FLEX PXE 80 Review - The tool I've been waiting for...
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- Flex PXE 80 10.8-EC/2.5 Set
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PXE 80 review
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FYI - I mulled over it for a few days after shooting this, but Ive bought one as well. And I will look to probably pair it up with a cordless XFE or XCE later on. (prolly the XFE)
do you make your own compound solutions?
Flex pxe 80 or rupes ibird nano.
Which is better?
@@roblansley2190 the PXe is a more capable machine more powerfull. the ibrid is more intricate though which might be important. But Ive gone for the PXE to that one was more desirable for me.
@@ForensicDetailing HI, YOUR CHANNEL IS VERY INFORMATIVE, CAN YOU PLEASE TEST INEXPENSIVE WAXES. CAN YOU PLEASE TEST FORMULA 1 CARNAUBA WAX, FOR SHINE AND DURABILITY. IF INEXPENSIVE CARNAUBA WAXES ARE WORTH IT, OR JUST BUY EXPENSIVE WAXES, THANKS
Great review, i have ordered one and your code worked, so good price too! thank you for a great channel !! I had been looking at the Rupes as well but you have swung me to Flex to marry with my LHR15 Rupes
Thank you. That was the most honest review on UA-cam.
What a review! They should have hired you as a test consultant before they launched the product 😂
kind words Jimmy thanks.
A really great informative review which ultimately has made my decision in purchasing this rather than the Rupes Nano. As an enthusiast I felt the Flex has more options that suit better on use ability and price.
Nice, i bought the SPTA Cordless mini, $199 on Amazon, worth every penny!
jesus, i thought you cleaned out your garage! you have so much nice things id love to have!
Just picked one up from Cartec for 337.49, nearly went for the liquid elements but feel this tool will be so much more useful, thanks for the video's on this tool. So helpful as always
Me too! Just boning up on details on this video!
im not in the trade, but i am planning on doing the majority of my car with this machine, maybe ill to the bonnet with my bigger corded machine if i need to really cut out imperfections etc... but for monthly gloss enhancements this small tool is just what i have been looking for....so easy to use, can handle it with one hand.....so excited
You absolutely convinced me John!
Especially when you mentioned superb build quality
The great thing about your reviews Jon is there’s no need for further research. You cover everything. The ibrid comes with pads and polishes in the kit so in reality isn’t that more expensive at all.
Really good review Jon, thoroughly enjoyed it. Extremely informative, you covered everything which is great for everyone.
This is a must-have tool for any keen detailer. To give you some idea of how versatile this is I’ve just completed a full two-stage paint correction on my 911 using just this polisher. I tried using a Rupes Bigfoot LHR15 at various points but the car is just far too curvy for a DA polisher to be efficient. The PXE did it all without a problem. The small rotary attachment was perfect for door mirrors and other hard to reach places and the 80mm DA attachments did the rest. There was minimal stalling compared to the Rupes. Yes, it took a fair amount of time to do the whole car but I was in no hurry at all as the car’s laid up for winter. The Flex pads are great too.
I finally pulled the trigger on it. Getting it on the weekend. Your enthusiastic videos about it sure made my decision easier 😅
its a great tool be sure to check the ADT adapters that allow you to polish under the handles.and are cheap.
@@ForensicDetailing I don't know what ADT means, but I'm pretty sure you're talking about the adapters from the APS shop. 👍
Cool bit of kit that. I use a cheapo Shinemate EP803 but that is corded. One thing that a mini needs it to be is cordless. I only use it though for 1" pads and nothing bigger, I have other machines for that. 👍
i agree, this is a small compact unit, and they should have thought it out more, as users of this machine are looking to use this in intricate areas.
Great walkthrough Jon. My new Flex PXE 80 arrived today. Looking forward to giving it a try along with the APS add-ons! Cheers
Superb review there, i always love how you make these review wether it be for a product or a tool.
This pxe seems like an awesome tool, especially if you already own a tool with the same battery.
Fantastic work John. Bought this over the Rupes Ibrid Nano long neck. The value of already owning the 7-15 XFE swayed it for me. Flawless consumer advice! Thank you
Hey, thanks for sharing this.
