Another DA/RA Buffer Polisher Question

[YamaHog]

I'm about to be doing some minor gelcoat repair on my 195S using the color matched patch paste product from Spectrum, and I'm going to need an orbital buffer/polisher to perform the final polishing with compound after repairing and wet sanding the area. The challenge is that I really want to purchase a DA type polisher that I can use for this repair work, future waxing polishing the boat (gelcoat) AND for polishing/waxing my car & truck. I think what I'm looking for here is a good DA polisher that has a good variable RPM range.

I was looking at something like the Griot's Garage G9, but it looks like the minimum RPM setting is 2000 rpm

G9 Random Orbital Polisher

Get a perfect finish with the G9 Random Orbital Polisher. Powerful 1,000-watt motor & patent-pending counterbalance for efficient defect removal.

www.griotsgarage.com

Watching some gel coat repair videos online and some tutorials on polishing out gelcoat scratches, I've noticed that 1500 rpm or less seems to be desirable. For those of you who have worked with orbitals, is there a particular brand/model that would fit the bill for being aggressive enough for polishing out gelcoat repairs but also easy and safe to use for general buffing waxing on the boat at vehicles? Am I getting too hung up on the RPM range for the machine? I'm looking at 6 inch sized polishers as that seems to be a good size for most applications. I will be using it on my boat, truck, and 2011 Camaro.

 

[mrcleanr6]

ok first, an orbital polisher is only good for waxing and maybe the final polish or glaze to take out any extremely slight swirls or holograms. its not for buffing with compound, regular polishing or removing scratches or sanding scratches. you want a rotary buffer. rotary with a couple different pads will do everything you need. from compound right up to final polish.

 

[Ronnie]

Here is a link to a string with more responses, including mine. I bought a griot g9 with all the accessories and love it. Just followed the directions that came with it and my boat looks great, at least as good as it did when I paid to have it detailed.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/choosing-a-dual-action-polisher.25828/#post-491071

 

[Jane305]

I am using PORTER-CABLE, It's pretty good. The random orbital is much better than a circular polisher for applying and removing wax and polish since it will avoid burning the paint. This Porter-Cable polisher is very well made, solid, and powerful. With the right attachments, you can connect virtually any polishing pads and make quick work of any wax or polish job.

 

[Elliott]

I have a Griot's 6 inch RO DA (the prior model to the G9) and the Griot's 3 inch RO DA, and I like and use both frequently on my vehicles, travel trailer and for small jobs on my boat.

I will certainly agree a rotary would be the choice of a pro for serious correction, but there are some inherent risks with a pure rotary in the hands of a novice. The OP is asking questions so I presume novice.

I would suggest my go to buffer for serious work as a good compromise between aggressiveness and being forgiving. My choice is the Flex 3401. It is a DA RO buffer with forced pad rotation. It is around $400; I bought mine on sale a couple of years ago for ~$325. It will not be as fast as a rotary, but it will do anything a rotary can do. The small amount of extra time (on a small job) will allow for more inspection during the process and no worries about excessive heat. Of course, the Flex is one of the best to use on autos and etc. too.

Go to Autogeek for videos about the Flex, and you should be able to find them using it on a boat.

 

[Tyguy]

Forced DA is definitely tempting. I've been looking at the Rupes Mille force rotation DA option myself to add to my PC 7424, but I also hear forced DA is not the ideal solution for softer paints. My Tesla and Subaru would wall in that category. So I'm also considering the Rupes 15mm Big Foot long throw and converting the 7424 to 3" pad duty for tight spots. The Rupes Big Foot would be good for all paint types and handle the big surfaces of a boat well. I like the Griot's specs, but I'm not a fan of the fact they're made in China. I think I'll stick with Flex or Rupes.

 

[Elliott]

Well, you cannot go wrong with Rupes or Flex. Long throw versus forced rotation is more a preference - either is fine for soft, medium or hard paint. The big disadvantage most cite with forced rotation is that it will resist you to some degree if you do not have it properly flush to the surface - of course that helps you maintain proper contact by providing feedback. With long throws, people often complain about stalling on curved surfaces (especially convex) and difficulty working around obstacles (such as side view mirrors, door handles and etc.) and edges of panels (due to the more pronounced back and forth of the pad).

Personal experience working with soft paint (Toyota and Honda) leads me to believe choosing the right compound and pad are far more important. I used my Flex on an older Jaguar S-Type that had almost a crust of mineral deposits on it (looked milky brown). Even though it had very soft black paint, it required Griot's Fast Correcting Cream and a microfiber pad to remove the crust, and then I used Griot's One Step to polish it out and seal the surface. The Flex never stalled on all of those curves in the body panels.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[suke]

Forced rotation orbitals are sort of the best of both worlds. I've had a flex 3401 VRG in my arsenal for......10 years? Quite a long time. For a long throw orbital for someone not doing this every day I recommend the griots G21. I have a PC 7424 that I use exclusively with 3" pads. It does well for that. Hard to go wrong with a rotary for gelcoat, however I doubt as a newb you'll be able to have a rotary finish down well enough to not have to come back behind it with a DA. Could maybe get away with it on white. I've been doing paint correction work as a job, and then on the side now for 20+ years. I will say there's no one polisher out there that'll do everything. Which is why I have several as they all serve a different purpose. Some of those purposes is a backup if one fails halfway through a job. Which I did have happen a few years back.

 

[Heizen]

The PC7424 is legendary in the world of paint correction for entry to moderate enthusiasts. It's durability and easy of use are well known. I have used this Porter-Cable 7424xp in multiple applications accepting spindle accessories with 5/16 to 24 threads with no issues.

 

[james0831]

Depending on the severity of the scratches that you are dealing with will determine the type of polisher you would need. If you are dealing with deep set scratches that require you to sand out, then you will want to use a rotary buffer for the polishing phase to bring back the shine beneath. Once you have used a heavy cut compound with a rotary, you can choose to apply your wax protectant with the same rotary, but you may get a good amount of swirling from this. This is where you may want to use the orbital buffer to finish out the process and get a swirl-free finish to the gelcoat on your boat.

I own both a rotary and an orbital buffer for my new Grady-White. I used to pay a company to detail my old Sea Hunt boat, but I finally decided to start doing it myself. It's A LOT of work and I should have just kept paying them to do it. LOL.

Here are a couple of pictures of my old Sea Hunt boat that I detailed with the current polishers I have. I personally use the Makita rotary and the Shurhold 3500 orbital buffer.

Hope this helps!