Palmer Buffer?

[kfowler8]

After wet sanding your clear and you're ready to buff, anyone ever use those rotating palm buffers you can get at Home Depot or Harbor Freight?

Something like this:

HF Palm Polisher

I've got the sponge buffer you attach to your drill. I don't particularly like it and it seems the palm buffer would be easier to use.

Thoughts?

 

[DRF]

At first I thought you meant for wet sanding which I've seen them used for, to which I was going to say -and it applies to any RO sander- a speed control is nice.

I used to use-and sometimes still do- foam cutting pads on a polisher or drill but I switched to buffing wheels mounted on a drill (I like the maneuverability), these pads are very soft (not for polishing metal) and I have various sizes, from like 9in round-2in thick to 2in round-1in thick. Also have cone shaped and cylinder shaped for cutaways. I like them very much.

 

[j.six]

Until I can afford the pedestal buffer, I use foam pads on a corded drill so that it'll spin fast enough to buff effectively. IMO, a little hand buffer will not spin fast enough to buff out a new finish. Sure, it'll work okay if you need to get some swirls out of a factory finish that's already been buffed out, but I wouldn't use one for the initial buffing.

Sully

 

[EagleOnyx]

I used one of those orbital sander buffer things and it didn't work very well at all. The foam drill pads that stew mac sells work great though.

 

[H.E.L.Shane]

Ummmmm yeah... that thing is for "polishing" you finish.. like as in putting wax on and shining it up..

it will NOT buff a finish.. it WILL however, make a horid mess out of polished finish if you try and use rubbing compound on it.

I'm currently in the Sully camp.... Saving for a stand mounted buffing maching..

Currently.. I use this: but wiht the 3m system of compounds and pads

and this for hard to reach and smaller areas

if you've got a compressor.. the pistol might be the way to go.... lots better than the foam pad on a drill


dont get me wrong.. the variable speed dewalt polisher is whoop ass.. but.. its also all put a two person job.. one to hold the guitar and get compount slung all over them.. the other to run the buffer. (you can lash the guitar down with a tie down strap.. but.. its more fun to sling compound on the apprentice .....and a bit quicker

 

[kfowler8]

Ummmmm yeah... that thing is for "polishing" you finish.. like as in putting wax on and shining it up..

it will NOT buff a finish.. it WILL however, make a horid mess out of polished finish if you try and use rubbing compound on it.

I'm currently in the Sully camp.... Saving for a stand mounted buffing maching..

Currently.. I use this: but wiht the 3m system of compounds and pads

and this for hard to reach and smaller areas

if you've got a compressor.. the pistol might be the way to go.... lots better than the foam pad on a drill


dont get me wrong.. the variable speed dewalt polisher is whoop ass.. but.. its also all put a two person job.. one to hold the guitar and get compount slung all over them.. the other to run the buffer. (you can lash the guitar down with a tie down strap.. but.. its more fun to sling compound on the apprentice .....and a bit quicker

You guys have convinced me not to try it. Thanks.

What I have been doing is taking my DeWalt drill and mounting it on my bench vice. I then clamp the trigger to on. Works fairly well I guess but I have to be careful about bumping up against hard objects.

 

[EagleOnyx]

I got the stewmac buffer from a local guy for $300,(previous gen, I overpaid slightly but the guy was cool so I bought it anyway) because I hated buffing with a drill. It included all the buffs and 3 grits for that price. I'm sure its great, I'm going to use it next week.

You can get the shop fox buffer and a motor from grizzly for $250 or so. Its probably the same housing that stewmac used to sell. Probably the entire setup for less than $400