Buffer/Polisher

[Tony Bilello]

I need to buy a buffer/polisher to buff to a high gloss mirror finish. Can I buy anything halfway decent in the $200 range and what buffer size and RPM ranger should I be looking for.

[Todd Carpenter]

Hi Tony,

Most buffer/polishers are in the 7" to 9" range and some are variable speed and $200.00 should get you a decent machine: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=311347-70-DW845&lpage=none

HTH
Todd

[Scott Holmes]

What are you buffing?

What finish is it?

Polyurethane varnish will not buff up to a higher gloss... what you see is the best it can be. Harder varnishes, say an alkyd resin or a phenolic resin varnish will buff up to a higher gloss.

Make sure any varnish has had a full 30 days to cure before you buff it.

[Tony Bilello]

I am buffing lacquer.
I know how to do it, I have just always done it by hand. I think it's time for a buffer in my life.

[Steve Jenkins]

I have a variable speed Makita that I bought at an autofinishing supply store. I think it was in that price range. It looks like a big side grinder but isn't. Works great. I too used to buff out finishes by hand with the pumice and rottenstone method. Auto compound and the buffer is a whole different world.

[Keith Outten]

I buff laquer to a mirror finish with my ROS and a white 3M pad using paste wax.

[Tony Bilello]

Thanks guys for the advise.
Keith's solution sounds good, I will have to try it some day.
Anyway, today I bought a Dewalt variable speed with a few extra foam polishing pads - almost $300 w/o tax. Whew.
And Steve, I also bought it at an auto paint store. I remember way back when I first started woodworking, lots of folks used to say that when it comes to finishing, automobile finishes are miles ahead of woodworking finishes.

[Tony Bilello]

.......Anyway, today I bought a Dewalt variable speed with a few extra foam polishing pads ........

I have no idea why I wrote Dewalt. It is a Makita that I bought. LOL. Gettin' old is a bummer.
Anyway, I tried it out Friday. I had an older mahogany table that had some scratches in it. I gave the owner 2 prices. One was for a buff only and see if I can get rid of the scratches in the finish. The other price was if I couldnt get the scratches out, it would have to be stripped and refinished. In either case, I would have to get back to a mirror finish.
The problem that i had was threefold. One - not sure of the exact finish on the existing piece and two - not knowing how thick the finish is and three - not knowing how deep the scratches are. Not having done this before, I was a little gun shy about how much pressure to use and how deep to go, so I stayed on the conservative side. Actually it was pretty easy to do and all went well except there were still a lot of scratches left. Soooooooooo. i started the process all over again to go a little deeper. That attempt got 100% of the light scratches out and over 95% of the deeper scratches out and the surface was mirror enough to shave from. I called the owner to come and check it and see if she was happy the way it turned out or if she wanted me to gamble her money and try again. Well, she was very happy. She saved a lot of money by not having the top stripped and refinished and I made a really good buck for an hours worth of work.
Anyway, buffing to a mirror finish is relatively easy to do. My confidence level grew rapidly with each change of 'grit'. The final buffing removes all swirl marks. Beats the heck out of doing it by hand.