Pad flaking

[Pyrophor2011]

When using the FMP & pad I am seeing tiny specs of the pad flaking off. Inspecting the pad, it looks fine but when in use I can see the specs flying off.

 

Is this normal, a bad pad or am I doing something wrong?

 

I am using the PC on a setting of 6. I was trying to follow Junkman2008's video by using a setting of 5 but if I apply 14lbs of pressure the pad stops spinning. I even got a scale out and tested this and at 13-14 lbs it stops spinning. I have found comments saying the speed difference between setting 5 and 6 is small or unnoticeable but on the PC I have it seems like it easily doubles the speed. I wasn't really getting great results on setting 5.

[1anonly]

From your pictures, it looks like a the pad flaking. Now the question becomes, why?

 

How much product do you have on your pad? You said that the pad won't spin on speed 5 with 14 lbs of pressure. If the pad is too mucked up it could stick and not spin. Without seeing your whole set up I'm just guessing.

[Junkman2008]

Heres where the problems lie.

 

You're combining 2 very different techniques here. Adam and Junkman go about polishing in very different manners and to get the intended results you can't go haphazardly mixing techniques. If AJ were in this thread at the moment he'd give you the exact same response.

 

Either go Junkman start to finish, or Adam start to finish, but not a mix of both.

 

 

 

Also, you're APPLYING the sealant at speed 3, not polishing, not working, just spreading. At that speed the slightest amount of pressure will stop the pad from rotating. REMEMBER THE PC IS NOT DRIVEN ROTATION, the only reason you see any rotation at higher speed is the centrifugal forces at work on the pad.

 

If you press hard enough at speed 5 or 6 you can stop the pad from rotating too... just takes more pressure as there is more centrifugal force to counteract.

 

Neither Adam or Junkman (as far as I'm aware) make any mention of pad rotation in the MSS step of the process. Rotation is part of the POLISHING process, but completely inconsequential to the process of applying the sealant.

 

with what he said.

 

 

Doesn't have to be the white pad.

 

Throw your gray pad on there, put some MSS on the pad and put another coat on. Shoot vid of it at setting 3 and 5 and replicate your polishing process. The foam doesn't have any cut so doing this won't really have any effect on the paint but it will give us something to go off of. No better way to figure out if there is indeed a problem with the machine than to show us how its operating.

 

That's what I suggested you do.

[Team Adam's]

 

As far as a video of technique, that's going to be hard to do The white pad is basically toast at this point, the velcro won't hold to save a life. Besides that, I have already completed the car and applied MSS. The next time I need to touch up I will take a video.

 

Doesn't have to be the white pad.

 

Throw your gray pad on there, put some MSS on the pad and put another coat on. Shoot vid of it at setting 3 and 5 and replicate your polishing process. The foam doesn't have any cut so doing this won't really have any effect on the paint but it will give us something to go off of. No better way to figure out if there is indeed a problem with the machine than to show us how its operating.

[XQIZT]

My only thought on the "no rotation" issue that that MAYBE the washer wasn't installed between the PC and the backing plate? Could also explain the metal grinding noise you are experiencing. Just a thought.

 

We'll get ya squared away, one way or another.

[Pyrophor2011]

There is only one definition of no pressure that I am aware of. Basically, I put the pad on the hood of the car and hold it only with enough grip to not allow it to fly away. To obtain rotation, I have to lift on a setting of 3. It will rotate on a setting of 5 but barely. Watching the pressure and listening to the noise change in the videos, I can tell how much pressure is being applied plus I used a scale before starting to get a better idea. I have also seen a few videos of the noise level from 5 to 6 and mine is much louder.

 

The gauge, I hadn't checked. Off hand, I am not sure what gauge it is. Maybe that is the problem since I had not given it thought.

 

As far as a video of technique, that's going to be hard to do The white pad is basically toast at this point, the velcro won't hold to save a life. Besides that, I have already completed the car and applied MSS. The next time I need to touch up I will take a video.

 

If your PC stops rotating with no pressure on speed 5 theres something wrong or your definition of "no pressure" is very different than mine.

 

Are you running the correct gauge of extension cord?

Are you working on a flat area of the car?

 

The easiest way to diagnose this is to take a video of yourself doing the process, use your cell phone, or a video camera, upload to youtube and share it with us here.

[Team Adam's]

I wasn't sure but I figure the rotation was helpful. In both the Adams and Junkman videos the pad is clearly rotating. I was not focused on that with my application though. Still, I watch their PC rotate on 3 while mine will barely rotate with no pressure on a setting of 5. I actually have to hold the PC up off the car a little to get it to rotate anything close to what the videos indicate.

 

 

If your PC stops rotating with no pressure on speed 5 theres something wrong or your definition of "no pressure" is very different than mine.

 

Are you running the correct gauge of extension cord?

Are you working on a flat area of the car?

 

The easiest way to diagnose this is to take a video of yourself doing the process, use your cell phone, or a video camera, upload to youtube and share it with us here.

[Pyrophor2011]

Heres where the problems lie.

 

You're combining 2 very different techniques here. Adam and Junkman go about polishing in very different manners and to get the intended results you can't go haphazardly mixing techniques. If AJ were in this thread at the moment he'd give you the exact same response.

 

Either go Junkman start to finish, or Adam start to finish, but not a mix of both.

 

 

 

Also, you're APPLYING the sealant at speed 3, not polishing, not working, just spreading. At that speed the slightest amount of pressure will stop the pad from rotating. REMEMBER THE PC IS NOT DRIVEN ROTATION, the only reason you see any rotation at higher speed is the centrifugal forces at work on the pad.

