Do you use a roto-brush?

I use a roto brush to clean my bases prior to ironing in the base layer, and again after applying and scraping my base layer. For the 2 or 3 final coats, i use a course nylon brush to remove excess wax ( by vigorously brushing in BOTH directions along the length of the ski) from the base structure. For the final polish, i use a soft horsehair brush.

Eh....tried something similar a few years back with a buffing pad on a drill. Because of the low RPM needed to do the job the right way it almost took as long as using a 3M pad by hand. Sure, my arm wasn't as tired, but I had to put more mental energy into it so I would keep the same angle and pressure on the drill, plus I had to slap the planks in the vice. It just turned out to be more work than it was worth for one or two pair. If I had to do a dozen sets of skis per night then I might jury rig something to keep the drill angled, etc.

I've never noticed a difference if I brushed the skis in one direction only or used an orbital motion. What matters most is that you use the right wax and make sure you have a smooth base with no chunks or divots.

A roto-brush is unnecessary unless you've got several pairs of skis to wax every night. They are used for their speed, not because they do a better job.

If you do use one, mind which direction the brush is spinning, and use little or no pressure- let the brush do the work.

No, you don't want a roto-brush. When you use the brush after waxing and scraping your skis you should ONLY be going in ONE direction with the brush. Just use the brush to go down the ski. Do not go back and forth, do not go across the ski, just lengthwise in one direction.

Its not a polish, you're not buffing it like car wax