First glance at Makita 9227c Rotary buffer

I went a different route. Then again, the PC7428 was a Christmas gift and I ain't about to return it :) . For the amount of use it'll get from me, it should last a long long time.



Unless you've got someone buying you the thing as a gift and you have no say in the matter I would say try each of them. Most rental centers have Makita, Milwaukee and DW tools, plus Home Depot/Lowes have an awfully liberal return policy.



Now back to our regularly scheduled bickering.
 
2hotford said:
Up until the 9227C Makita, no other Makita's had varible speed. Even my old 9207 has only 2 speeds.
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This was a bit of a heated thread, but just for accuracy, there was a 9207 that had variable speed, as did the 9217 - the difference is that the 9227 is the first (ducks below parapet) that had speed settings below 1500 (I am making a big assumption here that Makita launched these products sequentially :) )
 
Hi Dave,



As far as I know, the variable speed Makitas came out at, or very close to, the same time. Moreover, some models were not available in all areas or markets. So, my statement may only be accurate(?) for my area and not others. And, yes, I should have stated that the 9227 has a wide range of variable speeds. As I posted at SCG, I compound mostly at 1750 rpm, polish at 1300 rpm and glaze at 1000 rpm. Therefore, having a buffer that does not go below 1500 rpm is useless "to me".



There were two models of the Makita 9207, one of them I own. I own the 9207 SPB which is only a two speed polisher but very heavy duty! I also own the Makita 9227 and the Dewalt DW849, all of which are great machines!



Tim
 
To all who participated in this thread- many thanks!



I have been looking for a comparison like this for a while.



I was looking at the Flex tools on Porter-cable.com,



They mention that FLEX makes the polishing tool used on production lines in European auto makers.



I have some steps to be repointed and I noticed that FLEX makes a grinder/polisher I thought perhaps I could use one tool to do both jobs.



I was thinking about the Porter Cable L3406VRG 12 amp 2,100-6,400 rpm with noise reduction.....until I read the post about needing speeds under 1000rpm.



So I sorta threw the dual purpose Polisher/ grinder out the window. Some guy at Pro tool of Waltham said buy the Dewalt and pick up a Bosch grinder.



Other Porter-cable/Flex tools

L1501vr 275-920 rpm 9" polisher- they say its good in the PDF on Porter-cable.com



The Porter-cable Lk603vb 10 amp 1000-3000 rpm Used in German auto production lines



I haven't picked up a Dewalt for a couple of years. I compared drills a while back and felt the Dewalt was clunky (I have average size hands) and underpowered for its size. I ended up buying a Panasonic drill- which was great for its purpose (Sheetrock + household + buffing out wax from snowboard bases) but service was a nightmare.



The tools that never failed me no matter how many times I loaned them out to people who were likely to break tools were my Porter cable corded drill and Circular saw and Porter cable router.



My Bosch drill- big and expensive cordless ....burnt out within weeks of snowbard polishing use. My Bosch plunge router also did not stand up.



My Dewalt drills circa 1990 all died years ago and were not worth fixing as they had been replaced by better models.



So why do I post this? I don't see anyone pushing the Porter cable rotaries or the Flex ones. Which...I think might be a red flag since it seems "everyone" has the PC 7424 and loves it. I plan on buying one as well unless I can find a great tool that is both a excellent rotary and excellent DA (I heard there is one but have not heard the review).



The things I am looking for in a product are:



1. Durability - I hope to never need to service it for at least 10 years.

2. Ease of control- I want to control the rotary not have it control me. Great Ergonomics are helpful. Weight is not a huge issue if the product is easier to handle than others. I believe a well designed larger rotary might even be easier to control than a poorly designed smaller rotary.

3. Speeds- preferably limiters on top rpm.

4. QUIET- I don't want a huge headache after using the product. (Panasonic and Bosch were the quietest drills for instance taht I found years ago)



I know the process means much more than the tool- but I don't like fighting the tool. Having a great tool makes you more efficient. Owning a Wustoff Grand Prix 9' chef's knife made me far more efficient in the kitchen- and resulted in zero injuries as compared to lesser products.



I can only assume having a great rotary will only help to reduce accidents.



So far as price...I really could care less. I do believe that in tools you much more often than not get what you pay for...



And on a positive note.....I won't be paying any money for this one- it is being bought for me in exchange for other work I am doing.



A short list of favorite products I have been fortunate enough to own.



Bryston 4b Amplifiers (20 year retroactive warranty)

Wadia 860 CD player (makes CD's sound real)

Infinity RS1b reference standard speakers (The only Infinities that did not sound colored)

Entec Sw-1 subwoofers

1 Black 1994 E500 Mercedes (totaled- t-boned, by 21 yr old in his moms M3 :( it had only 23,500 miles....sniff)

1 Silver 1994 E500 Mercedes with E500 limited EVOII rims 60K

Almar Eagle pocket Knife

Zero Halliburton z-roller carry on

MC4000M McIntosh 1000 watt Amp + MC440M 400 watt amp

Nakamichi TP1200 Special Shop (not distrib. in USA) remote car preamp.

