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Archives for January 2011

FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher

January 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The FLEPE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher was developed in Germany and is making its U.S. debut at Autogeek booth #12645 at the 2010 SEMA Show. At Autogeek, we’re very pleased to offer this superior circular polisher to our customers. Our testing in the Show Car Garage has revealed that the FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is lighter, more agile, and easier to control than any other rotary polisher in our arsenal. It’s well adapted for newcomers to the hobby, but it delivers the results that a seasoned pro expects from a rotary machine.

The FLEX PE14-2-150 has an easy-grip ergonomic head.
You can see the FLEX PE 14-2-150 Polisher is shaped to give your hand and wrist a comfortable place to rest during operation.

The FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is built to minimize user fatigue with an ergonomic design and lightweight body. It weighs in at just 5.6 pounds! The front of the polisher is perfectly curved to fit the user’s hand and coated in rubber for superior comfort. The spindle lock mechanism is located behind the hump you see above so you cannot accidentally press it. This is not the heavy, cumbersome polisher of the past. The FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is built to be light, agile, and fast – perfect for professional detailers who spend hours behind a buffer.To make your polishing experience even more pleasant, the FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is quiet. A new combination of planetary and bevel gear provides extreme noise reduction. The gears are hardened stainless steel for excellent durability. Internal gears are quieter than most rotary polishers.
The new gears are quiet and ultra-durable!

The FLEX rotary polisher features optimized air flow.
Large vents and an internal fan provide superior air flow to keep the polisher cool.

A powerful internal fan provides optimized airflow to cool the engine and transmission to prevent heat buildup in the polisher. A cooler running polisher operates more efficiently and is easier to handle.The FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is powerful! It has a 1400 watt motor with a no-load speed range of 600-2100 rpm. It’s capable of high speed compounding, but it also works smoothly when polishing at low speeds. A convenient acceleration switch allows you to start slow and gradually increase speed. Lock the speed for continuous operation.Like all FLEX polishers, the FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher has some sophisticated electronics to help you get the best results. VR electronics include variable speed selection, consistent speed control by tachometer generator, overload protection, restart protection, and temperature monitoring. The speed controls on the FLEX PE 14-2-150 rotary polisher are all within easy reach.
The acceleration trigger, trigger lock, and speed dial are all within easy reach on the FLEX PE14-2-150 Polisher.

The FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher was designed and built in Stuttgart, Germany, just a short distance from the Mercedes Benz plant. It’s no wonder that FLEX consistently produces some of the finest car polishers on the market – they share a hometown with one of the world’s finest automakers.

If you’re new to polishing with a rotary or just looking for a more user-friendly machine, the FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher is the perfect choice. Its lightweight, ergonomic design and cool-running, quiet motor will make polishing your vehicle almost as enjoyable as seeing the final results.

Technical Specifications:
Backing plate diameter max 6 inches Tool fixture 5/8 inch
polishing pad diameter max 8 inches Length 15.75 inches
Speed without load 600-2100 rpm Height 4.7 inches
Power input 10 Amp/1400 watt Weight 5.6 lbs.
Power output 800 watt Cord 13 feet

Side handle included.

Made in Germany.

Filed Under: New Products Spotlight

How dirty is too dirty to safely use a rinseless wash to wash my car?

January 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

by Mike Phillips

The question often comes up,

How dirty is too dirty to safely use a rinseless wash to wash my car?

Great question and while every situation will be a little bit different you can safely wash cars, trucks and s.u.v.’s with light dirt accumulation. Vehicles with a heavy dirt accumulation, especially if they are not regularly washed or if there is visible mud caked onto the paint should have the large accumulation of dirt first removed using a pressure washer or a strong spray of water. If you don’t have access to a pressure washer or a a free flowing source of water, (a garden hose hooked up to a water spigot), then most towns have a do-it-yourself car wash that you can use for a modest fee.

Reasons to use a Rinseless Wash
In a perfect world everyone would have access to free flowing water, warm temperatures, no restrictions on when and where they can wash their car etc.

The problem is we don’t live in a perfect world and not everyone has access to free flowing water or has the ability to use free flowing water due to water restrictions.

Here’s a list of some reasons for using a Rinseless Wash….

Areas with government enforced water restrictions
In today’s reality, there are many cities and even entire countries with Government Enforced Water Restrictions. In these places it’s against laws and/or regulations to wash your car with a free flowing source of water.

Geographical areas of drought
In some places there may be no official restrictions against water use but the geographical area itself is experiencing severe drought and self-compliance as well as common sense prevents people from using a free flowing source of water to wash their vehicles.

