I got polish on my wax pad. Can it be recovered for use with wax?

PBCrunch · 05-09-07, 08:44

I recently got a Griot's Garage random orbital car polisher for my birthday. The Griot's polisher is a re-branded Porter-Cable. I also received a six inch polish pad and a six inch wax pad. I later bought some Griot's Machine Polish 2 (medium) and Griot's Machine Polish 3 (fine). I chose Griot's because I had seen some awesome results with it at a car care seminar they hosted in my area.

I was not able to remove the heavy swirls on my girlfriend's red 2000 Honda Accord Coupe using the Machine Polish 3 (fine) so I stepped up to Machine Polish 2. I still didn't get the results I was after. To make a long story short at some point in the afternoon I mistakenly put Machine Polish 3 on my wax pad and started using it.

After doing more research I have come to the conclusion that the Griot's polishes I was using were not aggressive enough for the heavy swirls on the car. I bought a Meguiar's six inch foam cutting pad and some 3M Perfect-It 05933 Rubbing Compound. Can this compound be used with a PC-style random orbital?

Can I use the wax pad for wax after cleaning the polish out of it with soap and mild detergent? I know the wax pad won't ever really work right as a polish pad. Can the wax pad be cleaned and used for wax or is it now worthless to me?

Shaun Carollo · 05-09-07, 08:49

Yes, yes, and yes.

Coupe · 05-09-07, 08:51

I dont think Griots polisher is a re-branded PC.

ZoranC · 05-09-07, 08:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by PBCrunch

Can I use the wax pad for wax after cleaning the polish out of it with soap and mild detergent? I know the wax pad won't ever really work right as a polish pad. Can the wax pad be cleaned and used for wax or is it now worthless to me?

Yes, you can wash it. Warm water, right detergent (not to dissolve glue used for velcro), and thorough rinsing and you should be just fine. That's it in a nutshell. Search on a subject will bring you a lots of valuable and thorough info from those that know much more than me.

BTW, Griot's polisher is not rebranded PC. Meguiar's polisher is.

BigJimZ28 · 05-09-07, 09:28

I would not use the Rubbing Compound
there are a ton of better choices!

spend a little (read as way to much)time here reading
and all you questions will be answered

Welcome and good luck!

PBCrunch · 05-09-07, 10:07

I've spent a lot of time browsing this and other detailing forums and there are so many different opinions it is hard to make a decision. BigJim, what do you recommend to use to eliminate deep swirls on red clear coat paint with a cutting pad?

tstead · 05-09-07, 10:43

My vote is for Menzerna Intensive Polish (IP) with a light cutting pad.

ZoranC · 05-09-07, 11:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by PBCrunch

I've spent a lot of time browsing this and other detailing forums and there are so many different opinions it is hard to make a decision. BigJim, what do you recommend to use to eliminate deep swirls on red clear coat paint with a cutting pad?

I can understand your pain. It would be helpful if we could see pics of those swirls. It is hard to "advise" sight unseen, especially because you are using Griot's and majority of people here do not have experience with it so they can't do apples to apples. Also, fact that you couldn't remove them with Griot's machine doesn't mean it is neccessarily due to intensity of swirls, hardness of CC/paint, or due to need for more aggressive polishes/pads. It is my understanding from review Joe of Superior Shine, if I remember correctly, did of this machine that it doesn't have same torque (efficiency/aggressivenes) as PC. If I remember correctly he said he was not able to do paint correction with it.

bjackson8 · 05-09-07, 12:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstead

My vote is for Menzerna Intensive Polish (IP) with a light cutting pad.

Other options would be Optimum Hyper Compound, Poorboys SSR 2.5.

I have never used the Menzerna line, but have heard nothing but good things about them. I have used the Optimum and Poorboys polishes. The Optimum line is definately my favorite.

Whichever compound you use, you will probably have to follow with a milder polish.

BigJimZ28 · 05-09-07, 04:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by PBCrunch

BigJim, what do you recommend to use to eliminate deep swirls on red clear coat paint with a cutting pad?

well you can't go wrong with Optimum, Menzerna, Poorboys SSR, Hi Temp (HTHC or HTEC)

also make sure you are taking your time and moving the machine very slow
and using a little pressure the best way to get to know the machine is to only try to do
one little section at a time untile you get the hang of how everthing works.

good luck!