MEGA pad selection for the FLEX 3401 - From Wool pads to Foam pad and even ABRALON SANDING DISCS

[Mike Phillips]

MEGA pad selection for the FLEX 3401 - From Wool pads to Foam pad and even ABRALON SANDING DISCS (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-mike-phillips-your-detailing-questions/100299-mega-pad-selection-flex-3401-wool-pads-foam-pad-even-abralon-sanding-discs.html)



http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_052.jpg



The FLEX 3401 is not what I would call a fussy polisher.

Nope. It will turn and burn just about any pad you choose to use. The good news is there's a LOT of pad options for the FLEX 3401. Below is just a SAMPLE of the available pads.



Lake Country Hybrid in 6.5" and 5"

In my how-to book,

How to use the Flex XC3401 VRG Dual Action Orbital Polisher (http://www.autogeek.net/flex-polisher-book.html)


I strongly recommend the hybrid pads for the FLEX 3401. Pictured below are the 6.5" and the 5" pads. In order to use the 5" pads you'll want to get the Lake Country 4" Backing Plate Adapter System. It's really handy to be able to use large pad for large flat panel and then use smaller pads for the thin panels and intricate areas.

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_020.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_021.jpg



In the hybrid line there are cutting, polishing, finishing, waxing and jeweling pads. Something for every detailing project.

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_022.jpg




Lake Country CCS Pads
CCS stands for Collapsed Cell Structure and these are the pockets you see in the face of the pad. Lake Country states these pockets make buffing smoother while disipating compound, polish and wax as you buff. These are available in both 6.5" and 4" pads.

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_028.jpg



Lake Country Flat Pads
These are simple, 6.5" foam flat pads and also excellent choices for any polishing project.

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_029.jpg



Lake Country Hydrotech Pads
The word hydrotech as it's used to describe these pads mean closed cell foam. The idea being is the closed or walled off structure of the cell design reduces the ability for liquids to penetrate into the pad as quicklsy or as easily as open cell foam pads. These pads are available in both 6.5" and 4".


http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_030.jpg


http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_031.jpg



Lake Country Purple Foamed Wool Pads
These are unique pads to the Lake Country brand. The wool fibers of these pads are encapsualted with foam particles creating pad that offers good cutting action with excellent plush cushion for smooth buffing.

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_032.jpg





Here's some pictures showing how the 5" Hybrids fit to the 4" backing plates

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_033.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_034.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_035.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_036.jpg



Here's some pictures showing how the 4" pads fit to the 4" backing plate. While this combination does work you need to pay attention to the aluminum housing for the gears in the head of the FLEX 3401 as the pads are smaller in diameter than the housing.

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_037.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_038.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_039.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_040.jpg




To get any of these pads or to ask questions please call our friendly customer care staff at,

1-800-869-3011

They can help you get the best pads for your detailing project.


:)

[Mike Phillips]

So you want to do some major correction work huh?

Remove years of neglect that has left millions of swirls, scratches, oxidation and water spots in the paint?

OR

You're working on a gel-coat boat and you need to remove years of heavy oxidation?


Then get yourself a Lake Country 7.5" Electrified Wool Polishing pad. Even though they use the word polishing to describe the type of pad this is don't be fooled, it still cuts like a son-of-a-gun because it's a WOOL pad. Fibers are a form of abrasive be they wool cutting or wool polishing pads.


7.5 inch Electrified White Sheepskin Final Polishing Pad (http://www.autogeek.net/lc-wool-sheepskin-polishing-pad-7inch.html)


Electrified?
The word electrified means Lake Country has taken the extra step to electrify the wool which removes the natural sharp barbs found in wool creating a pad that cuts fast but finishes with less scouring of the paint. This is a real benefit when buffing thin, scratch-sensitive clearcoat finishes.


http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_023.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_024.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_025.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_026.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_027.jpg


I highly recommend these in my how-to book,


How To Detail Boats With Marine 31 (http://www.autogeek.net/marine-31-boat-book.html)



To get one of these pads contact please call our friendly customer care staff at,

1-800-869-3011

They can help you get the best pads for your detailing project.


:)

[Mike Phillips]

Machine Sanding

Are you working on a severely neglected gel-coat boat or aluminum pontoon boat?

If so then you can also use the FLEX 3401 to quickly sand off years of oxidation and then follow the sanding process by buffing out your sanding marks.

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_041.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_042.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_043.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_044.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_045.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_046.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_047.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_048.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_049.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_050.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/620/FLEX_3401_HD_051.jpg


WARNING
Don't try to machine wet sand car paint using a FLEX 3401. The paint on cars, trucks and suvs is way to thin to safely machine sand with a gear driven orbital polisher.

The gel-coat finish on a boat is much thicker than the paint on a car and aluminum is thick as the metal used to build pontoon boats so there's much less of any issue using the FLEX for boats.

I cover this in my how-to book,

How To Detail Boats With Marine 31 (http://www.autogeek.net/marine-31-boat-book.html)



To get any of the Mirka Abralon sanding discs please call our friendly customer care staff at,

1-800-869-3011

They can help you get the right sanding discs for your boat detailing project.


:)

[Chris@AutoCleanse]

Great article Mike.

[Paul A.]

I just received my Flex 3401 this week and it is unbelievably better than i expected. I was using both a Hitachi rotary and a Porter Cable 7336 for all of my paint work and this new machine absolutely blows them both away. I had migrated to the LC Hybrid pads for use on my rotary and have them in every color. What's nice in that regard is how phenomenal they work on the Flex and i don't have to switch out to all new pads. However, i did order another 2 6 packs of hybrids!

The Flex 3401 has been described as a beast and i agree! The only slightly strange thing i noticed was the spin being opposite of what i have been used to for the past 10 years or so. No problem...just feels different to pick up a bead of product from the other side now. You can feel the quality of this machine. In the 3 or 4 days i've had this thing i've already done heavy cutting all the way down to jewelling and LSP application.

[Mike Phillips]

Great article Mike.




Thanks Chris, wish you could have joined us tonight.

We cut the 1969 Tbird using the 7.5" wool pad on the FLEX 3401


Before & After Pictures: 1969 Ford Thunderbird Barn Find - Sitting for 24 years (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/pictures-thursday-night-detailing-classes/100308-before-after-pictures-1969-ford-thunderbird-barn-find-sitting-24-years.html)

Before

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/618/1969_Tbird_001.jpg




After

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/618/1969_Tbird_041.jpg



Using the FLEX 3401 with great pads and 3D products we knocked the Tbird out in about 2 hours.



:xyxthumbs:

[axel06]

wow great job to all... beautiful!!!!!!!