Polisher Buying Guide?

Gibbo

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Lyons said:
Brilliant. I'm assuming youtube will have guides for a beginner to follow, depending when Pete has his next demo day.
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Youtube has plenty yes, some good, some rubbish, if you've a scrap panel or an 'unloved' car to practice on is a big help as well, takes the pressure off causing damage which is very unlikely with a Das 6 PRO unless you hit the the paint with the backing plate!
 

Modmedia

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Causing harm with a DA is extremely difficult, as said.

So get some big twin halogen lights get the car inside and light it up and get stuck in.

Just follow the instructions of how much product to use and make a few passes with medium pressure over an area, then wipe off and have a look at what difference it makes. Depending on how hard or soft your paint is will depend on how much ‘correction’ you achieve.

The mistakes most new-starters make is that they either:
  • Pass over the area too fast: Take your time and make nice slow even passes. Allowing time for the product to properly break down and do the work.
  • Time Spent: In relation to the above point... not only do they pass the pad over the paintwork too quickly but they also don’t spend enough time on a given area and again this will mean the product hasn’t broken down and this will lead to marring in certain cases and/or no proper correction. Also as a side note don’t plan on doing a car in half a day. It’ll never happen. It’ll take you a few hours of cleaning and removing fallout and stripping old products and properly drying the car before you can even begin to start polishing.
  • Size of Area: Don’t start on the bonnet and divide it in two and try and do a half-bonnet in one sitting. You need to break the bonnet down in to many smaller areas and this will be much more manageable and you can track the correction progress better.
  • Level of Cut: Until you’ve been doing it for a while and you know roughly what level of abrasion you need for what type of paintwork then pick the product with the least level of cutting power first. Check the progress after a few passes and work your way up until you get the desired correction level.
Those are the main ones and you could go and read and watch all the videos of the day but the best thing to do is just get stuck in.
 

euge07

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I would use led lights instead of halogen, Halogen lights get seriously hot within minutes
 

euge07

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my leds on stands are 24watt I think and show defects up really well, and I use a few different torches as well
 

led

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NickR85 said:
You should go to one of the Polished & Waxed days that Marc runs, @Woodcutter held one earlier in the year. It’s a good opportunity to try a lot of different types and makes of machine as well as compounds to see what works for you before spending that amount of cash on one. Also a very informative day.
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Thanks for the Mention Nick and Graeme. Admittedly haven't been using forums much but reading through some advice has been good. DAS6 pro would be a common recommendation. The more expensive machines come into play when using often and for long periods of time. I continue to add to the collection of polishers due to the training days. we have something like 14 different machines to try. Pad and compound choice can be just as important.
 

led

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This may be a bit long winded for some and boring without the pictures to go with it but below is the text from an article I did in relation to Dual Action Polisher Info, It was hoped that it could be a reference to those who are looking to buy machines and give technical info such as lead length and power. Hopefully it can aid a few in here:

Dual Action Polishers - Info



Hi folks, been meaning to do this for a while and hopefully it will help for those looking to dip their toe into their first machine polisher or looking to add to their collection.



Firstly this isn’t so much of a review I am just trying to collate the information that is asked for on a regular basis. I won’t be stating “which is the best” so if that’s what you’re looking for then no point reading on. This article will be filled with information as I have recorded it, some differing from manufacturer’s quotes. The weights are taken on my postal scales at home which include the backing plate and lead weight; noise levels were measured using an app on my phone these are certainly not accurate and I will work on providing more accurate information in the future. They are all measured in the same way as I wanted to show a bit of a comparison.



Dual action polishers have hit an all time high, machines have continued to evolve over the last few years and there’s a huge amount of stockist with a huge range of offerings. So why are people opting for dual action polishers over rotary machines? Quite simply ....risk. Dual action polishers rotate within a rotation keeping heat down and risk low. Most are free spinning and therefore when pressure is applied the rotation slows which makes them pretty fool proof and with machine polishing offering considerably better results than hand...why not own one? I must say this isn’t an exhaustive list, doing training days I have picked up quite a few machines and most people attending are considering budget machines hence why this list is filled with sub £200 machines with a couple of exceptions. As I acquire more I will add to this list (Rupes and Festool machines will be added).



I am adding my opinion on where I think some of the machines fall short or can improve; this is solely my own personal view after repeated use.... My advice before buying any machine is to try to get using one. Most of these groups are pretty big and you should at least ask if anyone local to you has a machine (that you’re thinking of buying) and most decent guys will allow you to have a quick go to see if it suits you. Each machine will require tweaks to your working style so it’s purely down to finding one that best suits you.



