I have a Craftsman rotary that's probably 25 years old (and hasn't been used for probably 20 years). I used to use it on the fiberglass gel coat of a boat that I had long ago, so I'm aware of the dangers of rotary use.

I've recently watched the Meguiars videos about rotary use on auto paint, and noticed that they recommend different speeds for different jobs. Here's the deal, though. My old Craftsman only has one speed - 5000 RPM. I'm not gonna go out and buy a new adjustable-speed rotary for the few minor scratches in my clear coat that I'd like to try to fix. I've hit them with my UDM and several different polishes, but the UDM just ain't cuttin' it.

My question is this: Would it be just plain stupid to try to use the Craftsman at 5000 RPM?

Thanks.

Yes, 5K RPM is way way way too fast for paint. The fastest I've used the rotary on paint is 2100 RPM.

Agreed; unless it is an orbital and that is orbits per minute, you wouldn't want that thing touching your paint!

OK, thanks guys. I kinda figured it would be a bad idea, but just thought I'd check.

(WolfStrong, nope, it's not orbital, just your garden variety rotary.)