 

If you press hard enough at speed 5 or 6 you can stop the pad from rotating too... just takes more pressure as there is more centrifugal force to counteract.

 

Neither Adam or Junkman (as far as I'm aware) make any mention of pad rotation in the MSS step of the process. Rotation is part of the POLISHING process, but completely inconsequential to the process of applying the sealant.

 

I wasn't sure but I figure the rotation was helpful. In both the Adams and Junkman videos the pad is clearly rotating. I was not focused on that with my application though. Still, I watch their PC rotate on 3 while mine will barely rotate with no pressure on a setting of 5. I actually have to hold the PC up off the car a little to get it to rotate anything close to what the videos indicate.

 

As far as the different techniques, I am using Junkmans. Truthfully, I didn't see much of a difference between the techniques, mostly because the Adams videos are brief. I was just using the as reference for anything not covered in the Junkman series.

[Team Adam's]

I am not sure what the proper technique is then because I am mirror the adams and junkman videos.

 

Honestly, I think something is wrong with the PC. Without any pressure at all and on a setting of 3, there is no way in heck that I can get the same spin results shown in the adams and junkman videos for MSS. No pressure at all and there is no spin.

 

 

Heres where the problems lie.

 

You're combining 2 very different techniques here. Adam and Junkman go about polishing in very different manners and to get the intended results you can't go haphazardly mixing techniques. If AJ were in this thread at the moment he'd give you the exact same response.

 

Either go Junkman start to finish, or Adam start to finish, but not a mix of both.

 

Honestly, I think something is wrong with the PC. Without any pressure at all and on a setting of 3, there is no way in heck that I can get the same spin results shown in the adams and junkman videos for MSS. No pressure at all and there is no spin.

 

Also, you're APPLYING the sealant at speed 3, not polishing, not working, just spreading. At that speed the slightest amount of pressure will stop the pad from rotating. REMEMBER THE PC IS NOT DRIVEN ROTATION, the only reason you see any rotation at higher speed is the centrifugal forces at work on the pad.

 

If you press hard enough at speed 5 or 6 you can stop the pad from rotating too... just takes more pressure as there is more centrifugal force to counteract.

 

Neither Adam or Junkman (as far as I'm aware) make any mention of pad rotation in the MSS step of the process. Rotation is part of the POLISHING process, but completely inconsequential to the process of applying the sealant.

[Pyrophor2011]

From your pictures, it looks like a the pad flaking. Now the question becomes, why?

 

How much product do you have on your pad? You said that the pad won't spin on speed 5 with 14 lbs of pressure. If the pad is too mucked up it could stick and not spin. Without seeing your whole set up I'm just guessing.

 

That could be possible. I have been putting three small drops of polish if necessary when I move to a new spot. Otherwise, I use detail spray to refresh. The FMP was doing this from the get go, being a brand new pad. I primed the pad to start by apply one squirt of detail spray and 4 small drops of polish around the pad. I used this same technique for all the pads.

[Pyrophor2011]

No, I am 100% positive it is the pad flaking. I know this because I grabbed some and tried to smear it and it wouldnt. It was the foam pad.

 

Edit: Also, I experienced the effect of the polish "dusting" with the SSR and SHR. There is a huge difference between what I saw with those and what I see with this FMP.

 

I am not sure what the proper technique is then because I am mirror the adams and junkman videos.

 

Honestly, I think something is wrong with the PC. Without any pressure at all and on a setting of 3, there is no way in heck that I can get the same spin results shown in the adams and junkman videos for MSS. No pressure at all and there is no spin.

 

Also, I know it doesnt translate well but I am not hearing the same sound as I hear on their videos. When I cut my PC on it sounds like metal on metal grinding. I didnt put it together, it was put together prior to shipping from Adams.

 

I have had two other people watch what I am doing and watch quick clips from the videos and they agree that it looks the same. Maybe there is something we arent catching that I am doing differently but I find it hard to believe the pads would come apart under any circumstances other than pure neglect. The SSR and SHR pads had no problem, why would my technique suddently be bad when moving to the FMP?

 

As far as storing the pads, I just bought the kit a couple weeks ago and this is the first time I have gotten to use it. The pads have remained in their plastic bags until this weekend.

[Vincenzo]

Really sounds like the polish is just dusting. Even if that is not the case I would suspect bad technique in either polishing or storing the pads.

[pjwoolw]

Having the same issue. I'm real hard on pads. They don't last very long at his point. I'm sure in my case its a technique issue. I'm sure in time I'll get it down but the learning curve is expensive! LOL

[Pyrophor2011]

I am sure it is the pad that is flaking.

 

[Team Adam's]

If the pad is new and you've already experienced shifting your technique probably needs some refining as the amount of pressure you're putting down is probably too light.

 

As for the 'flaking' are you sure its pad and not the polish? Polish dusting as a result of too much or dried out product would be much more likely.

[Pyrophor2011]

I took the pad off the PC and noticed it has been shifting. There is virtually no stick left between it and the velcro. The premium backing plate will not adhere to any of the pads right now.

[Pyrophor2011]

It is a new car and I had already used SHR. I was not making a pass with the FMP and towards the end its started flaking more.

 

I found out where the flakes are coming from though. They are coming from the seam between the pad and the Velcro. The outside ring of the pad is separating from the rest. I doubled check the SHR pad and this did not happen on it.

 

The only difference was the I used setting 5 with the SHR and setting 6 with FMP. As said before, this change seemed to double the power and basically match what I saw in Junkman's videos.

 

I will take a picture in just a minute.

[THE Mook]

Can you please post a picture or two of the pad in question?

 

What were you trying to accomplish with Fine Machine Polish? (were you trying to correct or were you trying to just pretty the paint up?)