Jump to content
Customer Service 866.965.0400
  • 0

Rupes mini


07r/t

Question

I got the Rupes 15 mark 2 about a week ago and used it today. using the PC for the last 9 years, all I can say is WOW. The Rupes is as smooth as silk and comfortable to use, no vibration, I also bought a 4" backing pad for the PC with the pads. No that I used a Rupes 15 my question is does the Rupes mini feel the same as the 15, smooth, low vibration, comfortable? The PC just vibrates so much that I didn't even want to use it anymore lol. I'm sure the mini probably is just as good as the 15 but I'm looking for your opinions on it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recommended Posts

  • 0

I own both the 15 and the mini, honestly I feel the mini has a bit more vibration than the 15. Not bad at all though, still leaps and bounds smoother than the PC in my opinion. The PC used with the smaller backing plate is going to vibrate more than with larger pads anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

I went the reverse direction u did. Bought the cyclo first (have had the pc for years), then decided to try the mini bc I use a 4" pad quite often when my harley gets swirls. Liked the performance and feel so much of the mini that I just had to buy the rupes 15 markII. I would highly, highly recommend the mini as a dedicated 4" polisher over the pc, for being so small it is quite powerful and very comfortable to use

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

The LHR75E Mini was designed from the ground up to use the 100mm pads so unlike adapting a PC to smaller pads its tuned for them.

 

The perceived vibration is more likely a result of the tools ergonomics. Holding the body of the tool as you do leads to a more direct feedback from the motor; with something like the 15 your hands are nowhere near the motor, more similar to a rotary tool layout, so you've got some deadening of that.

 

Once you get your hands on the mini you'll wonder why you didn't get one sooner - the same can be said of the Nano which should start trickling into the market very soon ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Once you get your hands on the mini you'll wonder why you didn't get one sooner - the same can be said of the Nano which should start trickling into the market very soon ;)

 

This is spot on. I bought the mini last year and used it alongside my flex for the pillars, bumpers, and other small areas. The smoothness blew me away and it's the reason why after using it I bought a LHR 15 ES.

 

For lack of a better term, it sometimes feels like you're fighting with the flex.

 

I'll be breaking out the 15 ES today for the first time to work on my Golf R. It was washed and clayed last night and is waiting for me in the garage right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

I don't have anything to compare it to because I went straight for the Mini / 15mkII combo when I bought polishers.

 

The Mini packs a ton of punch in such a small package. You can feel the power very comfortably. I always struggle with out to position my hands on it but more from the "ok I'm ready to turn this off now, but don't accidentally want to send pads flying everywhere" perspective.

Edited by stripesace
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

The LHR75E Mini was designed from the ground up to use the 100mm pads so unlike adapting a PC to smaller pads its tuned for them.

 

The perceived vibration is more likely a result of the tools ergonomics. Holding the body of the tool as you do leads to a more direct feedback from the motor; with something like the 15 your hands are nowhere near the motor, more similar to a rotary tool layout, so you've got some deadening of that.

 

Once you get your hands on the mini you'll wonder why you didn't get one sooner - the same can be said of the Nano which should start trickling into the market very soon ;)

 

The Nano looks like a pretty sweet  tool!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Thanks to everyone to help me spend my money, lol. As much as the nano ibrid looks way to amazing to use, I have seen some msrp pricing and it's a bit much. I ordered the mini today along with a bunch of other stuff. Detail on!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

That's strange.

 

The 75E and Duetto share a fair amount parts as far as chassis go, so it's possible for the heads to get mixed up. Someone probably simply slapped the wrong head on the tool. The eccentric set and BP would be the most important part.

 

If you want the appropriate head cap get in touch with me and we'll send it out free of charge.

Edited by Dylan@RUPES
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

That's strange.

 

The 75E and Duetto share a fair amount parts as far as chassis go, so it's possible for the heads to get mixed up. Someone probably simply slapped the wrong head on the tool. The eccentric set and BP would be the most important part.

 

If you want the appropriate head cap get in touch with me and we'll send it out free of charge.

 

I appreciate the offer Dylan, but it works fine so I see no reason to mess with it. It was only my second or third time using it, and I honestly hadn't noticed it before. The fitment is fine--it's not loose, and there are no gaps or anything. It's one of a kind this way.

 

My first use of my bigfoot 15(mark 1) went well. It's nice to finish a detail and not still feel your hands vibrating afterwards. That is one well balanced machine. The detail is more enjoyable when you're not fighting the polisher. It went fast too, although there's less car to detail on the Golf R compared to the G8 GT. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Just realized today my Rupes Mini is some weird sort of frankenstein model. It's a mini according to the box and label and backing plate, but the outer cover says duetto. Works just fine, but I thought it was odd. I'll attach some pics as proof.

You are not the only one, I also have the Duetto head cap on my 75E.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

You are not the only one, I also have the Duetto head cap on my 75E.

Crap. Looks like the value of my one of a kind model just dropped. I like to think that somewhere out there in this great big world there are two people that own duetto models that have mini caps on them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

I'm looking into the mini now and I have couple of questions. Can I fit a 3 inch pad on the mini or is 4 inch the smallest? Finally, should I get the mini or the nano. I really need to just get one, between both of them it will be 900 bucks or more! FYI - I detail for money at least 5 to 6 times per year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

The Rupes pads are 4", so not sure if a 3" pad will work.

 

I think you will get more use out of the Mini vs. the iBrid Nano, unless you do lots of work on exotics.  The Nano pad size is just over 1" and just under 2", so not really going to replace a 4" machine.  The Nano will shine working on louvers, grills, and other tight areas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Before I got the mini I looked at the pros and cons of each. The only thing I thought about was; think about what types of cars you have polished before, now think of the parts that need to be done that are small.

