Question about New Set of Polishing Pads

[LinPark]

I just started using the 7" pads with my PC this past weekend. Is it normal for the Orange pad to sort of break down while you are using it? I kept having small flakes of orange dust that seemed to be coming off the edges of the pad while I was working the SHR. Just wondering if I am doing something wrong or if this is normal behavior from a new set of pads.

 

Great stuff by the way - I only had time to do the SHR and FMP on the roof of the car - I'm thinking by the time I finish the car it will be time to start all over again!!!!

 

Thanks!

[Chris@Adams]

Once you get plenty product on pad you can skip applying product every so often and just use DS.:pc:Have fun!

[Junkman2008]

... So I'm staring at 12+ more hours to get the whole car done right.

 

Sounds normal to me.

[LinPark]

Ok, took another shot at it last night. Cleaned the roof up a bit and started again with SHR and the Orange pad - started with 4 drops and again the little flakes came out quick. They appear to be product because you can smudge them and they disappear quickly. I went with less product and more DS each section and they started to disappear but I got down to just 2 small, small drops of products on the orange pad each time - guess Junkman meant mini-peas.

 

Moved to FMP, then Revive, and finally the MSW - using the right amount of product and appropriate pressure really is an art form - it was not easy putting pressure on the PC when the polisher is basically near shoulder height. I should've hired Shaquile O'Neal to polish the roof I guess but I can't afford his rates.

 

I have to say that I can't believe how good the car looks in that section. The roof took four 2x2 sections and doing the 4 different applications across that whole space took me about 2 hours of continuous work which breaks down to about 30 minutes for each 2x2 section. I'm thinking the hood is gonna be 8 sections, each side about 10 sections, the rear 6 sections, and that would leave all the smaller areas in the front and back for the 4" pads. So I'm staring at 12+ more hours to get the whole car done right.

 

The spinning of the pads in the bucket to dry them off is also a nice technique. Thanks for all the advice guys.

[Junkman2008]

Thanks Junkman!

 

It can't be issue 1 because this was a new pad and I had never cleaned it before but I'll defintely watch out for that with my next session.

 

I was using 4 pea-sized drops on a setting of 5 - its possible that I wasn't using 9-14 pounds of pressure because the pad was spinning quite a bit. Now when you say the hex-shaped areas are flattening out do you mean on the pad itself or do you mean the hex-shaped patterns left on the surface you are treating? When I looked at the pad while I was working, it looked exactly like it did before I put any product on it - I had to press my finger into the pad to check to see if it had product on it and only then did I get a small amount of product on my finger.

 

I think I'll go with more detail spray in my next session and see what happens.

 

Thanks again!

 

I was talking about the hex shapes on the pad. They should always be fresh looking with my technique. You may have been using too much product. That's what it kind of sounds like to me.

[Chris@Adams]

Keep us posted Lin! We want to work you though this!

[LinPark]

Thanks Junkman!

 

It can't be issue 1 because this was a new pad and I had never cleaned it before but I'll defintely watch out for that with my next session.

 

I was using 4 pea-sized drops on a setting of 5 - its possible that I wasn't using 9-14 pounds of pressure because the pad was spinning quite a bit. Now when you say the hex-shaped areas are flattening out do you mean on the pad itself or do you mean the hex-shaped patterns left on the surface you are treating? When I looked at the pad while I was working, it looked exactly like it did before I put any product on it - I had to press my finger into the pad to check to see if it had product on it and only then did I get a small amount of product on my finger.

 

I think I'll go with more detail spray in my next session and see what happens.

 

Thanks again!

[Junkman2008]

Three things can cause this issue, assuming that it is product that is dusting up. One, you are using a pad that you've cleaned before, however, you did not clean all of the product out of the pad from before. As soon as you start using it the next time, you will get a lot of fine orange dust.

 

The second reason this will happen is from using too much product. The pad will fill up with product and begin to sling small chunks of product. A tale tale sign of this is in the appearance of the pad. If you use the same technique that I do (3 pea-sized drops with 9-14 pounds of pressure on a setting of 5), the hex-shaped sections of the pad will ALWAYS be very defined. If the hex-shaped areas are flattening out, then you are using too much product, and your cutting ability has just went to zero.

 

Keep in mind that Adam and I do this two different ways and his way is totally opposite of my way. Using his technique, you will see the hex-shaped areas flatten out from all the pressure he uses. So choose one way and stick with it.

 

The third as Dylan pointed out is from working on too hot of a surface. If the surface of the car is too hot, then the product will dry VERY quickly and begin to flake up badly.

 

All three of these situations can be remedied with the implementation of detail spray. Ideally, you want to do a better job cleaning your pads, use less product and avoid working in the sun on a very hot day. However, spritzing the pad with detail spray can help resolve these issues. It will rejuvenate the pad and cause it to start cutting again in the case of too much product, revive the hex-shaped areas and keep the dusting to a minimum. How much detail spray it takes is a trial and error process. You have to experiment with the technique as everyone is not going to make these mistakes to the same degree.

