If you’re a metalworker, you probably have a polisher sitting around with a knot-cup brush fitted. If not, you probably see them at the car wash where guys spend a lot of time trying to bring out the shine on cars that’ve seen a dearth of TLC over the years. Either way, you realize they’re not exactly spotlight tools. Generally you don’t call your friends and say “Holy crap, come see my new polisher!” like you do when you score a new table saw, welder, plasma cutter, or even cordless drill. But hey — that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep up with what’s going on in the polisher world, right?
So a couple of months ago DeWalt updated their 7″/9″ polisher line. Their focus: control.
Specifically, DeWalt spec’d a two-speed, 12A motor that offers variable speed from 0-600 and 0-3,500 RPM, controllable via both a speed dial and trigger. (You dial in the maximum speed via the dial, then the trigger allows you to control speed from zero to the dialed-in maximum.) They also added a soft-start feature, which sounds great. I’d guess that “predictable” would be high praise for a polisher that you’re going to use on a $2,000+ paint job. They also enlarged the trigger so you can grip it with two fingers — much more comfortable.
The DWP849X model offers a “bale handle” (read: big-ass grippy D-shaped handle instead of an angle-grinder-style stick) that locks into place in three angles. And they added a rubber gear case cover to keep you from accidentally gouging whatever you’re polishing. Other incremental improvements include better motor brush shields and a wider range of accessories.
We’ll tell you more once we get a chance to see one in person, but these look pretty nice on paper. Street pricing runs around $180.
Street Pricing [Google Products]