Machine Polisher/Buffer...Best Bang-for-Buck

Iggle Piggle · 09-07-2017, 02:14 PM

Short version...should I get a Rockwell, a DAS6 or a Mr Miyagi (Rupes knock-off) if I have no plans beyond a one-off "try to 'fix' faded paint" job?

Long version...not looking to drop big money as I have no intention of detailing professionally or even regularly as a hobby or getting OCD...simply hoping to bring back (if possible) faded paint on bonnet and roof of my old car that has been neglected last 2 years while in my sister's "care".

Read many ****-fights on detailer forums...ruled out the expensive models used by the pros (like Rupes etc) and narrowed it down to either a DAS6 kit from Car Care Products, or cheap-and-nasty Rockwell from Supercheap (loud but less than half the cost of the DAS6)...but when looking around for different pads and compounds I came across a Rupes knockoff at a DAS6 price...the Mr Miyagi.

Does the longer throw of a Rupes (and Miyagi) make much difference? Good difference by reducing time required to do the job, bad difference in terms of less versatility?

I'm an absolute womble so only interested in dual action or random orbital, as I would be sure to stuff **** up with a rotary.

Thoughts?

Rockwell: http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Pro...00-Watt/344537

DAS6: https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/p...om_orbital_kit

Mr Miyagi: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/APEX-MR-M...-/322481802242

Or just pay a detailer and be done with it?

**GO FURTHER** · 09-07-2017, 02:57 PM

I have the DAS6 and it is perfect for doing a two stage paint correction on your own car.

Before that, I bought the Supercheap Rockwell one at half the price of the DAS6, and promptly returned it the next day... Very noisy, vibrates in your hand making the task unenjoyable and not as powerful as the DAS6.... In life, there are no "free lunches" as they say... You get what you pay for.

If you are not doing it professionally, and only using it on your own car the DAS6 will do the job nicely.

There is also the DAS6 Pro which offers a bit better performance... But not really needed IMO for a hobbyist.

Let's face it... It's not a tool that you will be using often on your own car... In fact, you might only use it once every one or two years to remove those inevitable swirl marks after the initial two stage correction, no matter how careful you are, even with a two bucket wash method!

You can't use it more often, because you only have so much clear coat, and you don't want to wear that layer down too much.

Mr Brooksy · 09-07-2017, 03:15 PM

I'm no Pro by any stretch of the imagination. But I bought myself a pretty decent orbital and it does a great job. I used to have the cheap and nasty Supercheap thing and it was hard work getting a semi decent finish on an already decent looking car.

I'm not, but if I were in your shoes, that Mr Miagi looks like a decent buy. Have you read any reviews? I'd be doing that ASAP before you make a decision. Ask Google, he's your friend, just ignore the obvious fanboys.

My suggestion would be, buy something that makes life easier and does a good job, and something that you can use year on year off. Why pay someone a few hundred $$ when you can buy a decent polishing system that you can use whenever you wish on multiple cars over many many years for a similar price? Especially when as you kinda said, you just want to bring back the paint, not turn it into a show stopper? Sure you could spend quite a few hundred dollars on a pro polish from one of the site sponsors, which would be great. But you'll need to do it again at least a few years later, thanks to our lovely climate. Spend the dollars on a decent polisher, then spend the dollars on good quality liquids and add a skill to your quiver.

And you get the added benefit of saying to people, "yep, I brought that paint back from the brink". Everyone loves a good ego stroking.

Itsme · 09-07-2017, 05:55 PM

Pay to get your car cut & polished, won't be that dear on price which might save you some tears if you do it yourself & burn the paint if you not careful.

Cheers.

SumoDog68 · 09-07-2017, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iggle Piggle

Short version...should I get a Rockwell, a DAS6 or a Mr Miyagi (Rupes knock-off) if I have no plans beyond a one-off "try to 'fix' faded paint" job?

Long version...not looking to drop big money as I have no intention of detailing professionally or even regularly as a hobby or getting OCD...simply hoping to bring back (if possible) faded paint on bonnet and roof of my old car that has been neglected last 2 years while in my sister's "care".

Read many ****-fights on detailer forums...ruled out the expensive models used by the pros (like Rupes etc) and narrowed it down to either a DAS6 kit from Car Care Products, or cheap-and-nasty Rockwell from Supercheap (loud but less than half the cost of the DAS6)...but when looking around for different pads and compounds I came across a Rupes knockoff at a DAS6 price...the Mr Miyagi.

Does the longer throw of a Rupes (and Miyagi) make much difference? Good difference by reducing time required to do the job, bad difference in terms of less versatility?

I'm an absolute womble so only interested in dual action or random orbital, as I would be sure to stuff **** up with a rotary.

Thoughts?

Rockwell: http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Pro...00-Watt/344537

DAS6: https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/p...om_orbital_kit

Mr Miyagi: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/APEX-MR-M...-/322481802242

Or just pay a detailer and be done with it?

I use DAS6 and it is a good unit. It is probably overkill for someone like me who polishes cars once a year but you do sense of achievement and develop your own skills as a result . Similar to mechanical work that i do on my cars - difference is that anyone who gets paid tp work on your car won't care as much as you do. Care factor and having time to do things properly has to be weighted against cost and skill of someone who does that type of work every day.

