NEW Cordless FLEX Tools at Autogeek Rotary and Orbital Polishers

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

NEW Cordless FLEX Tools at Autogeek Rotary and Orbital Polishers


Been a tick busy since being given these tools from Bob Eichelberg, the President of FLEX North America at SEMA in Las Vegas. Now that the dust is starting to settle, (a month later), I've placed these new tools in Autogeek's Show Car Garage along with the other 200+ power and pneumatic tools in our garage for our detailing classes and projects.

This is the FLEX PE 150 18.0 Rotary Polisher

This is the FLEX XFE15 150 18.0 Free Spinning 15mm Long Stroke Random Orbital Polisher

Note: These are my personal tools, gifts from Bob Eichelberg and as such I have put my name on them so is someone steals them they'll know or remember who they stole them from. :laughing:

Lots of pictures for those of you who want to see what these new tools LOOK like!

Here's the battery charger

Here's what the digital display shows when the batteries are fully charged. When I have a dead battery I'll take a pictures to show you what the display shows. (both batteries are fully charged and ready to go)

FLEX Cordless Batteries
There are two battery sizes but the kit will only come with the LARGER 5.0 amp batteries.

The larger 5 amp battery will last 30 to 40 minutes run time and the re-charge is 30 to 40 minutes.

The smaller battery 2.5 Amp Battery 20 to 30 minutes of run-time and the charge time will be around 30 minutes.

When you put the battery into the charger, the charger will tell you how long it will take to fully re-charge the battery. So you KNOW!

FLEX is owned by Chervon in China but the ONLY part of the new FLEX cordless is the battery, the rest of the tool is manufactures and assembled in Steinheim, Germany.

Some of you that watch sports on TV will have seen TV commercials for Ego Lawn and Garden Cordless Power Tools and Chervon manufactures Ego cordless tools.

There's a power level indicator on each battery

Press on the battery image...

And the LED indicator lights will light up and indicate the level of charge.

Built-in Air Cooling
The biggest enemy to cordless batteries is heat. All FLEX Cordless tools have inboard cooling fans to keep the rechargeable batteries cool and there's a wire mesh screen to filter air before it's circulated.

Cooling intake and exhaust vents on the batteries


Fresh air intake vents
Here you can see where the air is blown in

Exhaust vents
Here you can see where the air is blown out

Convenient speed dial location

Variable speed dial is located so you can quickly and easily adjust the tool speed using your thumb as you hold the tool.

Both tools have charts on the top of the tool showing RPM and/or OPM for the tools speed selected.

RPM speeds for the speed selected on the rotary buffer...

OPM speeds for the speed selected on the orbital polisher...

SEXY
The Germans constructed these new tools to look SEXY with their two-tone color schemes and red piping on the black handles.

I've been told these will be available this spring and will come as a kit.

Each kit will include,

• One tool
• 2 of the large batteries
• 1 battery charger
• A storage case that holds everything.

The kit is expected to be around $500.00



On Autogeek.com


All FLEX products

 

[JustJesus]

These are great.

"Yes dear. I'll wait for you in the car while you go shopping for shoes."

[breaks out the cordless polisher and proceeds to polish the paint]

 

[theamcguy]

Mike Thank you very much for the thread. Answers a lot of my questions. I see some fantastic ideas on these tools. I plan to order both when available. One more question, what is the difference between the XFE15 series of polishers and the XC3401 which was also announced to be coming out cordless at SEMA but at a later date?

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Interesting....


Here's a screenshot of my Facebook page - 17 hours after I posted 2 pictures of these new FLEX tools...

10,266 people engaged

125 Likes

9 shares

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

These are great.

"Yes dear. I'll wait for you in the car while you go shopping for shoes."

[breaks out the cordless polisher and proceeds to polish the paint]

That's funny.... been there done that... well, not with a cordless polisher but with a spray detailer and a spray wax.

Mike Thank you very much for the thread. Answers a lot of my questions.

I see some fantastic ideas on these tools. I plan to order both when available.

One more question, what is the difference between the XFE15 series of polishers and the XC3401 which was also announced to be coming out cordless at SEMA but at a later date?

The FLEX XFE15 series are free spinning, 15mm long stroke orbital polishers.

The FLEX 3401 series are gear-driven 8mm short stroke orbital polishers.

And yes, the gear-driven FLEX 3401 is coming out as a cordless tool.



I just sent a text to my buddy with the uber cool car asking him when I can get it down here to AG to buff out using these two tools so I can write a full review based upon real world, real car detailing.

 

[SWETM]

In what scenario do you see the use of them?

As a full correction compound/polish?
As in when you only need to remove the light wash indused swirls?
As a spot correction tools?

Do you see one use them as the only tools for paint correction in a shop setup or mobile detailer? If they also release a 3" cordless polisher in the future.

If the price is right I will really consider one of them after I get a 3" polisher. Maybe I go with the cordless rotary polisher and use different backing plate to it.

Will be interesting to read about when you use it on a full correction that you seems to have the near future. And when they releases to the public and what others think of it too.

 

[JustJesus]

In just 17 hours!!! Wow!! Talk about reaching the masses. NICE.

That's funny.... been there done that... well, not with a cordless polisher but with a spray detailer and a spray wax.

