Orbital Buffer Suggestions

We recently moved in to a house and now I can hand wash my truck, etc but I really want to give an orbital buffer a try and see if it makes a big difference or not. Any experiences pro (what brand) and con of using em would be awesome. Thanks!

 

PC 7424 is a good starter, they’re not expensive. I still have mine, they’re built like a tank and I still use it with a small pad for tight/small spots even though I now use my Flex 95% of the time. It’s good for a beginner in that it’ll train you in the right way to use an orbital…slow, steady, and level. If you do it right it’ll reward you as you’ll be surprised what it is capable of for a basic machine, it just takes a bit of time.

If you do it wrong on the other hand, it’ll waste your time in that it won’t really do a whole lot. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as it is largely harmless to your paint if you use it improperly, it’ll just stall and vibrate. However it’ll teach you the correct techniques and pressure to eventually use a better longer throw, forced orbital and not have take your truck to the body shop later if you screw up.

 

I went with a TORQx from Chemical Guys. Mid-grade from a price standpoint and I’m happy with it.

 

Porter Cable 7424, lots of vids on how to use it. Can’t go wrong, I’ve used mine now since 2011. Still going strong.

 

Griots Garage, they have lifetime warranty and they will make good if you've ever got issues.

They have sales on their site from time to time. Pretty sure you can pickup the entry level model at the auto parts stores too.

 

This right here ^^^!!! I have the G8 and G9 zero issues with them .

 

Awesome. That’s for the recommendations! Gonna check these out and get to the buffin soon

 

It is possible to damage your clear coat and paint if you use a buffer in the wrong way. NEVER buff in the sun, depends also on the quality of the wax you use. Maguire's is a good bet.
I have 2 buffers, one a small head unit and the other a large head buffer for flat surfaces like your hood and roof. This comes from a guy that used to be a detailer at a Jaguar Dealership when I was a kid. I don't think I have ever paid to have my vehicles waxed. A good wax job will take your Toyota paint a long way.

 

A buffer from HFT is a good start if you are new to using. Get a variety of heads. I get those on Amazon. You don't need anything too fancy or expensive.

 

What are you wanting a dual action polisher for? Are you wanting it to apply and remove wax or are you looking to learn how to correct paint?

I see some recommended PC 7424 and it’s an ok entry level machine (that is what I started with) but it vibrates like an SOB and is not enjoyable to use. However, it’s going to depend upon what you end goal is for the use of the machine.

 

I happen to have a PC

$139 7424XP , Gray

7424XP, a Griots, a Flex 3401 and a Makita Rotary - so I have all of the bases covered. The Porter-Cable and the Griots are fine starter machines with limited correction ability, but also limited ability to really screw something up. That makes them great for beginners. The Makita is my "animal" machine for really, really serious correction work and I'd never, ever recommend a rotary for a beginner. My Flex is my go-to machine and I love it. Not as powerful as the rotary, but much more powerful (and expensive) than the PC and Griots machines.

Which is the right machine for the OP? I'd recommend starting with a PC or Griots and see how much you like detailing. Then, if you go down the rabbit hole many of us have, move up to a Flex or a Rupes.

 

Any experience with a cordless long throw polisher? I've been eyeing the Milwaukee.

 

Buffer geeks rule the world!

 

Flex has worked best for me.

 

There is a difference between a buffer and a random orbital polisher. It is almost impossible to burn through paint and create swirls with a random orbital polisher unless you really work at it but it can be much easier to do that with a buffer, especially if you have not had much practice. Rupes is a brand that is well spoken of, often by the professional auto detailer. But they are expensive. There are other "long throw" polishers out there that are cheaper, such as Griot's Garage. There are even some long throw polisher knock offs from China on Amazon that might have good reviews for significantly less money. Regardless of what you decide on my advice would be to watch a ton of video's before you start to get a good understanding of the procedure and then try to find a car or truck that someone would not be all that concerned about if you created a few swirls on it or burned through the clear coat or paint here and there. I am not saying that you would damage the paint but you can certainly relax a bit more knowing that if you did it would be ok. Even a short period of time to "practice" and get the hang of it can be valuable. I also suggest heading to detailing sites like detailersdomain.com as well as other reputable detailer web sites. They will list what they use for equipment in many instances. I figure if the professional is using it then it probably works well.

 

The PC7424XP is a good dual action polisher that is affordable and will get the job done. I used to have one about 15 years ago and it was my first dual action polisher and the machine I used on my first paint correction and it did great. Since then I have gone through using various different polishers throughout the years both dual action and rotary. Currently using the Rupes LHR15 Mark III. It’s a great machine if you’re going to use it on more than one vehicle to justify the price. However, it will blow the PC7424XP out of the water in the time it will take to correct the paint on a vehicle. It is also a lot better at correcting vehicles that have a lot of deeper scratches and swirls. I do want to mention though that PC7424XP is a great dual action polisher for someone who is starting off in detailing, I would definitely recommend it, it also won’t break the bank.

 

Griots g9