Testing Rupes Bigfoot LHR 21ES With M205

[david11g35]

Thank you David, i want a machine that I can color sand orange peel and buff it out. I dont want to spend all this money and find out that I cant on the machine.

The Flex and Rupes seems like you can so that is why I am looking at those.

I know with a Makita and Dewalt you can however.

Best way to go about this

If you wet sand/color sand

Remove sanding marks by compounding with a Rotary
Finishing down with a DA

 

[hernandez.art13]

Best way to go about this

If you wet sand/color sand

Remove sanding marks by compounding with a Rotary
Finishing down with a DA

Yeah that is the way I have always done it with a Dewalt just figured that I could do it with a Flex or Rupes

Color sand
Buff
Polish
Etc..

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

now the flex is the one u need to really pay attention to your technique or it will walk big time on u.

I don't understand how this machine got so popular?? It's a big pain the *** to use!

 

[DRT BRD]

I just got my Rupes 21 last night. Tested it out on a swirled up Silverado.

MF polishing Disk, and d151 removed some crazzzzzzzzzzyyyyy imperfections. I can already tell this thing is going to be a monster for one steps/AIO's.

With the MF polishing disk and D300 I was removing some DEEP scuffs from someone dragging a box over the top rail of the bed. I'll host the pics and get them up here shortly.

I didn't even TOUCH a cutting MF disk. I will be testing out M205 and a black LC pad just to see.

 

[ihaveacamaro]

I just got my Rupes 21 last night. Tested it out on a swirled up Silverado.

MF polishing Disk, and d151 removed some crazzzzzzzzzzyyyyy imperfections. I can already tell this thing is going to be a monster for one steps/AIO's.

With the MF polishing disk and D300 I was removing some DEEP scuffs from someone dragging a box over the top rail of the bed. I'll host the pics and get them up here shortly.

I didn't even TOUCH a cutting MF disk. I will be testing out M205 and a black LC pad just to see.

Rupes is awesome rops:

Let's see those pics!!!!!

 

[DRT BRD]

TWO passes with no pressure w/D300. This was literally the first panel I tested it out on.

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

TWO passes with no pressure w/D300. This was literally the first panel I tested it out on.

Two SECTION passes?

MF cutting disc?

What speed?

 

[DRT BRD]

Two SECTION passes?

MF cutting disc?

What speed?

That's right. I wanted to see it's true cutting ability with out "finishing it down" at a lower speed at an even slower arm movement rate. The nice thing about this machine is that is noticeably heavier than a PC (and so much bigger) so the need for much pressure is non existent (so far). This is on GM clear that hasn't been cared for at all, not even a coat of wax.

Not even a cutting disk. This was done with a Meguiars Microfiber POLISHING disk - speed 4.

Those were quick ones on my phone. Let me see if my buddy who's truck this is can send me the files from his digital that we took regarding D151 and an Optimum polishing disk.

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

That's right. I wanted to see it's true cutting ability with out "finishing it down" at a lower speed at an even slower arm movement rate. The nice thing about this machine is that is noticeably heavier than a PC (and so much bigger) so the need for much pressure is non existent (so far). This is on GM clear that hasn't been cared for at all, not even a coat of wax.

Not even a cutting disk. This was done with a Meguiars Microfiber POLISHING disk - speed 4.

Those were quick ones on my phone. Let me see if my buddy who's truck this is can send me the files from his digital that we took regarding D151 and an Optimum polishing disk.

Unreal! This Rupes is an amazing polisher! rops:

 

[DRT BRD]

Unreal! This Rupes is an amazing polisher! rops:

Believe me, I waited and waited and waited to purchase this baby. Heck I was even on the wait list as one of the first people to get one. Then backed out because lets face it, $440 bucks for a DA is a tonnnnnnnnnnn of money that I started feeling uneasy about with out any real hard proof from a ton of folks.

So after months of it coming out and a lot of respected detailers using it and posting their work, I was sold. I made the plunge from Kevin Brown and it was like a little kid on christmas. I only got to play with it for about and hour and a half or so but so far, I'm very impressed.

I have a super trashed Trail Blazer SS this weekend due up for a total correction and opticoat so I will be using it for that this weekend.

 

[hernandez.art13]

Here are the buffers I have and just a small thought about each one:

1. Meguiars G110v2 - Loud, underpowered, and quite a few vibrations. Demoted to only being used with a DA brush attachment.

2. GG6 ver. 3 - Quieter, powerful, and comfortable. Love this machine. Corrects quite quickly also.

3. Rupes 21 - Quiet with hardly any vibrations. Great machine if you use the right technique(little to no pressure) and products. Corrects very quickly using the right technique. I did notice that vibrations change depending on what pad you're using. With the Rupes pads, hardly any. With Lake Country flat pads, good but it does have more vibration.

4. Makita 9227c - Good buffer but heavy and can get uncomfortable after continuous usage. A good all around buffer though.

5. Bosch lightweight rotary - A basic knock off of the Flex 3403. Same size, almost the same weight but lacks power and can actually bog down quite a big with not much pressure. Well build machine though.

6. Flex 3401 - This buffer is my go to DA/Forced rotational. It corrects super fast and is comfortable. I took the handle off and it was easier to control. Not super loud but not quiet either. Built like a tank. I use the smaller backing plate in able to use my 5.5" pads and it kicks butt. Compared to the Rupes I feel like it corrects faster even using great technique. Not that you don't need to use a good system with the 3401 but you can concentrate more on your goal instead of making sure your doing everything just perfect with the Rupes.

Flex PE14-2 rotary - The best rotary buffer in the world in my opinion. So comfortable and sooooo smooth. This is my go to machine above all listed here.

I used the Makita compared to the Dewalt and was surprised how light the Makita was. I like my PC so far, but when I upgrade I am still undecided.

I want best performance with least cost.

What can the Flex buff out.. 1500?

 

[Nate3420]

I use Flex more often than rupes. Its just my style. I won't say one is better than the other. Both polishers have their own intention. I never done comparison in time trial or finishing quality. But what we should concern is technique instead of specific polisher or polish.

I used the Makita compared to the Dewalt and was surprised how light the Makita was. I like my PC so far, but when I upgrade I am still undecided.

I want best performance with least cost.

What can the Flex buff out.. 1500?

They all can buff about anything out but how much time do you wanna spend and how good is your technique. The Rupes is by far the best da on the market to date and is the most technologically advanced

 

[Evan.J]

They all can buff about anything out but how much time do you wanna spend and how good is your technique. The Rupes is by far the best da on the market to date and is the most technologically advanced

:iagree:

Technique is the main key with anything. You can have the latest and great is polishers pads products and towels but if your technique isn't right then your not going to get the results you are looking for or desire.

As Mike says, "It takes just as long to do it wrong!"

rops: