Flex 3401 or rupes bigfoot.

I absolutely cannot stand the 3401! Mine still runs like when it was new, but it has a lot of scratches on it. If I could get more money for it, I'd sell it in a HEARTBEAT!!
 
Rsurfer said:
If it doesn't need pressure why do you need to use a mod washer? You would think the Rupes Engineers know better.
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Because with what little pressure is used, the pad stop rotating, so you need all the rotation you can get. :rolleyes: This is mainly on curved panels, but no car is all flat. Some cars have a lot of curves!
 
ww2717 said:
I would like to see a mechanical and electronic evaluation of the rupes lhr21 and lhr15 by the autogeek engineering department.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
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Lol I don't think that department exists
 
FivePoint.0 said:
Because with what little pressure is used, the pad stop rotating, so you need all the rotation you can get. :rolleyes: This is mainly on curved panels, but no car is all flat. Some cars have a lot of curves!
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Remember when the subject on the PC came up that if it didn't rotate with a little pressure, it wasn't correcting. Is this the same problem with the Rupes? If it's not rotating, it's not correcting? Or does the bigger throw make up the difference?
 
Rsurfer said:
Remember when the subject on the PC came up that if it didn't rotate with a little pressure, it wasn't correcting. Is this the same problem with the Rupes? If it's not rotating, it's not correcting? Or does the bigger throw make up the difference?
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:iagree: i would like to know this as well
 
I wanted to weigh in here. I have both. I use both. Obviously there are lots of people who just can't get used to the different manner in which the Flex runs. I love the power of it. I just used it on a Passat with a black, TufBuff wool pad and M100. If I didn't own a rotary, it would have done the job, albeit at a slower pace. I could not get the Rupes to correct to that level. Not even with a Surbuff pad. I like how the Rupes finishes down and do enjoy using it on the last stage. On the Camaro I did, I used all three machines. If my rotary broke, I'd be going to the Flex first, not the Rupes. That's my $.02.
 
On the Flex, what sort of pad rotation speed do you typically see (under load)?

While I've not seen any particular recommendations on pad rotation speed when using the "stoppable rotation" units (like the PC, GG, Rupes), I usually try to get around 1 to 2 rotations per second (based on watching the mark placed on the backing plate), and sometimes it's hard to maintain that. Do you typically see a much higher pad rotation speed with the Flex under load, or is it about the same, around 1 rotation per second?

It seems this circles back to the discussion a few posts back, where the "stoppable rotation" units don't correct unless the pad is rotating. I suppose it follows that (for example) 4 pad rotations per second gives faster correction than 1 pad rotation per second (all else being equal).

All this to get to my question: when a manufacturer of a "stoppable rotation" unit specifies say 5000 opm at some rpm or speed setting, and given the above discussion that the orbits (i.e. the small pad rotations based on the rated "throw") are essentially zero if the pad is not rotating, what is the actual opm under load (when the pad is only spinning around 1 revolution per second)? Wouldn't it be more useful if they specified "orbits per pad revolution" instead, since that would seem to be a more useful gauge of correction ability under load?
 
FivePoint.0 said:
I absolutely cannot stand the 3401!
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Mark, I know you bought the LC Hybrid 5" pads. Have you tried them yet?

I bought my 3401 just before the Rupes became popular. I must say, the more I use it, the more I love it. I'm using LC 5.5" flats on it and it's great. The next time I need pads, I will be trying the 5" hybrids based on what I've been hearing about them.

The thing that kind of bothers me about the Rupes is that you have to modify the tool to make it act more like a forced rotation machine.
 
TheCougarGuy said:
Mark, I know you bought the LC Hybrid 5" pads. Have you tried them yet?

I bought my 3401 just before the Rupes became popular. I must say, the more I use it, the more I love it. I'm using LC 5.5" flats on it and it's great. The next time I need pads, I will be trying the 5" hybrids based on what I've been hearing about them.

The thing that kind of bothers me about the Rupes is that you have to modify the tool to make it act more like a forced rotation machine.
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Yep, used the hybrids, not much different. Nothing will fix it at this point, I just don't like how the machine feels. ;)




Bunky said:
This is an interesting comment!
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Very much so!

I wonder if Richy used the washer mod?
 
richy said:
I wanted to weigh in here. I have both. I use both. Obviously there are lots of people who just can't get used to the different manner in which the Flex runs. I love the power of it. I just used it on a Passat with a black, TufBuff wool pad and M100. If I didn't own a rotary, it would have done the job, albeit at a slower pace. I could not get the Rupes to correct to that level. Not even with a Surbuff pad. I like how the Rupes finishes down and do enjoy using it on the last stage. On the Camaro I did, I used all three machines. If my rotary broke, I'd be going to the Flex first, not the Rupes. That's my $.02.
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I want something that has the power of the Dewalt, except the Dewalt leaves Holograms. Especially on black paint.

I then next heard of the Rupes and was like yes i found it. Then comes in the Flex.


But the Rupes can buff out 1500?

I am starting of maybe getting a Dewalt then finishing up the work with my PC.

I like the fact that with a Dewalt, I can burn the paint. It just takes skill not to.
 
FivePoint.0 said:
Yep, used the hybrids, not much different. Nothing will fix it at this point, I just don't like how the machine feels. ;)





Very much so!

I wonder if Richy used the washer mod?
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Mark, I got my machine from Kevin as well as the washer. I was considering trying it without the washer but I figured why bother. It would be like dating a super model without makeup..I want her at her best, LOL.
 
hernandez.art13 said:
I want something that has the power of the Dewalt, except the Dewalt leaves Holograms. Especially on black paint.

I then next heard of the Rupes and was like yes i found it. Then comes in the Flex.


But the Rupes can buff out 1500?

I am starting of maybe getting a Dewalt then finishing up the work with my PC.

I like the fact that with a Dewalt, I can burn the paint. It just takes skill not to.
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I think it comes down to what you're willing to spend on tools. The rotary (combined with wool) is the most powerful combo for deep cutting, period. Plus, the fastest. If you can afford a rotary and a DA, and can afford both, I would suggest the DeWalt and the Rupes. Best of both worlds!
 
Yeah talked to my local detail dealer. I came to the conclusion that I am just going add a Dewalt to my collection. Maybe Makita cos it's lighter.

My PC and Makita would work, I feel that the PC can do a lot. But the Makita can handle a wool pad and compound at 1500.

I enjoy color sanding from 1500 to 3000 anyway though... Hmm...

Yeah just going to get all of them 😂
 
I have used a finishing pad and finishing polish with the lhr-21 and it removed 5000 grit sanding marks with ease. Really surprised me. I was just seeing what it could do. I used a black pad which has hardly any cut at all. I usually finish down to 12000 grit and just wanted to see if the rupes remove some heavier marks like 5000. Going to see if it can do 3000 with a black pad the next time that I have to wet sand.
 
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