If you fabricate or work with stainless pipe, such as handrails, then you need a tool that can handle your finish work. The FLEX Pipe Polisher Sander is aptly named the Boa. It wraps around pipe, like a snake, to sand and polish more than 180-degrees at a time. Polishing stainless handrails are made easy with very little input from the operator.
We received the FLEX polisher from Shop Tool Reviews and immediately starting testing in our environment. Here at Advanced Industrial Services (AIS), we handle specialty fabrication jobs at many theme parks here in Central Florida. Fabricating and finishing stainless steel handrails is second-nature, as well as many other specialty metals such as Aluminum, Titanium, etc.
Richard, a long time machinist, mocked up some stainless pipe in the vice to show us first-hand the polishing power of the FLEX pipe polisher sander LRP1503. The first passes were with the 80-grit belt, then with 220 to give a nice brushed finish. The whole process took no longer than 5 minutes.
FLEX Pipe Polisher Sander LRP1503 Features
The sanding and polishing belts are driven by a 1hp motor with 6 different speeds that the operator can choose from. The dial selector, numbered 1 to 6 will throttle the polisher RPMs from 1,200 to 3,700 RPM. The spring loaded arm assembly allows for ample pressure of the belt to the pipe while still allowing the arm to flex around the pipe. This allows the user to make sanding and polishing passes on the pipe that are at least 180-degrees. The handle can also be rotated, so users can more easily polish handrail that may be close to a wall.
Now that we have tested and used the FLEX LRP1503 Boa, I can’t see how AIS could do without it. Safety and Efficiency are always our top concern, and the FLEX polisher addresses both areas. I would recommend this to anyone or any organizations that do what we do.
Specifications
- Power Input: 1.6 HP (1,200 Watts)
- Power Output: 1 HP (700 Watts)
- Motor Speed: 1,200 – 3,700 RPM
- Belt Speed: 13-40 fps (feet per second)
- Belt Dimensions: 30″ x 0.75″/1.5″
- Pipe Max.: 5″
- Weight: 8.1 lbs
For more information on the FLEX LRP1503, click here.