Just a quick comment on the speed settings and you mention that you want to spread product and then go up to speed which you find a bit cumbersome;
The first push of the power button is the slow product spread setting 👍🏽 so push it half way, spread product, then all the way and lock it for proper polishing speed 👍🏽
There is also an extending rod for it you can use with cones and balls. 👍🏽
63kg that’s a hefty tool 🤣 great demo John 👍🏻
lol yer. made from genuine white dwarf!
watched this again, cant wait till mine comes in the mail, except i had to order a bunch of pads since i didnt have any for it.
Sooo pleased you did a review for this. Thinking of buying one.
Great review.. I just bought a Rupes Nano. Nothing to compare it to. The Nano is a great tool. I think I’d rather use a Big Foot Mini, and the Nano.
Nice new test panel, John! 😉
Thinking about this Polisher myself. Great review.
Daniel Bithell I pulled the trigger on it. Love it.
Order placed :) Thx for the 10%..
Awesome thorough review! This is now on my long long list of items I want or shall I say need! 😂 I wanted an Ibird Nano until I read a bunch of reviews on it. This is the fix I believe!
i think there maybe something coming from rupes soon you might want to take a look at as well FAB. closer to the PXE.
Forensic Detailing Channel I will keep an eye out! Thanks Jon
The intro music has changed, like it!
Great video Jon as always. It's about time that other manufacturers have come up with an alternative to the Rupes iBRID!!! Rupes iBRID pretty much had the market on the small (but essential to great detailing) mini da tools for many years. It's a long time coming for some competition to the iBrid. I'm a flex man myself having two of their tools now. I will definitely be adding this to my polishing arsenal. Thanks for the review.
True Joe but they got the market for years because they innovated.. And created something that didnt exist, which is risky.
@@ForensicDetailing True Jon, I totally agree. And RUPES is still a benchmark for many of the others to follow. But, it's always nice to have "options" and that Flex looks pretty innovative as well. I do like my Flex machines, especially the 3401 since that thing is almost unstoppable as you know. My Flex KOMPACT is great too because I got the kit with the 1", 2", and 3" backing plates and pads along with 3 different extension bars which essentially lets me do just about any surface on a vehicle that needs polishing, although not battery powered like the Flex you show here and the iBrid. I am leaning towards the battery powered units in the future though just for ease of use pretty much; but for the amount of polishing I do per year; the plug in units are still great.
EC usually refers to "electrically commutated" motor that means it's a brushless (so not more changing knackered carbon brushes), microprocessor controlled and the motor will run cooler
I picked up one of these to complement my Rupes LHR15 MKIII, hoping it would eliminate the need to get the iBrid Nano and a dedicated 3" machine. Sadly, with some of the areas that I need to get into...I still needed to add the Nano. I've used it on a couple jobs now and I absolutely love it. The PXE80 is also amazing, but it just can't replace a Nano for the cars that need it.
nano is more intricate isnt it but PXE has more power and the 3 inch mini with the 12 ml throw adapter on the PXE is viable.
What areas did you struggle with? I drive an E90 M3, I have the original flex beast but I'm looking to add another tool for the pillars and the wingmirrors. Is it better to get a dedicated nano rather than this?
For me it's a no brainer, it does the job of 2 tools, I was gonna buy the Rupes 75e Mini and the Nano at a later date, not anymore. The pro's outweighs the con's if you really think about it, especially saving me money :)
Same here, plus the cons he listed might be fixed by the manufacturer/community like extension bars. Other things can be fixed with the next revision of the tool.
With the APS kit I don't feel that the PXE can't handle any situation. I have the PXE 80 and the Milwaukee 18. I just appreciate them being cordless. Thanks for all the information. Jim
It's pretty perfect isn't it. Only thing not keen on is digital plus minus dial
Just a minor thing. It's pluses outweigh the negatives
maybe you can get flex to give your viewers a 20% off for the holidays! ill buy right now
Agree 100%, with modern cars today having so many curves in panels, I find im using my ibrid and rupes mini the most, so having a cordless 3” is what I’ve been wishing for - can have both the ibrid with a 1” pad and flex with a 3” on your creeper and just swap bw them per panel without even needing to get up. Given how bulky the head is, this for me is purely a 3” machine, the ibrid is still the better choice with 1” to get right up to panel edge
Really fantastic non biased review John. Think you covered everything as usual. Think I will stick to my range of Shine Mate polishers for now though, need to do a few hundred more cars to afford cordless.
