Can we talk about how everyone switched to DA polishers but I still use a rotary by choice

I know I'm in the minority here but I've been using a rotary buffer since 2008 and I just can't make the switch. Tried a DA last summer on a 2018 F-150 with heavy scratches and it took me almost twice as long to get the same cut. Yeah you can burn paint with a rotary but if you know what you're doing and keep the speed right around 1200 rpm its way faster for wet sanding correction. Anybody else still sticking with the old school method?

2 comments

2 Comments

williamh4817d ago

That 1200 rpm sweet spot you mentioned is key, and I think a lot of guys overlook how much the compound choice changes things with a rotary versus DA. I ran into this last month on a 2012 black Mustang where I was using Menzerna 400 with a rotary and it cut through the clear coat haze in two passes, but my buddy with his DA and the same compound was just smearing it around for ten minutes per panel. I think the real reason people switched is less about burn-through risk and more about how much dust a rotary throws off into the air you can breathe in a closed garage. I set up a box fan with a cheap furnace filter behind it and it makes a big difference on that front.

reese_garcia16d ago

That box fan trick is smart, I gotta try that... the dust from a rotary is no joke. On my own black car, the 2014 Camaro, I had the same issue with a DA and a heavier cut compound just pushing the haze around instead of cutting through it. Switched to a rotary at about 1100-1200 rpm with the Menzerna 400 and it was like night and day, took the haze right off in two passes without burning anything. But yeah, I'm in a shared garage and the dust cloud from the rotary was so bad I had to start wearing a respirator, which I never bothered with for the DA. That furnace filter setup sounds a lot better than coughing up compound dust for the rest of the day.