Flex XFE 7-15 150 review demo - Long Throw 15ml Dual Action polisher
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- Опубліковано 10 тра 2017
- FLEX XFE7-15 150 available from...
www.cleanandshiny.co.uk/produ...
Chemical Guys 5.5 inch Hex logic pads featured in the video
www.cleanandshiny.co.uk/colle...
Scholl compound (S3 gold xxl) recommended
www.cleanandshiny.co.uk/colle...
Scholl finishing polish S40 (recommended)
www.cleanandshiny.co.uk/produ...
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#forensicdetailing #detailing - Авто та транспорт
thank you soooooo much for a great review!
i have 2 questions if you had to choose out of the flex 3401 with your 5" lc or hybrid pads or the new xfe which one will you go for and why?
i can see you answered a similar question below, you have had the experience of a force drive and now a da which feels better and easy to use and correct ?
i tried a rotary for the first time last week and the tool started walking away on me and couldnt handle it or feel in control...maybe i need more expierence
when you start out with a rotary run it on max of 5.5 pads.. and run it no faster than 800 RPM.. and just use it like a DA at that speed with slow cross hatch passes and you will get cool results.. no need to crank it up.. hold it nice and loose and level and just let it work the product... after a while you get the feel of it, especially the important of holding it level.. I still love using it because the results are great.. the problem arise when you crank it up and overheat the paint, and it can sling if you use too much product..
3401 v xfe7... at the moment I am really in the honey moon period of the xfe7.. I want to use it more.. I want to own one.. I was impressed with everything about it... specially how user friendly it is and how easy it is to balance and just work over the panels... but I love those hybrid power pads in combo with the 3401 and Ive used that so many times to get good results.. The thing that could swing it is the xfe7 works best are low pressure (even flex advise that) so using a free spinning DA gets you into good habits with light hands and letting it glide over the paintwork... The 3401 you dont slow the spinning down with pressure... It doesnt spin out like the xfe7 its more a kind of constant ploughing along... Keep going back in my mind to how well the xfe7 copes with the correction on the test panel though and couldnt help but think it cuts that clearcoat a bit quicker than the 3401 (without cutting too much or overheating paint like a rotary "could"..
Either one will do.. but ok which one if I had to pick... XFE7
great response and very sound advise!!!! i have a shinemate ep803 which i was struggling to use but your right i think i need to hold it level and not use high speed plus i feel i was pushing down on it that could be why it started to walk away on me. i also was struggling to get the concave parts of the car and do cross hatch on them. i might try going even slower on them sections.
wow really!!! i would of thought the 3401 would be better at cutting as its the beast and older brother, i was worried the xfe would be one of those "too safe and user friendly machine" that you have to go over and over the same section to correct it which was off putting as i dont want to be taking to much time on each section but you have assured me its better at cutting and is user friendly, light and its making you struggle to choose between the machine which makes it right up there . i have a choice to buy a brand new 3401 for £254 with free product or go for this XFE i am torn between the 2 because of the saving on the 3401 or go for the new kid in the block which is £40 cheaper than its competitor rupes mk2 ..... based on your review which i trust and your fair i think i am going to go for ...... XFE :))) cheers bud!!!
please can you advise on how many pads i would need for 1 car... i know i need compounding pad, polishing pad, and finishing pad but how many of each to do one car or would ok with just 1 of each...?
some use 1 cutting pad and do the whole car with it.. I will generally use about 3.. and maybe 2 to polish.. so many 3 cutting pads 3 polishing pads.. and a finishing pad for muck spreading.. S20 on mid range polishing pad is something you also might want to consider.. and with that you are done..
wow really thats sounds good i was worried i need to buy 1 for each panel and i totalled 9 panels which would cost £90 just for cutting and another £90 for polished
lol thats a newbie for you lol i might just get 4 cutting 3 polish and 1 finish and see how i get on
Great stuff a clear non-subjective review, the design looks very user friendly!
A concise and fair opinions that justifies the differences in each of the three tools.
The importance of the fact that they all really do the same at the business end and the fact that it comes down to the human end of the tool and preferences of grip, vibration, budget and speeds is fully explained! Thanks Jon 😊
Looking forward to the next vid, your top at what you do! 😊👍
Another great video from FDC! Very balanced and informative
I appreciate your videos, very thorough and informative!
