UK Question

[Spook]

Have any of you guys from the uk bought the Porter Cable 7424 polisher that is available from this site?

If you have what was the cost of postage etc. Another thing was do we have something similar for sale over here?

[luke667]

check the Uk retailers listing thread, welcome aboard

[tnoy66]

Hey Spook, I`ve got one headed my way now. I finally gave in to the devil on my shoulder saying `buy one, you know you want to`



I ordered that and some other bits, the original shipping cost for my order was $107, I enquired about other shipping options and was offered either USPS Airmail for $70 or USPS surface for $50. I took the Surface shipping as it was the cheapest and I`m in no rush for my order. It can take 4 to 6 weeks but that`s fine by me



I know AndyC and Alex shipped theirs together, they may chime in later.



Others have ordered from coastal tools and then got the pads elsewhere. Alex sells the megs pads.



The nearest we have is the Makita BO6040 http://www.tool-net.co.uk/data/index.php?ToolID=314941 I was tempted to buy that but went with the PC due to the fact that when someone on here says they used a certain product/pad/speed I would be able to relate to it.......not think wonder what I should use on the Makita. Oh and the fact there is a spare transformer at work helped too......I`ve got my eye on that

[RTE60]

Hi, just joined this site. Been browsing for the last month & as far as I know read all the relevant posts about the PC by searching. Does any UK residents whom have imported the PC have a complete cost including shipping, transformer, VAT, any handling charges? I notice that the Makita BO6040 has been mentioned before as a equivalent, anyone used or considered the Bosch GEX 150 ACE



Specs 550W

2400-6000opm

4.5mm orbit

150mm pad size

2.4kg



seems very similar as also has dual modes of operation though cheaper at approx £200

[Alex Creasey]

Hi Spook,



Myself and Andy did indeed order ours from David at Autopia (here! ). We thought it was fair to support Autopia and although it wasn`t the cheapest (only by $20 or so) we knew we would have absolute peace of mind, and someone to talk to if something went wrong.

Another thing is that the shipping isn`t exactly cheap. You get the package in four days which is fab but you will get a VAT and duty bill AS WELL AS the shipping bill, on top of the machine.



It`s a big outlay just to polish a car but the rewards that the PC offers over doing the job by hand are at least noticable.... I`d say go for it! .



Cheers.

[Alex Creasey]

Hi RTE 60 also! .....



I can`t find the receipts etc at this moment but yes, the price of the PC against the Makita end up very similar. The PC is so tried and tested though that in all honesty, I wasn`t going to spend that sort of money just to try something different.



I`ve certainly not been disappointed.

[RTE60]

Hi Alex

Just playing devils advocate, but I was under the impression that the PC was popular due to its price performance ratio, which I can understand based on the US price without all the other costs us poor UK residents get hit with. So if the Makita & hence the Bosch are around the same price or cheaper, wouldnt it be easier to get one of them, dont have to use a transformer & theres a warranty that you can actually use?

[Alex Creasey]

Hi RTE60,

Your right, and I do agree with what you say. It isn`t quite the deal our end that it is in the US.

I did do alot of reading up on other equipment so that the Brits may get other choices but, at the end of the day I felt most comfortable going for the PC.

I think `Butchdave` on here has also got the Makita and rates it highly.

Do what you feel comfortable doing at the end of the day.... The biggest difference is the step up from everything being applied by hand to being applied by machine....And the results you get in return. Which ever you choose, just hope you are happy with it .

[imported_vindaloo]

RTE60, Hi



I notice you live in Lancashire as I do, where?

I imported my PC from Coastal about 6 months ago. If you want to have a look at it or have a demo on your car let me know. I have most of the popular products mentioned on this board as well, maybe you could come over one weekend?



Jim

[togwt]

Quote: UK Question





~One man’s opinion / observations~



I tend to agree with Andy on the ‘support Autopia’ thing but as an alternative the German version of a PC is a Flex



www.flex-tools.de/en/prod/right.php?group=38 - 4k



X 1107 VE, The powerful FLEX orbital sander with dust collection



Technical Data X 1107 VE

Power consumption 710 Watt

Power output 420 Watt

Speed/Strokes 4 300 - 13 000 /min

Stroke 8,8 mm

Grinding disc max. dia. 150 mm

Weight 2,4 kg

Order no. 218.669



~Hope this helps~





Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/



justadumbarchitect * so i question everything*

[butchdave]

Originally posted by Alex Creasey

I think `Butchdave` on here has also got the Makita and rates it highly.

Well, I have the Makita but not used it yet (need those pads Alex...). Without having used it, my impressions are that it is bigger and heavier than the PC (might check that). I also suspect from reading Cvcaelen`s report on the Makita that on forced rotation mode its a bit more like a cross between a PC and a rotary (time will tell when I get chance to use it and compare directly to the PC).



Here is a Bosch review . I`m sure I saw a report from the Philippines comparing differnt RO`s - but can`t lay my hands on it at the moment

[Spook]

I take it all you guys use your PC/Makita`s all the time when polishing so you don`t do anything by hand anymore except maybe the fiddely bits ?

[butchdave]

Well... yes, thats about the long and the short of it

[RTE60]

Hi Vindaloo, I live in Blackpool, I`m sure I`ll take that offer one of these days.



I`ve seen that review on different RO from the Philipines, though I`m sure that he was working with wood, which is a little different from what we`re thinking about.



Though if you can use a Bosch GEX 150 AC (rather than ACE) model, it would open up many options with other brands with similar power/speeds. For example the Makita BO6030 4000-10000 opm, 310 W (approx £170) or the Metabo SXE450 Duo 4000-10000 opm 400w (£170).



What speeds do you tend to use on the PC?

[tnoy66]

Originally posted by RTE60





What speeds do you tend to use on the PC?

The PC is rated at 2500 - 6000 OPM. Most people seem to use speeds 3 up to 6, exactly how that corresponds to the OPM :nixweiss but i`m going to guess the following



1 = 2500 opm

2 = 3200 opm

3 = 3900 opm

4 = 4600 opm

5 = 5300 opm

6 = 6000 opm



700 opm steps, but I could be completely wrong