What brand and options do I want for a relative good but inexpensive buffer for finishing on my new paint job? TIA

 

How much is inexpensive, can't go wrong with a variable speed Makita or Dewalt

 

http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/S...htm?E+coastest

Use 6 in foam pads. For new paint just use the softest. (white? I think)The others are for deeper polishing which you wont need on newer paint.

 

 

Dewalt

 

I bought a Craftsman last fall. Very happy with it.

 

Dewalt, variable speed buffer. Make sure its a buffer and not anything else converted to a buffer.

If you havent ever used a buffer to wetsand and buff new paint dont do it. It would be well worth your money to not buy a $300 buffer and pay someone the $300 to wetsand and buff your car who has the experience.

 

I have the variable speed Makita and have been very happy. It has been worth the extra bucks. Harbor Freight had one on sale the other day when I was shopping around, can't say if it is any good, but might be OK for an occasional user, just buy some good pads. I like the 3M foam pads.

 

I hear ya Brother. Me and power tools don't necessarily get along.

 

I agree, if you haven't wet sanded and buffed a car before, and don't feel comfortable doing it, you might want to pay a shop to do it. You should have at least 3 coats of clear on it. One concern is buffng through the clearcoat, but truthfully, for guys that have buffed out a few cars, you almost have to be neglegant to do so. But for a beginner, it's almost a certainty to burn through at least one area.

As far as the buffers go, I've used a few:

Wen: This is a hobbiest's buffer. They're low priced. I used one for years and buffed out a lot of cars/trucks with one. I bought another one and still have it. They're 2-speed. Main drawback is it doesn't have a standard 5/8" arbor so you're stuck with their pad.

Harbor Freight buffer for $29. It's made well, steel gears. A great deal for occasional buffing projects, but the variable speed is on the thumb-dial, not the trigger and that's kind of a hassle for good speed control in critical areas. But drfinitely not a deal breaker.

Makita: Some in the autobody field say it's the best buffer out there. One feature it has is the electronic speed control. This means you can keep it at a certain speed and no matter how much pressure you put on the pad, it'll maintain that speed. I haven't really used mine that much since I bought it, so I can't give a full review. Just from the little I have used it, it seems like the speed control might actually be a hassle because it kinda jerks the pad from start-up. The Harbor freight unit is basically a clone of this buffer. I've thought it might be cool to get a Makita variable speed trigger and put it in a Harbor Freight buffer.

Dewalt: I haven't used this buffer, but considered it closely before buying the Makita. It's got all the Makita has except the speed control. After using the Makita, I'm thinking it would be more intuitive to use the Dewalt over the Makita.

Milwaukee: Their buffer is built like a tank. My brother has this buffer. It'll last a lifetime and more. On the other hand, it's bulky and heavy. Some guys like that, a lot prefer a lighter buffer. It's personal preference.

 

Made up your mind to not do it?

You can easily damage the finish. You can easily cut through the clear on a flat surface and super fast on an edge or a urethane bumper.

That being said; if you still want to wet sand and buff.
- buy a buffer with substantial weight. ie: Makita or Milwaukee
- make certain it is variable speed 1300-1400 RPM best for most applications
- wool pads are best left to the professionals (easily burn finish)
- 3M foam pads available in different textures to complete each phase
- 3M cutting, buffing and polishing compounds will serve you well

Suggest you get professional guidance and test your skill on a daily driver, before you attempt this on the corvette.

If you price out the supplies to properly complete this job you could easily spend more money than what a body shop would charge you to do the job for you.

 

Good advice, Danny. However, I disagree on two things:

1) I don't think it's nearly as easy to buff through clearcoat as people generally say. Of all the cars/trucks I've wetsanded and buffed over the years (many) I think I only buffed through a couple corners on the first vehicle I buffed on. Those were partly gross neglect on my part, and ultimately edges are typically easy to repair. Guys with a good head should be able to do it. It really takes gross neglect to buff through flat areas ...and corner when you get the hang of it. That being said, C3's would are more difficult to buff out than other modern vehicles ...with all the razor-sharp shark edges. I always put an extra coat of clear on the edges of a body line at the end of a paint job.

2) Having used a Milwaukee buffer, I wouldn't recommend them over a Dewalt of Makita. They weight several lbs more. It's nice when doing a hood or trunk but gets old fast when buffing vertical surfaces. Plus they are taller and hard to get into areas like around mirrors. The Makita is not just a little lighter, it's a LOT lighter. I guess it's just personal preference.

 

Buffer why would you paint the car then buff it ? Seems like every car I have seen someone buff in the light at dark you can see circles . What ever happen to wax? Wax on Wax off No swirls in the paint do the trunk or something and then look at night say under a street light.What is the clear coat for if your gonna just buff it thinner.I must be missing something I guess I need Edjamkated.

 

Hey Lon, glad to hear from Circleville. I used to live just south of you in Ironton but now are up north near Findlay. Anyways, buffing allows one to eliminate orange peel and other inperfections in the clear.

 

Obviously there are different responses and opinions mainly because buffing paint is an art and everyone has their own way of doing this work based on how they learned and the tools they have. All the differnent techniques and equipment get the job done, but some work better than others.

Buffing paint is not difficult to learn but you do need practice. If you want to do this yourself, buy the equipment and practice on the daily drivers as mentioned and you'll quickly learn how to handle the machine. Every body shape has challenges with edges and trim, Vette's really are no different.

To do a show quality job you need 2 machines, a rotary to start with and a orbital for finishing and eliminating fine scratches and swirl marks to get the "wet" look. The cost of both machines, pads and chemicals should come in the same or slightly less than if you hired it done. The benefit of doing it yourself is you get to keep the tools.

The Makita is my choice for the rotary type. The variable speed is controlled by the trigger and you simply set the maximum speed you want to achieve at full trigger. You'll seldom use the max speed. One nice feature is it starts at a very slow rpm and builds up to your trigger setting slowly, this helps prevent spraying compound all over the place therefore limiting waste. Mark G stated that "it seems like the speed control might actually be a hassle because it kinda jerks the pad from start-up"
but it's really not an issue once you get used to it and you set a limit on the maximum rpm setting.

You don't want a heavy machine because you will get fatigue from using a pro type machine. You control the pad pressure as you work the surface, not the weight of the machine, so weight is a disadvantage. You will be going around the car with the buffer 2 or 3 times with different grade polishes before switching to the orbital, so unless your arms and back are conditioned, you will tire very quickly and that's when mistakes are likely to occur.

Everyone has different ideas on pads and I'm old school using wool pads for the rotary. They cut faster, build gloss quicker, and last longer. The 3M pads shown will last many years of occasional use just by washing them after every job. The foam pads are ideal for the orbital machine and Porter Cable is one of the best for fine polishing and waxing, but it won't polish after wet sanding unless you are very patient.
These 2 machines and pads will assure you of a very nice job once you learn the technique.

the wool pad screws onto the buffer with an adapter also sold by 3M.

 

Thank you, you just proved my point.

You burnt through the first couple that you buffed!

 

This is what I bought, and who I bought it from. See the picture below if you have any doubts!

 

I ran across this on the net, pricey but probably the best at preventing swirl marks.
http://www.cyclotoolmakers.com/

 

Dewalt Buffmaster

 

I have a McCulloch, about $60 at my local auto paint store...seems to work fine with variable speed feature.