Thanks Maine Sail, RE: Polisher

[Florida sail]

Maine Sail,

Thanks for recommending the Makita polisher (model 9277C). After many years of using my old Montgomery Ward two speed, with questioable results, I can say that I have arrived. I would recommend this polisher to anyone. Thanks again...

>>ron<<
S/V Serenity

 

[Cpt. Jon]

It's such a bummer that it costs so much, I really need to get one and this one is pretty pricey so I am just holding off for right now until I can afford this one I think...

 

[Maine Sail]

It's such a bummer that it costs so much, I really need to get one and this one is pretty pricey so I am just holding off for right now until I can afford this one I think...

Jon,

You might try this one. It looks to be a Chinese made Harbor Freight knock off of the Makita. While it most likely won't last as long it's only $39.99 or about a weekends worth of food & drink on the boat.. Worth a try? Maybe.

I have not used one and we are still waiting for a report from a guy here who bought one..

Harbor Freight Buffer (LINK)

Ron,

Glad you like the Makita mine has been through some serious use and abuse yet still keeps plugging along..

 

[Hermit Scott]

I can report on that one. It's sitting in my shop. I had to replace it twice before I finished the bottom job and my attemp at polishing the topsides. The first replacement, it just died. The second replacement was when I loaned it to a yard friend and he got too close to the jack stand and it literally broke it in half.
I got it for $25 though.
Actually I bought the one with the digital speed control first. That's the one that died. After you use it for a while the thumb adjustment is more convienent than the digital adjustment. It did have a slow start on the digital, I don't think the other had slow start. I learned how not to sling compound off the pad after a while, you can start out slow then roll the thumb adjustment up.
Alll in all it is definitely a turd for quality, but seems to be powerful enough to polish well.
I do not believe it has a constant speed under load, again you have to be able to work the thumb speed adjustment to get up to speed under load.

 

[Hermit Scott]

All my other power tools are makita, dewalt or ridgid. I cheaped out on this because I was spending so much on the boat at that time. With all my power tools I know I can walk out there and fire any one of them up and count on it working and taking some abuse. With that polisher/sander I never really am sure if it is going to work the next time I plug it in.
I have to update that return schedule. I returned the digital when it broke and got the manuall speed control. I returned that one 2 times. One for being broken in half and once for the speed control going out.

 

[Maine Sail]

All my other power tools are makita, dewalt or ridgid. I cheaped out on this because I was spending so much on the boat at that time. With all my power tools I know I can walk out there and fire any one of them up and count on it working and taking some abuse. With that polisher/sander I never really am sure if it is going to work the next time I plug it in.
I have to update that return schedule. I returned the digital when it broke and got the manuall speed control. I returned that one 2 times. One for being broken in half and once for the speed control going out.

Sounds like even at $39.99 it's still over priced.. That saying "you get what you pay for" is often true..

 

[Cpt. Jon]

Yeah, most of my powertools are dewalt, rigid, bosch, etc... I believe in the right tool for the job and you get what you pay for, I was just hoping to do the topside soon and we'll see as we get through the month if we will get it sooner or later... We will definately want the Makita one for when we haul in the off season I want the hull to sparkle I was hoping to pay around $100 which is about 1/2 price of the Makita one I think. I'm just gonna wait for now I think, budgets been tight lately

 

[Seattle Scott]

Harbor Freight Buffer (LINK)
is a complete waste of time, while it is light, it bounces around and the variable speed is ALWAYS vaiable, won't hold constant.

 

[Jim Seamans]

After using the 9277C

I can't hold my arms up after an all day of polishing and waxing. And I use scaffolding around the boat so I'm not reaching over my head.

Love it though - it does do the job...

 

[Roy10289]

Re: After using the 9277C

I purchased the Makita polisher this year following Main Sail's suggestions. I know it is a bit pricy,but you get what you pay for. I was able to do a professional job on my hull that would have cost 10 times the price I paid for the polisher. Also,now I have it to use year after year.

 

[agaliha]

What pads do you use on the 9277c?

 

[Roy10289]

I used the 3M pads that Main sail listed in his article about polishing a fiberglass hull.

 

[Tim R.]

I am partial to the Presta pads myself although I have used the 3m pads and they work fine. The Prestas are two sided so you can get more polishing done before you need to clean and spin them.

 

[agaliha]

I read an earlier post recommending the Porter Cable 7424 which is a "random orbit" polisher. Would you guys recommend the Makita over this?
Agaliha

 

[Maine Sail]

I read an earlier post recommending the Porter Cable 7424 which is a "random orbit" polisher. Would you guys recommend the Makita over this?
Agaliha

Yes

 

[BobM]

I agree...I tried to cheap out with an ebay special...the best things I can say is that it still looks like new because it works like @#$% and that I am only out $40. Oh well. That was bought for my old boat, which I just ended up hand waxing and hand polishing. Thankfully it was only 25 feet!

 

[John Nantz]

Makita pad and washer

The velcro pad that comes with the Makita will become really, really hard to remove after a while. The fix for this is to get a large washer, somewhere around 5/8-inch hole diameter, and put it on the threaded shaft before putting on the black buffer pad.

Another comment is to not try and use the 3M buffer pads on the Makita black pad (the one the buffer pads are supposed to stick to). They don't work and will fly off. Don't ask me how I know.

I use the Makita buffer pads - buy a couple, one for when putting the wax, or cleaner-wax, on and another for the final finish. They are easy to wash when they get clogged up. To dry, just put the wet one on the buffer and slowly crank it up to #6. Oh, and make sure the edge of the pad isn't pointed toward you or anything else you don't want to get wet. The now much dryer pad will quickly dry out in some sun.

One last thing, DO NOT LOOSE THE CENTERING DEVICE that comes with the Makita. That's about a 3" piece of plastic pipe that is used to center the buffing pad. They are easy to loose.

 

[Pocahontas]

My grandpa thought me a lot of things about tools and one thing he always said was to never buy a cheap tool, you spend money on it, get frustrated because it doesn't work they way you want it to and after using it for a while you go and buy the good one anyway since you don't want to put up with the cheap one anymore...
So you buy the good one right away and not only do you end up saving money but you will also be a whole lot less #@*) off

my 2cents

Pocahontas

 

[sailingdog]

good advice, and much what my father taught me....

My grandpa thought me a lot of things about tools and one thing he always said was to never buy a cheap tool, you spend money on it, get frustrated because it doesn't work they way you want it to and after using it for a while you go and buy the good one anyway since you don't want to put up with the cheap one anymore...
So you buy the good one right away and not only do you end up saving money but you will also be a whole lot less #@*) off

my 2cents

Pocahontas