**russellw** · 10-07-2017, 06:08 AM

I'd go (in fact I did) the DAS6. Not too sure about the E-Bay Rupes knock off given that the real thing is in the same price class as the Festool at about 3 times the cost of the DAS6.

There's an article in the Tech portal that you might find helpful.

Cheers
Russ

Cheers
Russ

FG50T · 10-07-2017, 01:45 PM

I use a Shine Mate Ex-605
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...order-may-30th

I bought simply because I wanted to go out and buy something that day and that's what I ended up with. It's a smaller body, shorter handle and is actually quite useful for pretty much anything. I used to borrow a friends Das6 for my cars and I really see no negatives towards either. I've only used mine on 8 cars to do full two-day paint corrections. Definitely worth the money much more than paying a detailer...Very simple to learn and cheaper with the same or better products.

lucas2 · 10-07-2017, 05:25 PM

I have the DAS6 (Mint branded unit from Car Care Products) and have no complaints.

Big_Damo · 10-07-2017, 05:32 PM

Go the Das6 I bought the pro with 5inch and 3 inch backing plates lots of Ebay pads it does become very addictive after a while. polish the bike the boat, caravan cars etc.
definitely worth having around for just a few hundred dollars

**Mechan1k** · 10-07-2017, 09:07 PM

There was a DAS6Pro kit with the 2 different sized backing plates on sale recently with pads and polish for not much more than the machine itself. Looks like a good buy to get the full kit in one go.

It'd be the option I was would choose.

Iggle Piggle · 11-07-2017, 10:48 AM

Thanks all, looks like DAS6 kit is the go.

The compounds and pads that come in the CCP kit - does that give me the basics for a half decent job? I tried looking into all that too but got lost in a world of conflicting information about foam versus wool versus denim versus etc, and specific compounds/polishes for dark cars versus light cars versus soft-paint versus hard-paint versus sticky-paint...

Car in question is a Tungsten (Gold) WH Caprice. I've had it 12 years and kept it in decent condition, but it spent the last 2 years in my sister's "care" (I upgraded but couldn't let it go - possibly sentimentality, but more probably because they are worth $18 if they have $20 of fuel in them). She put it through a Happy Wash before she returned it the other day - think that might have been its second wash in two years, and other than bonnet and roof being duller than side panels and boot, it also seems to have bird crap etched on bonnet. Probably doesn't make economic sense to try to bring the paint back on a car that is worthless, but I hate seeing it in that condition and will hang on to it for a few more years yet.

Guess I could justify getting a DAS if I then go on to use it on my WM Caprice (black) and wife's i45 (gunmetal grey)...but then would I need different pads/compounds/polishes?

Also, thanks for not burying this in Car Care or Paint/Panel sub-forms

NTF6 · 11-07-2017, 12:53 PM

I have the DAS6 and it does a great job, don't be worried about burning through the clear coat as as it is virtually impossible with a random orbit/dual action polisher, even with aggressive compounds. I use Menzerna polishes in various grits with great results but it isn't a 5 minute process. Be prepared to spend a day or two to complete a car. I also use and can recommend the Lake Country brand of pads, they're well made, hold up well and wash out easy.

Big_Damo · 11-07-2017, 05:23 PM

I second that with the Das6 I have a 14 year old Mazda that has been outside most of its life before I took ownership
Spend a couple of hours per panel starting with the roof working down.
Watch some You Tube videos on technique. I find the Junkman videos to be good for learning plus he is entertaining to watch.
After refining your skills on the old girl you will then want to attack your new pride and joy.
A word of warning though. After you see the difference you can make to an old paint job you will be looking at every newer car around and noticing how crap they look
Good luck with it and post pictures of the before and after
Cheers
Damo

**Mechan1k** · 11-07-2017, 06:55 PM

Junkman videos are awesome for the beginner ... i learnt a lot through them.

You don't have to use compounds that come with it if you don't have to. I have found one of the better ones in the Meguiar's Ultimate Compound ... it actually cuts quite well, without marring and usually no need for a further polish ... cutting down steps. Its easily available over the counter if needed as well. It actually cuts well using by hand in the harder to get to spots that a machine won't get to either.

But for a quality job ... it's about the pre-prep with getting rid of contamination prior. The newer clay towels out there make it a lot easier than using a clay bar as well.

lucas2 · 12-07-2017, 12:03 PM

The stuff that comes with the package is fine. I bought extra pads as you don't know what combo will work until you try it. Technique and patience is probably what makes the most difference + surface prep too.

FG50T · 12-07-2017, 01:02 PM

Takes a bit to learn what pads to use with what paint but there's no real danger of causing significant paint damage. When I got mine I'd mix and experiment with heavy and light pads and various strength cutting compounds and polishes on different panels just to gauge what sort of different results I could see to try and gain some knowledge

ozpacman · 12-07-2017, 07:24 PM

I know this doesn't answer the OP's question, but just as an aside, I have a RUPES sander/polisher and an orbital sander that I bought circa 1977/78. Hate to think how much work they have done and both continue to give great service. Unbelievable quality tools!

**Mechan1k** · 12-07-2017, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozpacman

I know this doesn't answer the OP's question, but just as an aside, I have a RUPES sander/polisher and an orbital sander that I bought circa 1977/78. Hate to think how much work they have done and both continue to give great service. Unbelievable quality tools!

RUPES are quality items .... they don't make them like they used to though. I'd say you still have many good years of use out of them.