flex 3401 smaller backing plate

[melt]

i have a pc, flex 3401 , and a makita cx3, I have smaller plates/pads for everything except for the flex since i just got it not to long ago.



I was wondering if someone could point be in the correct direction so i could use 4in pads with the 3401 if at all possible



Brent

[RTexasF]

There is only one backing plate for the Flex so 4" pads are not possible.

All I have read from owners says that it does excellent correction with standard 6.5" pads.

[melt]

yes it does do excellent correction with the standard pad , i just like to use them for hard to get areas and or making a faster correction on a deeper scratch :buffing:



thanks for the info though



Brent

[Setec Astronomy]

There was an Edge adapter available, so you could use the Edge/Cycle Double-Precision pads.



Here it is, I hope they keep making them. Shop 3M: Edge E2K Flex Conversion Kit, EF08

[melt]

awesome man thanks a lot gonna order asap :woot:

[Accumulator]

I just got a spare Flex backing plate to experiment with and a pal of mine from the Jaguar Club is gonna whittle it down to ~3.25-3.5" for use with smaller pads.



We`ll see how it goes. There might be issues with the structural integrity of the plate after it`s cut down. More obviously, the basic configuration of the Flex 3401 will probably limit the functional utility of the idea; the head/housing of the Flex and the large "plate area" on the underside of the thing are probably gonna result in a big machine with a little pad sticking out of the middle of it. Similar to mounting a 4" pad on a large rotary but worse functionally-speaking because on the Flex the pad has to oscillate as well as spin.



It should be good for spot-repairs and maybe some window pillars/etc. But overall I suspect it`ll be a bit too bulky/cumbersome for the kind of work people are probably thinking about. I bet the PC will still be the better answer, and note that with a 4" pad (or a 3.5" PFW) the PC can do most of what a Flex can anyhow at least when it comes to spot-repairs.

[harpafou2]

There was an Edge adapter available, so you could use the Edge/Cycle Double-Precision pads.



Here it is, I hope they keep making them. Shop 3M: Edge E2K Flex Conversion Kit, EF08

Unless they stopped making them in the last 3 weeks, they are availale. Shipped it was $50 but worth it to me. Increased my options for pads greatly. Besides that, the adaptor can be attached to a rotary. :woot:

[Setec Astronomy]

Edge had 69 or something of them when they were bought by 3M; I`m not wildly hopeful that 3M will make more after those run out.

[imported_Hades02]

Autogeek is now selling them