New $25 Rotary

[Jimmy Buffit]

Chicago Electric

I have this tool (plus a Fein Rotary!).
It is fine for occasional use if you discard the pads and backing plate that come with it!

I've had it for almost a year. Would be great for the home garage.

IF YOU KNOW HOW TO USE A ROTARY!
These tools will cause damage in the wrong hands.

Happy shopping!

Jim

[Greg]

I've been looking at the Dewalt, Makita, and PC Rotary. I know it won't see much use because my cars don't have any real need for paint correction. Is this tool just a piece of junk or would it be acceptable for occasional use?

[CRXSi90]

I'm bearing down hard on this cheap rotary thing; just a few that I found.
~$70 - Vector Professional Circular Polisher at CMA

~$50 - Coleman Powermate 7" variable speed sander/polisher The Tool Warehouse or Overstock.com.

~$25 - Chicago Electric Variable Speed Polisher/Sander at Harbor Freight


The Coleman Powermate one comes with a hook and loop backing plate, as none of the others do, but I'd probably be using 6" pads that I use with my PC, at least to start out with, so I could always move the velcro backing plate over from my PC to the rotary. Eventually, I'd probably want a dedicated backing plate, though.

Lets see...Quietness...Thats one question I have about all of these...I've heard that the Chicago Electric one is noisy, and CMA says the Vector is quiet. Coleman Powermate tools are good quality, I would think, so maybe it is medium-quiet. Any of that right?

Variable Speed Control - I guess I don't really know about how this stuff works. It'd be cool to set a min. or max. speed and use the trigger to vary from that, but I bet on these cheaper ones you just set the speed with the dial, and the trigger turns it on or off.

Size & Comfort Chicago Electric tool length: 17"!, Coleman Powermate size: 14" x 6" x 4" I kinda like small, managable tools, and the Coleman Powermate seems like it might be just the ticket. From the picture, it looks like it might be reasonably comfortable to use, being small and having decent looking grips. The large size of the Chicago Electric one scares me, but then again it has the loop style handle which may add a bit of length. On that note, I'm not sure if I like the loop style handle, seems like high-end ones don't have it, and I don't really see the need.

Well, I guess price is the only other comparison point I can think of, and obviously the Chicago Electric @ $25 really kicks some @$$! If doubling the price [Coleman Powermate] got quite a bit more quality and made the tool fun to use, would it be worth it? I'd say yes, there is nothing like learning on decent tools. But is it much better? Bump it up a bit more and a person could swing a Vector which supposedly is a good quality tool and quiet. Seems like it'd be nice, but after all, you'd probably end up spending 3x more than the Chicago Electric one.

I guess I need to hear more opinions, or maybe I just need to go for something.

[Jimmy Buffit]

If you are a 'weekend warrior", the Chicago Electric will be fine for your occasional use.

As I've said, thro away the pads and backing plate that come with it - get slf centering pads, and you'll be fine.

The 'better' buffers have strengths that won't pay off for the casual user...

I stress the point that buffer use requires substantial practice before you touch the surface of your new Maybach!

Jim

PS: Altho I advocaet the use of the Chicago Electric for the 'weekend warrior', I use a the Fein polisher on a daily basis in my shop. .There, we appreciate the benefits of a quality tool!

[CRXSi90]

Hey Jim, thanks for checking back on your post, I was worried that I wouldn't get much of a response here.

I guess you could say I'm a weekend warrior. I understand that it takes some experience to become good at rotary use, and a lot of experience to become great. I have a few beater vehicles around to practice on, and I'm sure people would volunteer their beaters up for me to practice on too.

I have a few questions about use and equipping the tool.
-Self-centering pads, huh? I was planning on using the same pads that I use on my PC, at least to start with. Whats the deal with self centering pads, and do they require a special backing plate?

-Noise-seems like I read that this is a noisy machine from someone who has it. Whats your opinion on the matter? Heres a funny thing I noticed...look at the picture compared to the Vector polisher...look similar? Yeah. I wonder if it is just the plastic part that is the same or if it is the whole polisher, including the motor. According to CMA, the Vector is a quiet polisher, and if it is the same as the Chicago Electric one, they should both be quiet. Noise probably wouldn't bother me a whole lot, but I was just wondering.

