Is it best to use a rotary or a da buffer when buffing out wetsanded clearcoat

A Rotary to me is one that just spins in a circle preferably with a Variable speed motor I have two of these.

I don't know what you mean by a DA Buffer? If you mean an Orbital buffer? or one that spins in multiple figure 8 patterns while spinning in a circle? Yes I understand what you mean & I have two of these as well.

For me I like the speed and hard cutting of the Rotary buffer It cuts really fast and makes short work of the job the down side its hard to master and easy to buff through coatings such as paint & Clear coat on body lines and edges its also easy to create swirls with it causing Holograms in the material its also very easy to burn the Paint with one as well.
A novice will burn paint with it fairly easy with it and quick not to mention damage edges and hi crown body lines.

An Orbital Buffer doesn't just spin in one circle it goes in a multiple figure 8 pattern as it spins in a circle, its slower do to its pattern that it spins in and doesn't get the surface as hot so its easier on edges and body lines and doesn't generally create swirls which cause Halo's. Is far easier for the Novice to learn with as its more forgiving because its working the material slower but will still tear stuff up so you have to still pay attention its NOT impossible to burn the paint with one either just not as easy or as fast as with a rotary.

There is a Learning curve for each one, and as an example I wont let my helpers use a Rotary on my cars at all just one buff through or two was enough of that for me.
I tell them they have to prove to me that they know how to run one on there own cars first before I will turn them loose on fresh paint with one.

You have to pay attention at all times when running either one not only will it tear up paint it will eat chrome bits and other protruding edges as well which tear up parts and pads quickly.

Neither one of my helpers has accepted my challenge to use the Rotary on their own cars yet so does that mean anything?

I started using a Rotary Buffer on Lacquer paints on cars in the 70s 80s and Gel coated Boats as a Young boy for my father long before I even had a Variable speed buffer or before I ever found a Orbital Buffer so I like the Rotary its just what I learned with.
Yes I have burned some paint in my time, The trick to being a true craftsmen is knowing how to fix your mistakes.

^^ I'm with you on the rotary. I learned buffing lacquer paints with a old single speed with single sided pads. Miss that heavy thing on large top surfaces sometimes. LoL I remember when the foam pads first came out. I had a 70's Cadilliac that I'd just put back together and needed final cut and polish. I shredded it before I got past the first panel. Be nice if people had to learn that first nowadays.
Have a buddy that owns a detail shop. That's always told me. Watchin me buff a car is scary to him. I just smile and tell him it's ok. Sometimes you need the edge of the pad. I get work from him cause he won't have rotary buffers in his shop. They've cost him money in the past. From him using it.

are you using a wool pad for the first cut, i also seen some wet the pad

I'm with these ^^^ guys. I have a paint shop and we do a lot of paint correction work. The rotary is the duck's guts for heavy initial work but it takes a fair bit of training to get a detailer proficient with it and I've had to respray more than a few panels as they were learning. It's also much better for the initial cut on wetsand and buff on new paint, but needs concentration. After that we switch to a Cyclo twin head for the finishing work. I make them train up on the Cyclo before letting loose with the rotary. The Cyclo can be a weapon in the right hands and I'm still quicker with it than they are with the Makita. But it's more controllable for the less experienced. It generates heat, too - I've seen those 4" pads literally melted from heat and we used to go through masses of backing pads which would just collapse from the heat. The new ones are much better.

Then there are the real dual action machines from companies like Rupes and Festool. Rotary with switchable to orbital or both together. The ultimate buffer. Unfortunately with an ultimate price but if you're doing this more than occasionally then a machine like that would pay for itself fairly quickly.

bigge31566 wrote:are you using a wool pad for the first cut, i also seen some wet the pad

Yes wool for first cut and ya I will use wet pads.
Keep a bucket of soapy water near by to wash pads out with.
keep pads clean wet is good