Thanks again.
Nice review as always Jon. Noticed you changed intro music. Please never change end music. Cheers mate
It was just released in America. Man they really dropped the ball on this machine. They need experienced professional real life detailers helping them with their designs. I almost bought it until I saw it had no 2 inch backing plate. Rupes ibrid nano has no 3 inch option. A 1, 2 & 3 inch machine would be great for todays cars with crazy body lines. Switching out machines while doing paint correction gets irritating on big jobs. Great video as always. Thanks !
I got to play with one a couple weeks ago. Nice tool. Ordered one along with the cordless version of the 3401.
Very nice bit of kit. Jon I managed to get it for the price you would like it to be. Got it for 350!!
Hey, I have both and for me it is much better than hybrid nano. More power and more universal. Only disadvantage is it is as you have said " it is bigger, not small as hybrid nano".
If I was going FLEX only I would go with the PXE 80 and and the FLEX 3401. For Rupes only I would go Nano Ibrid and the Mille.
I currently have the Nano ibrid and the FLEX 3401. It is nice that the PXE 80 can use those larger pads - but between the FLEX 3401 with the optional 4 inch backing plate and the Nano with the 2 inch (especially with the Rupes style flared pads making a 3" pad for the 2" plate) I can use any pad from 1 inch to 7 inches!
Great review as always! Cheers!
good combos BPS. Im hopefully gonna get my hands on the new XCE corded and cordless soon for review.
Generally with motors EC means electronically commutated. Can be both AC and DC fed motors. Just means the motor is controlled via intelligent processor or VFD. 🙂
At 12:30, talking about a slow speed startup, Flex say there is a "Spreading" setting when you press the thumb trigger before pushing it forward for polishing.
As soon as this is available here in the US I'll be snagging one up! I have a Ibrid but it's too delicate IMO.
Thanks for the review. I've been wanting to get rid of the rupes for a while as I haven't been impressed and I'm a fan of flex tools.
6:34 This needs the Star Trek next generation music playing in the background.
lol brilliant :)
I'm a sucker for polishers, I currently have 2 3401's, PE14-2, PE8, Milwaukee 6078, 21 mark ii, 15 mark ii, the 75 and a Cyclo
I had to double take when you said 63kg 😂
just brought one of these so hopefully it will be good
look into the APS cone adapter arm, and extention bars, and 2 inch plate.
I love how Rupes and FLEX put their smallest polishers in cases built to survive an asteroid impact
Good information. I will need some tools and this has been helpful. 😁
I purchased that too and I love it
I can’t help thinking the major power tool manufacturers are missing a trick here. Dewalt, Makita, Bosch etc don’t make cordless polishers . They already have the battery tech. It’s a bit of a no go for me as a dewalt cordless user I’m not going to go down the route of flex cordless.
This question might sound silly but can I use the flex pxe 80 to do an entire car?
If yes how less practical would that be?
If the answer is yes then I challenge you with doing it yourself, and then please tell how many pads should be used ?
i wonder if it is too hard on the components to Rev it right up to full wack level 4 or 5 from a standstill, and this way it preserves the life of the machine/components....not sure....just a thought. I think a small polisher is next on my machine purchases. But i wont be spending $400+ for a small unit. Love the quick release! that is really nice! i think the rupez nanno is a bit more compact and fits my needs better for the compact areas of my bmw.
Imo the speed setting mechanism is a bad design decision, as it doesn't allow you to adjust the speed without bringing the tool out of balance
Nice machine and i ordered one ,to bad there is no 50mm backingplate available that would realy complete the polisher!
very good point actually yes. maybe it will come because I think they released a new pad size
They also have an extention bar and some other acessoires for the pxe
I‘m going to buy this too 😍
I seriously have to stop watching your videos, otherwise I'll go bankrupt soon. I got the XFE cordless because of your review, and now I want to get this one too.
