Rupes vs. Flex vs Rotary

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don40vette

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If you want to do serious correction a rotary is the only way to go.
If you are going to wet sand, a rotary is the only way to go.
After claying a dark color car, the flex 3401 vrg da.
In my experience using the rupes bigfoot, half your time running it, it is doing almost nothing.
I own all three and have many years using a rotary, tons of hours with the flex da, and rupes for me is a waste of my time.
Im not here to offend the rupes lovers but it just doesnt do it for me.
 
I can't touch your level of experience. I own the 3401 but was considering switching to a rupes for one reason it's smoothness. I'm having such a hard time with the 3401 wanting to run away on me. Your thoughts?

don40vette said:
If you want to do serious correction a rotary is the only way to go.
If you are going to wet sand, a rotary is the only way to go.
After claying a dark color car, the flex 3401 vrg da.
In my experience using the rupes bigfoot, half your time running it, it is doing almost nothing.
I own all three and have many years using a rotary, tons of hours with the flex da, and rupes for me is a waste of my time.
Im not here to offend the rupes lovers but it just doesnt do it for me.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Billy,
The rupes is a fine machine but for me half the time it is doing nothing but making noise.
Let me add that rupes folks invited me to come to their facility and use the machine. That was a great gesture but this is not how I make a living.
The thing that bothered me most was they say no matter how hard you try you cant stall the machine. My machine is excellent at stalling whether on a flat surface or a curve.
Im going to try and use the machine to wet sand with and see how it does there.
 
Hey Dog R
Give it a chance. Let yourself get accustomed to it. Its a machine with really good power.
The Flex and Rupes are both smooth machines
 
Gotta use what you like, man.

It's my opinion that the Rupes system takes quite a bit of time to get used to. It could be me...

I've struck through paint with my selection of pad, and compound on the 7424xp - the very first time I used it. This is after years of using a rotary without ever burning or striking through...

A lot of it is the technique I've developed. It's contrary to what is typically taught.

I do agree with sanding marks. I can do it with a random orbital, but the rotary is the fastest.
 
To the op, their is another way to look at the Rupes too.

I mastered the Rupes 15 first time I used it. And I came from the PC.

This was the first vehicle I ever corrected and used my Rupes on and approximately only the 7th or 8th vehicle I ever corrected with a da machine:

Knocked it out in one step to glorious swirl free perfection with FG400 and orange pads.

The Rupes tools are super easy to use if you let the machine do the work.

I look at it like this:

Rotary = sledge hammer

Flex = 3401 ball peen hammer

Rupes = rubber mallet

The Rotary and Flex power through things and the Rupes finesses them. When it comes to thin clear coats, I prefer to finesse them to preserve as much of the clear coat as possible.

I realize in some instances a rotary or the flex is needed, but I have neither and have never missed them.

The Rupes tools are more than capable, I did this entire beast of a truck including washing and drying, full correction and LSP sealant in 8 hours start to finish.





Totally swirl free after 7 years of never being detailed and years of oxidation, courtesy of Rupes gen 1 15



Mirror finish in one step with Rupe gen 1 15 from bird poop to this:







 
dlc95 you said you struck through paint with my selection of pad, and compound on the 7424xp - the very first time I used it.
It doesnt even spin. I'm pretty sure if I tied the machine down with rope, turned it on, went to bed, got up the next day, it still would not burn through the paint
 
custsmrty, I agree with you except using a rotary or flex it will take much less time which you cant argue.
If you can do that truck in 8 hours with a rupes, a flex does it in 6 hours and a rotary in 4 hours.
Kinda like wetsanding and starting out using 3000 grit versus 1000 grit. You will finally get there with the 3000 but it will take much longer.
And of course you wouldnt be done starting with 1000 but we arent talking about wetsanding here.
 
don40vette said:
custsmrty, I agree with you except using a rotary or flex it will take much less time which you cant argue.
If you can do that truck in 8 hours with a rupes, a flex does it in 6 hours and a rotary in 4 hours.
Kinda like wetsanding and starting out using 3000 grit versus 1000 grit. You will finally get there with the 3000 but it will take much longer.
And of course you wouldnt be done starting with 1000 but we arent talking about wetsanding here.
Click to expand...

