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Power Buffing ?

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  • Power Buffing ?

    What is the advantage of using a power Buffer or whatever mechanical device for Polishing/Buffing/Waxing, seems to me that a lot of folks have issues with swirls etc, using equipment such as this. Just curious

    John

  • #2
    Re: Power Buffing ?

    The advantage to using a real polisher, like a DA or Porter Cable, is that you can do some paint and swirl correction without wearing out your arm, and do a much better job than trying to do it by hand. Rotary buffers are even stronger and have greater potential for correction, but a much bigger risk of doing damage. Both are also much quicker. With respect to a random orbital buffer like you'd buy at Walmart, Sears, etc., these are good for spreading wax but nothing else.

    In the end, a good polisher like the DA is a tool which makes your life easier. Compare it to using an electric drill instead of a manual drill. They both do the same job, but the electric drill does it better, faster and with much less effort.

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    • #3
      Re: Power Buffing ?

      Originally posted by ClarkWGriswold View Post
      ...In the end, a good polisher like the DA is a tool which makes your life easier. Compare it to using an electric drill instead of a manual drill. They both do the same job, but the electric drill does it better, faster and with much less effort.

      Nice. I like it.


      Colin
      A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.

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      • #4
        Re: Power Buffing ?

        The swirls that people are getting when using a buffer are from a rotary, not a dual action tool. Rotary buffers are high powered, high speed direct drive tools that can be used to remove even 1000 grit sanding marks from fresh paint. They can do wonders for severely damaged paint too, but the learning curve is quite steep with a rotary and the potential for damage in the hands of a novice is very real. It takes a lot of practice and a good bit of skill to be able finish out completely swirl (or hologram) free with a rotary.

        A dual action polisher, like Meguiar's G110v2, on the other hand, is a highly effective and very safe tool for light to pretty severely damaged paint. In really tough situations it will take a bit longer to correct heavy defects that a rotary would, but it usually can do it. Because of the action of the head of the tool the chance of burning through the paint is extremely small, and it can't really leave the kind of swirls or holograms that a rotary can.

        The biggest advantage to using a D/A tool instead of doing it all by hand is ease of consistent result. Working by hand is very tiring at best, back breaking at worst. A power tool doesn't get tired, it will correct more uniformly, and do it faster too. Once you get a D/A in your hands and see how quickly and easily you can bring up an incredible gloss on your paint, you'll never go back to hand polishing again.
        Michael Stoops
        Senior Global Product & Training Specialist | Meguiar's Inc.

        Remember, this hobby is supposed to be your therapy, not the reason you need therapy.

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        • #5
          Re: Power Buffing ?

          Just as a reference. I read up through Meguiar's Online, purchased a DA, got home opened the box, slapped on THE WRONG PAD, and applied wax to my brand new, swirl/defect free car. And there wasn't any repercussion from doing so, besides the embarrassment when I posted the thread of my adventure. It's a very forgiving device, and as long as you're not using the wrong pads or products, and working on a clean environment, with clean media, you'll be just fine.
          Here's the thread I made about the detail, you can see for yourself. My First detail
          Click for more pictures of my tC

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