Polisher recommendations please

Big_Col

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I need to buy a polisher, have seen some at £300+ and would rather not spend that much but do want something that will take some of the hardwork out of cutting/polishing a 47' boat. Any recommendations please?
thanks
Colin
 

Elessar

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I need to buy a polisher, have seen some at £300+ and would rather not spend that much but do want something that will take some of the hardwork out of cutting/polishing a 47' boat. Any recommendations please?
thanks
Colin
I have a rupes. It wasn’t cheap. But it’s half the weight of cheap ones and has torque from low revs.
Worth every penny. Pays for itself in one polish.
 

Elessar

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I have a rupes one but they are rotary and make a mess so bought £45 Argos one which is a DA and a lot easier to handle
Yes a rotary one needs learning. But have you ever seen a pro with anything other than a rotary? Dual action is fine if you have a small boat or are retired. But it’s too slow for me.
 

mrangry

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Yes a rotary one needs learning. But have you ever seen a pro with anything other than a rotary? Dual action is fine if you have a small boat or are retired. But it’s too slow for me.

I have been refinishing cars for many years using the rotary, the point i was making was the mess they make and the newer da polishers are generally more compact and adjustable speed just like the rotary but without the mess. I see many boat detailers in marinas now using the da polishers.
 

Travelling Westerly

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3 kg. Cheap ones are 4kg.
Rupes 2.2kg. Makes all the difference.
No it doesn't. Less than a kilo difference and the extra money for the rupes does not make it worth it in my view for a machine, possibly, used once a year. Proper work horse and before you start on about size of boat it is used on a 40 ft plus boat. Yes it's heavier and the rupes is lighter but take your time take plenty of breaks which you should probably do anyway, it's not a race after all. Get the right finish not just run around it. The biggest thing I find that helps has nothing to do with weight of the machine anyway, it's what your working platform is set up like. Get a decent stable set of tressles and scaff boards. I made up a scaffold platform on wheels at my perfect height. That's what will make the job easier not less than 1 kg.
I have a rupes for the car and yes I agree nice bit of kit but I use that quite often and it's not treated like the Dewalt down the boatyard. That's my view anyway.
 

Elessar

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No it doesn't. Less than a kilo difference and the extra money for the rupes does not make it worth it in my view for a machine, possibly, used once a year. Proper work horse and before you start on about size of boat it is used on a 40 ft plus boat. Yes it's heavier and the rupes is lighter but take your time take plenty of breaks which you should probably do anyway, it's not a race after all. Get the right finish not just run around it. The biggest thing I find that helps has nothing to do with weight of the machine anyway, it's what your working platform is set up like. Get a decent stable set of tressles and scaff boards. I made up a scaffold platform on wheels at my perfect height. That's what will make the job easier not less than 1 kg.
I have a rupes for the car and yes I agree nice bit of kit but I use that quite often and it's not treated like the Dewalt down the boatyard. That's my view anyway.
You’re bigger and stronger than me then. Good for you.
To me it makes a huge difference and was the USP.
 

Travelling Westerly

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You’re bigger and stronger than me then. Good for you.
To me it makes a huge difference and was the USP.
Yup good for me indeed.
To the OP, I would concentrate on getting a good platform set up. This will make the biggest difference and if its the right height for you then you can go all day. The extra weight won't cause a problem and the money you saved can buy you a few pints and some. That's my advice and it works for me but if you are frail and weak and can't handle 3kg then perhaps just pay for someone to do it for you.
 

Elessar

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Yup good for me indeed.
To the OP, I would concentrate on getting a good platform set up. This will make the biggest difference and if its the right height for you then you can go all day. The extra weight won't cause a problem and the money you saved can buy you a few pints and some. That's my advice and it works for me but if you are frail and weak and can't handle 3kg then perhaps just pay for someone to do it for you.
The platform only helps for the topsides of course which is about 1/3 of the boat.
 
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