Reco/advice on small rotary buffer / polisher?

Hello. I own numerous guitars, and as many of you here, I enjoy caring for them as much as I do playing them.

I was thinking about purchasing a small rotary buffer to polish my guitars once a year.... I see heavy duty industrial stuff out there, but frankly I am after something simple sub-$50 range that will help me give guitars a nice polish and gloss, without elbow grease :)

Does anyone know of a low rpm rotary buffer that will do the job? it can be battery operated, or wired. Googling got me nothing!

You can use a microfiber cloth and some fine polishing compound.

If you want to take out some serious scratches, you can buy a foam polishing pad from OReilly autoparts, and use it on your hand drill.

If you have a drill $23 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0021KZFCA/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i01

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21IZR2sb50L._SS400_.jpg

Dont know how good these are for $16 http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-compact-palm-polisher-90219.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_15249.jpg

I just bought this one:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100041947/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=polisher&storeId=10051

and here is a cheap mod:

http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/tech/hppp_1006_ryobi_orbital_buffer/viewall.html

Thanks. I almost bought this today, but noticed it was 4800 rpm, which is actually quite high revs for a polisher. Some of the rubbing compounds suggest ~1500 rpms from an automated buffer. I am now looking at variable speed buffers but they are NOT cheap.

What has your experience been using this buffer on guitars? And cars?

I just bought this one:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100041947/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=polisher&storeId=10051

and here is a cheap mod:

http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/tech/hppp_1006_ryobi_orbital_buffer/viewall.html

I actually have not used it yet, but I have used the foam pads and a drill and that works like a champ and is easy to get a sweet high gloss finish. I just bought this polisher, I figured for $25 Id give it a shot. I like the Porter Cable 6" poilsher but seems like a little too much machine for what I need. I may still get one later though. Good luck!!

Check out some thrift stores, if there are any in your area...look for a shoe buffer. if it's all there, it should have a disk that's about 2.5"-3" diameter, and a metal stem that plugs into the body...the one I found is a lot like an electric kitchen hand mixer, but with only one "beater" instead of two. If it doesn't have pads, just pick some up at a hardware store
(sheepskin, terrycloth, etc) that are in the 3" diameter range, they're pretty cheap in that size.

Works GREAT for polishing a guitar body, furniture, headlight lenses, counter tops...all kinds of stuff.

Elbow grease... free... does a better job... guitars do not (or should not) require periodic buffing... Old tee shirts with all the stitching cut off are the best... or white, bleached terry towels.

Good ole carnuba wax (no silly-cone) does wonders... without removing finish.

Fantastic tip thank you. They don't make these electric shoe polishers any more but eBay carries some. I bought one. Well see how it works!

Check out some thrift stores, if there are any in your area...look for a shoe buffer. if it's all there, it should have a disk that's about 2.5"-3" diameter, and a metal stem that plugs into the body...the one I found is a lot like an electric kitchen hand mixer, but with only one "beater" instead of two. If it doesn't have pads, just pick some up at a hardware store
(sheepskin, terrycloth, etc) that are in the 3" diameter range, they're pretty cheap in that size.

Works GREAT for polishing a guitar body, furniture, headlight lenses, counter tops...all kinds of stuff.