RETECFLEX – Not the Usual Daily Grind
Independent Review by Peter Brett
Most builders and many DIYers will have faced the problem of how to scour the old tile adhesive off the walls or floor, how to loosen the wallpaper before steaming, remove old paint, grind away concrete ete etc. There are solutions to most of the above problems, and they inevitably involve a lot of hard work with scrapers and chisels. Having done more than my fair share of this kind of work in the past, I was keen to see if the RETECFLEX could provide some answers However, there is that old adage “jack of all trades and master of none” to
consider. Would the RETECFLEX sacrifice versatility for efficiency? I would need to test it to find out. But I confess to being a bit overwhelmed by the RETECFLEX as I unpacked it.
There were grinders, scourers and a sanding head – so many options that I wondered just how I was going to test it all. And that was not all, I was only sent a part of the range to try, there are several other grinding or sanding options that were not included. FLEX obviously has confidence that this machine has all the capabilities claimed. The key part of
the machine is the body and this seems to be based on an angle grinder configuration – but with a few extras. Down the right hand side of the body is a dust extraction tube. The dust extraction tube starts just above the grinding head where it can be most effective and extends to the end of the body. It ends in a standard FLEX clip system so that it can be clipped straight into the end of a FLEX dust extractor pipe. The dust extraction moulding is well supported and strong so that it can be
used as an extra handling point. It has a rubberized grip section to facilitate easy handling and I found that this rubber was a very good extra in the handling department, especially when trying to manage the machine as I was grinding some concrete. There is the usual auxiliary
handle on the left hand side of the gear head, and this is large, well protected against vibration and has grippy grooves. It seems as though FLEX has covered all the comfort and handling options. The gear head has a strong red
plastic cover over it to protect it against shock and dust, and apparently even the electronic components inside are cast, so that they are proof against dust. The gear head also holds the
spindle lock button for easy change of grinding gear. Electronic speed control is
achieved via a wheel switch on the base of the body where it is as far away from dust as possible. But the electronics is smarter than mere speed control, there is a constant speed function that automatically keeps the selected speed set, soft start function for torque free starts as well as motor overload and temperature monitoring. The user should be able to set about hard tasks knowing that the powerful 1400w motor is protected and won’t spring any nasty surprises. There were two guard bases supplied with the kit sent to me. The first of these is a cast alloy base used for grinding very hard materials (e.g. concrete) in
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association with the carbide grinding wheels and discs. The base guard is adjustable for depth of grind by a system of steps. All the user does is to loosen the milled knob at the back and then gently turn the casting until you get to the right step. It sounds simple, but the system works very well, with quite small adjustments possible for accurate work. For sanding and for less demanding grinding work, there is a robust plastic dust
extraction guard base. To mount this, all you need to do is to remove the milled screw at the back of the alloy base and gently twist it down the steps until it lines up with the open end so that it can be slipped off. The plastic base is presented to the rim and then slid down until it seats. Using the same step system it is also possible to set the depth of cut required. The main difference with the plastic base and the alloy one is that it has a ring of stiff plastic bristle on the periphery that makes good dust extraction possible. One other bit of sophistication here is that the ring can be “broken”, creating a flat side on the circle that will fit right up to skirting boards, wall edges etc so that dust extraction will still remain efficient. Using the spindle
lock and the two-pin spanner provided it is possible to mount and demount the various accessories quite easily. I was given the
sanding discs, the pointed carbide wheels, the diamond grinding head and
the PCD disc for removing adhesives etc from softer surfaces to try out. The catalogue shows several others, including a diamond scouring/grinding pad and a screed grinder. Clearly, choosing the right disc for the job is going to save you time and effort.
I started with the pointed carbide
cutters. This consists of four sets of three wheels mounted round a central arbor. All the wheels can be replaced separately if broken or worn, but on the basis of my usage, I was impressed with the way that they performed. Despite the hardness of the concrete and the whirling disc, by following the motor speed selection guide and good use of the handles, the RETECFLEX is amazingly efficient. I found that the diamond grinding
pad equally efficient, but I needed to get used to it a bit before I handled it most efficiently. On softer surfaces the PCD disc
needs careful handling but is very efficient at preparing a smooth surface ready to be skimmed. After I had changed to the plastic
base I tried the sanding discs on some rough oak planks, with good results. You just have to remember to keep the discs with a bit more weight to the front so that the back
doesn’t catch. As a company, FLEX has introduced some very good products to the UK
market. My verdict is that this kit is indeed a “Jack of all Trades”, but is so well designed that it is a “master” too. With a bit of skill and application, most users will be able to save themselves a lot of time and effort using the RETECFLEX.
Reply No. 225
www.toolbusiness.co.uk
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