Thinking of buying a cheap rotary, questions..

**tuscarora dave** · 02-14-2010, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by LincolnZephyr2006

Do not buy a cheap rotary. Just save and buy quality, trust me. I am a machine polisher enthusiast and I have seen first hand how cheap rotaries are like. You CANNOT apply pressure to them and have to use ONLY the edge of the pad to get correction done. They are not worth it... and you will be inducing more damage on your paint by doing this.

This to me sounds like good sound advice.

**O.C.Detailing** · 02-14-2010, 10:20 PM

Yeah, the lot I do work for has a DeWalt...there's NO WAY I could swing that thing around every day.

**ASPHALT ROCKET** · 02-14-2010, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by O.C.Detailing

Yeah, the lot I do work for has a DeWalt...there's NO WAY I could swing that thing around every day.

Why not, I have been using the same two I have for over 25 years.

To the op, I would suggest just getting a quality rotary and not wasting your money on a cheapie. I have read that the Chicago rotary breaks most of the time after a car or two.

**O.C.Detailing** · 02-14-2010, 10:30 PM

lol I suggest you do what you need to do in order to be comfortable. Get the Chicago Tools buffer if you're on the fence like I was, but if you're sure you're going to use a rotary fairly often, then get a Makita. In the big scheme of things, $30 is a hell of a lot less money than $200 just to see if you're going to use one on a regular basis. If you do decide to use one regularly, then buy yourself a high quality rotary. If not, you have yourself a cheap rotary to spin your pads dry instead of a $200 pad spinning machine. I'd rather spend $30 to see if I even want something then spend the big money later than spend $200 on something I"m not even sure I need, but that's just me.

Good luck with your decision no matter which way you decide. You can't really go wrong with either decision.

**WRAPT C5Z06** · 02-14-2010, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by O.C.Detailing

lol I suggest you do what you need to do in order to be comfortable. Get the Chicago Tools buffer if you're on the fence like I was, but if you're sure you're going to use a rotary fairly often, then get a Makita. In the big scheme of things, $30 is a hell of a lot less money than $200 just to see if you're going to use one on a regular basis. If you do decide to use one regularly, then buy yourself a high quality rotary. If not, you have yourself a cheap rotary to spin your pads dry instead of a $200 pad spinning machine. I'd rather spend $30 to see if I even want something then spend the big money later than spend $200 on something I"m not even sure I need, but that's just me.

Good luck with your decision no matter which way you decide. You can't really go wrong with either decision.

100% agree.

**DARK HORSE** · 02-14-2010, 10:48 PM

I have bought a couple of Chicago power tools and they SUCKED, JUNK. Took me twice to learn my lesson, but I will NEVER buy one again...

**tuscarora dave** · 02-14-2010, 10:58 PM

I vote add an extra $39 and get a vector from PepBoys, The one I had was just as powerfull as my Makita and has a nice soft start like the makita but is just a bit noisier. For $79 you won't be wasting any money because someone would surely give you $40 or so for it down the road if you choose to go with a more expensive unit. Just a suggestion

**O.C.Detailing** · 02-14-2010, 11:06 PM

I will admit that I've tried to buy 2 of the 10-amp digital polishers from Chicago Power Tools and both were totally fail out of the box and had to be returned the day after I bought them, but the el-cheapo $30 rotary has lasted me over a year so far, even though it's really only been used to dry pads most of the time.

I'd give a cheap tool company 2 chances to impress me. After that, it's not worth the effort. I totally agree that Chicago power tools is NO WHERE NEAR the same machine as a Makita, but I stick to my guns on my previous post. You could try a slightly better rotary like tuscarora stated as well. Either way, it's about the same.

**WRAPT C5Z06** · 02-14-2010, 11:33 PM

Look at the bottom of post #1. Seems to have worked very well. If I use this rotary once, twice at the most, and I like a rotary, I will then buy a Makita. This would be for very short use, and even if I didn't like a rotary, I can use it to spin dry my pads.

detailed the vette for the 1st time...pics and questions

Mike Phillips · 02-15-2010, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by 07 z-oh-6

and even if I didn't like a rotary, I can use it to spin dry my pads.

Been recommending this for years for guys that like use a PC but want a better way to clean their pads.

The fastest way to clean pads on the fly is with a rotary buffer, so while like others have mentioned, I've bought a few cheapie tools in my life only to get what I paid for and then go out and actually buy the real deal.

But for what you want, that is to take a rotary buffer for a test drive and see if you like using one and then keeping it around for a pad cleaner regardless of whether you like it or not.

Just be sure to get a Pad Wash to go with it!

Cleaning Pads with the Flex 3401 and the Grit Guard Universal Pad Washer