When I choose the CBEAST - Blue Maserati Light Paint Correction

[Mike Phillips]

When I choose the CBEAST - Blue Maserati Light Paint Correction



The FLEX CBEAST or Cordless BEAST

• Upgraded to the 6" backing plate.
• Speed dial taped in place on the 6 speed setting.
• RUPES 180mm yellow foam CP pad.

Maserati Paint Correction & Ceramic Coating

I recently detailed a blue Maserati for a buddy of mine. It only had light swirls and scratches but it was purchased used and there's was no information about how the paint had been cared for in the past.






There was something weird about it though? There were FINGERPRINTS in the paint on the driver's side sail panel. And these were not smudges, they were actual imprints IN the paint. I have know idea how these could have been put into the paint? Maybe someone had acetone on their hands? Even if this were the case, why would someone have acetone or any hot solvent on their hands? This is dangerous to the person besides the paint.








Paint Correction Process

After a waterless wash, I machine buffed all the paint then chemically stripped it and applied the Pinnacle Black Label Paint Coating. Because the paint defects were not severe or more technically specific, the paint defects were not DEEP, I opted to use the FLEX CBEAST.


The FLEX CBEAST





I get asked a lot about how much power the FLEX CBEAST has? The answer is,

It has plenty...


It's an 8mm gear-driven, dual action polisher. When you pull the speed trigger, the motor will both rotate and oscillate the buffing pad and nothing you do will stop the pad from functioning in both of these movements.




The BEAST Slogan

As my forum friend vobro coined the saying,

All brawl, no stall...

FLEX loved the above saying so much they gave us permission to use it for a TV commercial.




With it established that gear-driven orbital polishers have zero pad stalling issues, the next question or topic of discussion when it comes to the 3 different FLEX gear-driven orbital polishers is,

Which polisher to get?


At this time, (7/8/2021) FLEX offers 3 different versions of the original FLEX gear-driven polisher.

1 - The FLEX XC 3401 VRG or as I call it, the BEAST.

2 - The CBEAST - the letter "C" stands for cordless.

3 - The Supa BEAST, (the replacement for the original BEAST)


Out of the three different versions, here's my take from this article, post #3


The BEAST
If I REALLY want to bust out a job and plow through it as fast as humanly possible I use the BEAST.


The Supa BEAST
If not trying to hit Warp Speed - I grab the Supa Beast, much more enjoyable to use. Amazing tool. Smoother, quieter, lighter and cooler than the original.


The CBEAST
If I have an easy job, that means the car has only light swirls, scratches, etc. and I'm not in a hurry then I grab the CBEAST.



Back to the question, which BEAST should I get?


In most cases I recommend the Supa BEAST because like I said in the TV commercial, It's lighter, quieter, cooler and smoother. Plus FLEX is discontinuing the original BEAST, the XC 3401 VRG. The corded Supa BEAST has max power because it's corded. It's not that the CBEAST doesn't have power - it does. Which one to use or which one to buy depends on your buffing style and as I shared above, I want to go as fast as I can.

The only time I don't use the corded Supa BEAST is when I have a car that is in relatively good condition, by this I mean any paint defects it has are minor or SHALLOW - so I don't need the power of the corded Supa BEAST I can easily handle the job with the CBEAST.

Now let me tie this all up in a pretty bow. This Maserati, it was in decent shape. YES it needed to be machine polished to remove the finger prints in the paint plus all the light swirls and scratches - BUT to also prep the paint for a ceramic coating. So if you're reading this and wondering which FLEX BEAST you should buy, this car is an example of the type of car I would choose the CORDLESS version of the family of FLEX gear-driven orbital polishers.


As you can see by the picture above, to machine paint correct this Maserati, I used,

• The FLEX CBEAST.
• 6" Buff & Shine Uro-Tec Dark Blue Heavy Polishing Foam Pads and one 6" Buff & Shine Uro-Tec Soft White Finishing Pad
• Pinnacle Black Label Compound.
• Pinnacle Black Label Polish.
• Pinnacle Black Label Surface Prep Spray. (a panel wipe)
• Pinnacle Black Label Paint Coating.
• A whole bunch of microfiber towels.

And here's the final results...
















Nice color and a cool car.




On Autogeek.com


The FLEX CBEAST - $580.00 - this includes battery charger and two 5 AMP batteries

Pinnacle Black Label Compound 8 oz. - $35.00

Pinnacle Black Label Polish 8 oz. - $35.00

Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Surface Prep Spray 8 oz. - $20.00

Pinnacle Black Label Diamond Paint Coating - $80.00

6 Inch Dark Blue Heavy Polishing Foam Pad

6 Inch Soft White Finishing Foam Pad

[Mike Phillips]

Also....


