is this polisher any good?

[carrmrc96]

I had some scratches on my car and I used some rubbing compound to get rid of them. now where the scratches were the paint has got a matt finish to it not a glossy finish. thinking of getting a polisher to buff the paint back to a glossy finish, would a polisher like this be any good?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Top-car-boat-...ryZ72201QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[MickeyO]

looks pretty decent that!

not sure if aftermarket pads can be put on it etc?

 

[JBarber]

I like the way it says "the paint shall be polished and not removed"

Doesn't seem to be a random orbit one though and I thought these were supposed to be better?

 

[zogzog60]

yeah its a direct drive one, cos i was looking at them as well. It might look the part, but you run the riskof burning your paint with this. Either go for thefull hog and get a pc or i dont know how good those ones you can get out of halfrauds and the like are but there is a review of them on here
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/58139/best_buffers.html
these are random orbital ones iirc

 

[Final Maxim]

yea its fine, pretty much same as mine but i got mine from machine mart for £30 few years back.

rotaries are better than pc's, but pcs are more user friendly(?)

pc's are for amateures IMO, no risk on burning through really, whereas the rotary requires some skill and takes a while to master it.

but yea, dont let it put you off because its cheap, we got a £300 sealey mop at work and its that heavy it gives you blisters on the inside of your thumb, i prefer my own £30 mop than the sealey one

 

[RichRSi]

Most bodyshops up and down the country use rotarys. Silverline do a good rotary with soft start for about £30 - 40.

Makitas and Sealeys are expensive, but more of a solid trade tool. For home use one of those polishers you linked to or a silverline will be fine, just get a couple of practice panels from a scrap yard, or have a go on an old duffer that the owner doesn't care about.

I would have expected more from the tests in that Auto Express link.
I imaging they were just buffing off wax with them, there is no mention of defect correction and the only tool that would probably be up for the job (Nutool) gets one of the worst marks.

 

[zogzog60]

this is interesting, ive always been told to steer clear of rotary, but if its not as bad as its been made out, then i might get one, there so much cheaper!!!

 

[RichRSi]

They are fine you just need to go easy with it and look for some guides of how to use it on the web or find someone who will teach you the process and can steer you in the direction of the correct products.

I havent got a buffer myself, it's not practicle to get mains power down to my car, but I used one years ago and I remember that I saw a chap in the bodyshop using it and thought 'that looks easy'.... it wasnt as easy a I thought and the he had to help me out.

 

[Rich]

this is interesting, ive always been told to steer clear of rotary, but if its not as bad as its been made out, then i might get one, there so much cheaper!!!

The art to the rotary is getting a perfect finish from one - used with care you should not burn the paint, getting hologram free paintwork ready to wax/seal is where the skill is at.

 

[rich19]

i used a rotary on my flamer for the 1st time was shi**in my pants but i kept it on a low speed settin used the least abrasive pad with the least product worked slowly from left 2 right and i had superb results

at 1st i was put off by the burning comments ect but its not scary at all if ur still nervous try on sumfin old but believe on a slow speed settin and constantly movin it ul be fine

mines a silverline and its awsome (the orange 1) ands its an industry thread (14mm) so u can swap it wiv loads of other mops heads

hope this eases ur nerves

 

[zogzog60]

cheers i think i'm going to get one then. Thanks