Great review and very well broken down. I'll be looking into picking up the flex
Thank you very much for the detailed review. I was confused as to whether the Rupes or the Flex. But, I think I would go for the Flex any day.
Thank you for yet again a very informative video.
I love this Machine. If I didnt buy my Flex3401 1 year ago. I would 100% buy the XFE, no doubt. I think it beast Rupes and all other machines on the market right now.
Thanks for the exenter and great review Jon.
Great review with great information.
All bases covered as per every video you produce. Thanku
Awesoooome can't wait to watch it!
Proper review. Top job mate!
Thank you! Good review
Awesome review John... I've been giving some thought as to trading in my LHR15 mk2 for the flex offering.
For me the Rupes still bogs down too much and unless completely level with the surface, just doesn't want to spin at all some of the time.
I'll try greasing the rubber behind the plate to see if it helps... If not I'll be jumping ship to the flex.
Just to add, Griot's also offers a 15mm and 21mm (at least here on this side of the pond).
I wonder ... do you recommend changing the gear grease on the Flex beforehand...? Just a great and very detailed review by the way, thanks for that.
I bought this model and am absolutely in love with the smoothness and precision it offers. I have a question on buying a rotary and wanted to know should I buy the Flex 3403 or the PE14 ?
You may remember I bought the Rupes back in Feb and am very pleased with it. Corrected both my cars a couple of weeks apart with it with great results. A joy to use. The issue I had was when 3/4 way round the second car, the bearing the plate spins on seized solid and it had to go back for the bearing to be replaced. Lost a little confidence in it as a result. I don't need to use it again as the cars have been done but will have to go over my daily in a month or two with something like lime prime just to make sure it runs fine now before the warranty runs out. I paid the money for a Rupes as I thought I was buying a bullet proof pro level machine but it failed after 10 hours of use. Hopefully I was just unlucky.
reading your honest comment is why i am still sat here deciding which tool i should buy as my first polisher. i have been in this situation since last year. i really want to go for rupes but hear things like this or its bogs down oir doesnt spin on doors etc but on the other hand the xfe doesnt cut as well and 3401 is too much of a beast for newbies :(
Floyd TMT Mayweather - I'd still recommend the Rupes. They're a joy to use and I have never had bogging down issues. Also look at how many pros use them. If you have concerns go for the XFE. They will have more than enough cut.
Hi and thank you for all your videos. I just purchased this model the other day and I wanted to know if there is any certain upgrades I can put on this polisher. I have the 6inch version.
Have to add to most others, superb review for real normal people. Waffle as much as you want, it’s what sets you aside from most. Never have to rewind.
You covered it all, or enough thank you.
Comment.When talking about tools, had to learn the hard way, better pay extra for quality and named gear. Warranty, support, spares and … resale factor often forgotten.
To work on paintwork of £2K or £100K car, is it not worth paying that extra £160? It'’s not £1,600.
It is not black n white as this for sure, but in general I wasted too much trying to save a little on tools. If I cannot afford it yet, I wait until I can.
Awesome review...well done, thank you, 808details Hawaii
Nice review! Question; whats your intro music?
Good information, very helpful. I wonder if you have access to the Griot's Garage BOSS G15-G21. If you do I would love to see a comparison like this, very well known in the detail world but very few reviews on YT.
Very nice review, so enjoyable to wathc. Thanks.
thanks sarwindo appreciate it
Hi John, just came across your channel a couple of weeks - absolutely great 👍 one question, this machine bake-off was in 17. Does this still stand as the best choice for the budget? This would be my first polisher 😊
you know what, I think so.. the one thing I have not done though is owned one and hammered one. but I speak to a lot of people.. theres no issues with failures I know of, theres a 2 year warrenty on them. They improved issues I talked about in this video around vibration. Overall its a cool machine.. its just if your not a professional then the chinese das6 pro is like a third of the price and can give you the same results. The pro will opt for a flex or rupes if you are using them everyday. if money is less of an issue and you want cool tooling.. then go for this and pair it up with the Xfe 7-12 later on (the mini one if thats not the right model nyumber cant rememeber)
Perfect -thank you 🙏 fantastic channel, ram packed with so much info 😎🤓
I see that FLEX offers a few battery powered polishers. Have you used any? Do they have any advantages? I'm working my way through all of your videos starting with those that are most timely for my activity.
