Orbital Polisher on eBay

[reggie11]

I was thinking of buying an DA polisher (which is the same as an oribital I believe) and I don't have the cash for a PC or UDM. I saw a couple of cheap orbitals on eBay and I was wondering if any of you had any experience with them. This is my first time polishing which is why I am not going with a rotary. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated. I am not sure if the pads that you recommend on this site are universal. It would stink to buy a cheap one if none of the good pads would work on it.



eBay Motors: 10" ORBITAL CAR WAXER / BUFFER / POLISHER AUTO BODY (item 250229594382 end time Mar-30-08 11:51:00 PDT)

 

[heatgain]

I was thinking of buying an DA polisher (which is the same as an oribital I believe) and I don't have the cash for a PC or UDM. I saw a couple of cheap orbitals on eBay and I was wondering if any of you had any experience with them. This is my first time polishing which is why I am not going with a rotary. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated. I am not sure if the pads that you recommend on this site are universal. It would stink to buy a cheap one if none of the good pads would work on it.



eBay Motors: 10" ORBITAL CAR WAXER / BUFFER / POLISHER AUTO BODY (item 250229594382 end time Mar-30-08 11:51:00 PDT)

Those orbitals are only good for applying wax. They will not do any swirl removal. All the pads discussed on this forum are for the PC (UDM, G100, etc) or the rotary and are not for the orbital you're looking at.

 

[reggie11]

I appreciate the heads up on that. I am pretty new to the forum so I am glad I asked. Does anyone have any cheaper alternatives to the PC or UDM as even used ones are pretty expensive?



Does anyone happen to have an extra one sitting around that they could sell me cheap:chuckle:

 

[mgproudfit]

Porter Cable is unfortunately as low as Id be willing to go. A lot of those cheap ones will do more harm then good. Your best bet is to save up for a bit and get something you won't regret down the road.



-Matt

 

[heatgain]

I appreciate the heads up on that. I am pretty new to the forum so I am glad I asked. Does anyone have any cheaper alternatives to the PC or UDM as even used ones are pretty expensive?



Does anyone happen to have an extra one sitting around that they could sell me cheap:chuckle:

Harbor Freight has a coupon out now, good till April 7th, on their rotary.....19.99.

It's cheaply made, but adequate for someone not detailing for a living.

That being said, it's a rotary, and all caveats apply. (burning paint).

You'll need to practice with it on a junk hood or something before using it on a real car.

Just FYI, PC stands for Porter Cable. We'll sometimes refer to other machines as PC's, much like people say Kleenex when referring to any make of tissue.

A DA means Dual Action, meaning both random orbital and rotary action. The PC, UDM, G100, etc, are referred to as DA's, but they are not really DA's, because they "slip" out of their rotary action if too much pressure is applied, and the rotary movement on those don't even get close to the RPMS that a true rotary has. But that's what makes them "goof-proof" as far as burning paint.

A true DA would be the Flex, or certain Makita or Bosch models.

 

[the other pc]

.... Does anyone have any cheaper alternatives to the PC or UDM as even used ones are pretty expensive? ...

Sorry to bring bad news. Of the DA/orbital machines that actually work for removing defects, the PC and UDM (and G110) are the less expensive ones.



The others, Dewalt, Makita, Festool, Cyclo, Flex, Bosch, etc all cost more.





PC.

 

[300B]

I have to disagree with the others as i've gotten some pretty good results by using a cheap 6" $14 DA ROB for some corrective polishing.



Used the supplied synthetic wool bonnet with:



P21S Paintwork Cleanser



Nu Finish Scratch Doctor



Kit Wax Scratch Doctor





The polished results:

So yes they can remove oxidation,swirls,light scratches and haziness with the right combo of products.

 

[reggie11]

So I just found out a buddy of mine has a Makita Rotary polisher that I can borrow. I am a little worried about using it as I have never polished my car. I have a G35 with a metallic paint so I am not sure if I should even try to use it. Any thoughts?

 

[Neofate]

I would just save up your pennies and get a UDM. You can get them for $89.99 at one spot, refurbished I've seen. Though it might have gone back to the $99.99 now. Even at that, it is under $100, and it has the same warranty as the new models. Going brand new the UDM is only $129.99. I would recommend going with a closeout Porter Cable 7424 (sometimes under or at 99$) or a UDM Ultimate Detailing Machine for 99$ or less. For under $150 you can get pads/machine, and a polish or two. I spent $200 on a really good deal and got glaze, polishes, 6 orange pads, 2 of each other type of LLC pad, UDM, and other such goodies.. but it can be had for less. The machines such as the PC and UDM are very reasonably priced for what they offer and the longevity of such. Think about what you spend your money on. Think about gas, a bar tab, family dinner,.. or anything else that 'eats' money like no tommorow. A $100 on an investment that will last 5,10, 15 or 20+ yrs is a no brainer most of the time.



Borrowing your friends rotary would probably be ok. So many people say it is 'impossible' for a beginner to use a rotary -- This just isn't true. You just have to be careful. Do alot of research and watch videos on its use. Though a Random Orbital like the PC/UDM is a rotary, it just has some safety mechanisms that prevent you from damaging your paint 'most' of the time. Even with the safeness of a Random Orbital you can still burn and damage paint. I've seen it done (not in person).. and read about it quite often. But don't get me wrong, it isn't a common thing.



Anything that is taking 'off' paint has the potential for damage. If you were to get an agressive polish and pad, and push hard in the same spot for a lengthy period of time, you would likely burn out a spot. It would take some effort, but they aren't completely idiot proof. If they were they would be totally ineffective, imo.