Flex 3401 vs. Rupes Mille/Makita P5000C, for those that are wondering.

[fightnews]

Where is the info on the Mille? Rupes has indeed made a forced rotation sander for years and National Detroit made a forced rotation polisher the ND9900 but it was an air tool.

I'm glad to hear the Makita is running the right, clockwise, direction in forced rotation mode. I will make it more comfortable for people who already run a rotary and help people who don't get familial with the feel.

Does anyone know how the action of the Rupes Mille compares with the Makita as far far as orbits per revolution and revolutions per minute?


Thanks

I thought it was wierd the first time i used my flex 3401 after only using the harbor frieght and the gg6. Now i like it

[RSW]

I thought it was wierd the first time i used my flex 3401 after only using the harbor frieght and the gg6. Now i like it

It turns out what I had heard was wrong, the Makita runs counter clockwise, like the Flex in forced rotation mode. It's easier to get used to if you put your right hand on top and left hand on the trigger - though that makes engaging the trigger lock a little trickier.

When it comes to orbit size, as Todd said, it's not that important in a forced rotation machine, it only has to be big enough not to introduce a swirl - anything after that is not only unnecessary, it's counter productive because it makes the machine less effective out on the edge because that area where there is only overlapping contact but not constant contact with the surface gets bigger.

As of this moment, the PO5000C is my tool of choice. I wish it spun the same direction as my rotary, grinder, cut off tool, drill, etc. but the action is as good as it gets - for now. My opinion of course, but I'd be happy to do the test, side by side if someone believes otherwise. Then, both our opinions would be better informed, no matter how it came out.

BTW, there is a cavity in the top hand grip of the Makita. I filled that cavity with lead shot and epoxy to dampen the vibration and it made the machine much smoother. (Don't tell Makita, they're still a bit touchy about our conversation regarding the direction of the spin.)

RSW

[JCDetails]

So for someone whose 'once in a while' side jobs are becoming more and more frequent....I like the idea of the rupes or boss 21 to cover more ground more quickly. I guess I see the benefit to a forced tool but had pretty much ruled out the flex.

For someone doing mostly production grade/ AIO kind of work and infrequent corrections, who also has a 3" machine....is there a benefit to going with the forced tool? I like makita, and it seems like the 6050 is the way to go over the 5000, and even the flex or the Mille. But I just don't know what the cutoff point is where you'd say 'ok yeah, a forced machine will serve me much better than a large stroke orbital'.


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[BudgetPlan1]

....I like the idea of the rupes or boss 21 to cover more ground more quickly.

You wanna cover ground quickly, Flex 3401 fits the bill. Curves, flat, recessed body accent lines...just jam it in there and pad just keeps spinning and working.

Slap a 6.5 pad on there for hood/roof/trunk, 5.5 elsewhere and cover some ground quickly.

[Joel1979]

I would guess that Mille and Makita are onbar. I have Mille, it is allready released here in Finland. I am dissapointed, my 15-21 mk2 outcuts it and the new Rupes woolpad works far better on 15-21 than on Mille. Mille is miles ahead of 3401 though, its erconomig and torque is crazy. It also doesnt walk or vibrate like Flex. But i have Mini, duetto, 15 mk2 and 21 mk2 and rotary so in gonna sell my Mille, i just dont need it. If it would have lived up to its hyoe and beated 21 or even 15, then i would keep it. Switching backing plate on Mille is also pita and big minus.

[Mike@ShineStruck]

I would guess that Mille and Makita are onbar. I have Mille, it is allready released here in Finland. I am dissapointed, my 15-21 mk2 outcuts it and the new Rupes woolpad works far better on 15-21 than on Mille. Mille is miles ahead of 3401 though, its erconomig and torque is crazy. It also doesnt walk or vibrate like Flex. But i have Mini, duetto, 15 mk2 and 21 mk2 and rotary so in gonna sell my Mille, i just dont need it. If it would have lived up to its hyoe and beated 21 or even 15, then i would keep it. Switching backing plate on Mille is also pita and big minus.

Yeah i think RPM is most important than OPM and stroke for forced oscillation which makes me believe the Makita will be on top of the other two

[Mike@ShineStruck]

So for someone whose 'once in a while' side jobs are becoming more and more frequent....I like the idea of the rupes or boss 21 to cover more ground more quickly. I guess I see the benefit to a forced tool but had pretty much ruled out the flex.

For someone doing mostly production grade/ AIO kind of work and infrequent corrections, who also has a 3" machine....is there a benefit to going with the forced tool? I like makita, and it seems like the 6050 is the way to go over the 5000, and even the flex or the Mille. But I just don't know what the cutoff point is where you'd say 'ok yeah, a forced machine will serve me much better than a large stroke orbital'.


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Po5000C and adams swirl killer mini or substitute adams mini for the GG6 with HD 3in griot plate

[Mike@ShineStruck]

So for someone whose 'once in a while' side jobs are becoming more and more frequent....I like the idea of the rupes or boss 21 to cover more ground more quickly. I guess I see the benefit to a forced tool but had pretty much ruled out the flex.

For someone doing mostly production grade/ AIO kind of work and infrequent corrections, who also has a 3" machine....is there a benefit to going with the forced tool? I like makita, and it seems like the 6050 is the way to go over the 5000, and even the flex or the Mille. But I just don't know what the cutoff point is where you'd say 'ok yeah, a forced machine will serve me much better than a large stroke orbital'.


Sent from my iPhone using AGOnline

Po5000C and adams swirl killer mini or substitute adams mini for the GG6 with HD 3in griot plate

[JCDetails]

Po5000C and adams swirl killer mini or substitute adams mini for the GG6 with HD 3in griot plate

Doesn't really answer the question...I've already got a gg3 and an mt300, trying to understand the tipping point where you'd go from say a g21 or rupes 21 to a forced machine like flex or makita. Is it simply preference or do the separate categories fill separate roles?


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[kkritsilas]

The major determinant is the cars you work on, or more specifically, how much curvature the cars you work on have. The more curved the body panels, the more likely you are to see pad stalling on free rotation DAs. In that case, despite the longer stroke of the 15mm-21mm models (from any company), their ability to continue to rotate the pad decreases severely. This is where the forced rotation polishers (again, from any company) will actually be faster than the long stroke free spinning DAs. If you are, for example, polishing a 1970s slab sided Cadillac, you will probably do very well with a long stroke DA. If you are polishing out a Porshe 911, or an old VW Beetle, then the forced rotation DA will probably be faster, as it will keep the pad spinning.

It is possible to polish even the 911/VW Beetle with a free rotation DA, but you need to be so careful with the amount of pressure you are applying, and so cognizant of the pad spin, that it can make the polishing process a real ordeal, and it will take a long time to do it.

On a vehicle with flat surfaces, the long stroke DAs will polish faster, due to their larger area of coverage. The forced roation DAs will also not have a problem with the flat surfaces, it will take longer due to the shorter stroke of the current crop of forced rotation DAs (stroke is 8mm for Flex XC3401, 5.5mm for Makita PO5000C and Rupes Mille).

Note that modern cars are tending more and more towards curved surfaces, the exception being some pickup trucks and SUVs.