Really enjoyed this review because I am looking at doing something soon with this size machine. Only tonight, (Aust) was i checking out the flex on the waxit site and noticed the high speed. I realise you don't have to use it that high but it's something I would not use. The speed range jumped off the page as being a little silly for usability for me which I think you have come to conclude yourself in a round about way.
The flex has a 24 month warranty where Rupes has just 12.
In Aust the price advantage is with the Rupes with it costing $729.99 v $764.50 for the flex.
The backing plate on the Rupes is 120mm where as the pads being packaged on the flex are 6.5s so the packaging out here tends to favour the Rupes as well. I think for me it will the Rupes mainly because I am impressed with the totality of their system with pads and compounds.
I think when it comes to smoothness this is a factor where all the parts work together.
great info. the rupes is still an impressive bit of kit. Not sure if theres a right or wrong choice really..
Forensic Detailing Channel Personally I think you have nailed it. Because I am an absolute beginner, my considerations are a little bit on the side of uncertainty. The colour coding of the Rupes system just gives me a bit of confidence. In theory anyway. Once you remove this, if you have your own favourite pads like lake country for example, I think you are left with the major point in your review. The washer modification was used in Bigfoot MK1. It hasn't been addressed. That's a bit odd.
My angelwax enigma has just shown up. Wouldn't have purchased this wax with out your channel and I haven't made my mind up on this yet.
Love the way you go about this stuff, and if it helps, you are influencing consumers.
Its look like its a Nice and good substitute for the Rupes tools. What i haard is that flex has been bought bij Japanese/Chinese investors!!
Still its a good product when it was in Germans hands... very informative and good review John like always!!👍👍👍
they moved the manufacture of some of their wide tooling range over to china.. if your going to be competative on price and stay in business you prolly have to.. but they still manufacture a fair few tools in their german site.. And this tool I believe was made in germany...
Great review, what about the power between Flex and Rupes? I noticed on my Rupes that it stops rotating fast when panel is not flat (doors etc.) would the Flex be a bit stronger or about the same?
thats less about power and more about how the backing plate is supported against the main housing... and I think flex have a better design there than the rupes offering.
When I was a kid, we learned to call angle grinders "Flex" - I never knew why until 40 years later, when I saw my first Flex in real live and realised it is a brand... even though I'm German! Actually saw it first during some Sonax commercial.
Good job mate
Another cracking video John, I ain't got my da sorted yet but will be doing totally based on the brilliant information you have provided over the course of the video's of the machines covered, now i loved the look of the 3401 vrg when it was first launched but the force gear drive makes me panic thinking if it corrects as fast as a rotary it can burn like a rotary.....so i'm loving this 150, only problem i'd have not even having held a polisher ( although i've seen so many of your vids and others that in my head been there got the shirt lol) is the quick lowest speed, but i'm guessing that that coupled with the soft start after a couple of mins would pale into the background, cheers again john, would you have any ideas on a video show what is a good match, say,type of pad - to product used- for what problem. and what would happen with the same product used but altered pad from say cutting to finishing?...there does not seen to be to much of this information around, cheers.
you could use the CG quantum pads with the holes in them over the hex logic ones.. (utilise the hole in the plate better)
In terms of products... For 2 stage work
S3 gold xxl to cut..
s40 to finish..
In terms of what pads.. a medium to heavy cutting pad which the compound..
And the standard polishing pad..
So for example with hex logic.. The orange or yellow cutting pads with S3 and the white with S40..
And S20 one step with green hex logic..
Generally the polishing pads are softer with smaller pores.. The cutting pads are more rigid with larger pores.. remember its the product doing the work and your just looking for the method to transport them over the clearcoat and handle to debry...
Thats like a basic starting point.. theres millions of pad and product combos now..
cheers John thanks for the feed back.
jon how many pads would i need to do a whole car that has minor swirls and how many would i need for a car that has major swirls on average hatchback? eg 7 orange 4 white?
Good video! I brought the Das Pro + 15mm bp as I am new to all this detailing and machine polishing.
Rupes lhr15 mrk3 or XFE 7-15 .