On Asian market this machine slightly cheaper
Lucky you Jon. Looks like a nice tool to have
Thanks great review!
Thanks nice review, for me not being able to run the larger pad with the rotary is a deal breaker
NO nano tool can.
Seems to be a very nice tool. I used the Rupes one in my course in Poland. It is actually an important tool, I mean these small polishers. You do need them.
I have to algo get a 75mm or 80mm one cuz it is very important to have too.
I am still struggling with the rotary polisher. Lol. I dont like them too much. I cant get full control over them.
Nice video. I see it's being used on speed 4, just a heads up that speed 1-3 is for polishing and 4 is for spot sanding according to the manual.
Hi, great video! Don't suppose you're gonna have a video up soon on the corded and cordless version of the xce up soon? I'm trying to decide which one to go for. Your insights on both machines would be fantastic!
Hi john bit random related to this video but I've spent the last few weeks watching basically your entire history of videos after getting my car ceramic coated, you've cost me a few hundred quid on products so far 😂 so to the point, can you/would you apply gyeon wet coat over the top of bouncers done and dusted? Get the gloss from the bouncers and the hydrophobic effects of the gyeon, any point or waste of time? Keep up the good work, fantastic content and you crack me up with your rambling 👍🏻
ive found the chinese supplier that makes this tool...ill post link later
link?
Link ?
I watched a video on this earlier today when Flex was discussing it still in beta stage, and at that point they explicitly mentioned using the largest pad in rotary mode... So I suspect you're correct that this was a last minute change.
awesome.. its like an 80mm pad on a rotary you can imagine if you really force it down into the paint on stick soft paint sometimes I bet the tiny little tool struggled or it just smaehd the battery life down. either way no complaints this cool is wicked.
Do folks ever polish the small areas first, to get it over with, before breaking out the big dog for the main panels?
This looks to be one BAD ASS tool!!! WAY more pad spinning torque than the iBrid!!
Looks like something you'd get from Lidl or Aldi, the batteries definitely appear to be the same pattern
Hi John, have you any plans to review the liquid elements a1000 mini?
can you do a video on heavy compounding and sanding? and "spot" sanding
I can do dave sort of fit it in when the right opportunity comes is always best... spot sanding is more to remove defects after refinishing or OEM painting. really I dont think you want to wet sand on your car unless theres a really good reason, if you do wet sand you need to have a very good lighting setup to be able to see when your removing sanding marks that you have got them all out. If you dont have a garage I would not attempt it.
Great review thanks John. How does the build quality compare to Dewalt cordless polishers. Thanks
Flex are lighter more compact and a tiny bit more smooth. But DW cordless wins on grunt or power.
ive seen people go to there local machine shop to make them extended bars for handles before
i set my polisher down on my clear coat and got a small nick :(
Another awesome and perfectly timed review lol. I've been on the lookout for a nano polisher to pair with a new DA. Do you think this could be paired with ether the Das 6 Pro or the Das 6 pro plus 15mm throw?
The Pixie is between £600-750 in Norway 😉
how often do you machine polish your car? assuming you use minimal cut/finishing polish with virtually no cut?
I polished my red peril 6 months ago. I need to redo the front because its been painted.. but ideally I would no polish it again for 1-2 years. and when I do polish it next time just a light gloss up rather than heavy compounding ideally. main problem is after 1-2 years it need sclaying and after claying it needs polishing.
great review mate, will you be doing a review on the liquid elements mini polisher in the future?
I was wondering if you would approve my buying strategy for polishers.
First I would like to get the rupes lhr 15 and try it on my dad's VW golf mk4 which has a lot of potential. Basically the roof is oxidized and the gloss in general is a bit low, since it is silver scratches can only be seen under really specific circumstances....
Then I will get the flex 80 as a side kick, depending on the results. And that's all!
I believe that more polishers will be a luxury so that is that.....
I chose rupes as Matt, from obsessed garage, prefers it over flex xfe 150. I don't care if it is cordless as my garage has many outlets. Only for the details cordless makes sense for me as I would not like the wire to be in my way.....
