spec me a polisher thingy...

Dale V

Dale V

Dale V

Soldato
Joined
14 May 2004
Posts
2,621
I've recently upgraded from the Silverline to the DAS6 and I would definitely reccommend the DAS over the Silverline. Much better quality, lower risk of damage to the paint work and lower risk of inflicting holograms.
 
imb4tman said:
I've recently upgraded from the Silverline to the DAS6 and I would definitely reccommend the DAS over the Silverline. Much better quality, lower risk of damage to the paint work and lower risk of inflicting holograms.
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how well does it pull the swirls out compared to a rotary? where did you get yours from

cheers
 
I got mine from cleanyourcar. I've only done one car with it at the mo and that was my mums Punto. It was lightly swirled and I found a combo of 3M Extra Fine with a compounding pad made light work of them, finished with Ultrafina and a finishing pad. I did try Extra Fine with a yellow pad but it would have taken all day. Can't say it took any longer than it would have with a rotary but I probably could have used a polishing pad rather then the compounding pad to do the same job.

The only time I would use a rotary now, would be when the paint is rock hard like an Audi's. Even then I would finish with a dual action.
 
I just can't comprehend how much of a cack handed gorilla you would have to be to cause paint damage with a rotary. I have used my Silverline polisher on numerous different cars and never managed to create damage, even when I've had to cut quite a bit of paint back. I've even cut back relatively fresh aerosol sprayed paint with no problems
 
imb4tman said:
I've recently upgraded from the Silverline to the DAS6 and I would definitely reccommend the DAS over the Silverline. Much better quality, lower risk of damage to the paint work and lower risk of inflicting holograms.
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If you're inflicting holograms with a rotary then frankly you are doing it wrong and need to learn how to use it.
 
I've got a MacAlister DA machine which I have used a lot for sanding but it was bought with the intention of eventually sorting the paint out on the car & bike as its DA. I'm told the thread is the same as that on a PC. Which backplace and pads should I use?

I've polished hell of a lot of my cars and bikes in the past years and I'm now going to get some clay, some other bits and start doing things the "DetailingWorld" way.
 
djbenjo said:
I've got a MacAlister DA machine which I have used a lot for sanding but it was bought with the intention of eventually sorting the paint out on the car & bike as its DA. I'm told the thread is the same as that on a PC. Which backplace and pads should I use?

I've polished hell of a lot of my cars and bikes in the past years and I'm now going to get some clay, some other bits and start doing things the "DetailingWorld" way.
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I have that machine, had no issues with it, even at max speed
 
I got the DA-6 as a Christmas present and used it once but still had swirls. I think I need to spend less time reading about performance mods, and more learning how to remove bloody swirl marks.

I can't complain about the quality of the machine though and it certainly seemed up to the job, even if I wasn't.
 
I bought the Das-6 Pro and Sonus pads package and used it a few weekends ago.

There's an extensive guide on polished bliss, which was posted a few pages back in the clio172/182 thread explaining machine polishing.

A rotary from what I understand is harder to use but can deliver greater results. However as a novice there is a higher possibility of burns/holograms/ and generally ******* up.

With a DA you have to be quite oblivious to cause any real harm. Providing you check the panel for heat often and don't sit with it on the same spot for 20 minutes and apply silly pressure.

Read the guide and get a DA imo.
 
Seems like opinions are split 50-50! Im still undecided what to go for, sick of the swirls on the lexus so ill have to order something soon. . .
 
I've got a DAS-6 with Lake Country polishing pads.

Even for a complete beginner, it was a doddle to use. Arms were aching afterwards, though!
 
I wouldn't go straight into polishing with a rotary as far too much can go wrong, get a DAS-6, have a read and don't under estimate how long it takes to correct the paint.
 
Dogbreath said:
I just can't comprehend how much of a cack handed gorilla you would have to be to cause paint damage with a rotary. I have used my Silverline polisher on numerous different cars and never managed to create damage, even when I've had to cut quite a bit of paint back. I've even cut back relatively fresh aerosol sprayed paint with no problems
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We've had this before, the whole "you'd have to be an idiot to damage your paint with a rotary". A couple of highly regarded detailers have admitted doing it and they are far from ham-fisted amateurs and there is always the point that although you may not have caused obvious, visible damage, unless you have used a paint gauge or you do this for a living, you could have taken the clear so low that the next guy will strike through. There is also a reason the same highly regarded detailers use a DA for certain parts of the car.

