Flex XC3401 - Q`s for Pro users

**Xilleration** · 03-17-2011, 04:29 PM

Guys, I`m usually a reader of the site but I wanted to ask a few questions after searching through about a million threads!

I`m a pro detailer and usually work with rotaries - Flex L602 and L3403. However, a 3401 just literally landed in my lap! Fantastic, but I`m not sure how it will best fit in my daily work flow or if it will help or hinder the processes...?

I usually work on German cars, so the paint is challenging most of the time. I use LC purple wool and orange pads for heavier work and 3M Yellow and Blue for finishing down and jewelling. The only 3M polish I use is Fast Cut Plus, otherwise its Menz all the way. (But I have HD Uno on the way to try out!)

So, I was thinking that I should do my heavier cutting with the rotary and polishing with the 3401. Some people were posting that jewelling is not fantastic with the 3401 though?

I would be interested to hear from Professionals who use the 3401 either exclusively or with other rotaries. Where does it fit in to the routine?

Also wanted to check about applying sealants. I usually do it with a PC. Is the rotary action of the 3401 too much for sealant application?

Thanking you in advance.

KAPOW!

**uzj100** · 03-18-2011, 12:25 AM

OK, I`m not a pro, but I have a 3401 in addition to a PC, Metabo and Flex (PE14-2-150) rotaries. I also use Menz and the 3M pads. One observation I have is the 3M pads don`t feel "right" to me on the 3401. I think the 3401 is a great machine, but I`m not quite as enamored with it I was initially. It`s pretty noisy, and a bit awkward and you can`t use 4" pads on it. I mostly use the Metabo--just got the new Flex--and the PC for some finishing. I find the Metabo is more agile.

I think it may be a bit "much" for sealant app, but that`s just my .02

I`m looking forward to seeing what others have to say

HTH

**Accumulator** · 03-18-2011, 12:57 PM

KaPow- Like landcruiser, I am not a pro ("gee, what`s with all the amateur responses", huh? :0 ), but I do have a fair bit of experience with this stuff (especially with regard to Audis). Also like landcruiser, I am less enamored of the Flex than I was initially, though I still use it for serious correction (serious, but not requiring a rotary and rocks-in-a-bottle compounds).

Differences in burnishing/jeweling abilities will be relative and, IMO, utterly lost on "normal people". But I do not use my Flex 3401 for finish polishing as I do appreciate the slightly better finish provided by my other RO/DA machines (ones without the forced rotation) and the Flex 3401 simply isn`t as pleasant to use as my other RO/DA machines. I probably use my Flex more than many (given all my different polishers) would simply because I don`t like my (Makita and Metabo) rotaries all that much, simply a personal preference.

I can, however, see the progression of rotary-> Flex 3401-> PC/etc. to be viable and I`ve used that myself on very hard clear, with great results. Others would just skip the Flex and go rotary-> PC/etc., or even do it all-rotary, and that can work fine too, especially if you have good rotary skills.

Also, I would not use the Flex 3401 for LSP application if only because it won`t do it any better than the other RO/DA machines and it`s far less user-friendly. With a little stick-time using the Flex, I think you`ll see exactly what I mean.

Much as I`d hate to be without my Flex 3401, I think it`s a solution to a problem that you don`t have

**Thomas Dekany** · 03-18-2011, 01:45 PM

Get some more aggressive wool pads and use hd uno. Very few things that the combo will not handle. Many times the flex will correct much better than the rotary and the finish will look lsp ready.

I love the 3401. It saves steps/time.

**maxepr1** · 03-18-2011, 02:24 PM

KaPow, I have had almost every rotary and DA out there of the years! IMO if your doing this as a PRO there are only 2 maybe 3 machines you should own! A Flex 3401 and a Makita/Flex 3403. I haven`t come across any finish that could not be corrected with a 3401! The key is the pad/compound you use. The speed of correction is the so much faster with the 3401! The only time I will go to the rotary is when I have to go to wool and/or jeweling. And that is just because of time again. A rotary with wool can level so much faster than the 3401. But if I have time, I will use the 3401 with wool and it does just as good as the rotary. But when jeweling it preety much has to be done with the Makita just because of the slow speed needed for jeweling. I think the Flex 3403 is a little to fast for jeweling. Now with 4" BP for the 3401 you can use it in all tight areas! As for sealant application, yes I do use my Flex! PC, Cyclo, Metabo, GG, Meg`s, Dewalt all don`t hold a candle to the Flex combo IMO!

**Xilleration** · 03-18-2011, 03:35 PM

Thanks for the response, guys.