Who is best?
hi, you should try to get your hand on the vertool force drive polisher, as it reduces the gap in terms of price between thedas 6 pro plus and the flex. in my mind, i both want to be able to correct, even tougher clear coat, and be safe since i dont have the experience of rotary. and with a classic da, it gets really time consuming trying to correct moderate defect on a hard clear coat such as on a german car. i would love to know your point of view on this tool, since it might be a good all around machine.
FLEX XFE7-15 or Rupes Lhr15 mark iii?
I love it the Flex
Thanks for another great & honest review. Always looking forward to your videos john.Greetings from L.A California 😎😎👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Great Album that one Charles.....Greetings From L.A...."I Was Night Hawkin' in My Taxi".....Tim might've even polished his Taxi with one if they were around in 1972....I was going to buy the Rupes LHR15 MK2, but I think I'll buy the Flex after John's Review.
Hi John. Awesome review..would the lc pads fit this machine
LC HDO pads are the ones to use... but I dont think you can get the HDO mini 80ml pad equivalent to match it for the mini DA's have a watch of the foam pad best of video to see pad options.
Hi, i watched multiple video's and really enjoy your honest reviews about the polishers. I can't decide which tool to buy, the shortlist is Rupes LHR 15MKiii and the XFE 7 15 150. What i constantly hear is that the Rupes is smoother and the Flex has the better customer Support. After 5 years have passed, which tool would you recommend today?
for free spinning I think the LHR15 mk3. For forced rotation its the Flex XCE.
Bought the Rupes last year. Really love the machine.
Thanks for the final push.
Used the machine on gelcoat and carpaint. In combination with Menzerna polishes and Gyeon pads no complaint’s.
Hi between this one and the fex vrg the best for you is witch one?
best regards
why flex make long throw orbital when it has force rotation? Is it rupes apprach better? is it price competition?
Hi John! Big dilema in front. Rupes 15 MK2 from official dealer or XFE from Germany as we don't have a dealer here in Cyprus. I have to decide fast... Thanks!
I want the flex. but the two tools basically do the same thing. someone else would want the rupes. its the ergonomics of the flex that swing it for me. just less industrial. I also think the flex mini DA the xfe 7-12 80 is better than the rupes mini. so eventually Id want to pair them up.. honestly though the rupes is still cool. wont effect results that much which one you go for.
I also want the Flex more mostly thanks to you. My only concern is there is no Flex dealership here, but probably no need to worry because of the international waranty and the reputation they are buletproof and reliable.
@@nikistefanovv these machines can break. both flex and rupes. so also consider that if its a tool you have to rely on for work.
Hi John, I have just purchased my first DA and went for the flex xfe after watching your review. as I am a complete novice, I was hoping you could give me your opinion on Polish and pad combo. I was considering scholl s30 with a medium orange pad as my paint is reasonably fresh...2013 estoril blue BMW paint. it's not in bad condition hence the reason for the less aggressive cut. have you tried s30 and if so would you recommend that combination for my scenario. Cheers in advance 😊
anything in the scholl concepts range will work. I dont have s30.. I tend to do all my cutting with s3 gold.. if theres not much cut to be done then I go with 1 set with a heavy and finish down with s40... or sometimes S20 black own.. this stuff is magic... finishes down like a fine polish but does carry a fair amount of cut at the start of the set...
Id almost say if your doing this for the first time you will get better results just using s20 black on a green hex pad and focusing on spending your time to make sure all areas of the car are covered and work very slowly.. because you will gain a huge amount of time from not having multiple stages, and that time you get back can be spent making sure you really hit ever part of every panel...
Forensic Detailing Channel, thanks for the speedy reply John. I had considered the S20 as it gets really good reviews, I was just a bit concerned that I was cutting more than I needed to with it. I trust your judgement though so I might just go with it . Thanks again 👍
yw mate.. s30 will serve you well also for what your trying to do... will be hard in terms of results to know the difference. based on the key thing you said that you are not trying to do heavy correction...
Constant speed control, what is good for? Have
a machine with this feature and thought it would make the polishing pad
not bog down so easily but completely useless in that regard.
Soft start is just irritating to me, just slowing down my polish pace.
So, according to me, do not let these features determine your machine selection
Forget of course, thank you for a good review!
I dont agree, the constant speed obviously cant directly control the free spinning rotation... but by maintaining the speed of the main axel you do provide more consistency than you would have without it..
