advice on rotary purchase

[armand]

I have been using the PC DA for about 1 year now and have decided to make the big leap into the rotary world and give it a shot. While my DA works just fine and I keep my car's paint in good enough condition that I wouldn't the "power" of a rotary, I do like its speed. THe DA has just become too slow for me. Also as neighbors, friends and family have seen my car they ask me to bring their neglected paint back to life and by the looks of some of these cars I am definetly going to need a rotary.

My dilema is that Im not in the detailing business and just clean my own car so it's tough to justify the expense of a makita or dewalt. I have found a company (harbor freight) that sells 3 different polishers all less than $70 - the brand is CHICAGO ELECTRIC. After a little online research I've come to the conclusion that Chicago Elec. is this stores own brand.

I plan on buying the 5" backing plate so that I can continue to use the 6" pads (of which i have 8) I already have for my DA.

My question. Has anybody out there had any or heard of any experiences with this brand? Please keep in mind that I realize makitas and dewalts are the best and that I am probably comparing a BMW to a corolla but this is a machine I will, at most, use 5 times a year. I'll always have my trusty porter cable DA (i think it's called the g-100 here).

[Mike Phillips]

Hi armand,

Seeing that this is your first post, Welcome to Meguiar's Online! :wavey


Check out this thread...

Bought a polisher (http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3309)

[travisdecpn]

If you read through the rotary forum, Don purchased the CE machine and has written his thoughts and experiences with the rotary. In general it has received very good reviews from its users and the cost alone helps to justify the purchase. There is a 5 dollar difference between the unit with a side handle and the one with a bail handle, control wise I find it easier to use the bail style handle, but the units are otherwise very similar.

[armand]

Thanks for the info. I read the thread and I guess it only confirmed what I was already thinking the CE may not be the best but will do the trick. I figure if the thing blows after 4 uses it only cost me $10/use and I gained the experience w/a rotary - still cheaper than renting a polisher. Best of all, I will feel better about dropping $160+ on a dewalt or makita LOL.

Thanks again.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey armand

Welcome to Meguiar's Online! :welcome

Buying a rotary is a big step, but one that you will LOVE in no time!

It boils down to how much use will it receive. At the moment, you may use it 5 times a year. But is there any chance that you may do a few more cars throughout the year? If so, perhaps the extra investment into a Makita or a Dewalt would be wise. Just an idea. :)


Tim

[RLdetail]

I actually bought one of these last year for sanding cabinets and such and threw the polishing pad and bonnet in the cabinet and forgot about it until about 2 months ago. I have the one with the side handle.

It works okay but I think the numbers are a little off if you divide them evenly to figure out the speed. I keep mine around 2 to 2.5 most of the time and it seems to do fine.

If you don't plan on using it that much then by all means go for it. I got mine for $29.99 last year on sale and I'm guessing it goes on sale for the same price from time to time.

The only bad thing is that you don't have variable speed on the trigger. It starts slow but then it's straight to the speed set on the dial.

[Ranger72]

Just remember if you buy eigther a Makita or Dewalt it will always be there and I'm sure there are lots of places you can have these machines serviced. Always remember you get what you pay for. I own a Makita and wouldn't trade it for the world! lol

[onawrxhigh]

Hey armand,
You may want to do what I did with my Makita 9227c and get one that is factory re-furbished. I got mine for 129.99 instead of 169.99. heres a link

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4244

Andrew M. Parshall

[armand]

Andrew thanks for the info. I checked out the page and it seems as if they are out of the refurbished makitas. I do however have a friend getting me a dewalt model #849 which has 8 amps. THe other 2 dewalt models have 7 amps. :xyxthumbs

[Tim Lingor]

Hey armand

Glad to hear you made the leap to the rotary world! You will be glad you did! I have 2 Makita's and the 849 DeWalt. They are awesome tools! Luckily you bought the 849 as if I am not mistaken, the other DeWalts do not have variable speeds and you want variable speeds! :)

Tim

[armand]

Tim thanks, I wasn't sure if the 849 had the variable trigger. I think this will open up a whole new world.

[OctaneGuy]

I actually bought my first rotary as well. After much research and debate, I bought this one from HF.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90820

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/90800-90899/90820.gif

I like it a lot. While it cost more than the $24/$29 models it's specs are much closer to the Makita in terms of amps, weight, and smooth start/electronic speed control. To me, it's important that it's a whole 2 pounds lighter than the cheaper HF ones, and the electronic speed control allows me to select the exact RPM's I need.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey OctaneGuy

Welcome to the rotary club for you as well! :) Trust me...you will love what the tool and some practice can do for your paint!! :xyxthumbs

Tim

[OctaneGuy]

Thanks Tim! I can't wait to become a pro at using it! Fortunately for me a friend recently got into an accident and he's got some body panels for me to play with that the body shop was going to discard!
:D:D:D

Richard

Originally posted by 2hotford
Hey OctaneGuy

Welcome to the rotary club for you as well! :) Trust me...you will love what the tool and some practice can do for your paint!! :xyxthumbs

Tim

[Dragpakmach]

I would step up to a good rotary loke Dewalt or Makita because youll work on 2 cars.Then 2 becomes 4 then 20 and so on.The better stuff will pay for itself in time.Ive learned you can pay a little more now or alot more later(got that from AC Delco commercial).Good luck.