-The handle, hmm, funny loop design. My only concern is that it might hit the paint if I'm not completely careful. I'd like to hear if that has been much of an issue while using it for you.

Thanks for being here, otherwise I'd really be struggling about my choice.

Kevin

[Jimmy Buffit]

SM Arnold

This one of the more commen rotary pad mfg s. They private label for AutoMagic, Malco, and others. The velcro backing plate has a small (3/4"?) hole that matches the hole in a pad. A small dowel iis provided to line up the two, thus insuring the centered pad. Rotary pads are usally 7.5-8.0 ". PC pads are usually 5.5-6.0". They are not intended to be interchangeable. I HAVE used the (PC) Orange Powerpad from CMA with Rotary with some success.

I don't think noise is an issue with the Chicago Electric at all.

The handle is not an issue, either. Especially when you remember that a good operator always keeps his machine level!

Look at this sitehttp://www.tptools.com/product.asp?base%5Fno=NK%2DPOLISHER&str%5Fbase%5Fno=MG%2D9940%2CNK%2D08001%2CNK% 2D30035%2CNK%2DPOLISHER%2C&header%5Ftitle=Keyword+Search&page%5Fname=search%2Fke yword%5Fresults%2Easp&search%5Ftype=Nikota&size1=&size2=&gender=&ShowImages=&sq= 0&cont=1&intPgNo=1&mscssid=BDFXKJDQNC698J39NCG3RCD8MBXJ14B4
Looks very much the same.

To some it up, this is a great bargain, for a 'good' tool.

Good Luck!

Jim

[Lost Pup]

Here is the image from TP Tools model:



The CMA Vector, Harbor Freight Chicago Electric and the TP Tools Polisher do look alike.

[CRXSi90]

Ahh, I understand the concept of the centering system now, thanks for clearing that up. It looks like 3 of the pads I ordered from Top of the Line are the Lake Country Advanced Pads, which are 7.5", while there are LCM Standard Variable Contact pads which are 6.5"...I think that is what the Orange pad you used was by looking at their site. It also looks like the 7.5" pads have the self-centering hole. I guess its worth a try, and if I need more pads, I can grt them.

Thanks for that link to SM Arnold too, I looked around at their site and recognised a lot of other products that I'd seen under other names.

Thanks for answering my other questions too, that really helps me make up my mind. Now I don't know if I should ask for it for a gift, or just buy it myself. Seems like it'd be a good gift.

Ya know what, nothing makes me more mad than when companies mark up a product for incredible profit...look, HF is selling the chicago electric version for $25 and still making a profit! Then there are others who are selling this thing for even up to $100...wow, I bet the sale of one unit sure makes them happy! Its marketing, its life, its greed, live with it......

[Jimmy Buffit]

So, what are ya gonna get?

Keep us informed.

Jim

[CRXSi90]

Well, the paper came today and I saw at Menards [tool and lumber place] they seem to be selling the same thing in the form of a 7" grinder for $30.00 after rebate. The only difference I can tell is that it comes with two grinding discs [metal and masonary] and it has a shield to deflect flying chunks of matter. I think I'd be more likely to grind metal and mansonary than use the pads that come with the "polishing" version. The price ends up pretty much the same after shipping, so I'm tempted to just get it there. I wanna make sure the shield is removable, and make sure that is in fact the same tool, but I don't see any reason why not to do it this way.

This time it is badged under the "Tool Shop" name which I've only seen @ Menards. Shipping from HF would probably be about $5 so $25 polisher + $5 shipping ~= $30 grinder. I suppose if I don't like it for some reason, there is a higher chance that I could return it, but I really don't think I'll have a problem with it.

So, waddya think of that discovery?

...it is still the same annoying orange color, though...

[CRXSi90]

Dang, you can't go back and edit a post to add an attachment???

[CRXSi90]

Dang, turns out that this must have a different gear set than the polishing version. It says it goes ~6000 rpm and lacks a variable speed control. Bummer. Here I come, Harbor Freight!