Soft start.. yer prolly not essential allthough I would rather have it than not... it gets up to speed quick enough that it doesnt slow me down...
but you have choice deje.. so if you dont want the electronic features that might lean you towards the pro plus which is a cool tool and is incredible value.
Hi john
As always in these questions, the taste is like the butt, divided
Hehe, I already have Das-6 pro +, a very competent machine, soft and nice in action,
definitely an affordable one.
Have already far too many polishers,.Another machine that might be
interesting for a beginner is Cocraft HPV 720, will be provided with a
125 mm backing plate later in the summer,do I have it? Of course,, is detailing addictive, not what I have noticed, hmm!
I don't have any power in my garage, so I'll be using a cheap Chinese inverter. Slow start MAY prolong the life of the inverter, by slowing ramping up the power. (I realise my situation is rather unique) Mind you, I have no intention of getting a Flex - I'm just talking hypothetically. ;^)
After seeing your review on the Rupes LHR15 MK2, and a few other reviews, I was about to buy one, but then I found some info on the XFE7-15, and then found your review. Sounds like the FLEX might be a better choice. Thanks John, I think we all like your No Bullshit style of Reviews. UA-cam is full of Crap.....While this has nothing to do with Detailing, it is another interest of mine, Steve's Small Engine Saloon I think it is from memory, American bloke who gives advice on Chainsaws etc. Entertaining, Factual, Down to Earth No Bullshit Kinda Guy. On another Continent where they are known to Lay It On Thick, Steve Cuts To The Chase to use an American term. In Australia we'd say he Cuts Through The Bullshit, just like you do Mate, that's why we like you!
thanks adrian. with the rupes and flex machines they are the 2 premium offerings. Flex have made some design tweaks to the xfe 7-15 now as well.. they have done away with the ball bearing style counter weight and I think they have changed the material to rubber which interfaces with the plate. At least they had on the cordless versions. And the tool was smoother as a result. Id like to get my hands on a corded XFE again to see what its like now.
but you cant go too far wrong with either of the premium tools. And if you want a budget offering the DAS6 pro plus (or equivalent) is nt a bad option mate.
thanks for the good feedback really appreciate it.
@@ForensicDetailing how can you tell which version you are buying. As in the bearing update
@@kshah74100 I think only a 100 were sold in the UK before they released an updated iteration of the tool. so you should simply ask whoever your buying it from that you want the fixed counterweight version. if you shake a machine that has the ball bearing counter weight it makes like a rattline noise like one of those shakers. you can also undo the backing plate and look you will see the fixed counter weight on the latest version. Im not sure why the ball bearing counter weight was like aborted. but I did noticed the machine I had the vibration was "intrusive" at the upper speed range. so Im guessing it was to make it smoother.
Hi Jon, ok taken the plunge and ordered the XFE7 15 150 which is my first polisher. I have a 9 year old BMW which has been looked after but has lots of swirls/spiders. Following your videos I’m going for two stage approach, using Scholl S3 Gold compound then S40 polish. Could you advise me on a set of pads as seems so much choice it confusing. Cheers Steve
Hellom Steven, Flex purples to cut. And flex orange to polish (from slims) These will work great on the flex machine. use 125 ml plate.
Thanks again Jon, watched some more of you other videos today (addictive rabbit hole!) and also ordered some Hex logic quantum pads - Yellow (can see you rate them), Orange, Green, White for polish and for good measure a black to apply the wax. So lots to experiment with - keep up the good work, aside from the knowledge transfer its good for the soul to see and hear genuine people like yourself 🙏
Just on the speed issue... are modern polishes be able to handle the extra speed. Wouldn't they break down faster reducing their working time.
Cheers
Donut
Hey mark
Flex tools have a good reputation for reliability and durability.
You are going to be working the tool harder at higher speeds, but it will be designed to cope with that no doubt..
Also you dont have to operate the machine at those high speeds all the time... from the day I got to play with it speed 3 corrected very well.. I wasnt concerned about the tool wearing out faster from the high OPM rate it had.. I was just more curious just why it went that fast really.
does this flex have more power than the rupes mk 2 does this flex bog down
Any news on the XCE? Supposed to be their next forced rotation DA, but can't find anything current on the net! Thanks.
info on that tool is a bit sketchy.. but when I last spoke to flex about it.. It was never offically a tool that was going to be released to replace the 3401.. I think word of its existence got informally put out there in the states... So Im still under the assumption the XCE was just something they were playing around with... if I hear anything else Ill let you know.. or who knows the situation may have changed from that.. but thats my understanding..