So what areas should you be looking at when buying a machine? Well there’s a few: Throw – the amount the pad moves in its oscillation; think of your use, will a large throw be able to correct A pillars and thin bumper parts;

Weight – it becomes a big factor when you are intending to use these for business, weighty machines will make you feel fatigue quite quickly and when you have 10, 20 or 40 hours of polishing ahead you want to be as comfortable as possible. Not as much of an impact on enthusiasts just doing their own car but you still want to be as comfortable as possible;

Ergonomics – how does the machine feel in the hand, weight will be directly linked with this point. In the info below I have included where the speed feed is as this can contribute to comfort.

Torque – does the machine continue to rotate with light pressure? Last thing you want is the machine to feel under powered and stalling at any curve or high point. At the same time you do not want the machine to be overpowered and feel a bit of a beast in your hands.

Reliability: again not a huge factor if you are doing your own car but with if the machine is going to get hours and hours of use every week then reliability is a huge factor especially when it’s your income.

Price – all prices listed are correct at the point of writing and not inclusive of discount codes or offers





Machines:



DAS6 Pro:



http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/…/das-6-pro-dua…/prod_673.html



Weight: 3.050kg

Power: 850w 50Hz

Throw: 8mm

Speeds: 6

Length of lead: 6m

Noise on lowest: 85db

Speed feed: rear

Price: £114.95



Comments: This is the machine most people start with (or if your old like me then the porter cable and a huge transformer tagging along behind). My own personal thoughts are that these are a much better option than lower powered 500w , argos machine for example. These generally have more torque ie they take more pressure and won’t stop rotation just as easy.



Cons – ergonomics. Many will prefer a trigger design. This has an on off switch located on the side and also the speed feed is at the rear of the machine which means you need to remove your hand from the machine to alter each time. New machines caught onto this annoyance and located their speed feeds closer to the natural grip of the unit. Slightly slower in terms of correction than larger throw machines.



Pros - Cheap, cheerful and reliable. I have two of these and they never miss a beat in years of use, fairly quiet and a massive bonus is that you can use smaller backing plates on it ie 75mm for hard to reach areas. With 8mm of a throw you can be fairly accurate with your movements. Good long lead (queue the Benny Hill music).





Flex 3401 VRG



http://www.autobritedirect.co.uk/…/flex-xc-3401-vrg-positiv…



Weight: 3.0 kg

Power: 900w

Throw: 8mm

Speed: 6

Length of lead: 4m

Noise at lowest: 85db

Speed feed: Side

Price: £280



Comments: This is different to all the other dual action machines on the list (bar the vertool), it is direct/ forced drive. With general Dual Action machines they work almost like a clutch system, they rotate freely however when you apply pressure the rotation slows. These run a geared backing plate system giving constant drive even with pressure. Many refer to these as a hybrid machine as it has characteristics of a rotary polisher and the benefits of a DA. This would be one of my most used machines.



Pros: Torque torque torque!!!! I can put my full weight on this and it would still rotate and therefore the machine will not slow on curves or high points. With the additional pressure you have the ability to cut quicker if need be. With the fairly low throw it can still be very accurate. The ergonomic design of this machine is definitely a step up from the DAS6 design. The on/ off is a trigger with a lock button and speed feed located in the natural thumb resting position



Cons: It’s a marmite machine, you will love it or hate it. The machine rotates anticlockwise and that can take some getting used to if you have used other machines before. If you are new to machine polishing then it might not feel odd to you at all. With direct drive the pads has a tendency “walk” the panel, ie if the pad isn’t flat the machine will want to pull away from the user. Also slightly higher risk due to the absence of a ‘clutch’ system and therefore no fail safe for when too much pressure is applied. The other thing to consider here is also the backing plate sizes. Flex decided to be awkward and make odd sizes and to get plates to fit 5 inch backing plates (safely) you need to buy the lake country backing plate system at a cost of around £40. These plates cannot be used on any other machines.



Vertool Direct drive DA:



http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/…/vertool-forc…/prod_1723.html



Weight: 3.11kg

Power: 1200w

Throw 8mm

Speeds: 6

Length of lead:

Noise at lowest: 84db

Speed feed: Side

Price: £189.99



This is really a duplicate of the flex made on a budget. All the above comments for the flex would apply expect the one regarding the backing plate. Vertool had the genus idea to supply 2 backing plates and one that fits a 5 inch pad perfectly.



