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Porter Cable polisher
- Thread starter roo2
- Start date
172 Cup
www.autopia.com i think is your best bet. Yes its america, but its still cheaper than what you can buy them in this country. I looked about when i was getting one, and the cheapest i could see them in the UK was over £200.
Mine cost me £100, but i didnt have to pay shipping, as my dads mate brought it back for me when he was in the states.
I then bought a transformer and the plug needed, which cost me £45 from a local tool supplier. They really are worth the money, even if you cant use it to its full potential, you still get much better results than you would by hand.
Mine cost me £100, but i didnt have to pay shipping, as my dads mate brought it back for me when he was in the states.
I then bought a transformer and the plug needed, which cost me £45 from a local tool supplier. They really are worth the money, even if you cant use it to its full potential, you still get much better results than you would by hand.
106 GTi
There is one company I know of selling them in the UK
http://www.thepolishingcompany.com/
It works out cheaper to import yourself as posted above from Autopia and get the other bits you need from Screwfix.
http://www.thepolishingcompany.com/
It works out cheaper to import yourself as posted above from Autopia and get the other bits you need from Screwfix.
Is it just me or does anyone else think that £200+ for a polisher is a rip off?? If you had a valet business then I could see the arguement but for your own car? I can think of a lot better things to spend the money on.
Surely there are cheaper polishers about after all it is only random orbital sander with a polishing pad why are these so expensive?
Cheers
Surely there are cheaper polishers about after all it is only random orbital sander with a polishing pad why are these so expensive?
Cheers
^^ Cheers for the reply but what I meant was how are these so much better than other polishers on the market to make them worth there money?? I mean you can buy a random orbital sander (ie bosch) and some high quality polishing / buffing pads for around £50, I can understand how the quality of pad materials used can produce a good result but surely the actual machine does the same as any other?
It will depend on the path of orbit i guess, some sanders may produce more heat and therefore more likely to damage plastic panels also some dont hav very strong motors and when you apply pressue slow down. Obviously I cant comment on every other polish/sander Vs the PC but its popular amongst detailers and i've been happy with mine.
106 GTi
As good as the results you get by hand, I got frustrated with the marks that you couldnt remove. The PC sorts this out - saying that, people are finding for serious paint correction even the PC wont cut it.
For a good shape car the PC is the ideal tool to take your finish a step further. Its not a cheap inital out lay, but seems well built so should last a few years, and its easy to recoupe the costs after a few paid details.
The main problem with other orbital sanders is getting backing plates and pads etc for them. I know a few guys use a Dewalt one which you can buy over here with good results.
For a good shape car the PC is the ideal tool to take your finish a step further. Its not a cheap inital out lay, but seems well built so should last a few years, and its easy to recoupe the costs after a few paid details.
The main problem with other orbital sanders is getting backing plates and pads etc for them. I know a few guys use a Dewalt one which you can buy over here with good results.
106 GTi
Depends what products your using it with.
You dont want to be hitting it with compounds and cutting pads all the time.
But with soft finsihing pad and a glaze you wont be cutting or removing any clearcoat.
The beauty of the PCs random orbit is it makes it very hard to burn paint. These machines should not be confused with rotary polishers.
You dont want to be hitting it with compounds and cutting pads all the time.
But with soft finsihing pad and a glaze you wont be cutting or removing any clearcoat.
The beauty of the PCs random orbit is it makes it very hard to burn paint. These machines should not be confused with rotary polishers.
Any type of Dual Action/Orbital polisher or a rotary polisher can burn paint work but as you say it's got to have a compound or a pad with a very very fine grit to do this. Put an Orbital Sander on your front quarter panel and go at it with 80g paper. You're going to rip the paint straight off. Just because it's orbital doesn't mean it won't do it.
I'm not being picky I just wouldn't advise doing it very often but I suppose if you're just rubbing polish into it, it will be ok.:rasp:
I'm not being picky I just wouldn't advise doing it very often but I suppose if you're just rubbing polish into it, it will be ok.:rasp:
106 GTi
With foam pads and compounds its hard to burn paint - put pressure on a PC to try and burn paint and it bogs down, a rotary wont though and will easily burn paint - a sanding disc on there is s different ball game!!!
Like I said a soft finishing pad (no cut) and a Pure Glaze (no cut) and you can do it as much as you like.
Like I said a soft finishing pad (no cut) and a Pure Glaze (no cut) and you can do it as much as you like.
gravelly old sponge vs a soft PC pad with a low cutting polish or wax i know which i'd choose. People do far more damage to their cars merely washing them than you can with a PC and half a brain. As long as you arent using a high cutting content polish, doing the car every couple of days or applying too much pressure/staying on the same point on the paint for too long then you wont damage it.