I think thats a good combo mate. I primarily use the XCE with the PXE80
I know a lot now, what i dont know is which of the 3 tiny polishers does polish best. What i wonder is if the polish well at all, does it so some cutting? i see this one is a bit bigger however it has the bigger plate aswell but cant reach a few places the other 2 can. But can i do a good compound/polish with any of them or with none of them? Interesting video again :)
Hello, have watched your videos and find them very informative. With that said I'll let you know I am a rank detailing amateur. I have the Rupes LHR 15 ES and LHR 75 E. Would like your thoughts on if I should make the move on purchasing either the Rupes Nano long neck or the Flex 80. I know you favor the Flex. Appreciate your opinion. Thanks Jim
I think the pxe is better the extra grunt and quick release adapters swing it for me. But the nano is pretty cool.
John should I get this tool I dont have a polisher at all prob only gonne use to polish one or 2 cars then mostly to wax I like that its cordless dint have garage bringing extension cords outside bit if a pain
another great video! keep em coming!
OK so Flex Kit is £350 and Rupes Nano kit is £457 - I already have a Meguiars MT320 and a Vertool 12e mini DA - just a hobby Detailer with 6 cars ranging from old bangers for the kids (requiring regular repair!) to 3 new cars Yaris, RS5 and Raptor - which should I buy?
flex. but think long term about what polishers you want as a endgame. IVe gone for flex cordless family
Bought this tool and like it. However, there is a drastic slowdown in torque from speed 4 to 3. It's almost worthless below 4 in random orbital mode. Thoughts?
I haven't long brought the in2detailing 3inch mini da polisher as £420 was a bit too much for me to justify right now, but the cordless options from Flex are high on my list to replace my new 3inch polisher and my Das 6 Pro Plus (21mm throw)
i really want the cordless XFE now.. its just the money like you say rich.
i might have a look on alibaba for a nice cordless unit.
where can i buy that purple pad? looks great on the machine
It is worth mentioning that the sale of the A1000 has been stopped due to a court order from a competitor
still for sale in the UK far as I can see?
Forensic Detailing Channel while stock lasts....
Gotta check out the Diavolo USA polishers. Pretty awesome mini polishers on the cheap!
Which model in particular is the one you use?
Jon I bought one of these to do my motorbikes and used it for the first time. I clayed the plastic fairing (it's a recent ish bike so they will be clear coated) and was in two minds whether to remove the clay lube residue (there was a lot because it was a hot day and dried fast) but I couldn't be bothered washing it again and I was going to polish anyway. I used the 12mm throw and 1" lake country white pad and koch chemie m3.02 first but this didn't seem to get rid of the swirls even after finishing with a black finishing pad. I then tried the white pad again with koch chemie f6 and the results were much better! I've now cut all of the bike with f6 and will be finishing it today. Couple of questions:
1) Should I have used the rotary adapter instead of the 12mm? As it's my first time machine polishing I was scared of using the rotary and burning through. But in this video you said it's best for intricate areas i.e. perfect for a motorbike.
2) My 1" white lake country pad developed a bit of a black stain but I think this might just be the clay lube residue / dirt that I missed when claying? Is this common? Just hoping I haven't burnt through the clear coat (the bike is black).. I was doing 3 passes when compounding on speed 3 slowly for the most part. I was scared of using speed 4 also. I'll try doing 1-2 passes instead of 3 and seeing if that gets rid of the swirls. I'm not too fussed about deeper scratches as I'm selling the bike and I'll tell you what, even just after the compounding the bike looks AMAZING. Can't wait to finish it.
And a big thank you in general for the channel - I would have probably got myself in a right mess without it.
So I would use 1 inch pad in rotary adapter. Use 3 inch plate with 12mm throw adapter.
If you need to really cut use stuff foam or wool (rupes wool) with h9 or f6. And finish it with soft pad and m3. If you get black transfer it won't clean out from the pad, if it's dirt it will flush out the pad under a hose. Could be 2 pack gloss paint m8 with no clear.
Looks like a very handy tool John.
I really wonder how this compares to the Adam's micro polisher. I am looking for one to help me detail some wheels I just recieved.