I have an in depth review of this compared to the flex vrg. If considering this I would suggest taking a read of it. great machine and great price. Searching “Marc Leddy Vertool” should bring up the review.



Liquid Elements T3000v2



https://liquidelementsuk.co.uk/…/liquid-elements-das6-t3000…



Weight: 3.050kg

Power: 900w 50-60 Hz

Throw: 10mm

Speeds: 6

Length of lead: 6m

Noise at lowest: 85db

Speed feed: Top thumb feed

Price: £139.99



Comments: This is the first in the step up of the throw of the machine. This one steps up to 10mm, not a huge increase, still can maintain good accuracy and the extra 2mm doesn’t add a huge amount of vibration. Fairly priced and a great all rounder.



Pros: slightly large throw can add a little speed to the task and still maintain good accuracy. The design of the machine feels good in the hand, the on/ off switch is a trigger feed and the speed feed is on top of the machine and not far off your natural grip of the machine and therefore you can maintain the same stance while increasing and decreasing speeds. Speed dial moves from left to right. Every time I use this machine I am shocked by the torque, there’s a huge amount (for non forced) and again this helps maintain pad momentum. The length of lead is a great benefit here too. I don’t feel this machine vibrates a lot (bar speed one), I am quite a fan and use this often.



Cons: Firstly the distance front the pad surface to the top of the polisher feels like a lot. Me personally I’d like a much lower centre of gravity, I just get a better feel for what the machine is doing. The second criticism for me is the weight, there are lighter machines out there and the casing round the head of the machine is made from metal which feels slightly weightier than others. I can’t help but feel that if it was made from a lighter material it would feel much better. Don’t get me wrong, the weight is all over the head of the machine and therefore can aid cutting and it doesn’t feel exhaustive to use. I can easily use this machine for hours on end. Given the recorded weight you can see it’s not massively heavy but a point worth noting. Again, as with other machines, the start speed does make it feel unbalanced until the speed is increased upwards of 2. Converted plug.



AD DA12:



http://www.autobritedirect.co.uk/…/the-da-12mm-dual-action-…



Weight: 2.695kg

Power: 880w

Throw: 12mm

Speeds: 6

Length of lead: 3m

Noise at lowest: 81db

Speed feed: top feed

Price: £165



Comments: with a 12mm throw and not too heavy this is a decent budget machine and the colour scheme certainly matching Auto Brite’s branding, for me the lead length is a bit of a downfall.



Pros: 12mm throw means you can still be fairly accurate. Pretty comfortable machine. Good design that fits well in the hand. Speed increase is fairly gradual – no real significant jumps.



Cons: slightly increased vibrations due to the increase in throw (not massively). While smaller backing plates can be fitted to these the increase in vibrations means many wont. Lead short compared to others.



AD DA21:



http://www.autobritedirect.co.uk/…/the-da-21mm-dual-action-…



Weight:

Power: 880w

Throw: 21mm

Speeds: 6

Length of lead: 3m

Noise at lowest: 82db

Speed feed: Newer machines - top feed

Price: £165



Comment: As a general comment I would say that a 21mm machine isn’t really useful as “one machine to do all” tool. They are great for large panels ie roofs and bonnets, however due to the increased movement you do start to lose some of the accuracy. You would find it very difficult to polish small areas on bumpers with a 21mm throw. My machine is one of the first released in the UK and the speed control is on the side, new machines all seem to have the top feed. For me the side feed is better as my thumb sits naturally beside it however I can see why it was changed as that would be a more acceptable position for left and right handed users.



Pros: plenty of torque, larger throw speeds up the cutting stage a bit, feels comfortable to use.



Cons: Size of throw leads to less accuracy. Length of lead is short compared to others. More vibration than is smaller throw brother the AD12







Liquid Elements T4000:

available from: https://liquidelementsuk.co.uk/products/t4000-das-21mm



Weight: 2.98kg

Power: 710w 50Hz

Throw: 21mm

Speeds: 6

Length of lead:

Noise at lowest: 80db

Speed Feed: Top

Price: £169.99



Comments: This is liquid Elements offering to the 21mm throw machines, the head grip to this feels quite narrow and fits well in the hand. Quiet enough in mid range speeds.

