Rotary Buffer/DA Polisher Confusion

[04Mach1]

I found this link http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21500 which talks about use of a rotary buffer for cutting and cleaning of paint.

I posted earlier in the week stating that I had a Craftsman 7" buffer and gave my plan of attach which included claying, ultimate compound, ultimate polish and ultimate wax to get rid of what I call "vertical water stains" and just environmental residue/oxidation on a recently purchased vehicle.

I was told I would need a DA polisher for the ultimate compound cause the buffer wouldn't do the job. Is this true?

As always, thanks for all the help and advice - its greatly appreciated.

[greg0303]

Re: Rotary Buffer/DA Polisher Confusion

Most aggressive to least aggressive car polishers:

- Rotary polishers - direct-driven high speed rotary/ circular machines, fast paint removal, require learning time for proper technique, can burn through paint quickly if operated the wrong way, speed is adjustable;

- Dual Action (random orbital) polishers - safe and reliable, capable of paint defect removal, rotate and oscilate, short learning time, adjustable speed;

- Orbital polishers - making oscilating moves, good for product spread out and light polishing work, non-adjustable speed.

Your Craftman polisher is an orbital machine.

[rst08tierney]

Re: Rotary Buffer/DA Polisher Confusion

Your craftsman more or less a product spreader/smearer It wont remove defects.

You will get the best results with the DA using the proper pads.

[Andrew C.]

Re: Rotary Buffer/DA Polisher Confusion

Like said before, your craftsman machine is good for spreading wax, but with Ultimate Compound, the product needs to be worked in with a certain amount of power that your craftsman does not have.

You can use Ultimate Compound with a DA or by hand.

A rotary is not a DA. To make things simple, a rotary has the same type of motion as a drill does, where a DA rotates and oscillates at the same time, making the DA safer. You really shouldn't worry about rotaries at this stage in the game, but a DA (not the orbital you have) would be a complete game changer in application and results of Ultimate Compound.

[rst08tierney]

Re: Rotary Buffer/DA Polisher Confusion

You can use Ultimate Compound with a DA or by hand.

This is another good point, you would get better results working by hand vrs your craftsman.

Good luck, there are plenty of great DA's on the market. I like Meguiars g110 but they seem to be on back order everywhere, Porter Cable is my second favorite and the most affordable. (Remember Meguiars g100 was created by portercable.)

Tools Plus has one of the best deal out with starter pads and the portercable

http://www.tools-plus.com/porter-cable-7424xp-lckit.html?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=froogle&utm_term=P-C7424XP-LCKIT

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Rotary Buffer/DA Polisher Confusion

Which specific "Craftsman 7" buffer" do you have? Is it just an orbital, or is it in fact a high speed rotary? Just stating the size alone isn't enough to go on, and we may all be assuming that you have a low power orbital when you may not.

Let's get some clarification here if we can, because a low power orbital is, as others have stated, generally not great for defect correction while a rotary can be dangerous in the hands of a novice. Craftsman makes a lot of different tools, and without knowing exactly what you've got we may not be as accurate as you'd like with our answers.

[04Mach1]

Re: Rotary Buffer/DA Polisher Confusion

Thanks to all that have posted, its greatly appreciated. Purchasing the Porter Cable 7424........will keep you updated on the results and post B4 and after pics.

Barry

[greg0303]

Re: Rotary Buffer/DA Polisher Confusion

Good choice to upgrade to DA polisher, Barry.

You're gonna like its abilities.