Proxxon has both corded and cordless version.
Question from someone who has never machine polished. Could this serve as your only machine?
I just bought mine for $399 which equals out to 307 pounds..mines also 12v I guess they changed things and pricing up quite a bit
Hello, I've got three questions. You’re probably not in the business of handling questions directly but I thought I’d try.
My first question is the concerning DAs themselves. I’m a new and avide automotive enthusiast looking to get the most shine from my vehicles. I have plenty of time, just looking for advice so I don't waste a lot of money buying tools and supplies, mainly wrong ones. My vehicles are fairly new, with some swirling do to what I believe is auto car washing. I'd like to do some paint correction to get rid of this and prep for ceramic...another one of my wanting to learn things for my vehicles. I don’t really want to travel across the US to attend 2 to 5 days seminars learning from companies all claiming their program is best. I believe I have the fortitude and ingenuity to learn from advice and how to videos if afforded the opportunity.
The first question involves the DA polishers themselves. I just recently purchased a cordless Dewalt DA that I have yet to use. After watching a few of your videos, I'm thinking of returning to Amazon. I also have a couple generic polishers from advice gained from how-to videos by Dallas Paint Correction and other UA-camr recommendation/review videos. But my question is should I send the Dewalt back and just purchase 2 to 3 good DA's (i.e. Flex, Rupe, or your recommendation). Your suggestion on what I would need to get started...2 or 3. A large, medium, and small size or can I get by with medium and small...definitely open for suggestions. Also would like your suggestion on compound and stages. Can i get away with single stage and what type compound for my light swirling. If I were to do a 2 step, what compounds? And if I did 3 stage, what compounds?
And I seen your videos you’re talking about compound to use. My vehicles are fairly new I just the typical swirl marks from car washes. Was single, double, triple stage and cleaners do you recommend.
hello there sir. I will be reviewing the Dewalt DA in the next month or so. As far as I can see there is only one reason "not" to use the dewalt. And that is are they going to offer you a 3 inch DA to accompany it? When you get into polishing more you will want a 3 inch mini or a nano polisher like the flex. So if you went with say the cordless Dewalt. Then decided you wanted a 3inch polisher for bumpers etc.. you could potentially take the flex pxe and then need to run 2 different chargers for different battery sets. This is why I use flex polishers because they are the only tool makers that give you the full suite of polishers (and no flex dont pay me to say that).
So answer the above question/dilema first. In america you guys typically are prepared to spend more on "stuff" than us guys in the UK. If you want the best in terms of "range size" then by rupes and flex. If you want cheap then the chinese 8 inch DA's are dirt cheap and solid and you can swap out the 5 inch plate to a 75ml 3inch plate (pain to change though, 2 tools is better). If you want good quality and only want a 5 inch 125 polisher then you have the dewalt and it will be solid (ive never used it but they wont release a bad tool will they)
next up watch this video ua-cam.com/video/MI_m2rO-OpM/v-deo.html
And maybe watch all the other videos in the detailing fundamentals playlist.
In terms of capability you should by 3 abrasives. Koch H9 (heavy cut) F6 medium cut and M3 light polishing. Very few of your US brands make their own abrasives. Koch were one of the first companies to make specific car polish products many many years ago. Their abrasives are the best on the market. You need nothing else other than the 3 products ive told you about.
Pad wise I would get the Flex pad (watch my video called best polishing pads part 1 and 2). Flex purple pads to cut with H9 or single stage with F6. Orange pads can single stage with F6 on softer paint and refine after cutting with M3 on all paint types. thats a crash course right there in what you need. not sure if those flex pads are available in the USA. if they are use these, they last longer than other pads and the purples dont introduce much in the way of machine marring.
hope this helps mate the rest of the info you have to dig out on the videos.
Take your time polishing (if you care about the car) light is important. dont rush.. wipedown after the sets properly.. clean those pads out properly follow my guide. take your time. have a watch of my ceramic coating application video. pick a nice smooth coating to start with.
I own the flex 3401, flex pe8 kompact & the flex xfe7-12 . So im trying to decide do i actually need this tool or do i just want it.