And most likely you'll have to do a whole nother complete step with a finishing polish with either of those tools to get the finish I got in one step with the Rupes and FG400 so it'll take at least as long if not longer.
 
For me every tool has its use and when it comes to these three machines this is how I choose.
Rotary- best when wetsanding
Flex- correcting swirls
Rupes- applying wax (I dont use a machine to apply wax but some do)
 
don40vette said:
dlc95 you said you struck through paint with my selection of pad, and compound on the 7424xp - the very first time I used it.
It doesnt even spin. I'm pretty sure if I tied the machine down with rope, turned it on, went to bed, got up the next day, it still would not burn through the paint
Click to expand...

Well, it happened. It was during a job for my neighbor.

He gave the car to his grandson. I'll see if I can get a pic sometime.
 
Don40, something tells me that you wasn't using the Kevin brown "washer mod"

The Rupes, even the mark 2 version stalls like crazy without it, when my father first used the mark 2 21 he disliked it very much because it kept stalling. After I put the washer mod my father said "now this is a powerful machine"

If your coming from a rotary you get accustomed to applying as much pressure as you want. And when the long throws only about 10-12 lbs is needed .

If you haven't tried the washer mod get it. It will awaken the machine to a different level of correction power.

A rotary is great for cutting on the first step, however trying to finish with it on certain paints can be like a dog chasing your tail.

Now you didn't state if you were using the 1st Gen Rupes machines or the new mark 2 versions.

The 1st generation Rupes (in my opinion) is very very underpowered compared to the new mark 2 and boss machines that are out.

Coming from a rotary to a 1st Gen rupes without a washer mod, a rotary user will not be impressed.

However if you cut with the rotary and finish with the da you will cut polishing time, 3 steps won't be needed.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
 
custmsprty said:
And most likely you'll have to do a whole nother complete step with a finishing polish with either of those tools to get the finish I got in one step with the Rupes and FG400 so it'll take at least as long if not longer.
Click to expand...

Agree especially with a rotary halo city if you can't finish down correctly.
 
don40vette said:
If you want to do serious correction a rotary is the only way to go.
If you are going to wet sand, a rotary is the only way to go.
After claying a dark color car, the flex 3401 vrg da.
In my experience using the rupes bigfoot, half your time running it, it is doing almost nothing.
I own all three and have many years using a rotary, tons of hours with the flex da, and rupes for me is a waste of my time.
Im not here to offend the rupes lovers but it just doesnt do it for me.
Click to expand...

Using the Rupes polish system changes the whole dynamics especially with there pads.proof is in the pics on that 1980 horrendously swirled corvette we did.
 
At the end of the day there all great engineered machines.
 
Joe@NextLevelDetail said:
Don40, something tells me that you wasn't using the Kevin brown "washer mod"

The Rupes, even the mark 2 version stalls like crazy without it, when my father first used the mark 2 21 he disliked it very much because it kept stalling. After I put the washer mod my father said "now this is a powerful machine"

If your coming from a rotary you get accustomed to applying as much pressure as you want. And when the long throws only about 10-12 lbs is needed .

If you haven't tried the washer mod get it. It will awaken the machine to a different level of correction power.

A rotary is great for cutting on the first step, however trying to finish with it on certain paints can be like a dog chasing your tail.

Now you didn't state if you were using the 1st Gen Rupes machines or the new mark 2 versions.

The 1st generation Rupes (in my opinion) is very very underpowered compared to the new mark 2 and boss machines that are out.

Coming from a rotary to a 1st Gen rupes without a washer mod, a rotary user will not be impressed.

However if you cut with the rotary and finish with the da you will cut polishing time, 3 steps won't be needed.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Joe,

I have the Rupes Bigfoot LHR15 Mark II HD and I tried the washer mod as well. BTW, if this machine is such an engineering marvel that cost more than $400, why do I need to mod it to keep it from stalling?

And no doubt the technique is quite a bit different going from a rotary to DA, not as much with a Flex but certainly the Rupes.

The reason I started this thread was just to let people know that trying to decide which tool they want to use, this is my experience. Not to argue about machines or technique or anything else.

Rupes is a very good machine just not my first choice
 
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