With a soft start, the speed can be adjusted from 1200 to 3700 rpm.
GFCI circuit breaker for the protection of the operato.
Water connector with a quick-connect fitting for connecting to a 1/2-inch hose quickly and easil.
A water feed system that is out of the way allows for better tool control.
Motor from the manufacturer with 1150 watts and 9.3 amps of powe.
The Flex LE 12-3 100 is a lightweight, durable, and versatile piece of equipment. Many new features have been added to the wet variable speed polisher. Soft start, overload protection, and constant speed control are all provided by the new electronics, which operate at variable speeds ranging from 1200 to 3700 rpm. The operator is safeguarded by a GFCI circuit breaker that is included. Located beneath the motor housing is a new, slim design water feed system that includes an adjustable flow rate control. It is made of brass and is suitable for a 1/2-Inch hose; the connection is not made directly to the machine, but rather at the end of an extremely flexible 6.5-Foot long special hose, which increases flexibility while also reducing weight. The front comfort grip is located directly over the polishing pad on the front of the polishing pad. Additionally, a spindle lock, a bail handle, and a powerful 1150-watt, 9.3-amp motor are included.
This tool was purchased for the purpose of wet grinding cast concrete countertops. Last night, I finished a rough grind on a practice cast outdoor bench, and I have to say that this tool exceeded my expectations. I looked at other grinders on this site and carefully read all of the user reviews before deciding on this one, despite the fact that it was nearly twice the price of the others (it does not include a set of diamond pads). A less expensive version of this product does not have variable speed, and I am glad I chose this one over the cheaper version. For flat grinding, it makes no difference – simply turn the dial to the highest setting and grind away. However, for edges, sides, and smoothing corners, it makes a significant difference – the 50 grit pad was nearly impossible to control when running at full speed. It would dig in and gouge the still-soft concrete, but if I slowed it down to speed 1 or 2, everything became completely manageable.
Other, less expensive wet grinders were noted for having cheap water controls that had to be replaced with parts from a hardware store; however, not this tool – the water valve is metal and works perfectly – you can adjust the flow precisely; however, after a while, I just turned it on full blast and got wet – who cares, water is cheaper than pad replacement. Also, some people mentioned that you had to be careful not to press too hard on other grinders, which could cause the tool to bog down; one of the first things I did was try the same thing with this tool. With the Flex, this was not possible – with a 50 grit pad and all of my weight on the tool (I weigh 190 pounds), you could hear it slow slightly but it did not stall – I did not put too much pressure on the grinder during use only because it became difficult to control, not because I was concerned about over loading it.
However, the only minor flaw with the purchase is that the water connection to the tool is a standard garden hose quick connect fitting – it is brass and well built, just like everything else on the tool – but they did not include the 50 cent hose adaptor with the kit. I had to run to the hardware store with the tool in hand (there were a couple of different quick connect versions available) in order to get the correct part, but everything else went smoothly after that. I believe that for the price of this tool, they should have included that inexpensive part; however, it was a simple fix.
The bottom line is that it is expensive, but it is unquestionably worthwhile. Having a number of Festool products in my woodshop, I consider this wet grinder to be in the same league as those products. If you are willing to spend the extra money to obtain high-quality tools, this is a purchase that you should seriously consider.
Last but not least, the first thing I did after using this grinder was to purchase a serious rain suit, because everything within 8 feet of it is going to get soaked – especially the operators.
