New machine

[AeroCleanse]

I'm considering a new machine, or rather another machine.

Flex or Festool Rap 150 Shinex Polisher

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

I saw a thread recently on another forum where someone said the Festool doesn't have a standard 5/8" spindle, but rather an M11 threaded spindle -- meaning that the Festool can only use UK and European sourced backing plates.

Just putting that out there as a factor to consider... I have no personal experience with either machine. I can however vouch for the build quality and reliability of Flex polishers -- I own both a 3401 DA and 3403 rotary and they are truly excellent tools.

 

[AeroCleanse]

They have a US version of the Festool, I think it comes with a backing plate, given the photos of it.

 

[loudog2]

Heard it was nice, just not worth the extra big bucks for it.

 

[Lasthope05]

The thread size on the festool is a M14 which is very similar to the standard 5/8 -11 thread. Carlos/Nica over on L2D just recently picked one up and he and tried both (M14 and 5/8) backing plates and they fit the same.

Its like tools. You can use a metric 10mm on a standard 3/8 bolt head.

 

[ww2717]

Saw in another thread that flex and festool where the same company. If this is true then that would be why the Flex PE14-2 and the Festool Rap-150 both look so similar.

 

[stilltipping3]

So which is better and I see this thread is old so how is the backing plate problem now? Can we get them in the states? Is this machine any better then the PE-14?

 

[ww2717]

The Festool Shinex rap-150 is louder than the flex pe14-2. They are both very similar in design. I would recommend you find someone in your area that has one or both to see if they will let you test them out.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[Kamakaz1961]

I can't comment about the Festool Shinex as I have never heard of it or seen it before. I can, however, tell you about the Flex 3401 VRG DA. It is incredible and the quality of the machine is great. You can now get different size backing plates for different size pads.

IMO, it is the best DA out there.

 

[FUNX650]

I'm considering a new machine, or rather another machine.

Flex or Festool Rap 150 Shinex Polisher

Haven't heard yet:
Which one, if any, did you purchase?

If no purchase made yet:
The RAP 150 is more competitively priced nowadays.

Festool Shinex RAP 150 rotary.....$465 (Retail)
FLEX PE14-2-150 rotary..............$420 (Retail)

Six of one; half a dozen of the other.

Bob