Metabo PE12-175 or Flex L3403? Input Needed.......

[Deep Gloss Auto Salon]

Need to know from the people that have actually used these machines….

Even better if you have worked with both.

Again, please limit discussion to these two machines and 1st hand experience.

Thanks in advance..

I am not going to list all of the pros and cons of each, only those that directly differ from the other being compared.

Metabo PE12-175 Lightweight Rotary Polisher:

Pros:
600 min RPM rpm’s

Cons:
Controls not positioned in an intuitive manner.
More expensive of the two


Flex L3403 VRG Lightweight Rotary Polisher:

Pros:
Intuitively positioned controls
Less expensive of the two

Cons:
1100 min RPM

[Mike Phillips]

I have not used the Metabo PE12-175 so I can't compare them.

The Flex unit is a well-built rotary buffer and I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to recommend it to anyone that is looking for a lightweight rotary buffer. I do think that if you detail cars professionally and offer serious paint correction then you should have a full size rotary buffer as a part of your detailing arsenal.

In a perfect world you would have both a full size and a lightweight and this would enable you to choose the best tool for the job.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

I do think that if you detail cars professionally and offer serious paint correction

Outside of the 3403 not being able to spin larger pads, why can't the Flex 3403 offer serious paint correction?

[Deep Gloss Auto Salon]

In a perfect world you would have both a full size and a lightweight and this would enable you to choose the best tool for the job.

Thanks for your input Mike!

I also have a 9227 and Flex RO so the lightweight rotary I decide on will be used for very small areas (think exotics)

[Mike Phillips]

Outside of the 3403 not being able to spin larger pads, why can't the Flex 3403 offer serious paint correction?

It can.

What I wrote is just my personal preference and thus my opinion, everyone can make their own choice as to their preference. Here's why though... if I have to use a rotary buffer around a full size car with a 2-3 step process I'm going to want the full power of a full sizes rotary buffer because I'm going to be using full size pads at least for the heavy cutting steps. I want all the power I can get.

Full size rotary buffers like the Dewalt, Makita, Flex etc. are built for running hard all day long and are better capable of taking this kind of use and abuse when using a full size wool cutting pad with an aggressive compound.

Now if a person is an enthusiast detailer, just buffing out a panel like the hood on a sunny Saturday before the big game comes on TV then by all means opt for the easy to hold, easy to control Lightweight 3403 Rotary Buffer.

There's a huge difference between doing production work, (even if it's show car quality work), and weekend hobby work.


Make sense?

[rwisejr]

I have and own both .I preffer the Flex unit . For the main reason is tha it has a trigger and offers a little more control. Both units are great.But this is mjust my personal prefference.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

It can.

What I wrote is just my personal preference and thus my opinion, everyone can make their own choice as to their preference. Here's why though... if I have to use a rotary buffer around a full size car with a 2-3 step process I'm going to want the full power of a full sizes rotary buffer because I'm going to be using full size pads at least for the heavy cutting steps. I want all the power I can get.

Full size rotary buffers like the Dewalt, Makita, Flex etc. are built for running hard all day long and are better capable of taking this kind of use and abuse when using a full size wool cutting pad with an aggressive compound.

Now if a person is an enthusiast detailer, just buffing out a panel like the hood on a sunny Saturday before the big game comes on TV then by all means opt for the easy to hold, easy to control Lightweight 3403 Rotary Buffer.

There's a huge difference between doing production work, (even if it's show car quality work), and weekend hobby work.


Make sense?

Yes.

Basically, the larger the pad, the more potential for heavier defect removal?

If you put an 8.5" orange pad on the Makita, it will remove heavier defects than a 6.5" orange pad on the Makita? Or, is the bigger pad only removing defects over a larger surface area?

[Mike Phillips]

Yes.

Good.

Basically, the larger the pad, the more potential for heavier defect removal?

A larger pad with more torque and power behind it, and the ability to have the tool PUSHED against the paint under pressure for long periods of time, the by all means "yes".

