Metabo or Flex??
- Thread starter Z06-Goose
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m4gician
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- Apr 28, 2007
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Easy Answer, it depends! Are you a pro detailer detailing for a living? Metabo.
Are you a noobie, novice, or occasional/moderate detailer who basically does swirl removal and polish? Flex.
Both are interchangeable, but the Rotary is a heavy duty item that requries a lot of skill to use but is the industry standard.
However the Flex is blurring the line between Amateur and Pro.
ASPHALT ROCKET
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- Mar 4, 2006
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I would disagree with the rotary only being for pros, or so-called pros. The rotary isnt that hard to use and it corrects faster. You can damage a finish with any tool, its the user that does the damage not the tool. There is nothing wrong with starting out on a rotary-thats what I learned on 20 years ago-this way you will be covered a to z on paint correction.
In my case I found Metabo user unfriendly so Metabo vs. Flex would be Flex, period. However, if we rephrase that question to "user friendly high quality rotary vs. Flex" answer would be "It depends". Do you have time and patience to practice rotary until mastered? Then get rotary. Is your answer to previous question no, and you would rather get the job done quickly with less chance of headaches, so you can go back to your favorite pastimes, or you need to get job done until you do master rotary? Get Flex. Are you a pro that does have mastership of rotary but wants something that can be good enough for majority of cases so less chance of things going wrong, or wants something that can take out halograms when having one of those days? Get Flex.
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- #5
You hit the nail right on the head. I'm basically a moderate detailer, I wouldn't say occasional because I can get tons of jobs, however, I'd like to be able to offer more than what somebody in my position would be happy offering
I'm very particular in having a good finish, and having to settle for what my PC can only do, bugs me sometimes. So I'd like a little more correction power over my PC, without having to get a pro-rotary machine. That's the best I could explain it...
For what I've read so far, it seems like the Flex fills the bill, but still undecided because of the pads option, as I like to use the 5.5" low-profile pads a lot
Give it a try with 6.5" pads and you might find you won't miss 5.5" ones as much as you do when it comes to PC. ... and if you still want to use 5.5" pads what is stopping you? bp is 5.5".
supercharged
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- Mar 7, 2006
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if money is not an issue, - get both.
By the way, are you talking about Flex DA, or rotary???
By the way, are you talking about Flex DA, or rotary???
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- #8
Gary Sword
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- Nov 26, 2006
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I love my metabo and not had any overheating problems like some have mentioned. I also have a Flex wet stone Polisher which is also great well built machine. If you are talking about the Flex random orbital machine it's hard to compare it to the metabo rotary. I would like to have the Flex random orbital polisher for those spots on a car that I don't like to use a rotary on. Right now I'm using my old PC for those areas. The metabo rotary is the lightest most corfortable rotary I have ever used. I also have an Hatachi rotary and I use to have a DeWalt which I gave to my father.
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m4gician
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- Apr 28, 2007
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You've already solved your own problem and bought both a Flex and a Rotary.
How!? Well this is what you're going to do:
1) Buy the flex, use it and see how much of an improvement it is on the PC.
2) Judge it by using it to see if it's FAST ENOUGH and POWERFUL enough
3) KEEP or SELL THE FLEX (because god the demand is inelastic now)
4) BUY A ROTARY (if you followed step 3)
Okay?
jesselyons2002
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- Jul 10, 2007
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I thought you didn't use the metabo you had.
jesselyons2002
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- Jul 10, 2007
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I myself have the metabo and the only thing I don't like about is the speed control dial is on the bottom compare to other rotarys where it's on the top. Also my Metabo hasn't overheat once. Tried it on low rpm and medium to high rpms.
More precise quote of my words, if I remember them correctly, not in the mood to search, would be "used for few hours or so". That was enough for me to form an impression of it.
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My two additional objections were: No speed trigger (no trigger feathering) and compromise made to achieve short length (elimination of handle exerts more load on palm and fingers).
- Thread starter
- #17
You may be right Porta. I was looking at the FLEX LK603VVB Circular Polisher and I may just order that one. I still have my PC which I may just have to use it with my 3.5" BP for small areas, since I figure I can still use the Flex Circular Polisher to apply sealant and such with it
I know I sound like a confused man, and I am!
So, final advice...
Flex DA or Flex Rotary? Feed back please
Ummm, wasn't that feedback (Flex DA vs. rotary) already given?
If you do end up leaning to rotary as final decision you should rephrase the question into "Hitachi or Dynabrade". As much as I like Flex DA I am not impressed with Flex rotary. It starts at 1000 RPM, weighs pound or so more than Hitachi, and has one year warranty (while Hitachi has five) while costing $75-ish more than Hitachi.
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- #19
That's the kind of feedback I want
Originally I was thinking DA, then the more I read, the dumber I get, but I should stick with my guts here. Flex DA will be my final answer :cheers:
Are you sure? LOL
One thing I have learnt in my life is that whenever I did not follow my gut feeling I ended up making a mistake.
I feel you will be happy with your gut's feeling. Please notice rotary is still the king (until one day sooner or later ...) but Flex DA provides both a bridge to those that are heading toward rotary while they are learning it and a fallback plan to those that do use rotary but might want to reach for something else for whatever reason (like need to follow up after the rotary). I feel Flex DA has appeal to both sides of market's spectrum.