Flex polisher....have not seen many postings on it recently
07-30-2008, 01:00 PM
#1
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 509
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flex polisher....have not seen many postings on it recently
I had the PC last year but found that it was not removing the scraches that were on my S4. I have since sold it but have not picked up a polisher since. I was going to get the Flex because I read it had better correcting ability. I don't have hours and hours to spend on my car so I need something that I can use to get corrections out a bit faster (or is that an impossible request). I'm not an experienced detailer but I'd go to a rotary if they are not too hard to self learn.
Any opinions from the detailing guru's would be welcome.
Thanks.
Any opinions from the detailing guru's would be welcome.
Thanks.
07-30-2008, 10:10 PM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,710
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The problem with the pc are numerous, flex in a nutshell
The problem with a PC are numerous.
One of the first is that it does NOT have the capabilities to reliably break down sip or 106 in all areas before it starts to dry the product out. Tight corners, curves, and edges all suffer from this problem. The PC simply does not have the rotation to tumble the polish. This is required for the polish to break down. The pc will just oscillate the polish thus leaving portions that are either unbroken down or sharp on one side.
Another maddening reason is the fatigue generated by the PC, two step correction on a moderately marred car is a 10-14 hour polishing process. That clacking, vibrating, and noise will drive any one insane after 2-3 cars. There is also the effect it has on nerves, elbow's and shoulders. Constant vibration like the pc can make your arms numb for hours.
Lack of power. Simply put, you apply more than a smidgen of pressure and the PC bogs down. It becomes much less effective the more pressure you apply. It can be some what maddening on a very hard clear. You need the pressure for the "cut and polish" yet the pc can not handle it.
No trigger variable speed. Most rotary's and even the flex have a trigger variable speed. You set the max and then vary your trigger pull to spread the polish out, then lock the trigger to actually work the polish.
finally the biggest problem is there is no real benefit you can take with you after learning the PC to another platform. IE flex or rotary. How you polish with the PC is not how you polish with the flex or the rotary.
The flex is an interesting hybrid between a rotary and a orbit machine.
It has the necessary rotation for tumbling the polish. Due to how the flex 3401 is designed it can provide you with both rotation and orbit. At speed 6 it has 9600 orbits (basically the equivalent of an air drive orbiter) and 480 RPM. This gives the flex enough movement to rotate and tumble the polish at a low rpm. While giving you the brute force or 10k orbit power. This will help turn that 10-14 hour 2 step polish via PC into a 5-7 hour job.
It is a smoother machine with a different vibration and noise. The flex's system is a gear driven counter weight. With the proper type of care it will be far smoother, quieter and there for much less mental and physical stress.
Basically at speed 6 It also has much more torque than most rotary's, allowing you to work an area with more pressure before it begins to bog down. Not that you will always need more pressure with it's hybrid type of movement. That extra power, and torque are what really make using a flex a joy compared to a PC orbit.
It will show a rotary user all of their bad habits. Due to the nature of how the flex moves it is beneficial that you have good rotary habits. The flex will walk on panels with poor habits, Most noticeable when people tend to edge their rotary's. By learning to keep the flex flat, they will transfer that knowledge to a rotary when they move up.
The flex will finish down tough details better than a PC. The flex has the tumble necessary to finish down paints that may have a trace of holograming in the tight corners, or bends fender flare. Where as the PC simply can not effectively remove those areas because of it's lack of rotation and lack of power.
my 2 cents in a world of twenty dollar bills.
One of the first is that it does NOT have the capabilities to reliably break down sip or 106 in all areas before it starts to dry the product out. Tight corners, curves, and edges all suffer from this problem. The PC simply does not have the rotation to tumble the polish. This is required for the polish to break down. The pc will just oscillate the polish thus leaving portions that are either unbroken down or sharp on one side.
Another maddening reason is the fatigue generated by the PC, two step correction on a moderately marred car is a 10-14 hour polishing process. That clacking, vibrating, and noise will drive any one insane after 2-3 cars. There is also the effect it has on nerves, elbow's and shoulders. Constant vibration like the pc can make your arms numb for hours.
Lack of power. Simply put, you apply more than a smidgen of pressure and the PC bogs down. It becomes much less effective the more pressure you apply. It can be some what maddening on a very hard clear. You need the pressure for the "cut and polish" yet the pc can not handle it.
No trigger variable speed. Most rotary's and even the flex have a trigger variable speed. You set the max and then vary your trigger pull to spread the polish out, then lock the trigger to actually work the polish.
finally the biggest problem is there is no real benefit you can take with you after learning the PC to another platform. IE flex or rotary. How you polish with the PC is not how you polish with the flex or the rotary.
The flex is an interesting hybrid between a rotary and a orbit machine.
It has the necessary rotation for tumbling the polish. Due to how the flex 3401 is designed it can provide you with both rotation and orbit. At speed 6 it has 9600 orbits (basically the equivalent of an air drive orbiter) and 480 RPM. This gives the flex enough movement to rotate and tumble the polish at a low rpm. While giving you the brute force or 10k orbit power. This will help turn that 10-14 hour 2 step polish via PC into a 5-7 hour job.
It is a smoother machine with a different vibration and noise. The flex's system is a gear driven counter weight. With the proper type of care it will be far smoother, quieter and there for much less mental and physical stress.
Basically at speed 6 It also has much more torque than most rotary's, allowing you to work an area with more pressure before it begins to bog down. Not that you will always need more pressure with it's hybrid type of movement. That extra power, and torque are what really make using a flex a joy compared to a PC orbit.
It will show a rotary user all of their bad habits. Due to the nature of how the flex moves it is beneficial that you have good rotary habits. The flex will walk on panels with poor habits, Most noticeable when people tend to edge their rotary's. By learning to keep the flex flat, they will transfer that knowledge to a rotary when they move up.
The flex will finish down tough details better than a PC. The flex has the tumble necessary to finish down paints that may have a trace of holograming in the tight corners, or bends fender flare. Where as the PC simply can not effectively remove those areas because of it's lack of rotation and lack of power.
my 2 cents in a world of twenty dollar bills.
07-31-2008, 05:11 AM
#4
Former Vendor
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 6,357
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Greg, the Flex is a great tool
If you have a few hoods or panels laying around you can give the rotary a try but you may not want to try on your own car until you get it perfect.
with the flex you get more power and it will reduce the time you are on the car.
LMK I can put a rotary kit or a flex kit together for you.
Phil
with the flex you get more power and it will reduce the time you are on the car.
LMK I can put a rotary kit or a flex kit together for you.
Phil
Trending Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
dougaross
A6 / S6 (C5 Platform) Discussion
4
03-26-2004 06:53 AM
mpuzach
A6 / S6 (C5 Platform) Discussion
24
10-12-2000 01:15 PM
