# cheap da polishers ???



## painter4 (Dec 31, 2008)

a long time ago on here where a few threads about cheap DA machines i think one was orange colour silverline and i think clarke did one ... have these stop being produced as i cant find either anywhere 

thanks for any help


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

Orange silverline one was replaced by (I think) a blue machine but the specs were pretty much the same. The Clarke one was a CROS-2 I think, which tbh. started creeping up in price and is now too close to a Kestrel DAS-6 to make it a sensible option.

There a number of DA 'sanders' that will do a job, for light swirl removal and application of things like SRP, Need for Speed, Autobrite's Cherry glaze, and a lot of 'all in one' type products that contain mild abrasives. Be careful over the specs though as they need to have a variable speed control and at least 400-450w motors, otherwise they'll bog down under load and the pad will just sit oscillating on the panel and not rotating. 

As said, they do have limitations compared to a DAS-6, G220, PC etc. but for around £20-30 they can perform a task and are better than doing it by hand :thumb:


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## painter4 (Dec 31, 2008)

thanks viper but i cant find anything for that price .. and not sure weather to go straight for the silverline polisher that is cheap ... having never used one before 

there are a lot of very mixed messages on here ... some saying start with the da if your a beginner and a lot saying if your careful and sensible go straight for the polishers you do seem to get a lot more for your money 

example Silverline 'SilverStorm' Rotary Polisher .. so a bit unsure 

this is why i just wanted to try a cheap da first but cant find any


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## pete5570 (Jun 11, 2010)

I have a silverline rotary, i never bothered with a DA because when i tried one i found it a bit slow. I wouldn't worry about using a rotary, they aren't as difficult as some people make out, you could even get yourself a scrap panel to practice on. If you want a cheap polisher, you would be better off with a rotary.


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## painter4 (Dec 31, 2008)

what are the pads you get with this deal like (ebay 380220428429 )
anyone used the silverline ones before :buffer: 

thanks for any help


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

If you're not specifically set on a random orbit machine, then tbh. yes I would say go for one of the entry level rotary machines, as the few in the £40-60 bracket that a number of our traders stock are pretty well regarded and used by a lot of members.

The packaged kits on ebay, whilst on the face of it look like a bargain with the wealth of kit you're getting, from what I understand contain pads that frankly aren't very good (I've not seen them myself, I'm just going on what people tell me), and you'd need to replace these anyway. So far better to put a proper machine and pad package together of your own choosing and have pads that will give you great results whilst you're learning :thumb:.


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## painter4 (Dec 31, 2008)

any recommendations on a set of pads to go with the silverline siverstorm 

megs 
3m
Menzerna

?????????


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## jacob12_1993 (Nov 15, 2010)

3M or Hex Logic, Menzerna are very good at correcting but wear out incredibly fast I find


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

3m pads are very easy to use for a beginner.


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

I started off with the Clarke RO polisher and thought it was great, it cost me £29 although now i believe they are around £50. But that was only until recently when i got my DAS-6. Whilst the DAS-6 is essential still a budget machine, there is a big difference between the two.

Given my time again, I would have saved a bit more money and gone straight for the DAS-6.


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## painter4 (Dec 31, 2008)

why do you say that shiny .... :wall: 

think I'm just going to have to pick one and see how i go ... so many different opinions... I'm not doing it for a job so its not too critical thanks for all the help guys :thumb:


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

Sorry mate! lol!

To be honest, i only use mine for my own car and the occasional neighbours. The Clarke would easily get bogged down, i bought a really soft finishing pad and it wouldn't spin at all. I thought it was great though and got some really good correction so it did the job, but the DAS-6 is a much easier machine to use and doesn't get bogged so easily.


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

If I were you, I'd really go with a Silverline Rotary from one of our traders - you'll likely get the DW member discount or some other loyalty incentive (depending on where you buy it), and will only be looking at about £40 for the machine give or take. 

Okay, you've to add the pads onto that, but I really think you'd be disappointed with one of the cheap DA sanders myself. I contributed a lot to that very long thread a few years ago and I still own my original machines from that era, but frankly if I were starting from scratch now I'd go straight in with a rotary, a scrap panel and print one of the guides from here (likely be Dave KG's). Watch a few videos of our pros for the technique, have a play around on your scrap panel and have a bit of fun with it :thumb: It's a skill you'll keep with you and if starting out on a very basic DA, you'll only start hankering after a rotary at some point, and then have to unlearn what you've been doing with that and be effectively starting from scratch - so why not start that learning process now?

Just my take on it, but it's what I'd do in your position.


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

I was in the same dilemma as yourself when i started this, i bought the silverline rotary and a scrap bonnet, ok the rotary has more potential to do damage but with care and sense the risks can be reduced very significantly.


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## NeilG40 (Jan 1, 2009)

I've got the kestrel rotary which is about £30 more than the silverline but it has a trigger lock which is very handy.


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## painter4 (Dec 31, 2008)

ok thanks so much guys my mind is made up :thumb:
I'm going with a rotary either silverline or kestrel with starter kit a few pads and backing plate and see how i go :buffer:

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/polis...lverstorm-complete-meguiars-kit/prod_535.html


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## mattsbmw (Jul 20, 2008)

painter4 said:


> ok thanks so much guys my mind is made up :thumb:
> I'm going with a rotary either silverline or kestrel with starter kit a few pads and backing plate and see how i go :buffer:
> 
> http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/polis...lverstorm-complete-meguiars-kit/prod_535.html


Make sure you buty a decent backing plate, you will notice a massive difference


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