Which electric polisher?

[cmedsailor]

I am looking to buy an electric polisher (or sander...whatever is called) for polishing the hull. Usually I do this "manually" with a piece of cloth but it's time to move on!!
Anything particular to look for or to avoid?
Thanks

 

[sarabande]

you need a variable speed polisher which is not too heavy. I bought a Metabo P12 which runs down to 600 rpm. Slow speed is needed so that you don't 'burn' the part being burnished. Higher speed used when polishing with lambswool bonnet.


http://www.transtools.co.uk/store/p...rs/metabo-pe12-175-angle-sander-polisher.html

 

[cmedsailor]

I have just remembered that I have at home a Bosch orbital sander. I have used it for wood many times but never thought of using it for the hull using some polishing pad. Problem is, its speed is not variable. Should I try using it or that will be a disaster?

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

a Metabo costs £204!!!!!

......... a Metabo P12 which runs down to 600 rpm.....

At £204 it should do the job!!!!!!!!! Halfords have excellent polishers in the £20 to£30 range

 

[pete]

This is what I have used for the last few years not to expensive and with a 3 year guarantee IIRC.

http://www.hor-i-zon.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=3542

Pete

 

[sarabande]

Cmed - give it a go in an area which is not very visible. I suspect it may be OK, as what causes the burning is rotation speed and pressure. An orbital, with a buffing pad does not have much 'pad speed'.

One typical orbital sander has two orbit sizes (3mm and 6mm dia) and 8000 orbits/min. That means one point using the 3mm orbit on the pad travels just over 75 metres /min.

The Metabo has a pad diameter of 175mm, so at 700 rpm a point on the edge of the pad travels just over 150metres/min.

Interesting: the orbital at 3mm orbits may not be doing enough to burnish properly.


Give it a go and tell us what happens please!

 

[Bosun Higgs]

I am looking to buy an electric polisher (or sander...whatever is called) for polishing the hull. Usually I do this "manually" with a piece of cloth but it's time to move on!!
Anything particular to look for or to avoid?
Thanks

Yes. Avoid like the plague the sort of toy polishers sold by some of the chandlers. Instead buy yourself the sort of professional polisher the car trade use. You can get a cheap one from machine mart. such as http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cp180-1300w-sander-polisher-230v/brand/clarke

or alternatively you can buy one of the cheapos second hand from me. hardly used! principally becuase its useless.

 

[mike489]

Silverline Polisher

Agree with "Pete" above the Silverline polisher is very good, very very similar to the polisher used by the Farecla demonstrator at Southampton boat show and the very one used by a professional GRP man I talked to recently.

I have used ine for 2 years now and have been very pleased. Don't buy one of those awful things from the Car shop, you can buy mine if you want one - used once and never again.