Years ago during one of my summer breaks home from college a buddy and I thought it would be a good idea to get jobs at a carwash making tips towel drying cars. After about a week I got promoted to detailer. With no detailing experience, not even old enough to buy a beer the keys to new Mercedes, BMWs & Porches were handed over half a dozen a day. After 2 weeks on the job and learning the hard way how to burn paint with rubbing compound I figured I had learned enough and we venture out on our own as car detailers. We only had to do 1 -2 cars a day as opposed to 5 or 6 and we made more money plus finished around lunch so plenty of time for the pool. Ended up being the best summer job ever!
That being said we can definitely appreciate how this tool would be a huge time saver when detailing cars. A 7” polisher like the Milwaukee 5460-6 ($219) is great for the larger areas but difficult to get into tighter space and much harder to go a good job. A light weight variable speed tool like this would provide much more control getting right up against the trim and into those tight places. On the other side this tool would also replace small pneumatic sanders for sanding work so handy for all sorts of different applications not just automotive.
You’ll be able to pre-order shortly on the M12 Milwaukee page of OhioPowerTool.com, in the meantime. More info is available from the Milwaukee press release below.
MILWAUKEE, WI – Milwaukee Tool continues to expand its M12™ LITHIUM-ION system with the introduction of the new M12™ Variable Speed Polisher/Sander. Optimized to provide the fastest and most precise detail work, the new tool performs the work of two tools in one by easily switching between polishing and sanding modes.
“As the most compact cordless polisher on the market, the M12 Polisher/Sander is the perfect complement to a full size polisher for a faster finish,” says Andrew Plowman, Group Product Manager for Milwaukee Tool. “In our field research with this tool, we found that automotive detailers were saving up to 20% of their detail time by going over small/thin/curved surfaces with the M12™ Polisher before coming back through to cover larger surfaces with a traditional full size polisher. By simply adding this step with the new Milwaukee product, the user could service another car every few days, ultimately getting a full return on their investment in less than three weeks.”
Featuring Dual Mode Control and a variable speed trigger, the M12™ Polisher/Sander delivers increased user control, regardless of the application. A tool-free accessory change allows the user to quickly change between polishing and sanding accessories.
Powered by any Milwaukee M12™ LITHIUM-ION battery, the new tool delivers the performance professionals have come to expect from pneumatic polishers without the burden of a hose and compressor. On just one battery charge, the M12™ Polisher/Sander can perform a full pass on exterior trim, which was not possible with cordless units in the past.
The new tool is also compatible with the entire M12™ System, now offering over 60 cordless Lithium-Ion products. Milwaukee® is committed to the ongoing development of this platform and will continue to provide innovative solutions that offer industry leading reliability, performance and ergonomics.
Specs: M12™ Polisher/Sander (2438-22 $199)
– Polishing Mode: 0-2,800 RPM
– Sanding Mode: 0-8,300 RPM
– Weight: 1.6 lbs
– Length: 5-1/8”
– Includes M12™ Variable Speed Polisher/Sander, 5pc Accessory Pack (5 PC Accessory Pack: (1) 3″ polishing backing pad; (1) 2″ sanding backing pad; (1) wool pad; (1) yellow foam pad; (1) white foam pad), (2) Compact M12™ REDLITHIUM™ Battery & Charger
*Also available as bare tool (2438-20) or with 1 compact, 1XC battery (2438-22X shown above)
