Flex 3401 is it worth the money?

[RBC]

I am a new entrant to the polisher world...Have no clue what direction to head but found this sight to supply unbiased opinions and most..Looking at purchasing the Flex 3401 primarlty for personal use...boats, cars, snowmobiles, bikes...toy polisher. Is this the way to go or is there other comparable options available...ease of use is important...I see that obtaining a backing plate is also difficult to purchase. Also any comments of suuplies that may work between the different Manufactures..Final question Size,,,is it easy to use and lite weight?
RBC

[greg0303]

Re: Flex 3401 is it worth the money?

I wouldn't recommend Flex XC 3401 VRG as your first polisher. It's still a dual action machine but it has forced rotation mechanism. If you need 6 section passes to remove some defects with regular DA polisher in most cases Flex could complete it with 2-3 passes. It just cuts paint faster. The best description is that it's between DA and rotary.

To get familiar with machine polishing I would recommend to start with Meguiar's G110v2, Griot's Garage 6" or Porter Cable 7424 XP. Usually after some practice time with any of those DAs Flex would be the next step up.

[Blazebro]

Re: Flex 3401 is it worth the money?

If your after a rotary for your first polisher, look no further than the Makita 9227CB.

It's a bit heavy, but it has a smooth operation, good spread of torque with a wide range of ration speeds and is very quiet. It's also built to last and a favourite among the pro's.

[rst08tierney]

Re: Flex 3401 is it worth the money?

get the g!!!

[BobbyG]

Re: Flex 3401 is it worth the money?

I am a new entrant to the polisher world...Have no clue what direction to head but found this sight to supply unbiased opinions and most..Looking at purchasing the Flex 3401 primarlty for personal use...boats, cars, snowmobiles, bikes...toy polisher. Is this the way to go or is there other comparable options available...ease of use is important...I see that obtaining a backing plate is also difficult to purchase. Also any comments of suuplies that may work between the different Manufactures..Final question Size,,,is it easy to use and lite weight?
RBC

The Flex 3401 is quite a polisher and in a class of its own. It's slightly larger and heavier than its dual action counterpart but smaller than the Makita 9227.

Like I said, the Flax 3401 is quite a machine. Its powerful motor plus its forced pad rotation design makes it a pleasure to use and not having to be concerned whether or not the pads rotating is a big benefit.

The machine is designed very well and its balance is superb. It's variable speed trigger combined with the speed dial makes targeting a specific oscillation range a cinch! This polisher is very easy to use with almost no learning curve at all.

Another thing I like about the Flex 3401 is how rugged and well made it is. As soon as you pick it up you immediately sense the thought that went into its design and manufacture.

Backing plates are available online and the Flex 3401 uses standard Velcro polishing pads.

Most Flex owners wish they switched to this machine sooner but I'm not sure a Flex owner would wish they went with the one of the competitions first.

[HCAD]

Re: Flex 3401 is it worth the money?

I love my Flex without a doubt, but I'm happy that I learned the buffing process on my "much less expensive" Porter Cable. If money is no object, go for it. It's a Cadillac!