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View Full Version : Testing 6" Orbital on Black MM



Jeronimojc
05-20-2014, 10:02 PM
I've been wanting to buy a Porter Cable polisher for the longest time and never pulled the trigger. Now I have a Silver Birch and the truth is that car is so much easier to keep looking clean. On top of that, I know I'll never get the same results from doing a good polishing job on a SB than I would on a black car. So polishing hasn't been a priority.

Nevertheless, I came across a coupon for a 6" Harbor Freight polisher for $55!! Before you trash me for even considering something other than Porter Cable check some of these comments out: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/questions-about-porter-cable-7424xp-7424-7336-griot-s-meguiar-s-dual-action-polishers/55905-harbor-freight-da-polisher-new-62.html It seems people were really trashing the product until they got to use it and now some like what they get for the price. Like I said, I don't need much since I am dealing with an easy color.

So I happen to have a wrecked black MM in my garage and I decided it was a good way to test the polisher and learn how to use it. Not having had prior experience with it, it was very cool to see how with such little effort the paint can look so much better. I wish I had known this years ago.

Since I have a car to play with, I think I'll get some different pads to really learn to use this thing so I don't mess up my SB, not that anyone would be able to tell.

Thoughts on the HF polisher or learning to use a polisher? By the way, polisher is item #69924

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/21/2usy7aba.jpg

boatmangc
05-21-2014, 03:23 AM
Sounds like a deal, but buy a smaller (5") backing plate and get some good pads.

J-MAN
05-21-2014, 04:32 AM
Sounds like a deal, but buy a smaller (5") backing plate and get some good pads.

Yup, that's the way to go.

Accumulator
05-21-2014, 10:42 AM
And consider using MF Cutting Disks if you're using a nondiminishing-abrasive compound, they finish a bit better than aggressive foam and more importantly are very easy to clean out on the fly (I use compressed air).

Otherwise, I'd stick with orange "light-cut" pads or the burgundy foam cutting pads from Meguiar's. I would *NOT* recommend "yellow cutting pads" as they leave a crappy finish behind (bad enough that it's a PIA to fix with most finishing combos) and don't really correct much better than the MF or orange.