Help me choose a DA polisher

[Jertronic]

I'm new to the electric polisher game and want to make the right choice in purchasing this piece of equipment. My intended uses are as follows:

1. Wife's black 2010 Jetta- extensive swirl marks, pretty bad actually as we bought the car used.

2. My new silver Scion FR-S sports coupe. only 6 months old and always hand washed by me. I have not waxed it yet but I already purchased DP Poli-coat paint sealant and Colinite 845. Winter struck before I was able to seal and wax my new car!

3. 20 Foot Boston Whaler Ventura. it's a 1998 in great condition but in need of some hull surface restoration, still shines but not like new. I want to polish and protect the hull.

There are so many choices and it seems like people like the Griots, Porter Cable or Meguiar's. The essence of my question is which machine would suit my needs the best and which set up to buy. They come with different size backing plates and different counter weights etc etc. All the choices seem so overwhelming. I want to purchase something ideal with the right size backing plates, pads etc. etc. This is a hobby for me so I'm hoping to get something universal that I can use across all my application. And what brand and type of pads to buy? Thanks

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

For dependability, you can't beat the Porter Cable 7424XP. MILLIONS of cars have been de-swirled using this simple tool and it's so effective, everyone else models their tool off the Porter Cable design. Plus they are are real tool company.

Lots of our members will recommend the Griot's as it has the most power and it does.

Years ago I described it as being a safe version of a rotary buffer. See the GTG Picture thread, post #3, this was when the second generation of the Griot's polisher was first introduced.


Second Generation of Griot's DA Polisher

Something I noticed was as long as I held the pad flat the new Griot's Garage Random Orbital Polisher worked just like a safe version of a rotary buffer.

Some on this forum regularly recommend to get the Harbor Freight polisher and then I guess come here to get help using it as Harbor Freight doesn't offer a discussion forum to provide support for the tools they sell.


Regardless of which dual action polisher you purchase, this forum will help you. First thing, no matter which polisher you buy you're going to need to buy a 5" backing plate and that's where this article comes in, click the link, read the article and keep in mind, in all my articles I provide the link to where you can get the products on the AG store.


5 inch Backing Plates on Meguiar's, Griot's and Porter Cable DA Polishers


Here's some pictures showing the size of different backing plates on the popular Meguiar's Griot's and Porter Cable DA Polishers.

The Griot's and Meguiar's DA Polishers come with 6" backing plates and the Porter Cable by itself does not come with a backing plate.

If you want to use 5.5" foam pads on any of these tools you'll need to remember to order a separate backing plate when your order your polishers.


From left to right...

Factory Griot's 6" BP, Lake Country 5" BP, Meguiar's 5" BP and 5" Black Heavy Duty BP

3 popular DA Polishers ready to rock and roll with 5" backing plates and 5.5" buffing pads...

Lake Country 5" DA Backing Plate <-- Get this one as the Velcro will match Lake Country Pads




Get the below pads to maximize the efficiency of any dual action polisher.



Lake Country

5.5" Flat Pads

The outer edge of the face of these pads is tapered so they are actually a little under 5" in diameter

Approximately 7/8" thick

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

3. 20 Foot Boston Whaler Ventura. it's a 1998 in great condition but in need of some hull surface restoration, still shines but not like new. I want to polish and protect the hull.

Oxidized gel-coats really like rotary buffers.

If it's not too bad you can get away with a dual action polisher but you want to take the "idea" of thin pads to the max.


See this thread for one of the boats we buffed out last summer....


Pictures: 16' Key Largo Center Console Boat Detailing Class with Marine 31



We're going to use a number of Marine 31 products to restore this boat. For the gel-coat finish we're going to use the Marine 31 All-in-One Gel Coat Polish & Wax, this is a light one-step cleaner/wax for mildly neglected gel-coat surfaces. It will clean, polish and protect in one-step.

To apply it, we're going to use dual action polishers but bump up their cleaning and oxidation removing ability by using the new Lake Country Purple Foamed Wool DA Pads, which are thinner so they will rotate better under pressure on dual action polishers. Thick pads don't work well on these types of tools, especially when doing heavy correction work.

Here's Chris using the Porter Cable 7424XP with the 5.5" PFW thin pads...

Here's a link to the thin purple foamed wool pads on our Marine31.com site....


Lake Country Thin Foamed Wool Pads


Take a look at one of the one-step cleaner/waxes here so you can do the boat in one step.


Marine 31 All-In-One Gel Coat Polish and Wax, all in one boat polish wax, boat cleaner wax


Marine 31 Gel Coat Heavy-Cut Cleaner Wax, best boat cleaner wax, gel coat cleaner wax



Here's another epic boat write-up for a project we did here at AG last summer...


24' Pro-Line Boat - Extreme Marine Makeover - Oxidation Removal

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I just posted the below for a person new to machine polishing and they will apply to you too...


Here's the thread,

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...cle-xmt-swirl-removal-bundle.html#post1038998



Check these out to before starting...


Read this FIRST before using the DA Polisher, it will help you from making the most common mistakes.


DA Polisher Trouble Shooting Guide


Then before buffing out the entire car, practice with your process by doing a Test Spot.

Dial-in your process and make sure the results you're getting are the results you hope and dream about before buffing out the entire car.



How To Do a Test Spot
(and why it's so important)


Then here are a few staples...


Video: Mark your backing plate to make it easy to see pad rotation

Factors that can cause a pad to stop rotating on a DA Polisher

Video: How-To do a "Section Pass" when Machine Polishing with a DA Polisher

The Compression Washer <-- Don't lose this...

How to prime a foam pad when using a DA Polisher

Wet Buffing Technique

Handle? Or No Handle? - Using DA Polishers Without the Handle

How to clean your foam pad on the fly

Why it's important to clean your pads often...

How to dry a foam pad after hand washing

 

[MarkD51]

Two major factors will be cost, the amount you are wishing to spend, and personal tastes-choice.

The best machines will either be from the house of Flex (3401) or one of the machines from Rupes.

These are in general of a higher build quality throughout, and of course one pays for such, just like many other products.

If either if these brands are too rich for your personal tastes, then the 3 machines you list will be your choices, or perhaps another like the DA Machine Harbor Freight markets.

Best advice is perhaps read, study, gather other's opinions, and what you believe will be best suited for your needs.

I own the PC7424XP, I like the machine, no complaints, others are fans of the Griots Garage 6". The 3rd gen Griots machine is well liked by many. Said to be more powerful than the PC, and comes with a lifetime warrantee.

There's a bit of a learning curve with any machine if you've never used any type of DA Machine in the past, there's a overwhelming load of info right here, for sure you have come to the right place to learn the ins and outs of all of them.

While many professionals might say that the PC, Griots, and Meguiars are machines more suited for the hobbyist, rather than the pro, I've seemed to have found that countless professionals here still have one of these three machines in their arsenals, and they use them regularly in certain situations-applications, and also have such as back-up machines.
Mark

 

[MarkD51]

Glad Mike P. has chimed in for you, do enjoy his well written articles, they have essentially guided all of us here!

 

[Jertronic]

Thanks for the response Mike P, and others. This is EXACTLY the info that I wanted. And, I will study the process and product write ups. It's good to know where to start and that getting a 5 inch backing plate is necessary.

Like with any enthusiast subject all different the products seem to be eye-catching. Without using some discipline one could easily get carried away and find themselves with a garage full of different "stuff". I'll try to remember to "focus grasshopper". But, once you get on a roll of acquiring products the momentum is hard to stop!!