Opinions on this polisher, and a couple of questions.

I

iHEARTmyCAR

New member
hey guys,

(first and foremost, i didnt know where to post this but i think this is the right forum, if not, please move it to the correct forum, thank you!)

well it seems like i wanna begin to use an electrical polisher, i've use this before on some car and it was okay. i really didn't know anything about it or what model number it was untill i looked at it today and got the model number off it. My dad purchased this polisher:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...s-20/103-3366933-0300608?dev-t=D2Y5TUCCVJ7DGE

a couple of years ago (it's $200 now, i wonder how much my dad spent on it a couple of years ago? :eek ) It's a Milwaukee 5455 7" polisher, 1 speed only (1750rpm according to amazon) and it has a velcro for the pads to stick to. My dad also bought a couple of pads for it, 1 is a "WOOL" polishing pad, another is a "3M FOAM" pad, and the other one was on that had the word either "CUT" or "GRIP" pad? :wha i will clean up all the pads before using them (will laundary detergent work fine/safely?) or should i take another route into cleaning them?

also i see the "Porter Cable Tutorials" sticky up top, can i apply those techniques to the polisher i have? if not where can i find some tutorials for it?

THANKS a lot guys!!! :dcrules
 
I think you can still view the meguiars video clips at Bettercarcare.com
That would be atleast a starting point for you to learn the BASICS of the Rotary. The rest IMHO is from experience.
 
thanks for the heads up about the meguiar's video. but i can't seem to find it on bettercarcare.com. it would be great if you could post a direct link to it for me, if you can't post it here, a PM would be nice.

thank you!

anyone else with opinions on the polisher? thanks!
 
Is that a "rotary" or "Dual Action" polisher?

If it is a "rotary", I would be very careful with it as I have read MANY horror stories of the "damage" they can do in "untrained" hands.

I'm sure many more will post with much clearer and more "detailed" :lol advice, but mine is: Do a LOT of research and learning before trying it!!
 
john: thanks for the link but when im there and click on one of the 12 link that's suppose to go to a video im guessing. i get nothing :(

norahcrv: im guessing its a rotary, because it has only 1 polisher, check out the link i provided. i've actually used it a couples of times before on some fenders results were okay because i was in experienced, that's why i hope to learn more from here :)

thanks!! keep the help coming!
 
Strange the links and videos work for me.
I would try and be very careful when using it, 1750 RPM's is do able but it might be a little tricky to get the finish/results you want with only that speed.
I would only use it for compounding. then remove the hazing with a D/A polisher, but that is just me.
 
well my bad guys, i got it to work!! i just needed to DL the realplayer plugin :brick *doh*

the video helped me some but was confused with something.
watch this video:
http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=31&page=13

he applied it with a foam applicator (no problems yet..) than i notice how he applies it on the car in a "circular" motion (that's the problem) i thought it was always suppose to be applied according to the flow of the wind on the car (on hood it would be applied vertically wiping from the top of the hood than down towards the front) is apply it in lil circular motions like he demonstrated safe? i thought this induces swirl marks? this is also the same way he takes the product back off (with a MF towel but in a sometimes circular motion) again i thought this induces swirling?

thanks! and any other tutorial on how to use a rotary would be appreciated.
 
If your applicator is clean and the surface is clean, there should be no problem (if the applicator is non-scratching). I apply my wax in a circular motion, I think I get better coverage faster than straight lines. I have not introduced swirls from doing this. When washing a vehicle I do straight lines because of all the grit and nasty-ness you are removing. Drying I also do straight lines...I think more out of paranoia(sp?) than anything else really.
 
So you are just gonna pick up a rotary, with no other polisher experience, and start using it on your car's paint??? Man, you are brave...... I would sugest a LOT of research and practice (preferably on something OTHER than your car's paint). Maybe get you a panel from the junkyard and practice on it. You can really mess your paint up with a machine, especially by just picking one up and using it while not knowing how the machine works. Just a word of caution.
 
:yeah

VERY DANGEROUS! and single speed to boot!

I think you really should reconsider using that machine. In the hands of an experienced operator - mutiple years experience - it might bee a good tool for some jobs. It is NOT a general purpose polisher and you would be well advised to consider pruchasing a PC and using it for a year or so before considering ANY rotarty. Then only consider a variable speed one.

