BO6040-review part2

U

ultrajim49

New member
This first post of this new thread is the "fore-play" of the actual review.



My plan is to lay my hands on a hood(most perfect situation) or else another relative big panel.

I plan to devide the panel in 3 parts:

part 1 :will be treated Random orbital , just as I would treat my car : starting with the least abrasive & going up as required.

Part 2 will be treated Random orbital with forced rotation ,rest same as part 1

In the mean time part 3 will be a reference part while taking pictures, the plan is to put the camera on a fixed spot with fixed lightning, sort of to prove that I'm not cheating with angles to prove something:D



When done part 3 will act as a test area:

I intend to start on that part with the MOST abrasive combination I have: wool path + fine-cut rubbing compound + max speed and see & report what happens.



Products in test:

Makita BO6040

3M : perfect-it III:fine cut rubbing compound, machine polish & finishing glaze.

Megiuars : Gold Class clearcoat paint prep (a mild polish) & GC paste wax as final

Makita wool pad

Makita polishing pad

Meguiars polishing pad

Meguiars finishing pad

rubbing alcohol (to check if the swirls are hidden or removed)



... : If someone has a request please ask , if possible I will include in test.



My general goal is to check if the Makita BO6040 can be the European PC.

I will ask all of you PC-users if you can relate to that , by reading the review.







Christiaan







:wavey
 
The hood:) just as I recieved it : untouched





From this point forward I'll post the pics in the Gallery , to make this dial-up friendly and refer to them accordingly



Christiaan
 
During the holidays I finaly had the opportunity to test the BO6040.The main goal was not to test the products , but the Makita.

I know that real detailing power comes from the combination of products & pads, the machine only provides the power, replaces the hand (sort of).

Lighting conditions were far from ideal :it has been raining constantly, so I couldn't work outside, the fluorescent lights were not that helpfull.

Plus that the digicam was a loaner from a friend and some pics were not suitable for publication.



On with the test:



Picture 1:the set-up:

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1052&papass=&sort=1



The hood was washed & clayed & devided in 3 parts.

In the "reflection" you can see the fluo-lights.



Picture 2 lets you see the damage on the hood:

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1053&papass=&sort=1



Each & every scratch could be felt , the hood was BNR (beyond normal repair).



Picture 3:I just polished the left side:

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1054&papass=&sort=1



The machine was set at half speed & ranom orbital motion only.

The pad was a Meguiars polishing pad and 3M machine-polish.

It was amazing to see the surface change looks from dull to somewhat shiny.I let the machine do it's job 'till all polish started to dry and then set it at full speed 'till product was "gone".

When I layed the machina aside my hands were still shaky,

the vibes are enorm:down

I buffed about 3 minutes on that section 'till product was gone.



Picture 4: After polishing the right side:

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1055&papass=&sort=1



This time I used the machine at random orbital with forced rotation-mode.

Same pad , same product (same amount of product allso)

I noticed instantly that buffing time would be much shorter, the spinning motion let the product dissapear fast.In less than a minute it was gone!!!I must confess that I forgot to start at half speed I started at full speed instead.Nevertheless :buffing time was dramaticly shorter.

But this time I had no shaky hands neither, the rotation elliminated(sp?) the vibes allso:xyxthumbs



Because no ROB would ever make a "new" hood from this one , I fooled around with diffrent products & pads & speed on the left and right section ( the mid section is for another post).



The end conclusion:

*Don't buy the Makita foam pad: it's thrown away money: the pad is a tat smaller than the backing plate:scared

*the wool pad is good , but way too expensive(50Euro's!!!)

*the machine is pricy , but worth every penny: best used in forced rotation-mode for fast & easy buffing plus practicly no vibes.

*The 10-feet extension chord gives you plenty of freedom to work & move around.

*power!!!this Makita has lots of it: bearing down on it does not lower the speed:bow

*pretty silent, I could hear my little transistor radio at all times, you can let the machine run and have a normal conversation without yelling.



For the newbe's: go and find yourself a hood:

what you learn from playing around on it with a PC(ROB) can't be discribed in words.



