Hidden Gem on Autogeek.net: New Flex Rotary!

C. Charles Hahn

C. Charles Hahn

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Shiny Lil Detlr said:
FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher, FLEX circular polisher, rotary buffer, circular buffer, FLEX PE14

Just came across a mention of this new machine linked from another forum, and I don't see any threads about it here on AGO. Looks like an interesting machine; anyone have any other insider knowledge about it?

It appears very similar to the Festool Shinex rotaries from Europe in external design....:buffing:
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Looks like this will be my Xmas present to myself !!!!!!!!!
 
Anyone want to buy a very lightly used Flex 3403 rotary? (After I get this new beast in my hands that is!) :laughing:
 
I've been wanting a back up rotary and DA. After experiencing the build quality of the 3401 I'll hold out until spring and grab one of these and shift my Makita to the back burner.
 
I don't really need a rotary but I love my Flex 3401 soooo much I want this after reading about it here. Thanks a lot! Im the MAN
 
i must ask you guys. how is one rotary better then another? they all spin correct? DA's i can understand, the length of orbit and such they can be different. but other then amp's which even budget rotary's supply way more the sufficient amps. what is the purpose of spending $XXXX amount more then the other options?
 
I want at least 1 maybe 2 or 3. I've waited to take the rotary plunge, this might be a good time to jump in.

I just watched Mike's video on this polisher at 1080P, talk about sharp and professional. The AG video crew is really hitting their stride.

Mike, you are ready for prime time. :buffing:
 
AndrewBall said:
i must ask you guys. how is one rotary better then another? they all spin correct? DA's i can understand, the length of orbit and such they can be different. but other then amp's which even budget rotary's supply way more the sufficient amps. what is the purpose of spending amount more then the other options?
Click to expand...

What intrigues me about this model is the lighter weight and ergonomics.
 
AndrewBall said:
i must ask you guys. how is one rotary better then another? they all spin correct? DA's i can understand, the length of orbit and such they can be different. but other then amp's which even budget rotary's supply way more the sufficient amps. what is the purpose of spending amount more then the other options?
Click to expand...

Well in truth, it really is about more than just amps and the fact that the machine spins. The first rotary I owned was a cheap Chicago Electric unit from Harbor Freight. Yeah, it worked, but the motor would bog down under pressure, the speed control wasn't as precise, and the unit had a lot of vibration -- it wasn't smooth operating. It was also a bit heavier on one end of the tool than the other. That made it a little more difficult to control on curved surfaces where the polisher would try to steer itself under its own weight if I didn't force it to go where I wanted it.

Compare that to any of the better units out there that are designed to be weight balanced, the motors don't bog down, and the operation is smooth and consistent. That to me justifies the higher price.

tuscarora dave said:
What intrigues me about this model is the lighter weight and ergonomics.
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Same here. The 3403 is slightly lighter and more compact than this new model, but doesn't feature the low-RPM operation and isn't rated to handle larger pads. I like the idea of a "mid-size" rotary that can do the small intricate work AND the bigger jobs.

Rob T said:
Exactly. In addition to that, things like dependability also come into play.
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:props:



BTW, folks, please don't PM me regarding my earlier post about my 3403... I was really half-joking until such time that we know more about the price and availability of these new machines.Im the MAN
 
Shiny Lil Detlr said:
The 3403 is slightly lighter and more compact than this new model, but doesn't feature the low-RPM operation and isn't rated to handle larger pads. I like the idea of a "mid-size" rotary that can do the small intricate work AND the bigger jobs.
Click to expand...

So you think this isn't going to replace the 3403 but will bridge the gap between the 3403 and the LK603VVB?
 
Setec Astronomy said:
So you think this isn't going to replace the 3403 but will bridge the gap between the 3403 and the LK603VVB?
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That's kind of the impression I'm getting, based purely on looking at the size of the units, and the rest of the specs. Though I'd place it more between the 3403 and a Makita 9227C (simply because it can do the low-speed buffing that the Makita can do, and the other Flexes cannot).

Hard to tell without hands-on experience though.
 
Man I got the old light weight, I was going to buy a Flex DA but I might have to jump on this we'll have to see
 
07 z-oh-6 said:
Kind of disappointing 8" pads would be "pushing it".
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As long as the 8" pads will work, I'm fine with that. I usually use 7" pads on the rotary anyway. But yeah, it does sound like it is a bit of a compromise due to the smaller size/weight of this machine (which would be the main reason that I would consider it).
 
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