[OctaneGuy]

I've got a friend that recently bought a Makita, and he's still a beginner with the rotary, but he's been using it to apply M80 before using the PC with NXT. He says he feels safe using it because he's got it on a really low speed of 600. I've seen the results of his work and it looks fantastic.

But is that really a safe thing to do? My new HF doesn't go below 1000 so I can't try this. I thought it you go too low, you have the potential for skipping and not doing any work?

Thanks

Richard

[cafemoc]

I started to use Makita to remove bird droppings etched on clear coat.
I couldn't do without Makita, and thought it was great for polishing with low rpm.

I use #1 setting for polishing. I do use DA-100 as well.

:)

[OctaneGuy]

Ooooh, looks like my friend just showed up. Hi Toshi!!! Are you coming to tomorrows Autobacs event??? Would love to have you again! :D

[the other pc]

OctaneGuy,

I saw that buffer sitting out on the table last Sat. I meant to ask you about it.

The first thing you need for your rotary is a W64 Rotary Buffer Backing Plate (http://meguiars.com/estore/product_detailpage.cfm?product=Rotary-Buffer-Backing-Plates&sku=W64&sectionID=38201).
http://meguiars.com/estore/products/product_W64.jpg

Then you'll be able to use Meguiar's pads. Definitely stay with the 6.5" pads at first, they're easier to learn with. In fact you may never even want to move to 8" pads. Plenty of experienced pros prefer the 6.5".

I think 1000rpm will be reasonably safe if you choose very low aggressiveness products and pads and follow Meguiar's tips. You do have the How to Remove Paint Defects video (http://meguiars.com/estore/product_detailpage.cfm?product=Professional-Education-Series-Video&sku=PES101V&sectionID=39101), right?


PC.

[OctaneGuy]

Hi PC!
Yeah, I got my W64 backing plate on order--just waiting for it to arrive.

And yep I got the video.

Actually, I've also watched Mike Phillips and Joe at Superior Shine use the Rotary and they make it look really easy of course. :D

I've also read all the threads on using the rotary, I just really need some hands on time now. :D

But when I saw cafemoc using his Makita, it got me thinking, that at a lower speed, maybe some of the stress of using the rotary might be lessened. :D

I brought that rotary just to let people compare a PC to a rotary and demonstrate why the PC is safe. I didn't have any intention using it at the clinic.

Thank you!

Richard

Originally posted by the other pc
OctaneGuy,

I saw that buffer sitting out on the table last Sat. I meant to ask you about it.

The first thing you need for your rotary is a W64 Rotary Buffer Backing Plate (http://meguiars.com/estore/product_detailpage.cfm?product=Rotary-Buffer-Backing-Plates&sku=W64&sectionID=38201).
http://meguiars.com/estore/products/product_W64.jpg

Then you'll be able to use Meguiar's pads. Definitely stay with the 6.5" pads at first, they're easier to learn with. In fact you may never even want to move to 8" pads. Plenty of experienced pros prefer the 6.5".

I think 1000rpm will be reasonably safe if you choose very low aggressiveness products and pads and follow Meguiar's tips. You do have the How to Remove Paint Defects video (http://meguiars.com/estore/product_detailpage.cfm?product=Professional-Education-Series-Video&sku=PES101V&sectionID=39101), right?


PC.

[Tim Lingor]

Hi Richard,

Sometimes a slower speed is not good either. But it is better to learn at reduced RPM's. But as soon as a person feels comfortable, I would suggest using the proper speeds. For comparsion, you can not practice for a sprint race if you only jog. Apples to oranges..yes..but when using a rotary at higher speeds, it has a lot more kick. I feel that the faster you get used to using the rotary at the correct speeds, the better the results will be. Just IMHO! :)

Tim

[zey]

OctaneGuy, I'm just like your other friend. I turn on my Makita at 600rpm and polish the car using W-9006/#80 combo. It gives really nice result. With the patience, I'm trading speed with safety since I'm still a beginner rotary machine user. Usually this combination will help me to tackle swirls, while the W-8006/#83 combination will help me to tackle defects (such as blemish, micro-blister, deep scratches) on the paintwork.

[OctaneGuy]

Thanks guys! Hmm, I seemed to have done something rather stupid today when I was using my HF Rotary to clean some W8006 pads (uhm like I broke it)....to make a long story short, I think I'm going to buy what I should have bought in the first place--a Makita.

