Rotary

sofresh

New member
Sup everyone, I currently have a Flex 3401, Its a little slow for me and it takes too long for the job. I'm thinking about getting a rotary and some old hoods to practice on.



What rotary should I get? Ill pay up to 350 for one.
 
Yeah, if you are just starting out, the Makita 9227C or DeWalt DW849 are great to use.



Once you have used the rotary for a while, then you can pick one of the high end rotaries. But for now, go with a DeWalt or Makita.
 
PorscheGuy997 said:
Yeah, if you are just starting out, the Makita 9227C or DeWalt DW849 are great to use.



Once you have used the rotary for a while, then you can pick one of the high end rotaries. But for now, go with a DeWalt or Makita.





High end rotaries? I thought the Makita and DeWalt was one.
 
If you're not an eBayer, Tyler Tool currently has them on sale for $199



Makita Polisher - Makita 9227CX3 7" Electronic Sander-Polisher Includes FREE Bag and Polishing Pads



If you use the code mak0715 at checkout they'll give you another $10 off.



They also have free shipping right now for anything over $99, so basically $189 delivered.



You can buy reconditioned ones from them pretty cheap too, but they're out of stock right now.



Autogeek.net has their price matching guarantee, so you might be able to get the same deal from them.
 
PorscheGuy997 said:
Yeah, if you are just starting out, the Makita 9227C or DeWalt DW849 are great to use.



Once you have used the rotary for a while, then you can pick one of the high end rotaries. But for now, go with a DeWalt or Makita.



KnuckleBuckett said:
High end rotaries? I thought the Makita and DeWalt was one.



I think he's talking about something like Flex or Metabo but I would never replace my Makita with those... I want to try them just to see what all the fuss is about, but if Makita is perfect for me, why change
 
makita looks like a nice one.



Metabo is a little higher



Whats the differents between the two?



Do pros use Makita?



I will probably just keep the flex for sealant, glaze, wax and use the rotary for polishing.



How come some people use a rotary for correction then use a FLex 3401 to finish up? Can you finish with a rotary? I think the flex is way too slow to polish.



Thanks!



Looking at makita or metabo stil need inputs between the two
 
Yes almost every pro I know (and most pro's on this board) use the makita. it's just a good machine. I like my Dewalt better for more difficult jobs but the Makita will finish better IMO.
 
KnuckleBuckett said:
High end rotaries? I thought the Makita and DeWalt was one.



The Makita is a very nice tool and I've owned two.



I was referring to the Flex, Fein, Festool, and Metabo as some of the 'high end' and expensive rotaries. But, you don't have to spend a fortune to get a quality polisher.
 
I was using a Dewalt 849 for many years. This unit must be at least 10 years old

and i got it second hand. It's still in decent working order...but the Makita feels

much easier as it is lighter. The build quality isn't as robust, but the weight

difference is considerable. It's a better - work all day - choice IMO.
 
I just want to comment on what you said.... you said that you are going to get a few hoods to practice on..



Please be aware a hood is a good place to start, BUT, it doesnt prepare you for buffing on vertical surfaces, curved surfaces, adjoining panels of different heights, around trim, moldings and door handles, a-pilars, b pilars, plastic bumpers, single stage, dual stage, hard CC, soft CC, etc...



Then when you use the rotory for specific corrections, it gets even more dangerous..such as trying to buff out a scratch etc..



I'm not saying that you said buffing hoods will make u an expert.. I'm just saying that buffing hoods will make you good at buffing hoods..

Be carefull and go slow...



and yes the Makita with its slow 600rpm starting speed, feathered trigger and great handle make it a winner!!
 
junior_golfer said:
Makita 9227 c. I'm about to buy one....heard they're EXCEPTIONAL!



blkacgsr said:
I love my Makita. I would buy another one if I had to.



Legacy99 said:
Makita or a DeWalt.



PorscheGuy997 said:
Yeah, if you are just starting out, the Makita 9227C or DeWalt DW849 are great to use.



Once you have used the rotary for a while, then you can pick one of the high end rotaries. But for now, go with a DeWalt or Makita.



Jakerooni said:
Yes almost every pro I know (and most pro's on this board) use the makita. it's just a good machine. I like my Dewalt better for more difficult jobs but the Makita will finish better IMO.



I just bought a Makita and love it. Very easy to use. Strong motor, 2lbs lighter than the Dewalt, slows to 900rpm (if needed). Great machine overall.

:buffing:
 
biolink said:
I just bought a Makita and love it. Very easy to use. Strong motor, 2lbs lighter than the Dewalt, slows to 900rpm (if needed). Great machine overall.

:buffing:



Not to split hairs, but it's actually 600 rpm.



Pre-set speed setting dial (from 600-3,000 RPM) for maximum control



The Makita is an excellent machine. I love mine.
 
sofresh said:
makita looks like a nice one.



Metabo is a little higher



Whats the differents between the two?



The Makita has a trigger whereas the Metabo has an on/off switch sorta like the one on a PC. The Metabo does a "soft start" thing that sora approximates feathering on a trigger, but it's not the same.



They're just *different* and it can be hard to say which one somebody's gonna like better. I switch back and forth between the two...one's nice for some jobs but the other seems better for others.





I will probably just keep the flex for sealant, glaze, wax and use the rotary for polishing.



Do what works for you, but since I got my Flex 3401 the Makita and the Metabo both just sit on the shelf.

How come some people use a rotary for correction then use a FLex 3401 to finish up? Can you finish with a rotary?



A lot of people, myself included, can't finish out 100% holgoram-free via rotary. And I've seen a lot of "hologram-free" cars that weren't when I really inspected them. If you can't pull the vehicle out into the sun, there's no way to tell if it has (light) holograms either...and I've had cases where the sun had to be at the exact right angle to catch very light holograms (the inspection required two people working together at just the right time of day). No way I'd risk such stuff so I always finish with a Flex/Cyclo/PC.


I think the flex is way too slow to polish.





Even with wool pads and M105? Unless I'm using real rocks-in-a-bottle compounds, PFW pads with M105 cuts about as fast as anything I do via rotary. And I hear the Sur-buff pads are even more aggressive than that. By the time I take all the rotary-centric precautions and get rid of the holograms, I don't think the rotaries save me much, if *any* time (and I work primarily on hard clear).



The above isn't an anti-rotary rant, just some comments from somebody who has both types of machine (and both types of rotaries) and prefers the Flex.
 
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