People who live in Apartments
In some areas if you live in an Apartment, a Condo or a Townhouse, there may be no place to wash your car with a free flowing source of clean water or there may be rules against it that you have agreed to comply with.

Washing in cold winter months
In cold weather, extreme low temperatures can make washing a car with a free flowing source of water dangerous and difficult at best.

Mobile Detailers
Rinseless Washing enables mobile detailers to get their customer?s car clean without having to depend upon a water source on location or the extra hassle of transporting hundreds of gallons of water in their Truck, Van or on a Trailer. Besides that, some areas require mobile detailers to contain and capture their run-off water and this is an added expense, somewhat difficult as well as time consuming.

Anytime you?re traveling
If you doing any long distance traveling, Rinseless Washing enables you to wash your car while in route.

How dirty is too dirty to safely use a rinseless wash?
There are limits as to what you should tackle with a rinseless wash and what you should take to a car wash, below are some examples…

This is light dirt accumulation
This is a good example of a vehicle that can be washed using a rinseless wash.

Image shows truck with light dirt accumulation, suitable for cleaning with a rinseless wash.

This Tundra is a good example of a vehicle that can be cleaned with a rinseless wash.

Heavy dirt accumulation and mud should always be hosed off before washing your vehicle.

Visit Autogeek.net’s Car Wash section for all our traditional car washes, rinseless washes, and waterless washes.

Filed Under: Car Care Articles

Single Stage & Two Stage Paints Explained

January 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Single stage paints include acrylic enamel, acrylic lacquer, and synthetic enamel. Single stage paint is paint (or resin) with pigment added to it. A single stage finish has the color and gloss in one coating. Single stage paints were used up until the 1980s when two-stage paints were introduced.

When detailing single stage paint, paint transfer is common onto the pad or applicator since you’re polishing the pigment layer directly. Color transfer is a good indicator that your vehicle has a single stage finish. Single stage finishes tend to oxidize and fade over time, but you can achieve a dramatic makeover with a compound and a polisher.

Clear coat finishes, or two stage finishes, include a separate pigment layer and clear layer. Clear coat finishes became popular because they retain their glossy look well. However, clear coat finishes do require wax and occasional polishing to keep them looking their best! Clear coats can oxidize just like single stage finishes, so regular paint protection is key. Unlike single stage paint, there’s no color transfer onto the applicator when detailing clear coat paint because you’re not detailing the color coat directly. If you see no color transfer, it’s likely that your vehicle is clear-coated.

Clear coat finishes are on 95% of all vehicles being built today. The vast majority of car care products developed today are suitable for clear coat finishes!? These same products can be used on single stage finishes, too. But, if a product says it’s only for single stage paint, stay away from a clear coat finish!

Regardless of whether your vehicle has single stage or clear coat paint, ALWAYS maintain a coating of wax or paint sealant to preserve its beauty and value.

Filed Under: Car Care Articles, PBMA News

Cyclo Orbital Polisher Model 5-Pro Variable Speed

January 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The Cyclo Model 5-Pro Orbital Polisher has a variable speed controller.Start your new year off with a new Cyclo Orbital Polisher Model 5-Pro! This new Cyclo has a variable speed controller to set the speed from 650 to 3000 OPM. This is the first Cyclo with more than one speed! Now you can perform swirl removal and compounding or slow, fine polishing. The new Cyclo Model 5-Pro has all the durable features and heavy duty construction you’ve come to expect from Cyclo.

The Cyclo Model 5-Pro has the Vibration Elimination System to allow smooth, fluid motion. This system is composed of a completely redesigned counterweight and precision matched, weighted inserts. The Cyclo includes all three VES weighted inserts: yellow, silver, and blue. The Cyclo 5-Pro comes with the ProGuard backing plates, which are compatible with the blue weighted inserts. If you want to use the traditional Cyclo pad holders, DoublePrecision Pads, or carpet brushes, you already have the necessary weighted inserts with the purchase of the Cyclo 5-Pro.

The Cyclo 5-Pro includes all 3 weighted inserts.The Cyclo 5-Pro gives you what no previous Cyclo has – versatility! Try out the Cyclo 5-Pro with variable speed controller for everything from ultra slow buffing to high powered compounding.

The Cyclo Model 5-Pro Polisher is one of the polishers that will be featured at Mike Phillips’ Detailing 101 Class on January 29, 2011. Sign up here!

Filed Under: Car Care Products, Detail Classes, New Products Spotlight Tagged With: