Flex DA 3401 + Optimum new microfiber pads

F

fabz

New member
Hi everyone,



I use my Flex DA a lot and was very disappointed with the flex/surbuf combo. It made my AIO polish cake on the paint like crazy and that never happened with wool or foam pads from several brands. I'm only using surbufs for headlight resto these days.



Has any experienced detailer here tried the Flex DA/ Optimum MF pads combo? How does it cut? better/ good as wool? How does it finish with the flex?



Thanks a lot!
 
fabz- Am I reading this correctly- you're using the Flex/aggressive pad combo with an all-in-one? I'd only use an aggressive machine/pad combo with more aggressive products than that.



Sorry, I realize that's not what you were asking :o But I have to use pretty mild approaches with my AIOs in order to have things work out OK.
 
Fabiano, I've had limited experience with the combo as I just received them a few weeks ago. But the cutting pad I think so far from my limited use cuts lie wool but only faster! I have used it on 2 cars Audi hard and VW soft. Also dialing in the right compound also determines the cut as well. I found on the soft VW paint the polishing pad with 205 was almost to aggressive? I stepped down to OPT GPS which should not have any correction ability at all but it finished it down perfect! As for the Audi, cutting pad and 105 worked great! It seemed to finish down faster than PFW and 105 with I think less hazing.
 
Accumulator,



I do quite a few one step machine polishes, almost daily as part of my pre-sale detailing packs. Quite often (depending on each case) I grab stiffer pads for these jobs and results are good within the limits of what can be achieved with a one stage machine polish.



As an example, AG Radiant Wax Polish (thicker version of SRP) is a good AIO and they suggest on the 5L. can label to use it with a wool pad. I understand, based on my experiences that you can get good results with a light-medium polish with a stiffer pad and even wool but not the opposite - soft finishing pads with heavy polishes and compounds, that doesn't work :chuckle:



WCD, waiting for your review!



Maxepri, thanks for info!
 
fabz- OK, different ways to do this stuff and as long as it's working OK for you, that's what counts. I'm just more inclined to use aggressive products with gentle pads than the other way around.
 
fabz said:
Hi everyone,



I use my Flex DA a lot and was very disappointed with the flex/surbuf combo. It made my AIO polish cake on the paint like crazy and that never happened with wool or foam pads from several brands. I'm only using surbufs for headlight resto these days.



Has any experienced detailer here tried the Flex DA/ Optimum MF pads combo? How does it cut? better/ good as wool? How does it finish with the flex?



Thanks a lot!
Click to expand...



Get a Griots DA, then your surbuf pads will work as intended.
 
I don't know anything about the Flex + Surbuf/MF combo, but I've found that if you over saturate the pads, or if the pads are damp, it makes the product a little difficult to work with. Like the product cakes onto the paint. That's what I learned the hard way with the Meg's kit. Less is more... and I figure if there is too little on the pad, you can always add more, but can't do it the other direction.
 
Yes Accumulator, so many products, equipment and paintwork conditions create all this variables and all these different experiences and what matters in the end is that smile on the clients face and $ in the pocket.



darkonion you're right, too much product and surbuf becomes useless, but it feels that even a very little product can be too much but apart from that I'm not impressed with the flex/surbuf combo cutting ability. Removing sanding marks for example, yellow and even orange LC pads seem to do it better (with power gloss or presta cut cream). I wonder if Optimum mf. pads would do a good cutting job and perform as well or better than stiff foam cutting pads.
 
Concierge



Thanks but I'd rather get pads that work well with my flex than buying another machine to make a few surbuf pads to do their job. I feel that the downside of PC/Surbuf combo its the time it takes to do the job.
 
I wonder if Optimum mf. pads would do a good cutting job and perform as well or better than stiff foam cutting pads.



I have one of each in a 6.5" size- arrived today. I have access to a jet black M5 that is in very poor shape. I will get shots this weekend using UNO, OPT, and Menz with the pads. I'll also use 3000 and maybe 2000 discs on the paint to see what they can do. The first take is that the foam is thicker than the Megs. foam on the mf pads. We'll see.



Wish I had a better camera for the weekend!!



Rob
 
fabz said:
I understand, based on my experiences that you can get good results with a light-medium polish with a stiffer pad and even wool but not the opposite - soft finishing pads with heavy polishes and compounds, that doesn't work :chuckle:!
Click to expand...



I have to agree with Accumulator, I have better luck matching more aggressive polishes with less agressive pads than less agressive polishes with more aggressive pads. For light swirling on medium hard paints, I often have great results with Megs 105 (heavy compound) on a polishing pad such as Lake Country White. Good correction with very little haze left. To clean up the haze I may use a medium polish (Megs 205, Megs 151 or Menzerna Sip) on a light pad such as Lake Country Black.
 
Anyone? They are about to arrive in Oz and want to make sure if its worth to try them with the Flex. I'll be using Power Gloss or Presta Cutting Cream for oxidised/ scratched paintwork.



Thanks
 
Can't say much on the Opt. pads, but Fabz, try some D300 with the surbuff-work in a cool/shaded environment and you will be VERY pleased. It's not a true AIO-but for a single step and the right finesse you should see epic correction and minimal micro marring particularly on hard metallics.
 
If you go to my Youtube channel, TowelPros, I put up a video showing the use of Flex with Opt. Mf pads. Working on more this weekend, but there are some before and afters in the video.



The pads are smooth and held up very well to wear...note: I did not do multiple cars.
 
Well I tried the optimum mf pads with my flex 3401 and I'm not that impressed, foam seems to finish better and cleaner, mf pads/flex combo is not as bas as surbuf but not good enough to be picked up on scratched/correction work. I used it with Menzerna Fast Gloss and Power Finish. Maybe it would do better with other polishes/ compounds but I'm not willing to put my money on it a.t.m.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top