Hey, no problem with non-pro`s responding with perspective. I figured I would ask the professionals because we have to get stuck in and get the finish in a limited time frame. Everyone doing it on their own car can always come back to it next weekend to improve! Its all good though - many thanks!

Accumulator, I know what you mean about it being a solution to a problem I don`t have. I literally got the machine at such a cheap price I couldn`t turn it down. Came with the nice Flex Tool bag and all! So I figure I should try get the best of this polisher since it has such a good rep.

Originally Posted by tdekany

Get some more aggressive wool pads and use hd uno. Very few things that the combo will not handle. Many times the flex will correct much better than the rotary and the finish will look lsp ready.

I love the 3401. It saves steps/time.

OK, cool. What type of wool or which brand do you like, TDekany? And where do you see it as saving in steps? Does it take polishing down to LSP readiness? Normally I hit the paint with a 3M blue pad and 85RD or on hard paint I sometimes use Mark V Uno as a finisher. Works beautifully. I am really hoping to get the best out of this machine. I have a 9 year old M5 coming in next week that must have been in a brush wash every weekend. Really bad damage, but that paint is rock hard. Got delivery today of HD UNO and the Orange / Black flip pad - it doesn`t fit the 3401!

Originally Posted by maxepr1

KaPow, I have had almost every rotary and DA out there of the years! IMO if your doing this as a PRO there are only 2 maybe 3 machines you should own! A Flex 3401 and a Makita/Flex 3403. I haven`t come across any finish that could not be corrected with a 3401! The key is the pad/compound you use. The speed of correction is the so much faster with the 3401! The only time I will go to the rotary is when I have to go to wool and/or jeweling. And that is just because of time again. A rotary with wool can level so much faster than the 3401. But if I have time, I will use the 3401 with wool and it does just as good as the rotary. But when jeweling it preety much has to be done with the Makita just because of the slow speed needed for jeweling. I think the Flex 3403 is a little to fast for jeweling. Now with 4" BP for the 3401 you can use it in all tight areas! As for sealant application, yes I do use my Flex! PC, Cyclo, Metabo, GG, Meg`s, Dewalt all don`t hold a candle to the Flex combo IMO!

LOL ... good reply, Maxepr1. The enthusiasm!! I guess I will just get to it now. Will be back next week and let you know the progress and opinion of the machine.

Have a nice weekend in the meantime!

KAPOW!

**maxepr1** · 03-18-2011, 04:38 PM

KaPow, Hydro-tech pads and the 3401 is a deadly combo! Testing the MF system right now, it to is a deadly combo! I can see lots of used pads being sold in the future...lol! Still testing the MF system before I sell my pads. As far as saving time, sometimes you can start with 205 instead of 105 with the 3401, and 205 is LSP ready when done. If using 105 and then 205 the cutting is achieved much faster I think. Time is money, and I`m all for shaving time!!

**Accumulator** · 03-18-2011, 05:09 PM

KAPow- OK, roger that on the "too good to pass up". Who knows, you might end up liking it better than the rotaries the way I do.

tdekany- I never remember that "wool pads via Flex 3401" for some reason, I gotta try that some time. But yeah, I do plan to try the Meg`s MF cutting pad on it too.

maxepr1- Glad to hear those MF cutting pads work so well with it.

Ben@3D · 03-18-2011, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by KaPow

Got delivery today of HD UNO and the Orange / Black flip pad - it doesn`t fit the 3401!

KaPow,

It sounds like you got our 5 1/4" HD Uno Pad which works good with the 3401`s Mini Backing Plate.

If you have the standard 3401 backing plate. you will need our 7" HD Pro Polishing Pads.

Ben

**wfedwar** · 03-18-2011, 08:20 PM

Here are a couple of notes on Flex usage:

1. It can break down polishes faster than a RO, but not like a rotary.

2. For M105/M205, a rotary will finish better on soft paint.

3. Since you can`t form holograms with an RO or Flex, I use the Flex for my last step with a very easy to break down polish or AIO

4. I really like 7.5" mushroom shaped pads on the flex

My use of Flex is limited to the final polishing step, just because the rotary does such a great job on everything else. If I weren`t so hologram-paranoid, I might just use my rotary exclusively.

**Xilleration** · 03-20-2011, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by Ben@3D

KaPow,

It sounds like you got our 5 1/4" HD Uno Pad which works good with the 3401`s Mini Backing Plate.

If you have the standard 3401 backing plate. you will need our 7" HD Pro Polishing Pads.

Ben

Thanks Ben. I had ordered the pad before I got the machine. No problem though - it will get a good trial with my rotary.

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