RUPES Ibrid Nano

• Product: Ibrid Nano (Long neck / Short neck).
• Manufacturers: RUPES
• Packaging: complete kit in a carry case.
  
  

Description:

RUPES has literally put itself in the detailer's shoes when designing this machine and offering a all-in-one solution to make polishing tight areas easier. Indeed, who has never been faced with a bumper with very complex shapes, finding themselves forced to polish by hand the areas that remain inaccessible even with small backing plates — with less efficiency...

So, with the Ibrid Nano, you will be equipped to polish all the shapes of your car or motorcycle and much more, as RUPES has also developed cleaning brushes to dislodge grime from tight corners (brake calipers for example). And that's not all, as you will also be able to carry out spot repairs on deep scratches thanks to the supplied sanding daisy pads and the specific backing plate.

This mini-polisher can run either on mains power or on battery (a set of 2 is supplied), making this tool a portable and self-sufficient solution for anyone wishing to perform a localized correction on a customer's car, for example.

The iBrid Nano is available in a "Long Neck" version (long metal shaft) or a "Short Neck" version (short metal shaft).

Usage:

Everything is compartmentalized in the carry case and perfectly in place. First, you will need to know which type of connector to use. RUPES offers the option of using 3 different connectors, allowing 2 orbital movements (3mm and 12mm, red and blue) and 1 pure rotary movement (green).

Personally, I very often use the rotary connector because this mini-polisher is not very powerful, and for certain heavy corrections you will primarily want to prioritize the "cut" (aggressiveness of the correction), opting for a pure rotary movement rather than an orbital movement to heat the varnish and correct more quickly. This ultimately compensates a little for the lack of power through the rotary movement.

To mount your connector, nothing could be simpler: lock the button on the top of the polisher head and then tighten it with the supplied key.

Please note that I intentionally removed the plastic protective guard initially fitted to the machine for even better accessibility. Be very careful not to let the head rub against body panels during polishing! Make this modification in full knowledge of the consequences.

Once your connector is mounted, choose the backing plate you want based on the shape and size of the area to be polished (1" and 2" plates supplied). Simply lock the connector with the key and turn your plate without using too much force either, as the plates are made of plastic material and therefore relatively fragile...





The mounting procedure remains the same regardless of the plates and connectors chosen.


Another very interesting feature of the Ibrid Nano is cleaning very tight areas. Indeed, if you practice detailing on motorcycles for example, this machine will ultimately prove very useful as you will be able to access the corners of calipers, the shapes of the swingarm and forks with great ease.
There are two brushes that you mount on the Nano. One with fairly stiff bristles (white) to mount on the rotary connector, for cleaning and degreasing, the other brown with soft bristles for dusting interiors for example.
Mounting on the connector is done in the same way as previously for the backing plates.





You will also have the choice of working corded with a mains connection or on battery. Two batteries are supplied in the carry case. Each battery gives you approximately 20 minutes of autonomy, but the maximum rotation speed of the machine is not as high as when it is connected to mains power.





Another advantage worth noting is the fairly quick battery recharge. Indeed, you will need no more than 20 minutes of charging for a full recharge. The advantage of having two batteries is that you can work almost continuously by alternating the batteries in a use/charge cycle.



To effectively correct your area, choose the right backing plate suited to your surface and the corresponding pad. RUPES supplies 2 polishes in the carry case: Zephir (Compound) and Keramik (finishing). Pads of the same color (blue and yellow) are to be used with the corresponding polishes.



The Ibrid Nano polisher proves to be truly useful for polishing complex shapes (rear lights, wheel spokes, front spoiler lip, spoiler, etc.) Its compact weight and slender form make it ergonomic. The power, however, can prove a little lacking on certain heavy corrections and the motor struggles when pressure is applied to the pad. I therefore strongly recommend mains use rather than battery use for heavy correction work.

Below are a few examples of using the polisher on hard-to-reach areas.











The following example clearly shows the usefulness of this mini-polisher in cases where another polisher equipped for "spot pads" (with a 3" plate) would not fit (pad not flat on the surface) due to the successive slope breaks in the area.
The Ibrid Nano allows you to get everywhere by breaking down the pass with a quick plate change for narrow surfaces (spoiler tip).







Last point: restocking consumables. RUPES has thought of everything again by offering each consumable (polishes, pads) individually. You will find the Italian brand's 5-color code. Note however that the 150ml packaging for the polishes is not subsequently available, which is a real shame as the 150ml bottle fits perfectly into the compartmentalized spaces of the carry case. You will therefore need to opt for the 250ml or 1L formats offered and refill the 250ml one as you go...

Furthermore, the 1¼" pads prove to be not very durable (particularly the blue one) under sustained polishing, and the unit price is quite high (€6.95/piece).

It is also possible to source the backing plates separately in case of breakage, at a price that is once again quite high. Note a certain fragility of the backing plate with a foam interface designed to receive the sanding daisy pads.




Advantages

+ Ultra complete kit.

+ Portable solution possible (batteries).

+ Many accessories for treating various surfaces.

+ RUPES build quality.

Disadvantages 

+ Off-putting price for amateur detailers.

+ High consumable cost.

+ Fragility of the backing plates.

+ Rapid pad wear.

Our opinion:

In all honesty, once you own one, you wonder how you ever managed without it for so many years...
The Ibrid Nano is a fantastic tool for an amateur detailer (an enthusiast given the price...) or a professional, making the job easier and speeding up correction work on very hard-to-reach areas. Degreasing motorcycles is a perfect example of the usefulness of such a tool.

RUPES build quality is very much present and you immediately sense that the product has been well thought out. Speed dial within thumb's reach, 2 batteries for better autonomy, various accessories that are genuinely useful in specific situations.

The only notable drawbacks beyond the very high purchase price for purely personal use, and consumables that are not very durable relative to their cost, are the fragility of the backing plates (foam detaching from the daisy pad plate) and the difficulty in finding certain accessories.

Finally, to the question "Essential or gimmick?" I would be tempted to answer that it all depends on your detailing practice. An amateur can very well do without it, since recouping close to €800 for exclusive use on your own car is not easy for every budget... On the other hand, if you are a professional and your work regularly takes you to cars with complex designs, then yes, in that case the Ibrid Nano is made for you!