Traditional rotary verses...

D

Dan C

New member
a forced rotation orbital such as the Flex 3401...yeah the rotary can do some good finish correction with two to three steps not including last step...waxing,sealing whatever you want to call it...not to mention the wash prior....to rid of compound dust, spatter,etc...this all is time consuming!



Now can we go with a flex and get about the same level of correction in less time and less steps and less risk of an employee burning an edge would you say?
 
Some of the newer polishers combined with a micro fibre pad are more than a match for traditional rotary polishers for both the enthusiast and professional alike
 
The Flex has it's purpose in detailing. I think it's a great machine for a single stage polish when the customer isn't looking for perfection. The Flex is a good machine, but it won't last like a DeWalt rotary polisher. I have a DeWalt polisher that I bought in 1998 and it still works perfectly. I've replaced brushes, triggers, and cords, and that's it. A rotary however will finish down better than a D.A., especially compared to a forced rotation D.A. A rotary is also much better at polishing the "detail work" as in getting super close to door handles, trim, etc. This is where a dual action just isn't nearly as good as a perfectly centered polishing pad on a rotary to get really close to edges. It's a great machine for a daily driver, but if you're looking for extra precision you can't beat a rotary.
 
I have an entry-level, "cheap" Harbor Freight rotary, a Flex 3401, and a non-XP PC. Although I use the Flex most of the time, I would tell anyone considering a Flex to use the money towards getting a Dewalt 849x rotary and a insert-your-DA-RO-of-choice-here for the same amount of money (if not cheaper). This would give a detailer a higher potential of correction to grow into but still have a high margin of error when starting out.



The Flex can't correct the biggest marring as fast as my rotary and I use the PC for machine application of LSPs. It may seem that I don't like the 3401 very much but I really do because it excels at the one-step polishing / AIO-type work that most of my family cars need. In these scenarios, a rotary is an overkill and my PC falls short of power, quality, and time when compared to my 3401.
 
Like you I have all the power polishers, three rotarys, three DA's, as well as an air rotary and an air DA.

All have their purposes and uses.

For people who have the time, a DA will usually handle what they are doing.

I just don't have the time to spend working a DA for hours on some of the things I work on.

Hit them with a rotary and come back and do a quick and easy final with a DA.

Grumpy
 
The flex was relevant when the DAs were weak, but now with the stronger machines, it's really a niche player. I'm happy with a rotary and my GG6.
 
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