Had to look this tool up. I always thought it was "wax on, wax off". In all seriousness, I personally don't have a problem from the vibrations, but shoulder problems aren't on my problem list just yet. Cleaning wheels will get my back every time though.
I can't take certain vibrations etc anymore. Old age and hard mileage is taking its toll on my body and certain tools just plain hurt after awhile of using them. Just like working overhead on a car lift, my hands and arms start tingling and go numb. Years ago I really never had a problem.... ....
With age, a long time of that you are overloading your brain to adjust to repeated motions. Any taxing of your muscles, joints and sockets wears them out. Try less pressure of your hands, arms and shoulders and let the tool and compound do the work.
Might borrow a different brand orbital buffer, or even try a non orbital version. My cordless 20 v Dewalt is kinder to my hands than my corded Harbor Freight buffer is. Look at the specs, too. Orbital buffers come in different stroke lengths, some shorter than others. That said, some premium buffers have the longest strokes, which, if logic applies, should transfer more vibration to your hands, unless they incorporate some sort of isolation technology.
Thanks for all your replies. This matter caught me off guard. It has always been a struggle to remove all traces of swirl from color sanded paint with a rotary buffer. I borrowed a premium full size large orbit orbital to satisfy my curiosity once and for all. I used it with my pads, my compounds and technique. It worked. All swirl marks eliminated easily. I bought a smaller premium small orbit machine and it works as well. I red the instructions (I know, I know!) and was shocked to read the warning that over use, or words to that effect, could cause hand or arm injury AND IT COULD BE PERMANANT. DA sanders have never bothered and work sessions with the a Pullmax and planishing hammer are much shorter than buffing sessions. So after buffing just the roof and back panel of a 37 Dodge truck, hands, arm tingling and sore shoulders set in. I had carpal tunnel surgery and elbow release last month and will have the other one done after it heals. Imaging has ruled out torn rotator and arthritis in the shoulders. Doc is now thinking pinched nerve in the neck. I should have started retiring earlier. Work carefully guys and gals.
Hello, I tried the orbital buffer I borrowed from a friend several times. I thought it was cool to put on, and buff off with a machine to make it easier as a 30 something guy. The muscles and all being fairly good, still and it took less time to finish two cars. But, as we got older, one would think that the orbital buffer should still be in place as a time saver. Even doing back/stomach exercised daily for 30+ years, getting to the lower areas of any car or truck is still a challenge. A rolling chair helps, as the leaning over is less, the lower to the ground one is when using the running machine. The rolling circle motion is soothing, but unless one has a light weight unit, it can get heavier as time moves onward. Plus, a powered spinning machine could spell trouble if mishandled or a too long of a time was spent on one spot... Jnaki On our sailboats, wax, especially a good layer of Carnuba Wax is mandatory. We spent several hours washing and waxing the whole sailboat, including the stainless steel components. But the surface of the sides and deck is what makes the job long, but rewarding when finished. One day a young guy came over to ask if we wanted to have him do the washing, waxing, detailing of our sailboat. His cost was less than the others we knew did jobs in our harbor dock area. So, we let him do his thing. Pure Carnuba Wax from the Colonite Company and an orbital tool did a wonderful job. He said that the lightweight machine was good, but one cannot leave it very long in one place or it will cause deeper swirls that may or may not come out later. So, care is to be used when taking off the Carnuba Wax. We knew about Colonite Wax, as it goes on easily and it comes off with little to no effort from a clean cotton towel. He was so good that his business flourished and soon, he moved on to “Big Boats.” they took longer, but he had a new direction for his business. We went back to our hand waxing with the same Carnuba Wax and it was not that hard after we realized we could use a longer stick to wipe off the wax residue on the boat surface from the dock. The force of the longer stick and rag on the end took the simple Carnuba Wax off with ease. Now, there was no need for a motorized orbital buffer. YRMV Note: Our daily drivers get a coat of wax about once a year, as they are mostly in a covered garage. The same Colonite Carnuba Wax is used and no need for an orbital buffer. The hand swirl on and later, the clean rag to take it off is simple and easy. A rolling chair makes moving around the car(s) easier too. No more leaning over to get to the lower parts. Old age makes getting out there somewhat difficult for time scheduling. Ha! But, the Carnuba Wax on/off is now easier to apply and take off without the use of any mechanical tool. It does not speed up the process that much and hand applied, makes sure you get the right amount on and off. Perhaps, I can make it last longer than it is now… ??? The old test of a clean cotton cloth sliding across the hood is a good sign... We shall see…
The Jalopy Journal