I've got money to burn and I'm itching to get a new (upgrade) DA. It's between the one being reviewed here and a Rupes LHR15 MK2. Anybody with hands-on experience with both that would care to share their opinions? I'm not a pro, maybe an advanced hobbyist at best, and I just want a really nice machine. I currently own 2 Harbor Freight machines, a Griot's Garage 3" polisher and a Flex VRG 3401. I also have an El Cheapo rotary that I'm quite happy with and it fills my needs in that regard. I know I don't _need_ yet another polisher for the amount of work I do, but which of the two in question would complement my current setup best?
Hi,
Suitable for a novice with new car? Thanks
This one or xc3401 for one step correction on german and japanese black paints hollograms free every time ???
I have Intermediate skills with short through da polisher
XCE forced rotation no contest :)
@@ForensicDetailing ty vm John.
Write your bank account details please so i can send some money for your advice.
Hope i can handle perfect finnish with xc34001 and one step scholl s20 for example.
It has 1050w power though.
Planning to hook it up to 100ah battery through pure shine wave 1500w inverter
Wonder if 100ah battery with that inverter will manage large 4x4 on the same day without recharging.
I have once polished whole car with cordless drill so i guess i can manage it with xc3401 as well :))) lol gray paint though it was invisible hologramms left :))))))
how many passes do you usually do with a compound ore a Polish on a DA and is it even possible to correct the paint fully with a cheap DA cheers mate
I dont really count my like cross hatch passes within a set now.. but its prolly around 6-8 passes in total in the set.. sometimes less because I move the machine like a zombie (non turbo zombie.. So more like a walking dead zombie than a "I am legend" turbo zombie)
Just an update, price on clean and shiny was £349 and is now £329
Is this good for beginners?
I'd love to be able to own a flex, any model tbh. they're just far too unrealistic price wise for me. hell, I corrected my car to a great standard with a 50 quid da from argos and that's never let me down lol.
great review though. and the tool does look quality. but then German tools always are.
you can yes mate and do a great job on a DA.. but if you were doing it every day you would almost certainly be using a premium tool..
I can't decide between this and the lhr15 mark iii
Right now auto geek has the flex xfe 7-15 for 15 percent off
Can the lake country ccs pads work good with this polisher?
never tested sorry
Hi Jon, I bought this machine about 2 years ago. I am currently using it for the second time. I have noticed a lot of fine rubber particles coming from the machine while polishing,it's as if the plates are rubbing together. Is this normal for a new machine or should I contact the supplier because I can't seem to get good results with it and I think the rubber particles getting under the pad night be the problem. Has anyone ever experienced this ? This is my first machine so I don't have any experience. Thanks in advance .
thats does not sound normal no Chris. It has 2 year warrenty. maybe you have the very first iteration of the tool with the ball bearing counter weight. Speak to flex they will sort you out, or they will advise if its normal.
Thanks Jon, I didn't think it was normal. I didn't seem to be getting as much rubber particles by the time I had finished today suggesting that it had worn away enough of to be rubbing any more. I didn't get the results I was hoping for also but then I'm not experienced enough to know what to expect. I will contact Flex, thanks again .
@@chriscarmichael2277 what was the outcome please ?
Kevin Brown once figured out the Flex 3401 spins at 4800 OPM's on speed 6, not the claimed 9600 OPM by Flex. I'd say the same is probably true with the XFE 15. On speed 6, it runs at 4500 OPM's and not the claimed 9,000.
9,000 OPM's on a DA is A LOT, especially on a long throw! I've tried the XFE 15 and there's no way it spins at 9,000 OPM's on speed 6. Flex determines their OPM's different than the industry standard. The speed feels about the same as the other 15mm's out there. Put them side by side in the air and there is NO WAY the XFE 15 spins almost double the speed of the others on speed 6.
great info mark.. thats all new to me.. I would say at top whack this tool feels faster to me than the rupes.. considerbly faster... but what you are saying is really interesting.. and yer 9000 opm is very very fast. I wonder if they measure it on the axel without a plate of something? Id be really interested to know.. but I have no way of measuring if I can think of.
