car buffer

[Ashton Crusher]

What's the best route to go for polishing and waxing a car. I see three possibilities at Harbor Freight (as an example). A 10" random orbit polisher/buffer for $20 that looks like a direct drive single speed vertical motor, a $30 non-orbital variable speed polisher that has a horizontal motor and gearbox and a $60 dual action 6" variable speed polisher that has a horizontal motor and gearbox.

I was under the impression that non-orbital's created a greater risk of burning the paint. I had a 10" like described above years ago and it was worthless in that it had no power. Anyone have any feedback? I was going to get the $30 non-orbital variable speed polisher but then hesitated due to the possibility of paint burn.

[Doug]

Orbital is the right one but Oren is correct... knowing how to handle it is the key or you will burn the paint regardless what you have in your hands.

[gpsman]

By hand.

If you mean to also "buff out" the paint, that's not something you want to learn by trial and error, or from someone who doesn't -really- know what they're doing. Burning paint happens so fast you won't believe your eyes.

I have no experience with/knowledge of orbital buffers, but the idea doesn't impress me.

If the paint is dark you'll probably end up needing "swirl remover", too, and that's no picnic either.

For the novice, the hard way is the easy way. ---

- gpsman

[gregz]

Suppose to be good to use orbital. I've used a cheap non orbital so much. Buffed a few car lacquer jobs, sanded many square feet of bondo. Buffing clear coat is not a good idea to do unless it's really bad. The less you polish clear coat, the better off you are. Any time I do serious polishing, I also add drops of water.

Seems like an orbital would be hard to use on strong curves.

Greg