How to use the Flex XC 3401 VRG Dual Action Orbital Polisher

Book Report for “How to use the Flex XC 3401 VRG Dual Action Orbital Polisher” by Mike Philips.

Introduction: Hey geeks and gals, I was one of the lucky winners of Mr. Philips’ new book on “How to use the Flex XC 3401 VRG Dual Action Orbital Polisher.” I really appreciate the contests that are offered by Autogeek, and was ecstatic to win one. I’ve never won any contest or sweepstakes before. Have to say it felt very good. The winners of the contest were asked to write a book report after receiving it in the mail, so here goes…

Impressions: Before I opened the book I thought about it as a product. From a marketing standpoint what makes this product different from others on the market? Why would I purchase this book instead of something else? As I thought about that something occurred to me. There is nothing else like this on the market.

I’m a middle aged guy and I’ve never come across a “how to use this tool” book for anything. I’ve never seen a complete, in depth, manual for a brad-nailer, or a lithium ion drill driver, a circular saw. I went to amazon and searched for how-to books on all different kinds of tools, and found absolutely nothing. My search at the local library turned up little to nothing. Why? Why were there no how- to books written for these different tools?

In my opinion, the reason there are no in-depth manuals on how to use the other hand and power tools mentioned above, is the fantastic amount of accessories and tasks these tools can be used for. This would make writing an in-depth manual extremely difficult and time consuming, requiring years of experience and practical knowledge. That being said, the opinions of experts can (and often do) differ. Taking the time to catalog those experts’ opinions, and equally represent their views as a professional, as well as your own as an author, would be arduous to say the least.

This is what Mike Philips has done.

He did the dirty work for us. He did more dirty work with this book than Mike Rowe does on some of the worst Dirty Jobs, and he does it with passion. He breaks down every part of this tool from front to back, including its accessories. He gives us practical knowledge, which makes the daunting task of learning to master this complicated tool, seem like a realistic goal that can be achieved by anyone that has the desire to learn.

The book is broken down into targeted sections, which makes the reading experience more enjoyable. You don’t need to memorize it, it can be kept as a trustworthy reference. The illustrations and pictures are exceptional, and help a lot when it comes to very complicated descriptions. When I had questions about what I read, the pictures answered them.

I have written reviews on products before, and when I do I like to think of three points of interest.

1. Does the product do what it says it will do?

2. Is it useable by the intended audience?

3. Was it worth the purchase price?

If I was assigning a value, I would say the book is an eleven out of ten.

It accomplishes its goals and more. The cover states that the purpose of the book is “how to use a Flex 3401 for production and show car detailing” (targeting professionals), and it does that. It will also give beginners (like me) the techniques and tools necessary to perform true professional quality work.

To me, the information provided is worth so much more than the purchase price that receiving it for free was a privilege.

Well done Mr. Phillips.

- Rob Williams