Clarkey said:
If you're inflicting holograms with a rotary then frankly you are doing it wrong and need to learn how to use it.
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Fair enough, but the learning curve is longer and steeper with a rotary. Hence why Detailing World is full of people posting their buffer trails after dealer or paintshop prep. That's damage caused by "professionals" who use a rotary everyday, and they don't get it right either.

BennyC said:
A rotary from what I understand is harder to use but can deliver greater results.
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The last time somebody actually measured the gloss in a DA vs Rotary shootout, the DA pipped it. It's why some pros who do the big-money, time-not-an-issue details finish with a PC for the jewelling.

ScarySquirrel said:
DAS-6 Pro seems to be the most highly recommended.
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Yep. Smooth and plenty of grunt. Will never be as quick as rotary, but for the casual user who might do their car once or twice a year, it's perfect.
 
Fett said:
Fair enough, but the learning curve is longer and steeper with a rotary. Hence why Detailing World is full of people posting their buffer trails after dealer or paintshop prep. That's damage caused by "professionals" who use a rotary everyday, and they don't get it right either.
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To be fair, polishing isn't really their game though is it. The reason they come out covered in holograms is because they rush the job. Manky old mop head, G3, quick as possible. Horrible job by our standards and it needs refining with a finishing polish, but it looks better than a scratched up or faded car.
 
Fett said:
We've had this before, the whole "you'd have to be an idiot to damage your paint with a rotary". A couple of highly regarded detailers have admitted doing it and they are far from ham-fisted amateurs and there is always the point that although you may not have caused obvious, visible damage, unless you have used a paint gauge or you do this for a living, you could have taken the clear so low that the next guy will strike through.
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If you have to take the clear coat that low to take out scratches etc. then using a DA isn't going to magically help - it will simply take longer to get the job done.

Re. "highly regarded detailers" - I don't hold them in very high regard if they managed to damage someone's paint with a rotary polisher.
 
Clarkey said:
To be fair, polishing isn't really their game though is it. The reason they come out covered in holograms is because they rush the job. Manky old mop head, G3, quick as possible. Horrible job by our standards and it needs refining with a finishing polish, but it looks better than a scratched up or faded car.
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Yep, but the point remains that these people use a rotary on a regular basis and still don't get it right.

Maybe I am looking at this too simply, but it's a choice that boils down to choosing between two machines that do the same thing. One is quick to learn and arguably safer to use for a novice compared to the one that will do the job in possibly half the time with more or less the same results.

But do the job in half the time, you have to have a decent amount of experience and be willing to invest some time learning about how to use it. For somebody to ask "DA or rotary" on this board is probably more likely to be a casual user who wants to do his car for the summer, maybe a mates later on...not somebody who is about to embark on a detailing career where time is money.

If he decides he wants to take it further, sell the DA and get a rotary. It's a good way in, easy to learn and less frustrating to achieve a decent result. If you are doing a few cars once or twice a year, the extra time the DA takes is easily offset by the fact you can get stuck in without worry and all you've lost is a Sunday to get the same result as you would with a rotary (if you've already lost a few Sundays learning how to use it).

The rotary is a great tool. As is the DA. The real question is, how much of a man are you?
 
Dogbreath said:
If you have to take the clear coat that low to take out scratches etc. then using a DA isn't going to magically help - it will simply take longer to get the job done.
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That's sort of my point. We both assume somebody is going to teach them about clearcoat depth, or they'll spend at least few hours reading about the basics and what to do. Somebody who is asking here instead of DW might not be so inclined and is looking for a quick job on a Saturday to get his car as shiny as something he saw on DW, maybe figure that a wool pad will sort out that marred bonnet and not count themselves as a cack-handed gorilla (who does?)

Dogbreath said:
Re. "highly regarded detailers" - I don't hold them in very high regard if they managed to damage someone's paint with a rotary polisher.
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It happens to the best. That's why they have insurance.
 
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