My review of HD Cut

[solekeeper]

After taking forever to make up my mind. I bought hd cut and Adapt.


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Here are some variables to consider. I`am using at a body shop, sanding clear coat the next day post paint. Sanding with 2k grit.


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I bought pads, but they are the same as i had before. Meguairs maroon wool, orange lake country foam, and white.


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So, i tested out hd cut on a black hood sanded with 2k grit.` I used hd cut on 3 speed with the Meguairs maroon wool, then HD on the orange, then white. I got it to about 90 percent correction. Pretty neat.` With a light colored car, it could be two steps and out the door, no question.


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But here`s the rather small issue i have,` HD claims to remove 1200 grit or finer. I sanded with 2k, but for some reason it took multiple passes with the wool step to knock them down. Do you guys think my maroon wool pad sucks, and i should switch it? (My speed was on 3 with the makita rotary) After i worked the compound till it was off the surface, i would still see some sandscratches from certain angles. I had to hit it again.` If there is another wool pad to compliment HD cut by knocking it down faster, please advise.`


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Anywho, didn`t get a chance to play with adapt. So money sitting on my counter, for now, lol.


I have a feeling i should have just gotten hd polish and i would have been fine. But in terms of cut, how does adapt compare to HD cut?


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Overall, i liked my purchase. I just need some tweaking. HDCUT had no dust whatsoever. Essential for trying to move a car out of the shop.`


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Another small issue, for some reason when switching pads, i noticed all of them were very sticky. Almost gum like.. Not sure if this is from my end? Should i spirtz it with a little water when buffing? I keep having to clean the pad to get the gunk off.


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I recieved a pamphlet from HD also, saying they do on site training. Does this mean they can come out to my shop and demo?


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Any questions, i`d be glad to answer!


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[solekeeper]

bump, nobody??

[pwaug]

I`m sure you`ll get a response from others after the weekend--it`s pretty slow here right now.``


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Something to consider--How much HD Cut are you using--just 5-6 small drops to start and then 3-4 for each additional panel is all that is recommended--any more could be causing the gumming up of your pads.

[David Fermani]

Hey solekeeper! Sorry for not responding sooner. Glad you finally got around to buying some HD and giving us your thoughts on it. 2000 grit sand scratches on fresh paint shouldn`t be very difficult to remove.`I`ll try to give you some advice to see if it will help, but 1st I need to ask a couple questions.`


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1- How much product did you apply and how did you apply it?


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2- How many passes did you make and how quick was your arm speed?`


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3- How often were you cleaning your pad and how did you do it?`


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4- How old was the 3M wool pad, and how clean was it?


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5- Do you have any other wool cutting pads you can try?`


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6- What product did you use with the orange & white foam pad?


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7- The remaining scratches, were they isolated stray tracers or patterns of scratches?


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Water will certainly extend the cut of the product, but may leave heavier marring as a result. (not that big of a deal). I`m not familiar with the pamphlet you received? Was it from the 3D Miami store? `

[solekeeper]

hey david!


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1. I used about 4-5 drops on the maroon wool.


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2. Honestly, i`m not sure about arm speed or passes. I really just do 50/50 overlaps and keep it working unitl i don`t see any residue on the paint.


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3. I sectioned off spots of the hood, so after each section i cleaned the pad. i did one section at a time, with the wool, then orange, then white.


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4. All the pads were new.


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5. Nope, no other wool. ( I do see alot of people using black lambswool, if that`s better than the meguiars maroon lmk)


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6. I used HD cut throughout the entire process. I wanted to test correction on each spot.` I`m not sure where/how i could use HD adapt. If you do, let me know.


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7. i will try and upload some pics!


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the pamhlet basically had all of HD`s produts in it, really cool. i liked it. And the prodcuts came from cali, not the miami store.


If you know anything about the onsite training, please let me know the price. I`d love for them to come down and show me how to do it.


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My main concern is the first step, because in a body shop we`re trying to move things along (not quickly, i`d like to use the word effieciently) and by having to be worried about if sandmarks are going to be there after my wool process is a bit counterproductive. I`d like to knock them down, and then go on to refining. And also keep in mind, i don`t need 100 percent correction. I feel 90 percent is exceptable for a body shop.

[David Fermani]

From what you`re explaining it really sounds like you didn`t use enough product. With wool, it takes considerably more product to coat the face of the pad to allow the product to work as intended. It`s a totally different concept from foam where 3-5 drops do the trick by dispursing the product over the pad face. I would try 1st by smearing a bunch of product over the face of the wool pad (quasi-priming). This will wet much of the fibers and give you alot more cut. I certain of it. Then, as you go, spur your pad (brush/air) and then apply 4-6 more drops or a 4-6 inch line on the panel.`


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Also, I would also suggest getting HD Polish. Heck, even go into the 3D Miami store and ask them to trade it in for HD Polish. There is a really good chance that you could just 2 step all of your work, but that will depend on how bad the the Meg`s wool pad hazes up the finish. And yes, the HD Lambswool pad is plenty enough power to remove 2000 grit scratches. It personally feel it will leave a better finish behind leaving less clean up work.`


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Please try this how I suggested and please let me know how it goes. I`ll e-mail Ben to see if he can give his input on the 3D training request.`

[solekeeper]

thanks david. that would be great. i actually was thinking about trading in the adapt for the polish. my fingers got trigger happy when i was on the 3d site.. thats why i got the adapt. lol.


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does the hd store in miami carry those lambswoo pads?

[David Fermani]

Yes, they should. Before trading in Adapt, give it a try with a cutting foam pad to see how it goes. You will need and be able to work it a little longer, but it would be a home run if you could cut and finish in 1 step with it. Just a thought. Please let me know if you need me to make a call to the 3D store to help.`

[bunkeroo26]

Search "abrasive isolation". Barry puts on a good video tutorial of this ideology. This might help your efforts.

[solekeeper]

Yes, they should. Before trading in Adapt, give it a try with a cutting foam pad to see how it goes. You will need and be able to work it a little longer, but it would be a home run if you could cut and finish in 1 step with it. Just a thought. Please let me know if you need me to make a call to the 3D store to help.`

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at which point do you think i should try adapt? after my wool phase? then use adapt with the orange, then white foam?`


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if you can, please ask them if they can come out to the shop. And let me know the price. I`d love to see them tackle it first hand.

[Dan@AQS]

Have you considered finishing with 3000 grit instead of 2000? Also, are you sanding via machine, or by hand? What type of paper? Dry or wet?

[David Fermani]

at which point do you think i should try adapt? after my wool phase? then use adapt with the orange, then white foam?`


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if you can, please ask them if they can come out to the shop. And let me know the price. I`d love to see them tackle it first hand.

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Adapt is a 1 pad, 1 step product.`I`d try figuring out the Cut & Polish products 1st. Have you tried this again since last post?`