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[ Home > RV Polishers,
Buffers & Pads > Dual-Action & Orbital Polishers,
Pads & Accessories > Makita BO6040 Two Mode Polisher ]
 Makita BO6040 Two Mode Polisher
2 polishers in 1!
For those of you new to
machine polishers, there are two basic categories, orbital and circular.
Orbital machines are preferred by the majority of
enthusiasts for maintaining automotive finishes. With orbital
machines, the pads do not rotate. They oscillate or "jiggle" in a
random pattern. This random motion means the machine can not put swirls in the
finish. This motion is also ideally suited for applying waxes and sealants.
Because orbital machines are not designed to "cut" or remove paint, they
really can not fully remove swirls or scratches or restore gloss to dull gel
coats.
Circular polishers, the kind
used by body shops, are designed to "cut" or remove paint. They can
abrade away the surface completely eliminating swirls, scratches and paint
defects. Unfortunately, in inexperienced hands, circular polishers can burn
through the paint right down to bare metal. Their higher speeds also make them
unacceptable for applying most waxes and sealants. This is not a concern when
working on gel coat (fiberglass) surfaces. Circular polishers are excellent for
restoring gloss to dull gel coat finishes.
Detailers and serious
enthusiasts, like myself, own both types of polishers but having to switch from one type
of polisher to another is time consuming and doubles my clean-up time as I now
have more pads to wash and clean. I've often thought it would be great if I
could just flip a switch and make my orbital polisher into a circular polisher.
| The tool wizards at Makita
have just made this possible! The Makita BO6040 Two Mode Polisher has an orange
knob on the left side of the machine which switches it from a random orbital
motion to a circular motion!
To change modes, simply turn the machine off, turn
the orange knob and turn the machine back on. (Do not change modes while the
machine is running.) |
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| A speed control on the back of
the machine adjusts from 1600 to 5800 OPM (Oscillations Per Minute). I always
start with a setting of "2" regardless of which mode I'm in.
For heavy
compounding, I have increased the speed to "3" and been able to remove
severe stains. I've never run the machine over "3"
in either mode.
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I've saved the best feature of
this polisher for last. When switched to the circular mode, the pad is still
oscillating in a random pattern. In other words, while it's in a forced,
circular cutting motion, the pad is still "jiggling". This gives an
added measure of safety against putting swirls in the finish when compounding in
the circular mode. I like this machine! I won't say this unit is completely
idiot proof but I have used it quite aggressively and never introduced any
swirls in the finish.
This is the safest circular polisher I know of making it
great for enthusiasts with limited machine experience. |
| The BO6040 features a heat
resistant grip and front pad for the "fore and aft" grip preferred by
professionals. (There is no side handle.) This polisher also comes with a high
quality, flexible 6 inch Hook and Loop Backing Plate and a carrying case but does not
come with any pads. |
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I have two nit-picks with
this unit. First, I can't find any way to change the 6 inch, VelcroŽ Backing
Plate. Most of the time, the 6 inch backing plate is all I use but I would like
the ability to use a 3 inch spot polishing pad from time to time.
My other nit-pick is the "feel" of the machine. It feels
heavy. Most of the weight is located in the front of the machine. In actuality,
it only weighs 1 pound more than my 7424. The Porter Cable is a more balanced
unit with the bulk of the weight in the center of the housing. After two hours
of polishing, my arms were noticeably tired. Then again, I might just be getting
old!
Bottom line, knowing
everything that I know about machine polishers, I could easily live with just
this one machine. I have far more money wrapped up into two machines, half a dozen
backing plates and several dozen assorted pads. Matching the Makita BO6040 with
two, 6-1/2 inch Gel Coat Compounding Pads
and one Gel
Coat Finishing Pad would cover 99% of my boat and RV (fiberglass)
polishing requirements.
Features
& Specifications
- Variable speed 1,600-5,800 OPM;
180-670RPM
- Dual mode selector for
"random orbit" and "random orbit with rotation"
- One year factory warranty.
- Rubberized palm grip for
comfortable operation..
- Double insulated.
- 6 inch Hook-and-Loop Backing Plate
included.
- Spindle thread 5/8 x 11
- 6.6 amp heavy duty motor.
- Overall length 12-1/2 inches.
- Overall weight 5.9 lbs.
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This unit comes with a one
year factory warranty through any authorized Makita Service Center ( listed on
the back of the owners manual).
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