View Full Version : Do LC pads get harder as they age?
Patman
10-01-2007, 01:49 PM
I`m wondering if the cutting action of my Lake Country CCS polishing pads have changed now that they`ve been used for a while and have been washed and dried a few times?
I`m thinking that maybe they are not as soft as they originally were and the polishing pads end up doing a bit more cutting than before? (which in my case I don`t want, as I really don`t want to be using a cutting pad on my black Corvette)
I`d hate to throw them away since they still look in perfect condition visually, but if they are doing more cutting than I`d like (and therefore they leave more marring), then I have no choice but to toss them.
Patman
10-02-2007, 05:58 AM
48 views but nobody has anything to say? :(
Driven-528e
10-02-2007, 06:36 AM
I dont have the CCS pads. My VC pads seem to get softer over time, especially the white ones. I feel like they have less cut than before.
audicoupej
10-02-2007, 06:38 AM
I agree with Driven about the VC pads. Mine definitely get softer. My CCS pads I have not noticed anything changing yet, but they have not been used as much as my older VC pads. I notice this specificially with yellow and orange VC pads.
If they are getting harder you might not be rinsing them well enough.
imported_Dave1
10-02-2007, 07:07 AM
I`m wondering if the cutting action of my Lake Country CCS polishing pads have changed now that they`ve been used for a while and have been washed and dried a few times?
I`m thinking that maybe they are not as soft as they originally were and the polishing pads end up doing a bit more cutting than before? (which in my case I don`t want, as I really don`t want to be using a cutting pad on my black Corvette)
I`d hate to throw them away since they still look in perfect condition visually, but if they are doing more cutting than I`d like (and therefore they leave more marring), then I have no choice but to toss them.
What color LC polishing pads are you talking about....?
I wouldn`t sweat it Patman. The clear coat on your C5 is rock hard.
Any correction will require a cutting pad. Keep em`.........:xyxthumbs
Patman
10-02-2007, 08:15 AM
If they are getting harder you might not be rinsing them well enough.
I don`t know for sure that they are getting harder though, they still feel soft to me, I`m just curious as to whether they change with age.
They shouldn`t. At least I`ve never seen one get harder with age.
Patman
10-02-2007, 08:19 AM
What color LC polishing pads are you talking about....?
I wouldn`t sweat it Patman. The clear coat on your C5 is rock hard.
Any correction will require a cutting pad. Keep em`.........:xyxthumbs
Whenever I`ve used the orange cutting pads I end up with more micromarring though, so that`s why I prefer to stick with the white LC polishing pads. Then I don`t have as much "mess" to clean up after I do my correction passes. I just want to make sure my white pads aren`t getting closer to the orange pads in terms of abrasiveness as they get older. As I mentioned, they still appear to be as good as new even after many uses. I just want to be sure they actually are still just "polishing" the paint instead of "cutting" it. :)
They are not getting harder, you don`t have to worry.
What products are you using?
Patman
10-02-2007, 08:29 AM
They are not getting harder, you don`t have to worry.
What products are you using?
For areas that need more correction, I use Meguiar`s #83. If it doesn`t need too much correction I go with Meguiar`s #80. I follow that up with Meguiar`s #9 and then my final step is Meguiar`s #21. I do everything with the white pads, except the 21 I put on with a black finishing pad. This is all on a UDM, with the speed at 5 (except for the 21, I do that at speed 3)
One of the reasons I started this topic was because when I look at my black finish real close in direct sunlight it looks like it has just a little bit of a haziness to it. If I step back a few feet it looks awesome, so maybe I`m just being picky, but I just can`t help but wonder if I`m leaving just a little bit of micromarring behind, even with using a polishing pad and #9 as my second last step. So I thought I`d see if perhaps the pads might be to blame for part of this. Otherwise, maybe I need to try another product as my second last step? (something like Menzerna Micro Polish perhaps?) Or more likely, there is something wrong with my technique?
audicoupej
10-02-2007, 08:53 AM
What are you using as your LSP? That could be causing the haze. Try and post up some pictures.
Patman
10-02-2007, 08:58 AM
What are you using as your LSP? That could be causing the haze. Try and post up some pictures.
My LSP is Meguiar`s 21. I don`t think it`s causing the haze, because otherwise that haze would probably go away once I put on some spray detailer and started slowly taking away the 21.
When I post up the pictures you probably will say I`m crazy and my car looks fine, as I can`t see any problems in the pictures, it`s only in bright sun when viewed very close that it doesn`t look as good to me.
Here are the most recent pics:
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n145/Patman22/DSCF1187.jpg
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n145/Patman22/reflection.jpg
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n145/Patman22/sunset.jpg
(you`re probably now thinking I`ve lost my mind and there is nothing wrong with the paint!)
:getdown
audicoupej
10-02-2007, 09:10 AM
No, I don`t think you`re crazy. The first pic looks like there could be a small amount of mircomarring where the sun is hitting it. It might just be glare. The C5 looks good though!
I think that perhaps a different polish would give you the results you`re looking for. Are you working the Megs product long enough? The Menz 106FF with a white LC pad should finish out perfect. There are many products that will work.
Patman
10-02-2007, 09:16 AM
No, I don`t think you`re crazy. The first pic looks like there could be a small amount of mircomarring where the sun is hitting it. It might just be glare. The C5 looks good though!
:thx It`s difficult to get accurate pictures too, because my digital camera is not very good either.
I think that perhaps a different polish would give you the results you`re looking for. Are you working the Megs product long enough?
I think so, I`ve been spending a lot of time on the Meguiar`s online site, and I`ve followed Mike Phillip`s instructions as to how to properly use their stuff.
As much as I like using their products, if there is something else I could use that would give me better results on my black finish, I`m open to trying it. Most people would probably be satisfied with the condition that my paint is in now (my friend`s think I am nuts!) but I know you Autopian`s can understand what I`m feeling, and that is that if there is a way to make the car look 99% perfect instead of just 95% perfect, then it`s worth it to give it a try! :spot