Polisher

[Tom.B]

I need to buy a polisher. I see the cheap ones at Harbor Freight. Are they any good? We have a lot of polishing to do as PO never touched the job. Should I just spring for a Makita instead? I can get 5 or 6 of the cheap-o's for a Makita price.

Tom-

 

[JD]

GonzoF1 wrote:

I need to buy a polisher. I see the cheap ones at Harbor Freight. Are they any good? We have a lot of polishing to do as PO never touched the job. Should I just spring for a Makita instead? I can get 5 or 6 of the cheap-o's for a Makita price.

Tom-

It will probably only take 3-4 of the cheap ones compared to the Bosch or Makita.* But then you have trips back and forth to Lowes*of*which you can stop and buy beer.*

So the cheap one might be the best deal .* NOT!**

 

[Anode]

Cheap sanders don't last for long. Buy the Makita or Bosch. I have the Makita polisher. Bosch is my best sander.

 

[Phil Fill]

After dropping thousand of dollars of stuff in the water I buy cheap.* The amount of polishing you are going to do on your boat the cheap polisher will out last the paint/gel. **I have a cheap Harbor Freight that has lasted for 10+ years.

 

[Anode]

"I have a cheap Harbor Freight that has lasted for 10+ years."
I love to go to Harbor Freight but I can burn up one of the their sanders in a week. I use them daily. They'll last forever in the box.

 

[Tom.B]

Perhaps you need some Gorilla Snot on you hands or some good gripping gloves?

I think I am going to "invest" in a Makita.

 

[koliver]

As with most tools, you get exactly what you pay for. side by side, the cheapo and the makita are easy to tell apart. One looks like it will fail if pushed, and it will. The other won't.

 

[Tom.B]

The Porter-Cable is a 6" and the Makita is a 7" any reason that the 6" P-C (that is a little cheaper but not cheap) has a severe, or notable, disadvantage?

 

[rwidman]

I have a cheap Harbor Freight polisher. So far I have done about 1/4 of the boat, maybe less. It's heavy and has a relatively short cord.

For a boat owner, it will probably do. For someone making a living polishing boats, it's probably not a good tool.

The point about dropping them in the water is well taken, though.*

 

[Jim F]

The guy who's been waxing our boat here in Baltimore was going through a few HF ones every year (heavy commercial use). He switched to a Hitachi and it's lasting much longer. We bought this Porter Cable unit and it is great for polishing,,,both boat and cars.

http://properboatcare.com/

Jim
@Home

 

[Tom.B]

The P-C polisher seems to be a nice compromise cost between cheap ones and Makita brand. I think I'm going that route. I have a P-C air compressor that has never let me down in many years. That has to say something good.

 

[RT Firefly]

Hiya,
** Keep in mind country of origin.* I think PC has always been made in USA and offshore brands although maybe made in USA send their profits "back home"....just sayin'

 

[Moondance]

I have a Milwaukee. It works great and will last a lifetime, but man is it heavy.

 

[C lectric]

Meguire offers a small buffer designed as a buffer A friend just bought one. Looks like a nice unit, ~5" wheel, sturdy so should last but not a large piece like the old 7" 25 lb. buffer I have. The Meguire unit was I think designed for pro car detailers.

-- Edited by C lectric on Thursday 23rd of September 2010 12:01:16 AM