$1340 to polish all outside stainless trim. Deal or no deal?

[AR67GTX]

It is very tedious work bent over a polisher for hours. It’s a killer on my neck. I alternate between standing and sitting on a shop stool with my inside leg up on a rung so I can brace my left hand that holds the piece near the buff in a death grip against my thigh in case it bucks back, while I feed it in or pull it against the rotation with my right. I’m super focused on just how I’m feeding the piece into the buff and the forces of rotation and what could happen if it slips off the edge or if somehow the buff might snag it. Thus, it’s very tiring. After awhile I get fatigued and know it’s time to take a break. Besides the full face shield and heavy gloves I wear a heavy, canvas shop apron and I buff out in my driveway, out of direct line of sight of any cars in case I do manage to launch a piece of trim. It’s very rewarding but unless you are very meticulous and able focus like a laser I would farm it out and pay the bill.

 

[autoxcuda]

Like they weren't even there... It was a headlight bezel, so a circular part, as the wheel grabbed it he tried to hold on instead of letting go... Once he committed it was all over...

He had about forty pieces of trim... He'd finished about thirty over the course of two days.. So he was thinking "I got this" & a second of daydreaming turned into a lot of pain & suffering...

When doing that sort of work you tell yourself buff this direction, use the bottom of the wheel, a faction of a second of inattentiveness and all of what you thought you were gonna to goes out the window...

I’ve had it occasionally grab pieces. I only have a harbor freight 3/4HP buffer. And I’ve had to straighten those bent pieces.

The longer and more curved are more dangerous. Wheel lip, rocker, E-body lower window/cowl. Stainless has sharper edges and less forgiving safety-wise.

My buddy used a professional sized stand up buffer 220v buffer in college and had a piece grab and it got him. He sent out his work for years after that. He thought using gloves was a liability since the gloves can grab and pull you into the wheel.

 

[AR67GTX]

I use leather gloves with a cotton glove inside that for extra insulation from hot metal. Every move you make must be deliberate and with close attention of how it’s being feed into the buffer. For my non-professional use I’ve been happy with this 3/4hp 8” buffer mounted on a stand. I tried a 10” 1 hp buffer but it weighed a ton to move in and out of the garage, 10” pads were a little harder to find and it went bad on me almost immediately. I like the 3/4 one better and it’s been through quite a bit of use now.

 

[OMTWF-72SE]

I think maybe a point being missed is we aren't using a converted grinder. Polishers have spacing from motor to disc/ball/barrel. And there's nothing else around it. Not on a bench for sure. No rest. No shroud, and don't work a wide piece on a narrow wheel and vice versus.

 

[Broken Mopar]

Kind of depends how perfect you want it to be. If you do it yourself it can be made perfect. If you send it to some outside source you depend on what level of skill, patience and time they want to put it to your pieces. From past experiences, do it yourself.