Should I buy a porter cable?

H

Heff

New member
Hey guys I am considering buying a PC to replace my ryobi orbital, but I want to know if it would be worth it. I have and use a dewalt rotary for actual buffing/polishing and use my orbital for application and removal of waxes and precleaners. My question is for what I use it for, would it provide any better results or advantages than my orbital, or should I stick with it? I do about 2 cars a week, so not alot of volume. Also, the lack of a second hand grip on the end of the casing, makes it look ackward to hold onto, it looks like they just cut the handle off a rotary polisher. Is it just me or is it hard to hold onto? And lastly ive heard that somepeople like to get a different backing plate or counterweight, what do I need to get?

thanks guys
 
Big time. Your el cheapo buffer isn't going to do a thing for your swirls or paint problems. They are fine for buffing off waxes, but for polishing you really need a PC to get any real results.



The handle on the side isn't really for holding the machine up with. Its to make it easier to turn and move along the sides of your car. When you are using it on the hood you don't really even need to use the handle. Its just for extra control really. Its not awkward in the least.



Once you get a PC you will throw your ryobi in the trash. It will never be used again. The PC is 100 times the machine and you are going to love it. :xyxthumbs
 
Yup, I have an old B&D one that I got many years ago for christmas. I recently purchased a PC, and used it for the first time this weekend, and it made a huge differece. If nothing else, it is much easier to use and control.



Brew
 
Hmm, I'm not too sure about this. If you already own a rotary polisher and are well-skilled with it I'm not sure you'd need a PC. I mean, don't you use your DeWalt for all your polishing and swirl removal jobs anyway?



I'm going to go against the grain this time and say you don't really need it that much if all you're applying with the Ryobi right now are things that don't need any power to apply. Wax, glaze, light pre-wax cleaners, etc. right?



Maybe once your Ryobi breaks down or you get more volume in jobs to do you should go PC - it's heavy duty and will last forever. Figure on spending about $140-$180 or so (rough estimate) on the PC with some accessories.



In my sig is a PC thread with a great big, boring parts list of stuff :p, but near the top is a link to Geekysteve's writeup on the machine - read that first! HTH
 
DO you need a PC? Answer: YES



Best price: Costaltool.com.



Get a good backing plate and pads and your all set!



This way, you can use the Roto for all the real nasty stuff and use the PC for all your polishing and your arm will not be tired!



I too have a "RO-ZILLA" and ONLY use it for extreme finish repairs. All other daily use is done by a PC.



Get rid of the orbital, as they are known for adding more swirl marks that you just removed with the roto... The orbital is the dealerships worst enemy! It's what the guys in the "Swirl mark and minor scratch application department" use at the dealership! That's how my swirls got on my new '03 Lexus SC430!



You'll be glad you got a PC once you use it!



Regards,

Deanski
 
I'm with 4DSC here. You have a DeWalt rotary and I assume you're well versed at using it. I'm not so convinced there's a lot of value-add considering your situation. If the Ryobi was your only tool, then of course it would make sense to upgrade to the PC. Since you already metioned that you're able to use the rotary for paint correction and polishing, then paying over a hundred dollars for a waxing and glazing machine wouldn't be worth it if you're able to do that with your Ryobi.
 
Get the PC. See the "Deals" forum and save a few bucks at Coastal Tools while you are at it. :D
 
Thanks for the work on the deal Brad B !! Been looking into the PC for a few months now. The price of the PC doesn't sound too bad. It's the pads that'll kill me :eek:
 
If you're using a rotary already the only thing the PC will do is frustrate you because it is less agressive. If you WANT something safer for the paint the PC is a great choice, but if you are comfortable being careful with the rotary the PC isn't going to get you anything additional.
 
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