DA air polisher?

[BuckeyeMCS]

Has anyone used an air powered 6 inch DA polisher?
I have a pretty big compressor and would like to get one.
Thoughts?

[travisdecpn]

Are you going to be painting your vehicle soon? We have one in our shop, but i would never want to use it to detail, it spins waaaaay too fast, something like 10,000 opm.

[Pete-FWA]

Buckeye, that's what I use for a DA polisher....a DA sander, equipped with the correct polishing pads.

Does yours have an air inlet control? If so, just turn down the speed. Most DA sanders run around 8,000-10,000 OPM, so you would do best to regulate that.

How much compressor do you have? (CFM and tank size)

If it's not big enough, you could end up running the compressor too much, causing premature failure on it. Also, if the unit isn't enough to keep up with the DA, you could get inconsistent speeds.

[gb387]

Might be just the DA I have used but seemed once the speed was dialed way down there was very little power. So if you put any pressure on it the DA would stop. Is that true with all or just my luck?

[Pete-FWA]

It's a fine line of adjustment on some tools.
Another way to do it is put an in-line regulator, so you can have the DA's adjustment "wide open", yet not have as much air coming in.

[BuckeyeMCS]

Originally posted by Pete-FWA
Buckeye, that's what I use for a DA polisher....a DA sander, equipped with the correct polishing pads.

Does yours have an air inlet control? If so, just turn down the speed. Most DA sanders run around 8,000-10,000 OPM, so you would do best to regulate that.

How much compressor do you have? (CFM and tank size)

If it's not big enough, you could end up running the compressor too much, causing premature failure on it. Also, if the unit isn't enough to keep up with the DA, you could get inconsistent speeds.

I'll get back to you on the size but, if I remember right it was the largest one you could get with the tank being horiz.
I guess I assumed that the air DA would have a wheel on it to adjust the speed.

[Pete-FWA]

I guess I assumed that the air DA would have a wheel on it to adjust the speed. [/B][/QUOTE]

Yes, most DA's I've seen have a speed control on the unit themselves. That's what gb387 was saying about turning the speed down low and getting no power.

My second suggestion was getting an in-line regulator for the air. This way you could leave the DA "full throttle" and still have less air, thereby slowing the machine to more reasonable speeds for polishing.

[rusty bumper]

I would be a bit worried about oil & water contamination coming out of the air tool exaust.

I had an air line at work that would shoot out water like it was a garden hose! ......Course, that was in an industrial setting too.

Maybe the home units are not that bad.

[gb387]

Originally posted by Rusty Bumper
I would be a bit worried about oil & water contamination coming out of the air tool exaust.

I had an air line at work that would shoot out water like it was a garden hose! ......Course, that was in an industrial setting too.

Maybe the home units are not that bad.

Same problem... even with a air/water separator!?!?

[rusty bumper]

Originally posted by gb387
Same problem... even with a air/water separator!?!?

We had an air dryer installed with the compressor, but it didn't work too good.

I could not run my 60 amp plasma torch until they installed a seperate air dryer for me. The moisture would contaminate the arc without it.

[Pete-FWA]

I've never used plasma-anything: I hear it's quite an experience.

I have a small filter on my home compressor. With it and keeping the tank empty, I do fine except on VERY humid days. Sure do miss the big machine!

[rusty bumper]

Originally posted by Pete-FWA
I've never used plasma-anything: I hear it's quite an experience.

Does a real good job cutting light gauge metals without causing them to warp.

Better wear an N100 respirator though. The fine dust that gets blown out of the kerf is something else.