If you are not using a buffer, let us know why!

Why don't you use a buffer or polisher?

  • I wouldn't use it enough to justify the purchase

    Votes: 4 21.1%

  • I have tried them but I don't like them

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I am afraid of possible damage from one

    Votes: 6 31.6%

  • I can't decide which one I need

    Votes: 1 5.3%

  • The cost is to high for my detailing budget

    Votes: 5 26.3%

  • Other

    Votes: 3 15.8%
  • Total voters
    19
Sevenrd said:
Just placed an order from Autogeek for the Hitachi rotary! I already have the edge 2000 pads. :)

The PC's great for mild problems and for maintaining my own cars, but I've run in to some cars that have required SO much work from the PC just to get decent results. When that's happened I found myself wishing I had a rotary and the skills to use one.

So now I'll have the rotary...just have to find the skills! I'll be practicing on my friend's beater first. Hopefully I won't make it into even more of a beater than it already is.
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LOL congrats on moving up to the rotary. :) I'm sure your friend hopes the same. :) You can always go to a junk yard and buy a hood or some other panel to practice your rotary skills on. Just a suggestion. :) Good luck.
 
FloridaNative said:
LOL congrats on moving up to the rotary. :) I'm sure your friend hopes the same. :) You can always go to a junk yard and buy a hood or some other panel to practice your rotary skills on. Just a suggestion. :) Good luck.
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Thanks for the encouragement!

If it wasn't for my friends car, I'd likely be headed to the junkyard for some scrap panels. Actually I will likely do so anyway, just to get as much practice as possible. I think I'll intentionally burn the paint in an area of scrap just to get a feel for how much it takes to do so.

I've also contemplated renting a crappy car for a day to practice on after working on my friend's car.
 
Meghan said:
As always we are curious, why some use buffers and some do not! So let us know....
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I prefer hand polishing. In my opinion, I get better results. No swirls. I guess it is how I was taught by an old time detailer. I have tried a buffer, while it is much faster and results are good I still prefer hand polishing. Just my opinion. Have done detailing on the side for many years and most customers prefer hand polishing. :awesome: :cheers:
 
Wow this is kind of a personal question isn't it? :p

Oh, wait, you were talking about a polisher. My bad.
 
Received my Hitachi rotary. :righton:

I was polishing up the Mazdaspeed6 last weekend with the PC using OP (great stuff!), removing some dealer-induced marring. It was taking longer than I expected. I eyed the rotary...thinking...should I really try it out for the first time on my new car?!

I figured I've been using the PC for quite a while and am very comfortable with it, have read and read and read about using the rotary. Why not try it on one spot that's giving me particular trouble with the PC? I mean, what's the worst that could happen? Just burn through the CC of my new car and ruin the paint, right? :o

So I fired it up. Used OP with an orange edge 2000 pad at about 1000rpm. Wow! The rotary made incredibly short work of the problem area. I can see why people move from the PC to the rotary after a while. It makes short work of problem areas where the PC struggles.

I did get a bit of halogramming in spots, but that polished out easily with the PC and some FPII. I will still be favoring the PC until I get much more practice time with the rotary. But I can see as my skill and confidence grows the rotary will be seeing more and more work.

DISCLAIMER: I don't suggest anyone try the rotary for the first time in this manner.
 
99 hardtop said:
I prefer hand polishing. In my opinion, I get better results. No swirls. I guess it is how I was taught by an old time detailer. I have tried a buffer, while it is much faster and results are good I still prefer hand polishing. Just my opinion. Have done detailing on the side for many years and most customers prefer hand polishing. :awesome: :cheers:
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thats what i used to think too, until i started using the PC. it REMOVES the swirls, doesnt cause them. rotary polishers can cause swirling but the pc wont! unless your using very aggressive pads maybe, in which case the paint is probably swirled already. i dont think its possible to replicate what the pc does by hand. DA's are incredible but i too would love to try out a rotary, but im puttin that off for a while
 
I've used a Porter-Cable for 4 years and got it after talking to the Meguiar's crew at a show. I think a lot of part-time detailers are hesitant because of the fear of paint damage. Once they learn some process' they quickly become enthusiasts of the PC and the attendant products.

I bought a Cyclo earlier this year from AutoGeek and am extremely happy with this big tool in my detailing aresenal!

But, I got a chance today to try a little known (in the U.S. anyway) tool that is used a lot in Europe (Including the BMW factory). It's the Festool Rotex and their new model the RO 150 FEQ is a piece of German engineering that I haven't found anywhere. I've ponied up the rather high cost $390 and will give AutoGeek'ers a complete write-up with pictures. It's a random orbital and flick a switch, it's a rotary. Unlike the Cyclo, it's speed is adjustable. I got to try one for a few minutes in St. Louis today while traveling on business and the difference is amazing!

I should have mine by early next week and will give you folks a good write up.

Here is a link to a seller of Rotex. The pricing is the same from all distributors selling the Rotex line.

http://www.btisupply.com

I would recommend the Auto Geek folks grab one of these to evaluate.

Toto
 
Someone posted the Festool Rotex a couple of months ago I believe. I've seen the website before.
 
dengood1 said:
Someone posted the Festool Rotex a couple of months ago I believe. I've seen the website before.
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I saw that posting, but it was a bit lacking about the performance of the tool. Hopefully, I can give you folks some good insight about the product.

Toto
 
yea someone mentioned the festool a while back but it just didnt sound or look as credible, really looking forward to your review though, i waan hear how it performs...might be my alternative to an actual rotary
 
Well, I already have a Black & Decker rotary, Hitachi rotary, Cyclo, PC and a Dynabrade attachment. Do I need another?:D:D
 
SpoiledMan said:
Well, I already have a Black & Decker rotary, Hitachi rotary, Cyclo, PC and a Dynabrade attachment. Do I need another?:D:D
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Do your best Tim Allen tool man: aaarrr, aaaarrrr LOL

Looks like your plate is pretty full of tools. The Festool might be for someone that wants to start out with a decent random/rotary combo tool. I'll get more "use" info after I get the product. I've got some late model Bimmer's to do next week.

Toto
 
The Dynabrade attachment is pretty good for a learner with common sense and you can try it out with a cheap rotary as well.
 
I now have a PC, but just to add to the poll I put a vote for "other", meaning I was not aware of the possibilities via a machine. In the past I didn't really know about buffers and polish. I had actually used some polish that my dad has that is for machines, but thought it was more like a cleaner wax I guess. My only exposure to buffers were the large 10" variety you see at Sears or some place. I had thought about buying one, but even then, I thought it was more for making waxing easier. During my search for a new car in the recent months, I saw mention of the Autopia website, and eventually Autogeek. Now that I have found these sites, I have been opened to a new world of detailing. Even upon my initial reading about buffers, I was afraid of damage I could do to the paint. So that would probably be my second vote for the poll.
 
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