Get a junker panel as suggested and practice using that one, don't try to just polish, but abuse the panel with too much pressure, too aggressive a polish, wool pad versus foam, ... That way you will learn how far you can push the tool, pads and polish before causing damage.
 
iHEARTmyCAR,

I own a Milwaukee 5540 polisher. I love this unit, but I would not buy the 5455.
The 5455 is an on/off at 1750 rpm. That is a lot of speed with no adjustment.
The 5460 is 0-1750 rpm. It is variable speed with a dial and also on the trigger.
The 5540 is 0-2800 rpm. It is variable speed with a dial and also on the trigger.

I own both a PC and a rotary. I bought the PC first, and I absoultly love this unit. It is light, and really user friendly. Big bonus you can't screw up paint (well you could if you put sand paper on it). Even though I own a rotary I still love this unit. Simply stated I think the PC compliments the rotary. There are too many places I can get with the PC that I can't with the rotary. I still do all my wax applications with the PC.

The rotary IMO is not that scary. Everyone said the same thing when I was looking at the rotary. You can screw up paint with them, a lot easier then you can with a PC. If you are going to wail on the rotary with a heavy cutting compound you are going to do damage. If your going to sit in one spot with the rotary, you are going to do damage. If you want to remove compound, or polishes quickly and easily you can do that with a rotary. You will most likely do it in a fraction of the time you could do it with a PC.

If you get a rotary, I would get a practice hood and start there. Move the rotary back and forth, slowly and see if you can screw up the paint. You probably won't, but you do need to watch the edges. I don't think the paint is very thick there or the clear coat. This is where you can more easily remove the paint. With the practice hood TRY and screw up the paint in one area. That way you will have a fill of what it took and what it is like.

I would not buy the one speed fits all, thats just about like one pair of underware fits all. Neither one is good. Towards speed you need to make that decision on your own. I have personally run some glazing compounds at around 2200 rpms with my rotary and gotten amazing results. Now that I own a digital camera I will be able to post some of those results (just as soon as I figure out how it works).

Something else to think about is noise. A rotary at least Milwaukee is much noiser than a PC. If you plan on using a Milwaukee you better plan on weight training. They are heavy. IMO I think Milwaukee is still one of the better built tools on the market. I do know that other people on DC like Makita and DeWalt. Those may be options also.

On the subject of cleaning pads:
Wool-My wool pads are for heavy cutting. I only have two of those pads, and I only use two products on those pads. I have a cleaning spur just for the wool pads. I don't wash those pads. I do however spur them fairly often.

Foam-I have a ton of foam pads. During use I have a foam pad cleaning brush that I use. After I'm done I clean them up with soap and water. Do a search on pad cleaning, there are a ton of good ideas out there.
 
thanks to everyone for their replies!! :dcrules

i see most have not read my ALL of my thread hehe. i HAVE used a rotary buffer (i've mentioned this in my earlier post in this thread) and that i ALREADY OWN that rotary hehe. i've gotten DECENT results, the finish = stunningly nice, but my car is black = little swirl marks still. i've learned all my detailing from my dad. the swirling i can probably attribute it to my inproper using of pads. before DC i didnt know one was for "cutting" "polishing" and what not. i'm currently looking into some LC pads, but i'll have to see.

and yes a BIG thanks to 0I812 for your reply! :beer
 
I failed the test where it said read all the directions before beginning. :hah So exactly what was your question about. I must have gotten some of it. I thought that your dad had that rotary, and you were looking to buy the same one. If you own that rotary sell it to the next newbie (just kidding) and get the good one. Anyway did you find the what you were looking for?
 
HondaMan said:
5 words: Porter Cable or nothing else.
Click to expand...
WRONG! I use a dual headed 4" Cyclo Orbital Polisher. German made, won't mess up the paint and very durable. I plan on getting a PC also but the cyclo works awesome. It's a little pricey, but a great tool. :brick :rockin
 
I just got my Cyclo in the mail. It's ugly enough to look like it was made in Germany. :rolling But yes, Bill is right, it's made in Colorado. I just sent in the warranty card today.

Charles
 
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