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Product name:
Grit Guard Universal Pad Washer
Mfg’s Description:
From their website:
The Universal Pad Washer cleans ALL types of buffing pads, and works with all buffer and polishers. Cleans your buffing pads and accessories so well you'll think their new!
From the included manual:
Whether you're using a rotary buffer, orbital polisher, dual-action polisher, corded or cordless drill, pneumatic polisher, or even a dual-head polisher, the Universal Pad Washer will work with your tool.
Use for cleaning foam pads, wool pads, felt pads, buffing bonnets, round microfiber applicators, round foam applicators, brushes, goblet buffs, and polishing balls.
Mfg’s Directions for Use:Mfg’s Detailing Tip:
- Always use a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) when using any corded electrical device around water.
- Fill the bucket with water as shown in Figure 2. The water level should be no more than 1/4" - 1/2" above Grit Guard Insert, with springs fully compressed.
- Orient the Universal Pad Washer so the wing nut on the Splash Guard Assembly is on the user's right hand side.
- Apply three to five sprays of PRS (Pad Renewing Solution) (included in your box) to the object you wish to clean.
- Place polsiher/buffer inside Universal Pad Washer and close the Splash Guard.
Heavily soiled pads:
For pads with heavy dried compound, run polisher/buffer on the Universal Pad Washer first for about 10 seconds to deeply moisten the pad. Next, apply PRS and allow up to one minute for PRS to penetrate the pad.- For best results, START POLISHER/BUFFER ON LOWEST SPEED SETTING, and clean for 20 to 40 seconds. While cleaning, move polisher/buffer around inside Universal Pad Washer as required to clean all areas of the pad.
- Speed setting on tool may be increased as necessary, however, limit your polisher/buffer to no more than 25% of its maximum speed setting while cleaning on the Grit Guard Insert or Grit Guard Extension.
- Proceed to the next page for drying instructions.
Standard Drying:
After cleaning, keep Splash Guard lid closed, raise polisher slightly off Grit Guard and spin out excess moisture at a higher speed.
Advanced Drying:
Place the Grit Guard Extension in the Splash Guard Lid, over the area printed "DRY PAD HERE". Operate polisher/buffer on higher speed setting against the grit Guard Extension.- Clean-up:
Cleaning the Universal Pad Washer is as simple as disposing of the old water and spraying off the parts of the Universal Pad Washer with a garden hose. Always dispose of chemical solvents properly and do your part to help keep the environment clean. DO NOT dump used water down storm drains or sewers, and avoid disposal around lakes, streams, and rivers.
There are a few tips here and there but I'm not going to spoil these!
Mfg's Disclaimers:
As you may know, when used incorrectly, wool pads on a rotary buffer can generate enough heat to burn paint, and even melt plastic. This puts the plastic cleaning surfaces such as the Grit Guard Insert and Grit Guard Extension at risk from careless and/or reckless operators.
The Universal Pad Washer is designed to clean all types of accessories and buffing pads with minimal added down force. Excessive pressure or impact on the Universal Pad Washer may cause accelerated wear of your pads and the pad washer components!
Grit Guard, Inc. is not responsible for any misuse, damage to equipment, or personal injury caused from the use of this product.
Mfg’s Guarantee:
None mentioned.
Price & from where:
I purchased mine from Auto Detailing Solutions for $134.95.
Ease of use:
Pretty straightforward. Just follow the video demonstration from the supplementary information links below and you're set!
Compared to:
The only other system that's comparable to this is the System 2000 Pad Washer which I have not tested.
Specifications:
It's a special 5-gallon bucket. Only relevant specification I can think of.
Process & Equipment/Misc. Used:
- Metabo PE12-175 rotary
- Porter Cable PC7424 random orbital
- Propel 5" backing plate
- Propel 3.5" backing plate
- Lake Country Purple Foamed Wool
- Lake Country 6.5" blue foam finishing pad - Thank you Heath!
- Propel 7" yellow foam cutting pad
- Propel 7" green foam polishing pad
- Excel Erasure 4" Turbo yellow foam pad
- Excel Erasure 4" Turbo white foam pad
- Excel Erasure 4" Turbo green foam pad
- Meguiar's M105, Meguiar's M105/Optimum Compound 75/25 mixture, Menzerna Super Intensive Polish, Poorboy's SSR3, Poorboy's SSR2.5, Poorboy's SSR1
- Pad Renewing Solution
- Water
Pro’s:
What can I say, it's an awesome tool. It sure beats the hell out of washing them by hand and at a fraction of the time (at least with me anyways)! You can clean any type/size of pads with just about any type of machine. What's also particularly nice about this product is that it includes the Gamma Seal Lid for those mobile details or what have you, which can be leak proof if it's screwed tight enough to the top of the bucket. Oh, and you could always pull all the internals but the Grit Guard Insert and use it as your rinse bucket.
Con’s:
Cleaning pads with the Metabo was not a problem at all! It definitely helped having the adapter extension on the Metabo so that it would not come into contact with the Splash Guard. However, the Porter Cable did in fact come into contact with the Splash Guard several times when applying pressure to the Grit Guard Insert. It's points of contact were often the handle and the main unit itself. I suppose this could be remedied by using some sort of adapter extension for the PC but I'm not sure what kind of repercussions this may have on the performance of the PC.
In addition, drying the 4" foam pads within the unit itself (Standard Drying) is a large risk. In fact, my yellow Excel Erasure foam pad suffered a casualty, as can be seen in the pictures below. Essentially, I was drying the pad at speed 6 on the PC and it somehow caught the backing of the Splash Guard and literally ripped the pad off of my backing plate.
Conclusion:
Despite the soundingly large price tag for this beauty, it's definitely well worth the hard earned cash. It will pay for itself for any professional detailer and some weekend warriors. Hell, if you have money to throw around, but it, especially if you value your time (although it's only minutes per detail but it adds up!). You can virtually clean any and all pads and sizes but just be very careful about those little guys (4" pads). You won't be catching me drying 4" pads in the UPW anymore. I'll stick to the Advanced Drying method for those little guys, hehe.
Would Recommend:
Sure, why not!
Pictures:
Universal Pad Washer with Pad Renewing Solution
Gamma Seal Lid
Top Views
Internals of UPW
Grit Guard Extension
Grit Guard Insert
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Originally Posted by gmblack3a
I don't know about that Supe... 