Madd 158 alpine carving snowbard

PVD skateboard trucks



and to add to this list....



I would like to add Autopia (though I can't own it) the posts you have put into this forum from everyone....even the heavy handed guys....are invaluable to me and have started me on a new hobby of tweaking.



Many thanks...



and if youa re still reading.....



which Rotary should I buy?
 
ERASE- Welcome to Autopia. Like you, I like buying the best *if* there is an appreciable difference, be that difference aesthetic, ergonomic, or functional. And like you, the price differences in rotaries were not of concern to me.



I went with the Makita based on it's good ergonomics (less likely that I'll make a mistake with it, and I've used heavier units enough to appreciate the difference), the wide speed range (below 1K for use with 1Z polishes), and the way they've held up for pros I know who use them every day. The frequently voice criticism that the speed dial is in 1-2-3 etc. rather than the actual speed is BS, IMO; it takes about two uses to get comfortable with the dial and then it's all automatic/memorized/habit.



For a DA, check out the Cyclo. I have both the PC and the Cyclo (two of each) and the Cyclo is, IMHO, incomparably better, despite its fixed speed and more limited pad range.
 
BradE said:
The reason the Makita is 4lbs lighter is because they use plastic parts in their motors, DeWalt does not. Neither does Milwaukee for that matter.



I don't think it's a "claim" that the DeWalt's are built better. There is a reason more pro detailing shops use DW849's than any other polisher built today.
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I sell makita, dewalt, porter cable, milwaukee etc. I have been to some of there factories will give you a little insight. Dewalt, Delta, Porter Cable are all one company owned by Black & Decker. Dewalt invest more money into marketing than product development (NASCAR ETC). Makita spends more in product development and mfg there own tools where Dewalt is manufacturing there tools mostly in China and Mexico. Makita is a Japaneese company there tools are made in Japan, the U.S., and other countries. A good example is the Lithium cordless tool market. Dewalt was our top selling cordless tools untill Makita Lithium came out three years ago. A complete turnaround, now Dewalts ansawer to this technolgy is called NANO and doesn't even compare to makita. I am not a die hard fan of any one tool line, Dewalt makes some tools that are the best of that particular line. Let me tell you something about PLASTIC parts, they all use them, Dewalt probaly more than most. I own a Makita rotary, a Porter Cable orbital and a Festool. I believe the dewalt has a little more torque than the makita which in the right hands is great. I used both the dewalt and the makita before making a purchase and felt more comfortable with the makita. I believe half of the decision in a product is the consumer feeling comfortable with the product and the other half reviews. Price should not be much of a concern unless it is to cheap, you are working on vehicle that costs thousands of dollars. I see a lot of different trends in the tool business and different areas are dominent markets for different manufactures. Here are is some more info for everyone, Milwaukke, Rigid, Ryobi, are all Manufactured by TTI a company owned by THE HOME DEPOT. Rigid sold the rights to their name to Depot for making powertools only. (MARKETING) Rigid is not owned by Depot and still makes handtools mostly for plumbing. In this case I don't believe that Dewalt is built any better than Makita or Milwaukee etc, but may be more dominent in your area. Here is some advise for anyone who is worried about making the wrong purchase. Most of these companys offer a 30 day NO QUESTION MONEY BACK RETURN, Makita, Dewalt, Porter Cable, Hitachi offer this policy, ask about it before you make your purchase.
 
1 vote for the Makita. They feel great, perform great, and last. Thats it. Dewalts tools have fallen in quality. I know a few body shops that have been running the 9227 for many years and swear by them. If all else were equal I would take the Makita for the handle alone. Side handles are for grinders IMO. I use all Makita power tools for my restoration work and I love them.

Grant
 
jamrin said:
I realize I am new, I didn't realize the date, but does it really matter?
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Welcome to Autopia!!! Technically does it matter, No. However for people that are on here often, it is just a little confusing, thats all.



Also note that we get hit by a lot of spammers, so when your first post is in a four year old thread, and your first sentence in your post is that you sell something, the members here get a little cautious. Just thought that I would be honest with you.



I have not idea of what intentions you have, I am just telling you about the high integrity of this forum community.



Good info though.
 
Thanks for the info, I understand now, to clear the air I sell power tools to building contractors etc. Not online and would not want to soliciate any business here. Detailing is my passion and my second job. Thank you again I see where your coming from.
 
jamrin said:
Thanks for the info, I understand now, to clear the air I sell power tools to building contractors etc. Not online and would not want to soliciate any business here. Detailing is my passion and my second job. Thank you again I see where your coming from.
Click to expand...



No problem!! Again welcome, and we are glad to have you. Each of us needs to try to keep the community as pure and honest as possible.
 
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