Wool or foam for rotary noob?

[Escalarado]

Ok people I have been using a PC for uite some time now and am wanting to get into the rotary aspect of polishing. I have decided on the Makita 9227c and just cannot decide if I should go with wool or foam to get started with this. I keep reading opinions back and forth over which one to go with and just want your best and straight forward answer. If you would also please list out the pads that you feel would be best for an initial purchase for me to experiment with and see what I like. Any and all input is appreciated so I look forward to reading what yall think.

Thanks in advance

[shine]

With wool you can cut faster, cooler, and are a whole lot less likely to burn trim that you may be polishing around (though it should be taped up). Foam is said to have the ability to leave a slightly better finish during the final polishing step. I'm not able to comment much more on this subject as I stare down at my yet to be used foam and wool pads.

Now where is that Supe character?

[SuperBee364]

Originally Posted by shine

With wool you can cut faster, cooler, and are a whole lot less likely to burn trim that you may be polishing around (though it should be taped up). Foam is said to have the ability to leave a slightly better finish during the final polishing step. I'm not able to comment much more on this subject as I stare down at my yet to be used foam and wool pads.

Now where is that Supe character?

Who? Supe Who? Haven't seen him...

[TTWAGN]

I'd go small diameter wool pads.

Foam pads that have high level of cut often grab the surface and are very difficult to control due to the stiff foam. For scratch/swirl removal wool is definitely the best material to use. For light polishing wool and foam are similar, and for final finishing foam has a slight edge being able to finish down slightly finer.

Check out the edge 2000 system and go with the 6inch wool pads.

The round edge and softness make them difficult to create holograms when compared to foam. Ther smaller diameter makes them easier to control for a beginner. I'd stay away from the larger 8+inch cutting wool/foams for now and start off using the smaller 6inch polishing/finishing wools.

Then down the track you can upgrade to 8inch pads using the same adaptor.

I'd get a blue, green and yellow 6inch wool, and for the soft paints i'd look at a 6inch white foam pad for final finishing.

[sixty7mustang22]

Yeah, you can practice with wool, but for finishing down, you really need to get the hang of a faom pad. They just finish better.

[paradigm]

i just used wool for the first time today (6" edge 2000 wool). one word compared to all the foam pads i've tried:

smooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooother.

i normally use edge 2000 6" foam on my rotary and the wool is infinitely easier to control. my favorite foam is the edge blue for finishing...but the cutting wool is easier to control that that one!

[COLDZ71]

Originally Posted by TTWAGN

I'd go small diameter wool pads.

Foam pads that have high level of cut often grab the surface and are very difficult to control due to the stiff foam. For scratch/swirl removal wool is definitely the best material to use. For light polishing wool and foam are similar, and for final finishing foam has a slight edge being able to finish down slightly finer.

Check out the edge 2000 system and go with the 6inch wool pads.

The round edge and softness make them difficult to create holograms when compared to foam. Ther smaller diameter makes them easier to control for a beginner. I'd stay away from the larger 8+inch cutting wool/foams for now and start off using the smaller 6inch polishing/finishing wools.

Then down the track you can upgrade to 8inch pads using the same adaptor.

I'd get a blue, green and yellow 6inch wool, and for the soft paints i'd look at a 6inch white foam pad for final finishing.

That is pretty much exactly what I ordered for my first time with my new rotary. I ordered the yelllow, green, and blue 6 inch Edge wool pads and a red 6 inch Edge wave pad to practice with on my wifes Odyssey.
I did a lot of research and the 6 inch wool pads seemed like the way to go. I will definetly get some more finishing foam pads though.

[TTWAGN]

Originally Posted by paradigm

my favorite foam is the edge blue for finishing...but the cutting wool is easier to control that that one!

Out of curiosity, why is the blue foam your favourite for finishing and not the white foam?

All have you used the wave foam or normal flat foam pads?

Originally Posted by COLDZ71

I did a lot of research and the 6 inch wool pads seemed like the way to go. I will definetly get some more finishing foam pads though.

Yep finishing foams are a good idea. I just did a dark green Honda today which had very soft paint. Usually the blue wool pad finishes down perfect, but todaY i got very light holograms

Was a perfect opportunity to try out the white wool finishing pad, but i'll have to wait until i see the customer again

I will definitely be intested in seeing how you go with the 6inch red wave pad.

I'd love to see a comparison between the edge white and red foams with wave and without. Be interesting to see the advantages and disadvantages of the softer pads.

[paradigm]

Out of curiosity, why is the blue foam your favourite for finishing and not the white foam?

you'll like this one...

you mentioned the white foam and i thought "hmm...i don't have one...DO I?!?". i just dug through some piles of pads and found a BRAND NEW STILL IN PLASTIC BAG 6" white edge 2000 pad! LOL

it must have been misplaced when i got a big shipment of things in and i forgot i had it! well, now i have that to try.

All have you used the wave foam or normal flat foam pads?

i haven't used wave foam pads, but have used the standard megs line and also some LC flat foam. i don't think i'll ever go back to those just because of the smoothness and east of use with the edge adapter.