Again, there's a difference between an enthusiast going out into there garage to buff out a panel and a Pro Detailer tackling a multiple-step process using a rotary buffer to an entire car and the goal is to get through the entire car in one day. In a perfect world a guy would get 2-3 days for a major correction project because hurrying is never a good thing when it comes to buffing out a car. In the real world getting a fair price for your time and work is a challenge with most customers because they don't have any idea how much work is involved with doing a "Complete" buff=out to their car is, so most detailers try to get the job done in one day and that means hustling and that means using the right tool for the job.

If you put an 8.5" orange pad on the Makita, it will remove heavier defects than a 6.5" orange pad on the Makita? Or, is the bigger pad only removing defects over a larger surface area?

Both tools will remove a deep defect to a small area about the same time and both tools can be used this way. Do you want to talk about this scenario or doing whole car buff-outs?

Without being an engineer, my guess is that the larger size of all the working parts is going to give the full size rotary buffer more power over the larger pad. I'm not sure how else I can say this except that a full size rotary buffer offers more brute power than the lightweight rotary buffer and if you're buffing out entire cars in a day then you're going to want this brute power versus trying to do the job with the L-i-g-h-t-w-e-g-h-t rotary buffer.

The best way to see the difference would be to get your hands on both and then do at least two "Complete" buff-outs doing a multiple step process to 2 large cars, trucks or s.u.v.s and see which one you think tackled the job better.

I already posted tis once, but it's about using the right tool for the job.

What are you working on?
What are you trying to accomplish?




Mark, if you're just working on your Corvette and you don't plan on starting Mark's Detail Business either in a brick and mortar store or going Mobile where you're driving to someone's house to buff out their entire car in one day, then get the Flex Lightweight.

If you do plan on doing complete buff-outs to neglected finishes, then you can get either one or the other but the full size rotary buffer is going to take a beating, day after day after day better than the lightweight is going to.

Plus with the full size it's not going to matter which size pad you use as it's going to spin any size pad without a hiccup. The lightweight will spin any size also but the body of the tool is going to get pretty warm if you try to sand down your Corvette and thin in one day do a 3-step rotary buff-out process to it using 8" pads.


Does that help?

[WRAPT C5Z06]

What are you working on?
What are you trying to accomplish?




Mark, if you're just working on your Corvette and you don't plan on starting Mark's Detail Business either in a brick and mortar store or going Mobile where you're driving to someone's house to buff out their entire car in one day, then get the Flex Lightweight.




Does that help?

I get a kick out of some of your posts.

I'm not just working on my Corvette. I detailed my neighbors 97 Porsche and it came out pretty good. A few neighbors saw it and now they want their cars detailed. A few realatives want their cars polished, too. So, I'm not starting Marks Detail Business, but if I buy a rotary, I want to buy one that best serves my "situation". I'm sure I'll do more cars in the future.

[Mike Phillips]

I get a kick out of some of your posts.

You ask a lot of good questions and you've come a long way since joining and that's relatively speaking, only been a short time. I don't mind lots of questions but I also have other projects to work on behind the scenes so sometimes I wonder where the direction of the thread is going?

In the online world it's not uncommon to have people post questions just for the sake of posting questions and the person posting the questions never has any plans on actually taking any action on the answers, as in buying a tool, pads and products and buffing out cars.

I'm not just working on my Corvette. I detailed my neighbors 97 Porsche and it came out pretty good. A few neighbors saw it and now they want their cars detailed. A few relatives want their cars done, too.

I can't count how many times I've witnessed and been a direct part of that progression you just outlined. It's actually the norm on forums like this.

So, I'm not starting Marks Detail Business, but if I buy a rotary, I want to buy one that best serves its purpose.

If you want the best all-purpose rotary buffer then get the Makita. IF you want the lightest weight rotary buffer then get the Flex 3403.

If you want the best of all worlds then get both. Get one now to get started in the rotary buffer world and get the other for Father's Day!





p.s.

Even if you don't want to start Mark's Detail maybe go ahead and get some business cars printed so that when you're customer's tell their friends they'll have an easy way to get a hold of you. You can always turn someone down but you can't turn them down till they ask you to work on their car.

By the way, I just checked on Domain Name Search and marksdetail.com is currently available for $7.49


Heck, after a few more friends cars take the money you're charging and get bot RB's