Dual Action Polisher

[Marine Reflections]

Interesting thread, thanks. Any thoughts on this DA polisher with forced rotation?

https://www.flex-tools.com/en/products/xc-3401-vrg-2/

Cheers
Mark

It's a good machine Mark, also consider the Rupes 21 as mentioned on this thread also, I do have the VRG also but it rarely sees any use with me.

As me and Disco are throwing around opinions, a DA forced rotation does make sense, I think I've forgotten what it's like to be a rookie.

I guess my fear is it's like learning to drive in an automatic, you'll only have to re-sit the test when you get a manual.

 

[markc]

It's a good machine Mark, also consider the Rupes 21 as mentioned on this thread also, I do have the VRG also but it rarely sees any use with me.

As me and Disco are throwing around opinions, a DA forced rotation does make sense, I think I've forgotten what it's like to be a rookie.

I guess my fear is it's like learning to drive in an automatic, you'll only have to re-sit the test when you get a manual.

Thanks for that. I'm looking for something that is easy to use and will get good results without being an expert. Spending a few hours here and there, cutting & polishing when I feel like it. I'm never going to be a pro, but considering I was quoted a massive figure to cut & polish the whole boat, £300 invested in a machine seems a bit of a no-brainer.

 

[Portofino]

Thanks for that. I'm looking for something that is easy to use and will get good results without being an expert. Spending a few hours here and there, cutting & polishing when I feel like it. I'm never going to be a pro, but considering I was quoted a massive figure to cut & polish the whole boat, £300 invested in a machine seems a bit of a no-brainer.

Mark ,
I have been using just a boggo <£40 Silverline off fleabay .
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fA9ejuCuxsM
The consumable pads / wool mops are cheap as chips and every swindler carries them .
I have two and normally we Normally take about a long day to Dublon 2 pack it .A bloke each side so 2 days for 1 .
If we cut with 3 M compounds add another day .
But I stress as said by Marine reflections above , it’s about the prep , the product , and technique.
There no silver bullet t quick fix .
Of course it’s time consuming to DIY and ideally along with the other annual stuff you need the boat out for about a week .
From memory the Sunseeker was over €2000 for a Hull polish .
Never bothered to get a pro quote for the Itama - about 2x the acreage ?
Previous so called pro jobs lasted about 6/12 .
By lasted ( both blue boats ) I mean the wax droplet effect .
With the Dulon 2 part - it keeps its wax globular effect on blue in the Med longer .

But it takes twice the man hrs to do properly.
So not popular with the pros as they want the quickest product and get out on the next boat

I do rinse the hull sides down too when in my home berth to get the salt off , not just the topsides as a lot of guys just seem to do .
I don,t use any detergent either - cos I don,t want to comprise the wax .
After all why go to trouble of it in threory of building up a protective layer - supposedly UV protective then risk washing it off with a wax dissolving detergent .

I found eventually ( not just with hull polishing ) in the SoF there’s a whole lot of mediocre techs and other boat guys preying on abscent - long range owners .
There are of course some good guys - takes a while to find them .
So you end up doing it yourself generally .
Here a few DIY polishing pics

https://imgur.com/gallery/m1X3t

 

[Marine Reflections]

Nice pics

 

[[165042]]

Written text on this forum makes it easy to be on opposite sides of the fence, when in reality you are on the same side of the fence.

My opinion is very similar to yours, the person and technique is more important than the tiny improvements made to the machines. There is so much more to a job than drilling down to one feature of a rotation.

re-reading your posts rather than skimming them, it's clear to see you have a good understanding.

Thanks - that said I don't make a career out of it. I've refit and polished numerous boats and cars amounting to hundreds of hours over the years but couldn't do it all day every day.

My favourite bit of kit is my Mirka Ceros - great for smaller boats / ribs / radomes etc:

https://www.mirka.com/uk/uk/productview/#/MIM3252011UK/Mirka CEROS 325CV 77mm Vacuum Orbit 2,5 UK

 

[Portofino]

Nice pics

Tnx for the kind words
I was trying to follow on from your inference that there’s a lot more to it than the “machine “.
Focusing on the machine is a bit like looking down the wrong end of a telescope imho .

Ps I have no pics of the not so good - earlier attempts —- as there’s a learning curve .

 

[mcanderson]

Porto,

Which yard do you use?

 

[Portofino]

Arie d Boom @ La Rague
There's chandlers and indoor engine house - you can get stuff @ trade if you have an AC
If you get stuck they give advise the staff and lend tools etc
They kept my out drives running trouble free for 9 Y btw by the book
At belliows they took em off into the shed and stripped them down - measured tolerances and did seals. Etc -replaced bits as n when
3 day job