 

Avoiding the things that cause this problem is key. Now if the pad itself is flaking, then you have ran across a sharp edge somewhere and cut up the pad. This is something that you want to avoid at all cost. Once that happens, the pad will continue to flake and you will have to replace the pad eventually. I always use the 4" pads around tight areas and areas that contain sharp edges.

[Chris@Adams]

I don't think so the - the orange pad still looks good after I cleaned it with the APC. I'm starting to wonder now if I simply wasn't using enough pressure with the SHR - this is the first time I've ever done any kind of polishing with an orbital machine so maybe I was just to skiddish. I remember the backing plate spinning quite a bit with the SHR - when I got to the FMP and the white pad I'm sure I was applying more pressure.

 

Also, it took quite awhile for the pads to dry out - I'm assuming you shouldn't use them wet right? I wanted a clean white pad to move to the Revive Polish and then was going to put on a coat of MSW with the grey pad. I can definitely see a difference already when comparing the roof to the hood so I know I'm getting something accomplished but man its like a snails pace.

You are correct don't use wet pads. To dry your pads put them back on pc at a lower speed,spin them in your wash bucket and spin off all of the water. Then set up to dry.

[LinPark]

You didn't tear the pad on trim or molding did you? Hope not!

 

I don't think so the - the orange pad still looks good after I cleaned it with the APC. I'm starting to wonder now if I simply wasn't using enough pressure with the SHR - this is the first time I've ever done any kind of polishing with an orbital machine so maybe I was just to skiddish. I remember the backing plate spinning quite a bit with the SHR - when I got to the FMP and the white pad I'm sure I was applying more pressure.

 

Also, it took quite awhile for the pads to dry out - I'm assuming you shouldn't use them wet right? I wanted a clean white pad to move to the Revive Polish and then was going to put on a coat of MSW with the grey pad. I can definitely see a difference already when comparing the roof to the hood so I know I'm getting something accomplished but man its like a snails pace.

[Chris@Adams]

I just started using the 7" pads with my PC this past weekend. Is it normal for the Orange pad to sort of break down while you are using it? I kept having small flakes of orange dust that seemed to be coming off the edges of the pad while I was working the SHR. Just wondering if I am doing something wrong or if this is normal behavior from a new set of pads.

 

Great stuff by the way - I only had time to do the SHR and FMP on the roof of the car - I'm thinking by the time I finish the car it will be time to start all over again!!!!

 

Thanks!

 

You didn't tear the pad on trim or molding did you? Hope not!

[Chewy]

Once you get plenty product on pad you can skip applying product every so often and just use DS.:pc:Have fun!

 

Agreed!

[Chewy]

One spritz of DS then 3-4 peas of SHR and the same with FMP the first time.

[LinPark]

Maybe too much product?

 

I was using 4 pea sized drops of HSR on each section of the roof - I'll take a picture of it next time I guess. I was just wondering if I was supposed to prime the pad somehow the first time I use it. It seemed to be sucking up the product very quickly on the 4 sections that I worked. I did not have the same issue with the FMP and white pad (4 pea sized drops there as well).

[Doug123]

Maybe too much product?

[LinPark]

Are you working in the sun? On hot paint? Sounds like the polish is drying out quickly.

 

It was inside my garage with the door open - was probably about 85 degrees and humid that day but it was not in direct sunlight.

[Chewy]

I get a little bit of the the pad shedding but I run pretty dry as well. Not dry but not wet. I never needed to scrub my pads per say. I don't use enough product to cake them up.

 

Chris

[Team Adam's]

Are you working in the sun? On hot paint? Sounds like the polish is drying out quickly.

[LinPark]

If it were the polish, couldn't I pick a piece up and smush it in my fingers and have it disappear like a lotion? These are little puff balls - I've watched Junkman's videos and never seen these but his car is orange. Maybe I'm not using enough product because I could only work the SHR for about 2 minutes before it was basically gone. Adding Detail Spray to the pad would bring that back for like 1 more minute but I'm not able to work a 2 x 2 area anywhere near as long as Junkman does in his videos. I split the entire roof of the 370z into 4 sections which seem alot less than 2' x 2'.

[Team Adam's]

Are you sure its the pad and not the polish? Keep in mind they're both orange.

[lawson4450]

just watch as you get the product build up I found a nice way to take care of that though i a small stiff bristle brush and every once in a while i just hit the pad with the brush while im using it to keep the buildup down. I use the pad once or twice then hit it with detail spray to reactivate the heavy stuff on the pad and then after that i turn it on run the brush on the pad and then it ipens the poors of the pad up nice and it last longer.

[Chewy]

Pretty normal for me. Not to an excessive though. Make sure you keep it primed with some DS as well.

 

4 weeks on and off for my G8... It's not 100% but it's a DD so oh darn!

 

Good luck,

Chris