Buffers/Polishers?

[midnightmach]

Ok so after seeing what a polisher can do to your paint i am really interested in getting one for myself. Ive seen alot of people talking about the Porter Cable units and wanted to know what wasso great about them. It is very tempting to pick up a $30-$50 wax/polisher from the car care section. So just wondering are the cheap ones a waste of money? Thanks for any help

[Pb]

Those buffers at AutoZone, Sears, etc. cannot do what a real buffer can do. They don't have the speed, motion, or power to make the polish break-down and do its job. A big ol' 9 or 10" buffer pad is not good when it comes to orbital polishing. Smaller pads let the buffer work the polish without bogging down.

I was amazed when I switched from an AutoZone style buffer to a PC 7424. For years I wasted my time with those buffers. They can do very little actual polishing. They are basically just motorized wax applicators.

[Adum-Bom]

Pb ive been reading your tutorials and I really wanna buy a orbital polisher/sander. Are those instructions in order on how to 'fix' the exterior of the car? I have scratch/swirl marks.

I want to fix those, clay bar, and wax my car, in what order should I take care of those?

I have also been looking at those orbitals, what do you think of these. I really dont have $200 to spend on the polisher and all the pads.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...emType=PRODUCT
http://www.properautocare.com/veprcipo.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=92623
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90820

Maybe $100 max for it all. And can those pads be reused, and how many times?
Thanks for your help...

[Pb]

I checked out those links, and I cannot honestly recommend any of that stuff. Ya gotta have variable speeds, and ya gotta have good pads and a flexible backing plate.

If I were you I would sell some stuff on Ebay or pawn some old stuff. You can come up with an extra $100. It's worth it in the long run.

[Adum-Bom]

Alright man, thanks a lot! Word taken, are you going to start up another one of those group buys in the next month? if so I would be in on 20% off

[renmike]

The variable speed in something like the porter cable is what sold me on one. I used to have one of those 10" autozone buffers. for one, it can't really fit everywhere you'd want to polish, and two, only one speed. Yeah, it'll cost you over 200 dollars for a good kit with a porter cable (you might be able to find the plate and buffer cheaper separately), but if you have a couple of cars you'll be keeping up with (i have my camry, my truck and my gf's new-ish sentra) and you like to have eye-turning results with car care, this is the best for you.