New Rupes machine

[Silly Rabbit]

BIGFOOT HLR75 MINI iBRID POLISHER - Rupes tools

So this was linked over on Mike Philips forum by someone.
Whats everyone`s opinion on this? Where would it fall in an application that either the 75 or ibrid nano couldn`t do?

[Setec Astronomy]

Wow, about time Rupes came out with something to compete with the Flex PXE 80. I only took a quick look, but I like it. Some of us here on the forum have been opining for years about a polisher in this size with a trigger speed control, something more in the form factor of the larger polishers but in a smaller size, but these smaller machines always seem to have more of a "PC" layout, including the PXE 80. This one has a little more of an eccentric form factor, but cordless with a "throttle" checks a lot of boxes for me. As always price is a factor, which is guess is still unknown.

[sf_car_guy]

I find it extremely annoying that the battery system is not the same as the nano.

[Setec Astronomy]

I find it extremely annoying that the battery system is not the same as the nano.

I find it surprising that it`s taken this long for Rupes to follow-on, I mean how long has it been? The I-Brid Nano must have come out at least 5 or 6 years ago, I expected the whole line to be battery by now.

[Silly Rabbit]

I do think it would have been a positive to use the same batteries.... maybe the smaller nano natteries don`t hold enough juice?? But it would have made sense from a consumer view for sure.

[Silly Rabbit]

So would users here reach for this more than the nano and let the nano stay in the box?

[Coatings=crack]

So would users here reach for this more than the nano and let the nano stay in the box?

Not a Nano competitor. Would replace the LHR75E and compete against the Flex PXE. The PXE is more a 3” machine as this is. It can use 1” pads.

The Nano is a smaller polisher. Will fit into a lot smaller places like:

Under door handles
Under spoilers
Front and side splitters
Interior trim.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bull6791]

I like the griots G9 myself. Thanks

[Silly Rabbit]

Ahhh, so if you have the 75E you really don`t `need` this then? It would be more of a `want` thing for some?

[Setec Astronomy]

Isn`t any polisher a "want" thing? We have a famous pro-detailer member here who used to correct cars BY HAND until Mike Phillips convinced him to try a machine (almost 20 years ago). I`m pretty sold on cordless tools in other applications, so if I was going to buy a new polisher, I`m 98% sure it would be a cordless one. However, I haven`t dumped any of my corded polishers, but I hardly polish any more.

[Silly Rabbit]

True, for the hobbiest everything bought is in the name of the enjoyment of the hobby itself. For the business type every dollar spent is towards making the best profit for the business, so tools = effecient work.

[Setec Astronomy]

True, for the hobbiest everything bought is in the name of the enjoyment of the hobby itself. For the business type every dollar spent is towards making the best profit for the business, so tools = effecient work.

I`m failing to understand what you`re getting at. Each "business type" detailer will have to make his own choice based on whether a cordless polisher will "make the best profit" for his business. If you are thinking about starting a business, some of the decision points for corded vs. cordless might be whether you are fixed or mobile, etc. etc. The initial objections to cordless tools were that the run time on battery was less than the recharge time, so even if you had an extra battery, you couldn`t work continuously. The ibrid nano addressed that because it was an "ibrid" (hybrid) that could be run corded or cordless, IIRC it also had a charge time approximately the same as the run time. As I alluded to, I expected the entire Rupes line would have gone "ibrid" by now, it`s been 5 years since the Nano came out. I notice this new unit says 35-45 minutes run time and 35 minutes charge time, and it comes with two batteries, so you should be able to work continuously, as long as you remember to put the spent battery in the charger when you put the fresh one in.

PS Of course the other thing is going to be the price point--it looks like the kit with the polishes, pads, towels is going for the equivalent of $732 in England--and that`s on sale. I think I`ll keep using my PC with the 3" backing plate.

[Rsurfer]

I like the griots G9 myself. Thanks

Comparing apples to oranges.

[Silly Rabbit]

I`m failing to understand what you`re getting at. Each "business type" detailer will have to make his own choice based on whether a cordless polisher will "make the best profit" for his business. If you are thinking about starting a business, some of the decision points for corded vs. cordless might be whether you are fixed or mobile, etc. etc. The initial objections to cordless tools were that the run time on battery was less than the recharge time, so even if you had an extra battery, you couldn`t work continuously. The ibrid nano addressed that because it was an "ibrid" (hybrid) that could be run corded or cordless, IIRC it also had a charge time approximately the same as the run time. As I alluded to, I expected the entire Rupes line would have gone "ibrid" by now, it`s been 5 years since the Nano came out. I notice this new unit says 35-45 minutes run time and 35 minutes charge time, and it comes with two batteries, so you should be able to work continuously, as long as you remember to put the spent battery in the charger when you put the fresh one in.

PS Of course the other thing is going to be the price point--it looks like the kit with the polishes, pads, towels is going for the equivalent of $732 in England--and that`s on sale. I think I`ll keep using my PC with the 3" backing plate.

No, I was meaning as a hobby person, people like me don`t `always` look at the price point as the view, I mean you do, but with the hobby you want the toy. As someone running a business they look more at the tools as tools, maybe not so much as the toy a hobbiest would, so price is always a top priority. For people like me, this is my `golf, fishing, snowmobiling, etc. We enjoying and get a rush buying/using a new toy(s). So for me, as a hobbiest, the 74E will already do what this new machine will do, the sensible route would be to just keep what I have........

[Setec Astronomy]

No, I was meaning as a hobby person, people like me don`t `always` look at the price point as the view, I mean you do, but with the hobby you want the toy. As someone running a business they look more at the tools as tools, maybe not so much as the toy a hobbiest would, so price is always a top priority. For people like me, this is my `golf, fishing, snowmobiling, etc. We enjoying and get a rush buying/using a new toy(s). So for me, as a hobbiest, the 74E will already do what this new machine will do, the sensible route would be to just keep what I have........

Oh, I`m sorry, I see what you`re saying now. It looks to me like it`s going to cost somewhere like twice what the corded version does. If I was new to the hobby (and presuming this machine gets good reviews), I would definitely consider it. In your case, maybe you could sell your corded polisher for half what you paid for it to offset the switch. For me, who hardly does any polishing anymore, it`s just not worth it, unless my better half decides she wants to do some polishing again.