The Flex 3401 is really a time saver...

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WRAPT C5Z06

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You’ll save time, as Mike Phillips says, “powering” through the curves. If a car had 100% flat panels, I’d reach for a 15/21mm DA every time. However, we know that’s never the case. I cannot stress how nice it is to have forced rotation on anything that’s not flat, or really curvy. I truly believe you can save 30%+ of time using a forced rotation tool. I’ve owned the Flex 3401, Makita PO5000c, and Rupes Mille. I like them best in the listed order.
 
Love my Flex! Especially on a Porsche 911 or Boxter. Curves all over. I agree. Saves a whole lot of time! The Flex is my go to for correction/polishing. My PC7424XP is for applying sealant/wax or minor repairs.

KEEP ON ROCKING!
 
Here's my actual quote, I use it a lot....


With a FLEX 3401 you can power through a detail job



And by that I mean, you can buff out a car as fast as humanly possible while maintaining pro results.


It's a BEAST!


And yes, when tackling large flat panels, hard to beat a 21mm long stroke with the right pads and products. One of my favorite combos is the RUPES 21 Mark III with a 7" pad and BLACKFIRE One Step.


:)
 
it is a Beast

I love it so much I bought a 2nd 3401.

To save even MORE time, I use one with the larger backing plate, and one with the smaller backing plate.

Here's the two being used along with the Flex extension cord.
 
To add, for medium-medium hard paint, I like the blue SDO pads with the 3401 for 1-steps. Soft, I like the LC flat white pads. For hard paint, I like the Rupes yellow wool. I don’t do too many 2 step corrections.


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WRAPT C5Z06 said:
To add, for medium-medium hard paint, I like the blue SDO pads with the 3401 for 1-steps. Soft, I like the LC flat white pads. For hard paint, I like the Rupes yellow wool. I don’t do too many 2 step corrections.
Click to expand...

Second person this week to say they use the SDO pad. I would have thought the thicker HDO would serve the 3401 better. But between you and Aaryn, I guess I'll try out the SDO as well.

Same here, with the 2 steps. Been a while, actually. Mostly, the few I'm doing, are AIOs.
 
My 3401 is collecting dust lol. Can't remember the last time I used it lol. I bust it out every once in a while and it just doesn't give me the results and I go back to my long throws.
 
JustJesus said:
Second person this week to say they use the SDO pad. I would have thought the thicker HDO would serve the 3401 better. But between you and Aaryn, I guess I'll try out the SDO as well.

Same here, with the 2 steps. Been a while, actually. Mostly, the few I'm doing, are AIOs.
Click to expand...
The 5.5” HDO works pretty with the 3401. The 6.5” HDO is a different story. I feel the firm interface of the HDO does not play well with forced rotation. Remove that and the pad is more forgiving, which in turn will work more in harmony with the forced rotation.


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JustJesus said:
Second person this week to say they use the SDO pad. I would have thought the thicker HDO would serve the 3401 better. But between you and Aaryn, I guess I'll try out the SDO as well.

Same here, with the 2 steps. Been a while, actually. Mostly, the few I'm doing, are AIOs.
Click to expand...


:props: Blue Lake Country SDO’s on the 3401 . . . . :buffing: My happy place.

I highly recommend trying them out mate. For serious chopping my go to is the Low Lint Wool Pads, these things cut like crazy but still finish down real nice . . . & I like the new style CCS Pads too . . Actually I quite liked the old style too to be honest.


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:
 
Aaryn NZ said:
:props: Blue Lake Country SDO’s on the 3401 . . . . :buffing: My happy place.

I highly recommend trying them out mate. For serious chopping my go to is the Low Lint Wool Pads, these things cut like crazy but still finish down real nice . . . & I like the new style CCS Pads too . . Actually I quite liked the old style too to be honest.


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:
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Hi Aaryn, do you use the 5" or 6" SDO with the 3401?
 
Justin at Final Inspection said:
My 3401 is collecting dust lol. Can't remember the last time I used it lol.

I bust it out every once in a while and it just doesn't give me the results and I go back to my long throws.
Click to expand...


And this is what I like about the ability to show all the popular tools at my car and boat detailing classes. Each person that attends gets to use ALL the different tools multiple times on multiple cars and then make up their own mind which tool is best for their STYLE of detailing.

Big Picture is this, the right tool for anyone is the tool that matches their STYLE of detailing and all of us, just like we prefer one favor of soda pop over another, will have a preference for a different type of tool based upon our style of detailing.


And anyone that reads Justin's write-ups for all the cool cars he details can easily see


He gets the job done!



:buffing: :buffing: :buffing:
 
Mike Phillips said:
And this is what I like about the ability to show all the popular tools at my car and boat detailing classes. Each person that attends gets to use ALL the different tools multiple times on multiple cars and then make up their own mind which tool is best for their STYLE of detailing.

Big Picture is this, the right tool for anyone is the tool that matches their STYLE of detailing and all of us, just like we prefer one favor of soda pop over another, will have a preference for a different type of tool based upon our style of detailing.


And anyone that reads Justin's write-ups for all the cool cars he details can easily see


He gets the job done!



:buffing: :buffing: :buffing:
Click to expand...

Absolutely Mike! As I say, different strokes for different folks!" See what I did there:cool:
 
WRAPT C5Z06 said:
Hi Aaryn, do you use the 5" or 6" SDO with the 3401?
Click to expand...

Both my friend. :props:

The 5” fit real nice on the Flex 4.5” backing plate but I equally like the 6” too. Depending on what the vehicles style/shape is or even panel to panel, I’ll just switch it up. :buffing:


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:
 
I prefer the LC Hybrid pads for my 3401 and HDSpeed. Guess i can try the SDO's
 
Aaryn NZ said:
Both my friend. :props:

The 5” fit real nice on the Flex 4.5” backing plate but I equally like the 6” too. Depending on what the vehicles style/shape is or even panel to panel, I’ll just switch it up. :buffing:


Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:
Click to expand...


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Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:


Sent from my iPad using Autogeekonline mobile app
 
I love them also on my 3401. And they happen to be on sale rt now here also. $9 for a 6.5 pad isnt bad at all.
 
For clarification in this thread , what is the difference between the orange Force pad and blue SDO?
 
spazzz said:
For clarification in this thread , what is the difference between the orange Force pad and blue SDO?
Click to expand...

Curious myself, so i bought some blue SDO's
I've always used the orange force on my 3401
 
spazzz said:
For clarification in this thread , what is the difference between the orange Force pad and blue SDO?
Click to expand...


I'll ask David Patterson from Lake Country to chime in. He's a member of this forum.

If I just take my hands/fingers and FEEL the foam on these two pads, the orange Force pads are a LOT sharper and cut a lot faster.


This is a very simple thing you can do with any pad, when the pad is clean and dry, FEEL it. Aggressive cutting pads will FEEL coarse or sharp. I teach this and TONs of other things in all my classes.



:)
 
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