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recommendations for good rotary buffer?

3K views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  TakeFive 
#1 ·
I feel like I may have posted this question in the past but couldn't find it searching the forum so I'm starting a new thread.

I've decided that I need to start doing the waxing & polishing myself rather than continuing to pay someone a not insignificant sum of money to do it every year. I have a small Black & Decker buffer that is good on my car, but it seems a bit small for boat hull.

Anyone have any recommendations for a good sized buffer suitable for boats?
 
#5 ·
Makita is probably the best of the best. Before you spend a couple of boat bucks for a new one look at a few pawn shops for a used one. You may find a hidden beauty for a great price.

Also when buffing set the RPM for the compound and polish/wax you are using. An auto paint store will sell you a wool pad kit for $20.
-CH
 
#4 ·
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#6 · (Edited)
I've used a random orbital by Porter Cable for years on bad paint and fabulous paint with great results. It is easier to avoid damage and avoids some of the drawbacks that rotaries cause in the hands of amateurs. I think it is an older version of this one:
https://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE...3244335&sr=1-1&keywords=porter+cable+polisher

I'm not a huge fan of Meguiars products and have found some that are just crap. But this stuff seems magical. It does a good cleaning job then breaks down and polishes leaving a really improved surface: Meguiar's Ultimate Compound Automotive Finish Restorer

See this link for better polisher explanation:

Rotary Buffers versus Random Orbital Polishers
 
#7 ·
You can't go wrong if you follow Mainsail's guide, mentioned a couple of posts ago. I gave up on the cheap stuff a number of years ago and sprung for the $300+ Flex random orbital buffer. It is rather heavy, though, but it does a great job on my boats, both of which are 27 yrs old and still show their original gel coat. Having long ago established a smooth surface, with the oxidation gone, I use 3M finesse-it polish, followed by Collinite liquid wax. Some folks prefer the paste wax version, which I have used in the past, but I don't see a significant difference in the results and the liquid is that much easier to work with.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I too own the German made Flex and it is decent for polishing but quite poor if you need to compound gelcoat. The Makita does a better job for compounding & buffing gelcoat

Quick review of what I own:

Porter Cable RO 7424 - Marginal for cars, pathetic for gelcoat, I use it as a sander mostly. On it's third rebuild, bearings/bushings seize constantly, not the old good quality Porter Cable stuff. Don't even get me going on the Porter Cable Li drill and impact driver kit I bought, complete garbage..

Griots Garage 6" RO - Marginal for cars, pathetic for gelcoat, very low grade construction with brittle plastic numerous broken pieces.. Don't use it much at all.

Flex RO 3401 - Marginal to Okay for polishing gelcoat poor for compounding/buffing. Use it on cars, antique cars and for polishing Awlcraft or Imron. Very well made German tool that is durable & robust..

Harbor Freight Rotary - Absolute junk. Bought as a spare burned it up half way through first side of a CD-36 after I "cord wrapped" my Makita. If you've never cord wrapped a buffer you've not detailed enough boats..:wink Damn thing lasted less than 30 minutes of compounding before I got the "electrical fire" stench and smoke pouring out. Let it cool off and it was dead. I spent the next 40 minutes temporarily re-wiring (read; Rube Goldberg) the cord on the Makita and was back in business. I took the buffer back to HF to see about getting parts, and to my surprise, the guy gave me a brand new "improved" version even though it was past 90 days.. This is good customer service but it did not help defray the cost in labor I burned up. I then loaned the new "improved" HFT buffer, plus my Makita, to the waterfront manager of the club, so they could make a launch deadline. Midway through the second day of loan-out the phone rang. Yep the new improved HFT buffer was also dead....

Makita 9227C Rotary -
This is now the 9237C and hopefully they've not cheapened it. This is a top notch tool for gelcoat compounding buffing & polishing. It's extremely reliable, lightweight and I can't seem to kill it. Has withstood years and years of abuse and about 4 new cords. I can't even count how many hulls that tool has buffed with never even so much as a hiccup..

DeWalt Rotary - Got it from my uncle when he moved to a retirement community in Arizona where he lacked a basement. Older model, far too heavy to buff boats with, feels like double the weight of the Makita. It lacks speed control and starts at 1200 RPM. It also lacks soft start. This tool is not well suited for buffing gelcoat. The newer DeWalt is much, much better & pretty much on par with the Makita.
 
#10 ·
I bought the first ones from Griot's Garage, with the buffer, but later found them at a local paint (automotive) store. Got several for different steps in the process from compounding to final polish.

Also, ditto on the Finesse-it and Colonite - great stuff. Actually use the Finesse-It on the canopy of my airplane!
 
#11 ·
My hull doesn't look visibly oxidized at all... it's covered by shrink wrap half the year and I had it professionally compounded and polished last year. So, my plan is to apply Presta Ultra Cutting Creme and then the Collinite wax. Before I start though, I'm guessing that the hull should be washed first but I feel like the acid wash that is discussed in Mainsail's guide is unnecessary/overkill.

Regular boat detergent and water sufficient?
 
#12 ·
My hull doesn't look visibly oxidized at all... it's covered by shrink wrap half the year and I had it professionally compounded and polished last year. So, my plan is to apply Presta Ultra Cutting Creme and then the Collinite wax. Before I start though, I'm guessing that the hull should be washed first but I feel like the acid wash that is discussed in Mainsail's guide is unnecessary/overkill.

Regular boat detergent and water sufficient?
I use regular boat soap, followed by Finesse-it and Collinite. It wouldn't hurt to use a soap that strips the wax at this point, but not in season, obviously.
 
#13 ·
Hello All, Baxter Boat Works, 2 guys at my marina boatyard that do excellent fiberglass repair and painting and buffing. I've seen them do 2 boats here. Their work is excellent. Unbelievably good. They use those Makita buffers. Saw them yesterday working on a boat, just buffing. They did a 40 something Morgan OI a few months ago. Had rubbed up against a dock during the hurricane in November. Big 3 foot areas where the glass was almost penetrated through, the glass was soft, I put my finger in it. When they got done, It looked like a brand new boat. Really good work. And by the way, they said "sure you can buff Awlgrip, whatta ya think we been doing all week." Kevin
 
#17 ·
Ultra Cutting Creme starts coarse and become finer as you work it. Effectively, it does both compound and polish in one step. Maybe not as glamorous a finish as you'd get in a two step process, but results are great for the reduced effort.

If I'm inaccurate about this, Maine Sail can correct me.
 
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