I forgot exactly how Kevin Brown measured the 3401's OPM, but I think it was by a light source. I could be wrong. I just don't think the XFE 15 spins anywhere near 9,000 OPM compared to the industry standard. Pads would be blowing out all the time at that speed, and it just didn't feel it was spinning at 9,000 OPM. Again, Flex claims the 3401 spins at 9,600 OPM's on speed 6. Without any type of measuring, it's not rocket science that is does not. :)
id be interested to know.. but in lamens terms it has a ton of correction capability at speed 3-4... great stuff mark cheers
Great to know, thanks! I like your videos!
mark: If you can find some article or video how Kevin Brown measured OPM, I would be very interested in that. So do you think that OPM that flex gives are motor rotation per minute rather than driveshaft rotation per minute and the difference is hidden in the gear ratio?
13:15 - and speaking of K. Brown, it's rather just washer then bearing :)
In summary the flex doesn't bog down as much as the rupes?
i think there were a couple of other things.. 125 mill out the box, 40 quid cheaper etc.. I tried to do a quick summary at the end but its a few minutes as always of me rambling :(
Hey good review.
Would you choose this one over FLEX XC 3401 VRG for normal detailing job?
hey bobby im gonna pin a response the this question on the top of the comments. rgs, JD
What differs this from vrg ??
the metal housing of the VRG has a track... the VRG backing plates have cogs which run in that track.. This locks in the plate and stops it from turning untill the 8 mill offset free spinning bearing it forced to run around the track by the rotation of the main axle.. (hence why the plate turns anti clockwise when the axle turns clockwise)
So you cannot stop the VRG from spinning... its fixed rotation...
you havent used modded Rupes, right? i have all the Rupes machines and pe 14-2. Rupes Mk2 21 is my favourite by far. Both the 15 andd 21 beata my Rotary on correction speed. I have tested rotary+wool vs Rupes+mf.
anyway good video like allways 🤗
Yo JTM thanks m8..
your not testing like for like.. rotary has the capability to cut clearcoat at a more rapid rate for me.. (long discussion)
but yer the DA's give a good consistent amount of performance and cut and less can go wrong...
Ive not used the rupes modded, it was not a good idea to review it with the mod for the channel... generally if I have to alter a tool to get a desirable level of performance then something is wrong.. The manufacturer is against modding the tool because it also increases the pressure you put on the free spinning bearing.
Well im talking about using the machines right way. With rotary i used like 1800rpm on a woll pad and tilted the pad for first couple of passes. And with Rupes just moderate pressure. With Rupes you i can correct defects faster and with rotary one could do damage faster(heat) especially with a foam pad.
instagram.com/p/BT-HDo0DjJa/
Only pad that i have been able to make rotary beat rupes is the Avenger instagram.com/p/BQFyFLYDSK_/ which is absolutely sick woolpad. However microfiber xtra cut discs even things. Next week im getting Kamikaze beat backing plate and woolpads.
I suggest everyone test modded rupes and microfiber, you will be amazed ;)
So the flex is 710w rupes is 500w is flex more powerful then?
no its a bit like saying a 3.2 V6 is faster than 2.0 turbo. You cant see from this how much torque is going to the wheels. And you cant compare from the engine input or output power how much torque is being put out.. gearing comes into play but also the quality of the motor etc...
Forensic Detailing Channel but one thing rupes says 500w flex is 420 out put 710 input so is the rupes 500w rating input or out put but personally wich do you think is better
@@hakman239 see my first answer you cant derive torque from it, theres gearing involved as well. Its all meaningless.
Hi
Can i use 4" CG pads with this Flex xfe??🙂
no mate
Thank you
Do you have any review of CG Torq 10fx?
no sorry
I too am looking to upgrade from the PC and was trying to decide between flex 3401 and rupes Bigfoot 21 Mark 2. Was leaning on the flex 3401 simply for the force rotation but then I hear it spins counter clockwise n harder to control n use compared to the rupes as it spins clock wise and a lot easier to handle n use n just more comfortable. That is until I hear about the Flex XFE-7 and now I'm here watching these review. Also I stumble across a Facebook post from rupes and they revealed a new force rotation DA polisher called Bigfoot Mille LK 900E. Now I'm gonna wait for that one to hit the shelves and see how it will preform. What's everyone's view on rupes new DA polisher that will be coming out? Here's a link to rupes page and the new products coming out
www.rupes.com/en/new-products/#BIGFOOT%20LK%20900E
i think its fair to say rupes do a better job of getting endorsements from detailing "stars" than the flex.. however for me I find the quality and engineering of the flex tools better... I still like rupes..
the fact the 3401 spins counter clockwise is nothing to worry about and takes about half a nano second to adjust to.
