Best buffer

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Every springtime as I work that Makita buffer over my shoulders I find myself in contemplation that this tool that so works my upper body is almost the same weight as the M1 Garand that so many GIs carried from Normandy to Berlin, Anzio to Rome. I think about that and it gives me a new perspective on the 16 hours of buffer discomfort, and remind myself not to complain. At least I’m not getting shot at.
 
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Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Gunni, when I was in boot camp in the Navy, we drilled for hours with M1s (non functional) on a concrete "grinder" marching & doing 16 count manual arms routines in 90 something degree temperatures. Whenever we messed up, which was often, the drill instructors would make us hold those M1s over our heads so long that my arms would start getting numb; then he would tell you to extend them out in front of you horizontally with both arms extended to "rest!" That Makita definitely makes me take some ibuprofen after finishing a days work, but it wasn't as bad as holding that M1 over my head for what seemed like an eternity!
 
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pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
Every springtime as I work that Makita buffer over my shoulders I find myself in contemplation that this tool that so works my upper body is almost the same weight as the M1 Garand that so many GIs carried from Normandy to Berlin, Anzio to Rome. I think about that and it gives me a new perspective on the 16 hours of buffer discomfort, and remind myself not to complain. At least I’m not getting shot at.
Gunni, when I was in boot camp in the Navy, we drilled for hours with M1s (non functional) on a concrete "grinder" marching & doing 16 count manual arms routines in 90 something degree temperatures. Whenever we messed up, which was often, the drill instructors would make us hold those M1s over our heads so long that my arms would start getting numb; then he would tell you to extend them out in front of you horizontally with both arms extended to "rest!" That Makita definitely makes me take some ibuprofen after finishing a days work, but it wasn't as bad as holding that M1 over my head for what seemed like an eternity!
I too remember lots of marching with decommissioned M1s.
2018-04-30 09.56.49.jpg

That is me in the middle.
 
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Likes: Gunni
Feb 10, 2004
3,919
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
Question: The Makita is called a 7" Buffer/Polisher. I use the 3M 5701 9" double-sided pads. Will the 9" pad on the Makita work OK or would it be too much of a load?
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Question: The Makita is called a 7" Buffer/Polisher. I use the 3M 5701 9" double-sided pads. Will the 9" pad on the Makita work OK or would it be too much of a load?
Every wool pad I own, 30+ pads, is a 9" and my 18+/- year old 9227C has done thousands of lineal feet of hull without so much as a hiccup.
 
Sep 30, 2013
3,538
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
Realize, you don't have to buy them new. Both of my buffers were purchased used. The big Makita (9207SPC) from a pawn shop for $40, and the little one Makita (GV5000) from a yard sale for $5. It is great for tight spots where the larger one cant get to. I picked up another of the small ones at a pawn shop later for $10 so that I didn't have to keep switching pads out for the small areas I was using it for.

The new pads cost more than the tools lol.

View attachment 149453

Like many of us, I think, I've been very curious about a smaller buffer for all those tight spots. That looks like it might be just what I've been looking for!
 
Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
Check out Cyclo. Awesome machine. They have brush attachments that I use all the time. Used it yesterday to clean my dinghy. I recommend a circular buffer like a Makita for buffing but a random orbital for refurb work is a no brainer.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
50A5858C-07AD-468E-86D0-3F123EFB3CDB.jpeg
Briefly going thru the comments a few suggestions

1. Never go above 1000 rpm
2. Go back and forth never holding it in
one place for too long
3. Keep your pads clean
4. I used a cleaner wax after compounding
Followed by a second application of
Pure wax(uvb resistant of course)

Above photo is that of a Hunter 260 hull recently done by me
 
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