That slower than 1000rpm speed and the ability to accelerate is important to me.

Richard

[Tim Lingor]

You broke the buffer cleaning the pads????? What happened????

Seriously, when people post what buffer to buy, I always suggest the Makita or DeWalt. I have 3 rotaries, 2 Makita's and 1 Dewalt and they are all used without hesitation. None of them have ever let me down! :xyxthumbs

Tim

[OctaneGuy]

Well, I was kinda tired last night, preparing for this Autobacs event today, and was wrangling with the HF Rotary in my left hand using my legs to stabilize it--so I could have it running at its slowest speed of 1000 rpms. I held a towel in my other hand to collect the residue. Somehow I managed to push the button on the top of the head that is used to lock the head so you can use the wrench to remove the backing pad. I only pushed it momentarily, but by the time I discovered what happened, something got stripped, and now everytime I turn the rotary on, it makes this awful grinding/rattling noise.

Heh heh, not something I'm proud of, but sucky for something I've only had for maybe a month now? I got the $50 electronic speed control one cause it had true variable speed, and supposedly similar specs to the Makita.

Oh well, lol. Was pretty dumb on my part, but I learned the hard way how to kill a rotary.


Originally posted by 2hotford
You broke the buffer cleaning the pads????? What happened????

Seriously, when people post what buffer to buy, I always suggest the Makita or DeWalt. I have 3 rotaries, 2 Makita's and 1 Dewalt and they are all used without hesitation. None of them have ever let me down! :xyxthumbs

Tim

[Tim Lingor]

Hey Richard,

It sounds like the shaft lock is history and is rattling inside the machine. With the price of labour, it would be cheaper to buy another buffer.

Do not worry, things like that happen! It was just an accident. :)

Tim

[OctaneGuy]

Thanks Tim! I guess this is one of those lessons best learned on my own equipment, and not someone elses!!! :D :D :D

I found a new Makita on eBay for $168, but with sales tax and shipping, it's more than what CoastalTools sells it for--so seems like that's where I will be getting it--unless anyone knows of a better place.

Richard



Originally posted by 2hotford
Hey Richard,

It sounds like the shaft lock is history and is rattling inside the machine. With the price of labour, it would be cheaper to buy another buffer.

Do not worry, things like that happen! It was just an accident. :)

Tim

[zey]

IMHO, having paint burning is much more painful than equipment breakdown. Not only the cost of repainting is an issue, but also the quality and hassles dealing with it are of great pain.

[OctaneGuy]

I ordered my rotary today--got the Makita off a store on eBay. I would have bought it from Coastal, but I really needed to purchase it using PayPal. In case anyone else is interested this is where I ordered it from.

http://cgi.ebay.com/POLISHER-BUFFER-SANDER-10-AMP-MAKITA-9227-NEW_W0QQitemZ4352632418QQcategoryZ42266QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Tim Lingor]

Congrats Richard on the new Makita! You will love the buffer! :xyxthumbs

Tim

[OctaneGuy]

Thank you!!! And I'm going to make sure I will never touch that little black button on the head of the buffer while it's running. LOL.

Richard

Originally posted by 2hotford
Congrats Richard on the new Makita! You will love the buffer! :xyxthumbs

Tim

[atticdog]

has anyone used the hitachi SP18VA
rotary?
hitachi rotary (http://www.autogeek.net/hitachi-polisher.html)

[SpoiledMan]

I'm taking a serious look at that as the one I use currently is on the heavy side. It looks to be a quality tool.

[OctaneGuy]

Today I buffed out my wife's Murano with the Makita. Went surprisingly quick. I had already worked on another car, so I kinda knew what not to do. Still have a huge learning curve ahead of me, but using the Makita is a night and day difference over the fixed speed HF models.

Not sure what benefit the Hitachi has---it's selling for $30 more than I bought my Makita for!

[SpoiledMan]

You found a Makita for $100 shipped??


Edit: I did find that it has a 5 year warranty, weighs a little less and has an 11 AMP motor.

[OctaneGuy]

Using the link for that Hitachi---it says this:
Sale price: $195.00 - You Save $190.95 (49%)

I got my Makita for $167.

Richard

Originally posted by SpoiledMan
You found a Makita for $100 shipped??

[SpoiledMan]

I can get the Hitachi for $134 shipped and insured. It's really catching my eye right now. I guess cause I just buffed a boat with my 8 pound B&D rotary and it got REALLY heavy about 1/3 the way through. Something lighter would be really nice not only for boats but the sides of cars. Don't mind me though, I'm just justifying spending the money before I do.

On a side note, I hate to get rid of my classic Black and Decker Industrial polisher as it has been a great tool and what I learned on. It's still in pretty much new condition.

[atticdog]

spoiledman thats the same price i found looks like an excellent deal