Which polisher should I get?

[Mike Phillips]

FINALLY.... I was the emailer in the OP above.

Long story short I've had a TON of issues getting logged in... thus the email.

I'm fairly tech savvvy .... certainly enough to handle forums but some kinda glitch was on my account. Even resetting my password didn't work. I was emailed new passwords and instantly they wouldn't work.....

Sorry to hear about your difficulty getting on the forum? Not sure what it could be?

I am glad you were persistent and finally are on. I can't count how many times I share an e-mail from someone on the forum, then answer their questions and then send them the link to my answers but NEVER hear back from them either via e-mail or on the forum.

My guess is whatever their car wax emergency was or is - it's NOT important enough to do as you did and that is to join the forum and interact with me and the rest of our community so in the BIG PICTURE - most of these people are simply time-wasters. Their okay with wasting my time but not their own. Sayonara baby...

ANYHOW..... I use my orbital polisher on my own stuff. I've never gotten into what I call real buffing for customers because I'm scared of the liability. My good friend and traveling salesmen/ auto paint consultant ( He owned his own body shop for years) called me one morning and asked me if I had time to let him demo "a game changer in paint correction " the Makita PO 5000C.

He said it had random orbit in both gear driven and forced rotation settings. So I did. He used it and the Presta PACE Paint Finishing System. The pads were far more dense and solid than any pads I'd ever felt or worked with before and it only took 2 chocolate chip size drops of product to work a 3' by 3' area. I fell in love with it.

I really want to offer buffing to up my income potential.

I apologize I just now found your reply to this thread I created for you. I see you now have 13 posts to this form. I'll check them out and make sure if I can help I do help.

But all these terms about random orbital polishers..... I don't know what the mean.

Just like any interest, craft or hobby on planet earth, detailing has it's own language.

That's one thing this forum is very good at and that is providing accurate and helpful information. We don't allow jerks on this forum so you don't ever had do deal with ego-driven experts. Just high caliber people.


And "yes" the Makita PO5000C gear-driven orbital polisher is a unique tool. As I write this, we currently offer three gear-driven orbital polishers from RUPES, Makita and FLEX and all three offer swirl free polishing, lots of power and the key thing most people want - NO PAD STALLING.


Here's my review for the Makita

Review: Makita PO5000C Orbital Polisher - Gear-driven and Free Spinning - Mike Phillips



Here's my review for the RUPES

Review: RUPES BIGFOOT MILLE LK 900E by Mike Phillips



Here's my review for the FLEX 3401 - actually I don't think I've ever written a "review" for the FLEX 3401 just how-to articles and a book...

How to use the Flex 3401 for Show Car Detailing

How to use a one-step cleaner/wax to maximize profits

Video: How to do a Test Spot using the Flex 3401

How To Use The Flex 3401

DVD - How To Use the Flex 3401 & PE14 Rotary Buffer

[RSW]

If it was me, I'd go with the Rupes Mille. It will get some work done and is safe enough. It also spins the same direction as a rotary, so, if you decide you want to go that direction you'll have some familiarity with the way a rotary feels and works.

I say this in spite of the fact that I own two Makita PO5000C machines. The Makita is faster, but it is counter productive in terms of learning to run the rotary - which I think everyone who details professionally should be able to do.

RSW