buffer / polisher recommendation

[jon and michie]

Hi - Can anyone recommend a decent but not break the bank polisher / buffer ?
Looking for one for when the its the start of the season next year.
Many thanks for any advice
Jon

 

[alb40]

I have a DAS-6 Pro which must be at least 10 years old and has been faultless. They are around £100 from Halfords.

 

[Bobc]

I have a Silverline one. Had it for about 10 years, and always works faultlessly. Wasn't very expensive.

Link to Amazon here

 

[JOHNPEET]

I have a Silverline one. Had it for about 10 years, and always works faultlessly. Wasn't very expensive.

Link to Amazon here

I can also recommend the Silverline one too! I’ve done a serious amount of work with mine and it’s taken it all in its stride.

 

[jon and michie]

Many thanks for all your advice - I will definitely look into these -its a while off doing this job but best to be ahead of the game.
Jon

 

[rafiki_]

I too have a Silverline. Probably 15 years old. However it is very heavy compared with more expensive tools.

 

[fredrussell]

As above, The more you spend the lighter they get!

 

[ashtead]

I guess it depends on scope of job/area but lightness is key - I would go for a battery version ideally as well. I have avery small lightweight version for cockpit but I now have a man to polish hull.

 

[PCUK]

While SIlverline are generally regarded as crap their power tools often keep going for years.

 

[yotter]

I got a silverline from Screwfix for £50, its great, cannot fault it.

 

[Elessar]

I hadn’t seen this request from the OP when I posted on the mobo forum. It includes a link to my recommended polisher.
Linked here for those who don’t go there. Polishing a mob thread

 

[Obi]

Hi Jon,
Depends on what you want. The rotary buffers like the silverline are good for GRP, although I found doing the hull quite tiring and it took it's toll on the machine as well as my arms/hands.

A 'MOP' type such as the Guild Dual action polisher from Argos for about £50-60 is arguably a more robust and capable unit. Although these kinds of MOPs can be damaging in the wrong hands - according to the advice when using them on a car. Concerns being about using the MOP over edges and corners where the MOP can remove the paint if used without care and attention. I've actually used it with no training and no experience to great effect on a car, it is much better than the simple rotary buffers and might work better with GRP as well.

OK..it's Argos not Makita, but I am not a professional polisher and do not need a pro level polisher, so the £50 I paid a few years back was value for money and a better unit than the rotary buffer.

It is a very loud unit, ear defenders are needed.

 

[Elessar]

Hi Jon,
Depends on what you want. The rotary buffers like the silverline are good for GRP, although I found doing the hull quite tiring and it took it's toll on the machine as well as my arms/hands.

A 'MOP' type such as the Guild Dual action polisher from Argos for about £50-60 is arguably a more robust and capable unit. Although these kinds of MOPs can be damaging in the wrong hands - according to the advice when using them on a car. Concerns being about using the MOP over edges and corners where the MOP can remove the paint if used without care and attention. I've actually used it with no training and no experience to great effect on a car, it is much better than the simple rotary buffers and might work better with GRP as well.

OK..it's Argos not Makita, but I am not a professional polisher and do not need a pro level polisher, so the £50 I paid a few years back was value for money and a better unit than the rotary buffer.

It is a very loud unit, ear defenders are needed.

Rotary polishers cuts far more quickly than a dual action polisher.
Gelcoat is many times thicker than paint so can deal with it and boats are much bigger than cars so the speed is necessary.
Dual action polishers are for cars therefore.
With rotary cheap = heavy and that’s what makes it tiring. You get what you pay for.

 

[wonkywinch]

Whatever your polisher I can revommend trying some Koch Chemie polish.

I've tried loads inc 3M boat stuff but this one is like magic with little effort.

Gelcoat Micro Cut & Finish

A whole range of stuff ..

Boat detailing | Koch-Chemie

 

[jon and michie]

I hadn’t seen this request from the OP when I posted on the mobo forum. It includes a link to my recommended polisher.
Linked here for those who don’t go there. Polishing a mob thread

@Elessar - I'd thought I would keep it separate without hijacking @Lola69 's thread
and trying to keep in the correct forum ie practical

 

[Sianna]

RUPES Big Foot LHR15ES Dual Action Machine Polisher

I went for a Rupes polisher, it was more expensive but is light which means you can use it for a long period of time, I can throughly recommend it.

 

[Blueboatman]

Plus 1 for the Silverline.

Sub £50 around 15 years ago

Spend the savings on good pads and polishes?
I would sell mine but it’s not worth it for the postage and faff and @15 year s/h value. This must be true for a lot of older tools!

 

[MikeBz]

Tip: if you’re polishing the topsides of a yacht then tie a length (several metres) of reasonably sturdy shock cord to the polisher, attach the other end to the main halyard. 6mm doubled up works well for me with a relatively heavy polisher. Hoist away on the halyard until the polisher is mid height of the topsides. Now you can wang it around on the shock cord without having to take much weight, and your effort is split between pulling down and lifting up.