and if you have serious defects the RO may not be practical for removing them at all. In that case you have to live with it, take it to a <span style="font-style: italic">competent</span> pro or learn to use a rotary.

For a pro or really hard core DIY’er who wants to do it all, I’d recommend <span style="font-style: italic">both</span>. There are times when you want a ratchet and there are times when you want an impact wrench.

So, for an enthusiast caring for a few cars with no serious defects I’d definitely recommend an RO.

As for which RO, all of the popular heavy-duty machines have loyal followings. I don’t think you’d go wrong with any of them. The Porter-Cable family, Meguiar’s G110, Griot’s and Cyclo should all do the trick. I’m quite satisfied with my Porter-Cable.

... what type of polish is recommended?...

Unfortunately no single chemical is appropriate for all finishes, on all cars, in every condition, by all people. If your cars are all in relatively similar condition, have paint with similar workability and you have similar expectations for each, you may be able to get by with one product. More likely, you’ll want to have a few products, some very mild for using all the time and others more aggressive for occasional use on more stubborn defects.

For somebody just starting out, I usually recommend easily available, over-the-counter retail products as a starting point. A mild cleaning polish or cleaner/wax (which will polish and leave behind some wax) like Meguiar’s Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, Mothers Pre-Wax Cleaner, Meguiar’s ColorX, Mothers Carnauba Cleaner Wax or Zymol Cleaner Wax can be used all the time.

For a more aggressive polishing action it’s handy top have something like Meguiar’s ScratchX around. Whether you’ll want to get more aggressive than that or not depends on your paint.

Guys that get really deeply into detailing usually gravitate, at least partially, toward companies like Meguiar’s, 3M, Chemical Guys, Auto Wax Co., Hi-Temp, etc that supply detailing and body shop professionals. They have wide ranges of products from extremely mild to extremely aggressive to cover the full spectrum of finish conditions. These product lines will be sold through commercial suppliers both online and brick & mortar. Retail car parts stores may have some of these companies’ pro products on the shelf, but rarely more than a fraction of what’s available (and the guys behind the counter won’t know diddley squat about how they’re used).

Specialty suppliers like Griot’s, Zaino, Zymol and BCF sponsor American Shine, will also have a wider range of products than you’ll find in retail stores.

The one I have is an 7336SP Porter Cable 6" Random orbit polisher. I've had mine for six years that may explain the differant part number.....

The Porter-Cable RO machines (that would be a <span style="font-style: italic">platform</span> in car maker speak) are all the same machine from the power cord up through the drive mechanism. They differ by application device and a matching counterweight.

The Porter-Cable 7335 has a backing plate for 5” sanding disks (I believe for PSA (sticky backed) disks but I’ve never seen one in person so I’m not sure) and a counterweight for the 5” plate.

The Porter-Cable 7336 has a backing plate for 6” hook&loop (Velcro) sanding disks and a counterweight for the 6” plate.

The Porter-Cable 7424 has a screw-in foam polishing pad and a (I believe) the same counterweight for the 6” sanding plate. Not that it matters, people who have tried both counterweights with polishing pads say you can’t tell the difference. (And PC’s factory white, screw-in pad is universally disliked. Everybody with a 7424 tosses the factory pad and sets up their machines for <span style="font-style: italic">good</span> pads.)

The Porter-Cable 7336SP is a kit that can be configured in either 7336 or 7424 mode.

The Meguiar’s G100 was built for them by Porter-Cable. It came (past tense, they’ve been discontinued) with a Meguiar’s flexible, Velcro faced backing plate and one Meguiar’s foam pad.

The Ultimate Detailing Machine by Porter Cable is built for The Perfect Shine, LLC by Porter-Cable. It comes with The Perfect Shine’s flexible, Velcro faced backing plate and one or more foam pads depending on the “package” you buy from one of The Perfect Shine’s affiliate vendors.

I use my trust old B&D, but I learned how to use a buffer a long time ago. If you are not taught properly, you can do a lot of damage rather quickly. That's why the best route is a random orbital.

I also have a B&D that I bought many years ago. ....

Black and Decker’s professional product line is long gone, but that buffer lives on as Dewalt’s model 849, now molded in yellow instead of black. It’s still very popular with pros.



pc.

What a great dissertation......!!!!!