Christiaan
 
Dude, apparently you made a great choice... The RO6040 is rated higher than the PC (although it costs almost double)



TOOL TEST: Tools of the Trade Reviews 6-Inch Right-Angle Sanders

From Stripping Varnish to Fine Sanding, Right-Angle Sanders Do it All







By Chris Kulczycki

I've done my fair share of sanding through the years, but it wasn't until I built boats that I learned the true meaning of the word. Sanding projects were no longer measured in hours, but in long, dusty days and even agonizing weeks. I quickly learned to appreciate sanders that were not only powerful and smooth, but also quiet, vibration-free and fast. Right-angle sanders see heavy-duty use, from jobsites and cabinet shops to boatyards. You might use them to remove paint one day, to finish a built-in the next, and to buff a fine finish the day after that. We tested seven 6-inch, right-angle sanders — the Bosch 1370 DEVS, DeWalt DW443, Fein MSF636-1, Festool Rotex RO150E, Makita BO6040, Milwaukee 6125, and Porter-Cable 97366 — to see which ones could finish their work without finishing-off their operator.





Finishing Quality

The finishing quality of all the tools was very, very close. Choosing the right paper and speed enables any of these sanders to leave a nice finish. If pressed, I'd give the Makita, Festool, and DeWalt tools a slight edge in finishing quality. But in addition to the normal random orbital action found on all of the models, the Festool and Makita tools have another setting that provides more aggressive action. Festool calls this "combined rotary and eccentric action," while Makita labels it "forcible rotation mode." In both cases the pads rotate while adding an eccentric motion to the action. This removes materials faster than regular random orbital action. It doesn't leave as smooth a finish and tends to grab the wood, but it's a good feature.





Vibration, Feel, and Switches

In most tool tests I consider a tool's performance more important than ergonomics. But since I use right-angle sanders for long stretches, comfort is critical. In fact, I'd choose a model that's quiet, vibration-free, and comfortable to hold over one that's faster or even more durable.



The Makita and Festool sanders stand out as particularly vibration free and quiet, perhaps due to their larger size and weight. The Porter Cable sander is only a hair behind them. The Fein and DeWalt tools are also good in this regard. But Bosch's mechanical noise was unpleasant, and Milwaukee's vibration level was the highest of the bunch; I could feel the effects of this tool after an hour.



The tool bodies vary in shape from the short, bulky Porter-Cable to the long, thin Festool. All the tools were comfortable to hold with the following caveats: Fein's body is well-shaped, but made of slippery plastic; Porter-Cable's may be too thick for small hands; and DeWalt's switch falls right under your palm. The Makita and Festool sanders felt the most comfortable to me.



The heads on most of these sanders are shaped so you can hold them one-handed, like a large palm sander. This is useful for working on horizontal surfaces. I like DeWalt's rubber bonnet for this task. I found the Milwaukee tool's head got too hot to hold.



Six of the tools have sliding, lock-on, or rock-on power switches. Only the Milwaukee sander uses a paddle-type switch that you have to hold because there's no switch lock. This limits the ways you can hold the tool. The Festool was the only sander I managed to switch off accidentally. Its switch is located right where my thumb falls and a little downward pressure rocks it off.



All the sanders have well-designed, comfort side handles that mount on the left or right of the tool heads. The Festool, Makita, and Porter-Cable sanders came in carrying cases, which is a nice bonus.





Favorites

I'd be satisfied with any of these tools, but I do have my favorites. Tool prices range from about $150 to $500, but I didn't find that performance related directly to cost. In fact, my top pick isn't the priciest. My first choice is Makita's BO6040 because of its smooth, powerful, and pleasant performance. The Festool Rotex RO150E is a close second; it's a super tool and the only problem I had was with the switch location. Porter-Cable's 97366 is right behind; it's a great sander at a great price. DeWalt's DW443 comes next, I didn't find much wrong with this tool, but the company could improve the switch location. Fein's MSF636-1 left an excellent finish, but I wonder why such an expensive tool lacks speed control and has such an awkwardly shaped head. Bosch's sander noise was a negative, as was the ease at which its dust bag fell off. Milwaukee's 6125 sander follows them all across the finish line.



Chris Kulzycki is a boat builder and writer in West River, Md. He was an instructor at the Wooden Boat School for 10 years.
 
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