Todd@RUPES
Just a regular guy
The rumor I hear is that 'somebody' is working on different size backing plates for the Flex...
Flex polishers...
- Thread starter twheat
- Start date
Deep Gloss Auto Salon
New member
Less said:
For using a smaller backing plate??
wascallyrabbit
New member
i got the flex and the edge adapter for the flex and pc so now i can use the pads on both. i really on need 4" pads to get into the small tight areas with the flex.
Accumulator
Well-known member
wascallyrabbit said:
And sometimes it's easiest to just use a large pad and work tight spots with the outer edge (a lot safer with machines like this than it is with the rotary).
I like mine. If I were a professional detailer I'd go with a rotary because 1) it's faster and 2) I'd have plenty of practice to get good with it. As a hobbiest, I only use mine on my own cars occasionally. I think the 3401 is the best for someone like me, who basically wants a PC with more power.
Accumulator
Well-known member
wfedwar said:
That's a good point! I'll never come *close* to doing enough correction to really master the rotary. I bet a lot of pros here do more correction in a month than I'll do in the rest of my life.
Accumulator said:
I take it your wife does not see the credit card statement?:laugh:
You know, you are going to have to buy the Flex a partner also or it will get jealous of the rotaries, cyclos and PC's!!!:bawling:
I am surprised you like the Flex so much. I figured you to be more old school and when you need power, go for the rotary.
If my UDM ever breaks I may break down and buy a Flex. That or a G110.
wfedwar said:
The interesting thing about the FLEX 3401 is that in some circumstances it will actually be faster than a Rotary, DA, or a combination of the two. Sometimes a FLEX can remove defects and leave a finish that is LSP ready (no holograms) where as the same products/pads on a rotary would require either a DA or a different combination via rotary to remove and make LSP ready.
That said, I still reach for my Makita more often than my FLEX, but there are those times/jobs when the FLEX can be a real time saver by turning 2 steps into one! :woot2:
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
Accumulator said:
Why do you prefer the Cyclo? Just familiarity, or something more/else?
EDIT: BTW, can anyone tell me if the Flex has a trigger lock, or whether you've got to hold the trigger down at all times when you're polishing? I love the trigger idea, but it would be nice to have the option to lock it.
Anyone use the 7.5 inch pads with the Flex polishers? Like these ones? CCS 7.5 foam pads, lake country 7.5 inch pads, 7 inch ccs foam pads, ccs pads by lake country, lake country mfg, lake country manufacturing Are there any positives to using a bigger pad like the one above?
Thanks for all the responses. The Flex will go on my xmas list. Woo Hoo!!
Thanks for all the responses. The Flex will go on my xmas list. Woo Hoo!!
BigAl3 said:
Meguiar's now has self-centering pads (the v 2.0 pads) with their new backing plates for both the DA and rotary.
The pads are 7 inches.
I also found the old SOLO foamed backing plate for the rotary to "self center" on the 2.0 pads.
Very easy to put on every time... :bounce
, this is just another option... :up
Junebug
JAFO
Thanks Big Al, now I have more stuff to add to my CG order! I'm currently using the 6.5" LC CCS pads on my Flex, they're fine but I like the self-centering the CG pads have plus they appear to be made by LC and I like LC!
Accumulator
Well-known member
bert31 said:
Heh heh, I *wish* Accumulatorette were a little involved in the cc statements :chuckle:
Eh..I just don't like the rotaries and my memories of using a Milwaukee with wool pads back in the day aren't all that swell (more like *sweltering* as it was a summer job).
I bet the familiarity has a lot to do with it, but I simply *like* it more than the others- the ergonomics, the way it feels when running, the machine-age look and feel of the thing, and even the utterly subjective "using an old-school device" aspect of it.
Plus, other than *serious* correction and/or using KAIO, it just does the job with no hassles/problems.
Yeah, it has a trigger lock, but a few 3401s have had issues with not maintaining the correct opms when locked (that's IIRC, just a vague memory that somebody mentioned it). I gather the vendors take care of it, but I wanted to mention that it can happen.
The overall build-quality sorta reminds me of my Metabo; it's not a PC but it's no Cyclo/Milwaukee either.
Accumulator
Well-known member
bert31 said:
Instead of the Cyclo when I need to do serious correction on hard clear and in cases where the Cyclo isn't right due to the vehicles contours/etc. (e.g., it's just not the right machine for sections of my XJS).
Instead of the rotary all the time unless I need the rotary's added power (not too likely in these days of stuff like M105).
While some others have said they didn't have any problems with it, when I've used KAIO via Cyclo I got a *VERY* hard to remove residue, ended up using some other product (forget which) to get it off...huge PIA even though it was just a small area.
As best I can tell, the Cyclo flashed the KAIO too fast and that's presumably what made it stick to the paint the way it did. This was on a previously cleaned/polished finish with no issues. Only happened a few times but I'll *never* try it again and I caution others lest they go through what I did.
So yeah, I use the PC for AIO, often with a *Griot's* orange pad (!!*NOT* a LC/Edge/etc. orange!!) . Damp pad, speed 4-4.5, buffing the residue off before it dries completely (note that this might further diminish the KAIO's already meager durability, but I don't care as I top it with KSG/FK1000P/something anyhow).