For what it's worth... at the time I detailed this car, I had not made the switch in my thinking or with the tool to use the larger optional backing plate on the FLEX CBEAST. The CBEAST and the Supa BEAST ship with a 5" backing plate.

There is an optional 6" backing plate. After using all the BEAST tools for years now, my own practice and recommendation is - get the larger backing plate.


2 reasons why,

1: With the larger backing plate you can turn and churn larger pads - thus have a larger footprint to tackle a car faster.

2: Right from the start, if you get the larger backing plates you'll start investing your "Pad Money" into larger pads. If you don't do the swap you'll invest your pad money into smaller pads and in my opinion, someday regret it.


Here's my article on the backing plate swap.


Supa BEAST and CBEAST Backing Plate Swap by Mike Phillips







These tools HAVE the power, might as well take full advantage of it.

Also - I find these tools "feel" smoother when buffing with larger pads versus smaller pads. And here's a tip - when learning to use any of the FLEX BEAST polishers - you run them on the 4, 5 or 6 speed setting. Any speed setting below the 4 speed setting is for spreading product out or priming the face of the pad.

[Mike Phillips]

One more to help out future FLEX owners....


Mike Phillips recommended foam pads for the FLEX Family of BEAST 8mm Gear-Driven Orbital Polishers

[crg001]

Great color on a beautiful car. I've been using those Buff and Shine dark blue pads in 6" on both my G9 and Makita forced orbital. They're excellent pads for a one-step job on most paints!

Mike, how would you rate the "hardness" of the paint of that Maserati?

[Klasse Act]

Nice work Mike, that paint looks like it's plugged into an outlet


I had no idea there were machines that cost almost $600


Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[Mike Phillips]

Great color on a beautiful car. I've been using those Buff and Shine dark blue pads in 6" on both my G9 and Makita forced orbital. They're excellent pads for a one-step job on most paints!

I agree the foam formula is a perfect balance of cut and finish for many applications. They do tend to "bowel-in" when the foam gets hot.

Mike, how would you rate the "hardness" of the paint of that Maserati?

I would say the last half dozen Maserati's I've paint corrected were on the soft side. Definitely not hard.

I think it was when I washed a black Maserati and used a rubber clay replacement during the washing step that I had an epiphany and now no longer mechanically decontaminate paint on SIV's during the washing step.

Nice work Mike, that paint looks like it's plugged into an outlet.

I agree. It's a great looking color.

I had no idea there were machines that cost almost $600

Yup. But as I point out, that includes the charger and two 5amp batteries.

[goldendodo19]

Love that color.

As I have been considering a flex now to either replace or complement my rupes 15 I am always at a crossroad as to get the cbeast or supabeast.

After getting the pixie and enjoying the convenience of cordless I am leaning to the cbeast. However the price difference leads me back to the supabeast.

I think I could deal with the cord for the 2-3 times a year I would be doing any polishing.


Sent from my iPhone using Autogeekonline mobile app

[crg001]

I agree the foam formula is a perfect balance of cut and finish for many applications. They do tend to "bowel-in" when the foam gets hot.


I would say the last half dozen Maserati's I've paint corrected were on the soft side. Definitely not hard.

I think it was when I washed a black Maserati and used a rubber clay replacement during the washing step that I had an epiphany and now no longer mechanically decontaminate paint on SIV's during the washing step.

Ooh, yeah that is a lesson learned that one doesn't easily forget!

[Mike Phillips]

Love that color.

Dark blues really showcase body lines and also metal trim. Here's an old school car in the same color temperature and like this Maserati, the color really showcases the car.

Wetsanding - 1947 Ford Coupe Streetrod - Remove Orange Peel by Mike Phillips

As I have been considering a flex now to either replace or complement my rupes 15 I am always at a crossroad as to get the cbeast or supabeast.

After getting the pixie and enjoying the convenience of cordless I am leaning to the cbeast. However the price difference leads me back to the supabeast.

I think I could deal with the cord for the 2-3 times a year I would be doing any polishing.

It is a tough choice. Both tools are 8mm gear-driven orbital polishers so they have zero pad stalling the primary differences are,

1. Total overall power.
2. Cord or no cord.

And this is why I wrote this article you're reading now.

I think the other factor that comes into play when trying to choose between the Supa BEAST and the CBEAST, besides price and the two things I listed above, is this,


What is your style when it comes to buffing?


Two basic styles

Are you only working on your own cars and you're not in a hurry? Go with the CBEAST - but do the backing plate swap and invest your pad budget into larger pads like the RUPES 7" or 180mm yellow and white foam CP pads.


Are you detailing professionally or detailing other people's cars? Where time and speed are important? Go with the Supa BEAST.



Don't know if the above helps...

[Mike Phillips]

Dark blues really showcase body lines and also metal trim.

Here's an old school car in the same color temperature and like this Maserati, the color really showcases the car.

Here's context for the colors...








Almost weird?