Finish machine..good build but bad cutting...i sold mine after 5 days
Was it stalling to much or what was the reason for not cutting well?
@@jkroemer2685 because she had small head mowing and low rpm...good machine but if you have rotary and DA free spin this machine you dont need...not cut like rotary, not finish like DA free spin...
I bought that machine, tested it and didn't like it. Sold it the next day. I also sold my LHR15 Mk2 at the same time. Because real men use Rotary. lololol
what didnt you like about it brian?
For me, rotary is a far more efficient and engaging machine to use in 99% of correction situations. I think far too much focus is being put on DA machines as a professional tool. If you even look back at the original marketing for large throw machines, they were aimed at bodyshop personnel who didn't know how to use a rotary and left buffer trails. With the marketing strategies, I am seeing definite down-turn in rotary skill out there, partly because polishes and compounds are also created to be more compatible with dual action machines. (That difference is for another conversation). The new flex machine is a good machine for a DA. I found it well balanced and ergonomic. One of my first dislikes was the design of the backing plate and that black collar that fits above it. This overall shape here means you are very limited to where you can slide the machine around. Its fine on large areas but if you want to get in, even just a little bit under a spoiler or around a splitter, you need another machine. The Flex collar will just collide with paintwork in tighter areas. And it doesn't really like a large pad on this size backing plate either as the downward pressure is lost on the wider non-backed edges. (I'm not sure if that makes sense? But that collar piece is a terrible design flaw) . The speed is another issue. It doesn't operate at the proposed speeds. I have or had DA machines that operate at high speeds and they are intriguing. EG, the Flex X1107VE is an unstoppable 8mm DA that starts at 4300 and goes up to 13000 OPM. Under load, I'd say it runs at about 8000 to 9000 OPM and that causes serious issues with heat in the pad and the backing plate. Lovely machine to use though with the right combos. I also have a Taiwanese 14mm throw machine that goes up to 14000 OPM (that is sheer lunacy though, I won't use it for correction lol). ........... The Flex 15mm throw is better than the Rupes 15mm throw under load as well. But it isn't 15mm. You can see it diminish on either machine with slight to moderate pressure. The free spinning aspect is also better on the Flex but the spin doesn't have enough energy behind it to make that much difference (just in my opinion). The effectiveness of the machines comes from the orbit and the way the abrasive travels along the surface during its breaking-down period. So I tested the machine firstly against the Rupes and found it was slightly better at the different speeds, different pad and product combinations, etc. Then I tested it against the rotary and I just found that this is where the finesse lies. (BTW, how to choose a rotary is also another story lol) So I just sold the machines and made my investments liquid again! lol Sorry for the long answer btw
definetly cant use the long throws in tight areas, I thought though you were gonna mention vibration as a negative...
you could say theres not much money or long term prospects for any tool maker offering machine polishers if there was only rotaries.. wont be long before the chinese did a lightweight one, and the price points of lots of the other rotaries from decent tool makers limit what the other guys can charge.. I sometimes wonder if this is whats driving all these offerings coming out... because yer I hear you.. the rotary does the lot and does it all well.. and its not hard to use.. the risks of doing the bad stuff all revolve around using it at high speed really... stick to 600-1000 not much can go wrong...
Its true. But don't get me wrong, one rotary will still leave you very limited. I have a few, but two of them are always to hand (depending on the current car). On most cars, its just a case of switching plates, adding an extension etc, rather than needing a whole array of machines. But what is driving all the new tools on the market is the simple fact that people will buy them. Detailers & enthusiasts are always looking for a magic bullet, but we know in reality there is no such thing. There are way too many critical variables.
your right brian.. I was working on a car the other day and I have no idea why but I was really struggling to cut with the rotary on the tests I did. the product was gripping on the rotary I was getting funny noises, I was working at low speeds... could not for the life of me figure out what was going wrong so just switched to the 3401 with S3 and it just worked and cut better... but sometimes Ive gone at cars with the 3401 and had to switch to the rotary..