Opinions on Flex 3403 rotary

[Rsurfer]

At the lowest speed setting and not locking the trigger on the PE-14, the speed is 400rpm.

Are you saying if you dial in speed 1 and lock the trigger it will rotate at 600rpm and if you don't lock it, the speed will be 400rpm?

 

[chemguy626]

Are you saying if you dial in speed 1 and lock the trigger it will rotate at 600rpm and if you don't lock it, the speed will be 400rpm?

no if you feather the trigger at speed 1 it drops to 400 rpms...the guy at cg demo'd it for me

rops:

 

[SonOfOC]

Supposely, if you squeeze the trigger all the way with speed setting 1, it is 400rpm.
Engage the lock and the trigger lets off a little to catch the lock, but sets at 600rpm.

I think thats why you get that weird surge when you squeeze the trigger all the way on speed 1. Because it actualy goes to 600rpm at about 90% trigger throttle then down to 400rpm with the 100% trigger.

Are you saying if you dial in speed 1 and lock the trigger it will rotate at 600rpm and if you don't lock it, the speed will be 400rpm?

 

[Rsurfer]

Supposely, if you squeeze the trigger all the way with speed setting 1, it is 400rpm.

Engage the lock and the trigger lets off a little to catch the lock, but sets at 600rpm.

I think thats why you get that weird surge when you squeeze the trigger all the way on speed 1. Because it actualy goes to 600rpm at about 90% trigger throttle then down to 400rpm with the 100% trigger.

Just broke it out of the box and it seems that if you squeeze the tirgger on speed 1, it will go to 600rpm. You can lightly squeeze and it will slow down to what rpm I don't know, but it does slow down. I don't know why I'm concern, as I would never use speed 1 anyway.

 

[SonOfOC]

Yeah, I was curious myself back when I was deciding between the Festool or the PE-14.

I just ran out the garage and my PE-14 surges when I squeeze the trigger, but it immediately slows down a little. This all happens in a 1/2 second.

Funny things is both my Makita 9227 and Dewalt 849x does the same thing on slowest speed.

I did find this from Mike P. in regards to 400rpm.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum.../30206-new-flex-pe14-2-150-rotary-buffer.html

 

[Dr Oldz]

I call this surgical buffing and its' done best with a lightweight, compact rotary buffer.

It's also done best with a lightweight rotary buffer with the option to dial down to lower RPM's, thus the Flex PE14 is a better choice as it has an RPM range of 400 to 2100


The Flex 3403 starts at 1100 RPM



:buffing:

I like "precision buffing" better!!
Anyway...... I come from old school techniques where 1200RPM is considered slow. Currently using the newer machines that run at 600RPM isn't to my taste but I do find it beneficial in some instances. Guess what I am trying to say is that the tool evolve to be better....our techniques must also evolve to utilize these machine and make our final outcome better!


BTW Some amazing info you posted here, Mike! rops:

 

[car nut]

I love my Flex PE14 and my 3401 great tools. Why would you want to return your's? I think if you try it you won't want to be without it.

 

[chemguy626]

I love my Flex PE14 and my 3401 great tools. Why would you want to return your's? I think if you try it you won't want to be without it.

Read first page...i ended up swapping for pe14

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

no if you feather the trigger at speed 1 it drops to 400 rpms...the guy at cg demo'd it for me

rops:

That is correct.

I did find this from Mike P. in regards to 400rpm.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum.../30206-new-flex-pe14-2-150-rotary-buffer.html

Correct, I shared this in a video we made with Bob Eichelberg when this too was first introduced.

The FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Buffer
[video=youtube_share;YShAVw7zMkE"]YouTube - Autogeek's Show Car Garage - New FLEX...[/video]​

Max was given the #1 PE14 Flex Rotary Polisher and Flex gave me serial number #2 Flex Polisher. Max's is in a glass display case and mine was out in the studio for anyone to use and then I decided to take it home just to make sure it didn't walk off somehow...

I like "precision buffing" better!!

That's a great word too...

Guess what I am trying to say is that the tool evolve to be better....our techniques must also evolve to utilize these machine and make our final outcome better!

Well said. I actually like buffing, even compounding at slow speeds. Some people think you have to buff at high speeds to get good results but I share the analogy that you can use products like M105 by hand and remove defects and your hand certainly doesn't move at high RPM's.

Besides that, heat is bad for clear coat paints, that is heat plus grinding abrasives into them, this is called destructive polishing, a term I learned from Jason Rose, at Meguiar's when writing an article about temperatures as it relates to machine buffing clear coats. Note: I always giving due credit where credit is due and never purposefully claim other's work as my own. As BC would say, it's the right thing to do...

BTW Some amazing info you posted here, Mike! rops:

Thank you Jim...