And yes, the gear-driven FLEX 3401 is coming out as a cordless tool.

ahhhh...music to my ears.

I just sent a text to my buddy with the uber cool car asking him when I can get it down here to AG to buff out using these two tools so I can write a full review based upon real world, real car detailing.

Another great review will be coming. Awesome.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

***Update***


Spoke with Bob Eichelberg this morning, he said the goal it to have them in stock here at Autogeek in March of 2018.


I'll have mine at the upcoming boat detailing class and the upcoming 3-day car detailing class for everyone attending either or both of these classes to use them on our training boat and training cars.

 

[david b]

I haven't done the spray detailer/spray wax thing but I have cleaned the windshield inside/out while waiting for my son's baseball practice to end. #Hatedirtyglass

David

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

***Update***


I took pictures of the cooling intake and exhaust vents on the batteries and added them to my first post.

Previously I only had pictures of the wire mesh filter screens on the tool body.


Heat is the biggest enemy to rechargeable batteries and FLEX has engineered a built-in air cooling system to keep the batteries cool.

 

[Inthedeck]

These look really cool. Battery technology has come a long way, since a few years ago. I suspect the reason they give you 2 batteries is because you can work with one, while charging the other. This way, when one is done, switch out the fresh one, and put the spent one on the charger. Since they take the same amount of time (approximately) to charge/discharge, it should be pretty easy to use one machine for a fair amount of time, provided you have access to a power outlet.

Will be cool to see the full review.

 

[Jaretr1]

I tried these out at SEMA and they work really well. Smooth, plenty powerful and well balanced. The only major drawback is they are HEAVY. There is simply no way around that. Working on a horizontal panel, probably no issue, but on a vertical panel, I could see using this being tiring compared to a tool without a heavy battery.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I tried these out at SEMA and they work really well. Smooth, plenty powerful and well balanced. The only major drawback is they are HEAVY. There is simply no way around that. Working on a horizontal panel, probably no issue, but on a vertical panel, I could see using this being tiring compared to a tool without a heavy battery.

I actually think they weigh as much as their coded counterparts.

I'll get a scale and weigh both versions, (corded and cordless), and post the weights.

 

[RBATTLE10]

I tried these out at SEMA and they work really well. Smooth, plenty powerful and well balanced. The only major drawback is they are HEAVY. There is simply no way around that. Working on a horizontal panel, probably no issue, but on a vertical panel, I could see using this being tiring compared to a tool without a heavy battery.

Sent from my iPad using Autogeekonline mobile app

 

[Jaretr1]

I actually think they weigh as much as their coded counterparts.

I'll get a scale and weigh both versions, (corded and cordless), and post the weights.

Well I got scrawny arms...although Im working on it

 

[Aaryn NZ]

Hey Mike,

Fantastic write up my friend. rops: I look forward to reading a full blown review once you put these beauties through their paces on a proper detail. I would quite like one of each of the three . . . My bank account may disagree but hey - quality tools don’t cost you money, they make you money aye Mike! rops::buffing:

Now, here is my question, & it may be a super simple answer but I don’t know it.

Q. Does it matter about the whole 230v situation in regards to these being battery? I know obviously somehow the charging station can’t simply be plugged into the mains down here with us being 230v but does anyone know the “ins & outs” of this dilemma for me please?

I would guess that us folks in New Zealand won’t see these as a domestically available tool so I would have to source these from overseas.

Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:

 

[Two_6s]

I had a chance to get my hands on these at the Colorado Roadshow class, and they felt and worked great! Took sanding marks out, with no hesitation.

I'd say they would work great for paint correction, maybe in areas where a cord can be a bit of a pain to keep away from the paint, like maybe the roof of a truck, or SUV.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Hey Mike,

Fantastic write up my friend. rops: I look forward to reading a full blown review once you put these beauties through their paces on a proper detail. I would quite like one of each of the three . . . My bank account may disagree but hey - quality tools don’t cost you money, they make you money aye Mike! rops::buffing:

I agree. That's a saying I learned at HP

Quality doesn't cost you money.... it makes you money...

Now, here is my question, & it may be a super simple answer but I don’t know it.

Q. Does it matter about the whole 230v situation in regards to these being battery? I know obviously somehow the charging station can’t simply be plugged into the mains down here with us being 230v but does anyone know the “ins & outs” of this dilemma for me please?

Great question and one that's out of the range of my knowledge base.

Next time I speak with someone at FLEX I'll try to remember to ask this questions and then update this thread.

I had a chance to get my hands on these at the Colorado Roadshow class, and they felt and worked great! Took sanding marks out, with no hesitation.

I'd say they would work great for paint correction, maybe in areas where a cord can be a bit of a pain to keep away from the paint, like maybe the roof of a truck, or SUV.

I think where the cordless FLEX rotary is going to shine is with small wool pads. I think Dave Patterson is working on such animals at LC

 

[SWETM]

Since germany is the home of Flex I would think that 230v charger will be available also. A charger can even handle 110v and 230v sometimes so the right fitting to your outlet will be necessary. We will have to see how they manufactures the charger when it's coming out. Or if Mike can get the answers to it

 

[theamcguy]

Mike any idea when pricing for the cordless rotary and cordless orbital polishers will be released and when pre-orders will start?