Pros: Good torque and pretty comfortable in the hand. It has a holder for the Allen key needed to replace the backing plate similar to the rupes, it's a great design.

Cons: Supplied only with a 6 inch backing plate. Converted plug and does vibrate quite a bit in lower speeds, not the quietest when running in higher speeds

Flex XFE 7-15 150:

https://www.cleanandshiny.co.uk/…/flex-xfe-7-15-150-random-…

Weight: 2.7kg

Power: 710w

Throw: 15mm

Speeds: 6

Length of lead: 4m

Noise on lowest: 70db

Speed feed: Thumb side

Price: £309.99

Comments: with a 125mm plate as standard thankfully normal size pads ie 5.5inch can be used with no issues. Those who have experience with the vrg will know flex don’t always stick standard sizes. I have to say with the limited use I have had so far I really really like this machine. I will say when I removed it from the box I thought it was broken, I was not prepared for the sound of the anti vibration bearing (think that’s its name), it sounds as if something is rolling about the casing. A bit of reading reassured me it’s fine but it was certainly worrying initially.

Cons – ergonomics. The dreaded flex cable. Some love these cables but for me they always want to coil up how they are stored. I will adopt a velcro strap to store rather than rapping round the machine, this saves it from kinking as much.

Also the top to the machine could do with an extra half an inch of a grip, if it had the same longer grip as the rupes I would find it near perfect.

It will bog down too, so dont expect the same torque as the vrg.

The backing plate is specific to this machine so there’s no swapping between brands. It has 3 drilled holes and also vents along the side to aid cooling. I believe 6 inch is also available but in the uk these come with 5 and i see no need to alter from that.

Pros –its hard to jump in here with durability as a massive pro on a machine that just released however if flex have stuck to their roots and its anything like any of their other machines then it will be reliable as a wood burning stove. Smoothness and quietness has to be praised!! This is whisper quiet from speeds 1-4, 5 and over u feel the extra grunt but i still could easily talk over the top of it.

Summary: wow! I REALLY LOVE THIS MACHINE! It’s beautifully smooth and comfortable, it feels effortless compared to some cheaper alternatives. The bearing is a bit off putting when opening for the first time but you get used to the noise. The machine runs nice and cool, the vents seem to be at the rear of the machine which seems to draw the air right down to the backing vents. I will update this as i continue to use but at this moment in time i would highly recommend.


Thanks for taking the time to read
 

led

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A video showing the machine being used to give an idea of noise and vibration. Not ideal but give some an idea.
 

MarkM

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I just had a dodo juice das6 pro and pads delivered, came with a bag etc not quite the cheapest out there @£159 but I had Amazon voucher codes to use lol

6376EB6D-5E53-4D53-8709-76C7D7810F87.jpeg


Anyone want to buy my Porter cable lol
 

PDK

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MarkM said:
I just had a dodo juice das6 pro and pads delivered, came with a bag etc not quite the cheapest out there @£159 but I had Amazon voucher codes to use lol

View attachment 178766

Anyone want to buy my Porter cable lol
Click to expand...

How much would you want for the porter cable? Does this include the extension lead and transformer?

Had one years ago and it got damaged in a leaky shed.

I use a Makita rotary but can become tiresome due to the weight. I only do my own cars so a wee PC may do the job due to the paint work being in good shape.
 

MarkM

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PDK said:
How much would you want for the porter cable? Does this include the extension lead and transformer?

Had one years ago and it got damaged in a leaky shed.

I use a Makita rotary but can become tiresome due to the weight. I only do my own cars so a wee PC may do the job due to the paint work being in good shape.
Click to expand...


Make me an offer, not sure what to ask tbh I have the transformer and extension too :grinning:
 

Gareth

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After having read this thread, I now want a DAS6 Pro haha. Anyone aware of any good deals at the moment?
 

davyk31

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euge07

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davyk31 said:
Lookom


Looking at the Screwfix tripod lights they have a set listed on the same page for clearance at £30. Is this more or less the same job or an inferior product.

How stable are they on a tripod, worried that someone or dog could knock the tripod over and it hit the car I am polishing!!!
Click to expand...
Looks the same but Im on my phone. They are fairly sturdy, I've never had any issues with them being knocked over.
 

Steve

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davyk31

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I bought a Das6 Pro in a Black Friday deal last year, the wife gave it to me for Christmas and I'm still looking at in its box in the corner of the lounge. Must get it going soon.

What are the best YouTube videos to watch to get the basics demonstrated on its use.
 
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