# Almost as fast as a rotary buffer but a lot safer - What is it?



## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

*Almost as fast as a rotary buffer but a lot safer - What is it? *

What is almost as fast as a rotary buffer but a lot safer to use?

*The Flex 3401 with a wool pad!*

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 Flex 3401 and a Lake Country 7.5" Electrified Wool Polishing pad. No matter how hard you press against the Flex 3401 because it's a gear-driven orbital polisher there's nothing you can do that will stop the pad from both rotating and oscillating and that means you can do what I call,

_Power through a detail_

Then to increase the cutting speed and power, get a wool pad for your FLEX 3401. 
Even though they use the word polishing to describe the 7.5" Electrified White Sheepskin Final Polishing Pad - *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.

*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.














































*The FLEX 3401 with a wool pad*



































































































Before



























After


















Faster than any free spinning dual action polisher no matter what the shape of the panel or condition of the paint and safer than a rotary buffer.

On Autogeek.com

*FLEX 3401 Dual Action Orbital Polisher*

*7.5" Electrified White Sheepskin Final Polishing Pad*

Get my how-to book,

*How to use the Flex XC3401 VRG Dual Action Orbital *Polisher

Learn how to detail faster while keeping quality high!


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## Ultra (Feb 25, 2006)

Nothing new here, for those that prefer a rotary but would also like to save time the 3401 is a nice bit of kit, not to keen on a massive wool pad, i have one but use it as a frisby for our dog.


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## Christian6984 (Dec 20, 2007)

really like my flex and even on foam pads can do some great results


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## graham1970 (Oct 7, 2012)

I can't seem to find a UK retailer for this pad...I have the purple one...what's the difference? 

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk


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## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

Ultra Detail said:


> Nothing new here, for those that prefer a rotary but would also like to save time the 3401 is a nice bit of kit


It's the aggressive cutting ability of the wool pad that increases your speed and aggressiveness for cutting altogether that makes this a great option for those that don't own a rotary buffer or prefer to use a FLEX 3401.

It's just an option I like to share as some people don't consider the wool pads we traditionally have always used with rotary buffers as pad options for the FLEX 3401.



Ultra Detail said:


> not to keen on a massive wool pad, i have one but use it as a frisby for our dog.


As the pictures I included document for some products a large wool pad is a GREAT option. It sure did a number on the 47 year old, original, antique paint on the 1969 Ford Thunderbird. But it would be just as helpful on any new car with serious paint defects.

Personal preference.

I used to let my Boxer play with fuzzy wash mitts, she loved them!

:thumb:


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## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

Christian6984 said:


> really like my flex and even on foam pads can do some great results


I mostly use foam pads on my FLEX 3401. In fact in my FLEX 3401 How To Book I strongly recommend the Lake Country "Hybrid" line of foam pads.

My FLEX book is now available to download over the Internet as an e-book.

*How to use the Flex 3401 for Show Car & Production Detailing*

And of course it's also available as a paperback book.

*Paperback Book - How to use the Flex 3401 for Show Car & Production Detailing*

:thumb:


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## Mike Phillips (Jan 26, 2007)

graham1970 said:


> I can't seem to find a UK retailer for this pad...I have the purple one...what's the difference?


Huge difference.

The one I show in this article is a real or traditional twisted wool cutting pad like use since the invention of wool pads for heavy cutting with rotary buffers.

The PFW or Purple Foamed Wool pad is a MUCH less aggressive fiber pad compared to a traditional wool pad.

They will both cut but the wool pad I show in this article will cut faster and take a lot more abuse.

I also showcase this on the cover of my boat detailing book. Just to note, when you consider a book - the most valuable real-estate on or in the book is the front cover. Isn't that what everyone looks at first? The cover?

While there's a huge difference between buffing out cars and boats look what tool and pad I showcased on the cover of my boat detailing book? It's the FLEX 3401 with the wool pad I show in this thread.










*Why?*

Because boat detailing is hard dirty work and what I teach in my boat detailing classes here in the United States is how to do it fast and effective without putting holograms into the gel-coat or painted finish. Holograms in the boat detailing world is the norm for the boat detailing industry but it's a huge disservice to the boat owner.

Boats also have all kinds of components mounted on them that if you were to catch these with a foam pad it will tear the foam. With a wool cutting pad a little tuft of wool fibers may going flying but you can keep on buffing. These types of pads are incredibly durable.

When detailing oxidized gel-coat boats the fastest way to do the job is by using a one-step cleaner/wax with a wool pad on the FLEX 3401. If the boat is so severely oxidized that this combo won't be fast or effective enough then I teach machine sanding instead of starting with the rotary buffer and explain why in the book. (And show how in the book).

Good question Graham and if you want to try this option check your current resources for a wool cutting pad in the 7.5" diameter size.

You should expect to do a follow-up step anytime you use a fiber pad on clearcoats, for example re-polish with foam pads.


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