Does the 4" pad fit in those areas that need to be done?

Since you detail for money, as I do, I know that I will never polish a car where the areas are so small that a nano needs to be used, and some good old hand polishing can take on. Then I thought having a nano might open me up to some different polishing abilities like a motorcycle. But at the end, like mc2hill said, are you going to do exotics?

 

IMO A Nano will take twice as long to polish an area then a mini because of the pad size. When working for money, timing is just that, money. I went with the mini and am very happy with it and it can get to, on most cars I have done, 99% of the cars small areas.

Not knocking the nano at all but I think to me it is more for exotics, motorcycles, ect.

Edited by 07r/t
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Crap. Looks like the value of my one of a kind model just dropped. I like to think that somewhere out there in this great big world there are two people that own duetto models that have mini caps on them.

 

I missed this thread before. Three of a kind now. My LHR 75E also has the duetto head cap on it...doesn't change how awesome the tool works though :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Before I got the mini I looked at the pros and cons of each. The only thing I thought about was; think about what types of cars you have polished before, now think of the parts that need to be done that are small.

Does the 4" pad fit in those areas that need to be done?

Since you detail for money, as I do, I know that I will never polish a car where the areas are so small that a nano needs to be used, and some good old hand polishing can take on. Then I thought having a nano might open me up to some different polishing abilities like a motorcycle. But at the end, like mc2hill said, are you going to do exotics?

 

IMO A Nano will take twice as long to polish an area then a mini because of the pad size. When working for money, timing is just that, money. I went with the mini and am very happy with it and it can get to, on most cars I have done, 99% of the cars small areas.

Not knocking the nano at all but I think to me it is more for exotics, motorcycles, ect.

 

It really does come down to what cars you'll be working on, but I would stop short of limiting it to exotics. The front end of my 4Runner is covered with surfaces that the mini can't 100% reach. Some cars you won't have these areas, or you won't be concerned with getting 100% of the surfaces, but its not just exotics.

 

post-13539-0-35991600-1462891620_thumb.jpg

 

post-13539-0-44807600-1462891621_thumb.jpg

 

In terms of time, just depends on how you look at it. Theres the 'how much surface area does it cover' argument.

 

LHR75E Mini uses a 100mm pad at a 12mm orbit

Nano can be configured to run a 70mm pad at a 12mm orbit

So at 70% the nano won't quite cover the zones the mini will in terms of surface area in one pass.

 

But then also consider the time savings on not trying to stuff a 100mm tool into an area better served by a 30mm or 70mm pad. Also consider that at 30mm or 70mm you'll get more cutting power in those spaces than you will with a 100mm pad at the same speed - so theres a consideration of rate of defect removal.

 

The Nano is definitely a pro-tool. I wouldn't out and out recommend it for people doing this as a hobby or detailing casually. The people most excited about it are the guys doing this for a living and have been using smaller specialized pneumatic tools like the LD30 or TA50 for awhile now.

 

Funny if you think back to pre-nano... no one on this board thought the mini was too big or had to debate a smaller tool purchase. When a solution like this is created it generates with is more questions for those who might be on the fringe of its target audience.

 

In any event they're both fantastic tools that do what the do amazingly well. Either will make jobs easier and faster with better results and ultimately thats all we're after.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

It really does come down to what cars you'll be working on, but I would stop short of limiting it to exotics. The front end of my 4Runner is covered with surfaces that the mini can't 100% reach. Some cars you won't have these areas, or you won't be concerned with getting 100% of the surfaces, but its not just exotics.

 

nano-grill1.jpg

 

nano-grill2.jpg

 

In terms of time, just depends on how you look at it. Theres the 'how much surface area does it cover' argument.

 

LHR75E Mini uses a 100mm pad at a 12mm orbit

Nano can be configured to run a 70mm pad at a 12mm orbit

So at 70% the nano won't quite cover the zones the mini will in terms of surface area in one pass.

 

But then also consider the time savings on not trying to stuff a 100mm tool into an area better served by a 30mm or 70mm pad. Also consider that at 30mm or 70mm you'll get more cutting power in those spaces than you will with a 100mm pad at the same speed - so theres a consideration of rate of defect removal.

 

The Nano is definitely a pro-tool. I wouldn't out and out recommend it for people doing this as a hobby or detailing casually. The people most excited about it are the guys doing this for a living and have been using smaller specialized pneumatic tools like the LD30 or TA50 for awhile now.

 

Funny if you think back to pre-nano... no one on this board thought the mini was too big or had to debate a smaller tool purchase. When a solution like this is created it generates with is more questions for those who might be on the fringe of its target audience.

 

In any event they're both fantastic tools that do what the do amazingly well. Either will make jobs easier and faster with better results and ultimately thats all we're after.

Awesome post as always! After looking at them both, the Mini and Nano, I came to the conclusion that both tools cannot replace each other the same way that the Mini and the Flex (or Rupes 15 or 21), cannot replace each other. As long as auto design and industrial design in general evolves and progresses to more sophisticated shapes there will always be a use for all machines. Edited by Fierce5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

I missed this thread before. Three of a kind now. My LHR 75E also has the duetto head cap on it...doesn't change how awesome the tool works though :)

Dan, have you tried emailing orders@adamspolishes.com to see if they can take care of that for you? Their customer service is top notch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

I would love to have a nano ibrid but it's a bit out of my range. Maybe once the hype of a new tool is gone, maybe being able to get the tool without the kit and the price comes down, I'm in. Great response Dylan. Check your pm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...