WalMart has the orbital waxer. It works good for wax not polishing/buffing. For a buffer check you're local automotive paint store. Make sure you get a variable speed buffer.
I got a nice Ryobe orbital at Home Depot for like $20. Its great for waxing but thats it. If your looking for a real polisher then check out the Mikata, They are over $100 and you will need the poliher pads
I use a Mikita sander/polisher. Inline I use a amperage control from Harbor Freight to slow it down a little more even. I got the special pad adapter then use a two sided pad for polishing. Any automotive paint supply store can set you up, along with the compounds.
One of the best you can buy is a Porter Cable 6" random orbit pollisher. They are not cheap but will do an amazing job once you learn to use it. They key is learning to do it right so you don't burn the gel.
Check out Autozone or your local car parts store. That's where I got mine - variable speed/$70 or so. Works great.
If you have a Harbor Freight locally, that's a good place too.
It sounds like you're looking for local suggestions so you can go pick one up... Dallas has an auto body supply shop called Single Source - they may have one.
If you plan on polishing/buffing a few times i highly recommend a variable speed polisher. It makes the biggest difference. Also don't use the pads that they supply you. The cause more damage than they fix. Any autobody supply house should have the correct pads and compounds. If you want to use it once or twice then harbor frieght will work but after that they seem to fall apart. I tried to save a buck when i first started painting cars but after a few times the harbor frieght buffer died. Then i forked out some cash and bought a milwaukee one. Big difference in the tools. Anyways good luck
I bought a new Porter Cable varible speed polisher off of ebay for about $100 incl. shipping. You will spend some cash on good pads, but you get what you pay for. I'm impressed with the quality of the Porter Cable and it absolutely blows away the random orbital types. I can't do by hand what this can do.
right - but is Josh talking about polishing vs. cutting or saying to not use generic brand?
"Also don't use the pads that they supply you. The cause more damage than they fix. Any autobody supply house should have the correct pads and compounds."
Ah. I guess that depends on what comes with the tool. In most cases, you only want to use polishing pads. A cutting pad and "compound" will burn through gell coat (or automotive paint) in the blink of an eye.