Do pads eventually lose their cutting power during a detail?

[jmkiang]

After a pad is too saturated with polish, does it lose cutting power? Or does it just seem that way.



My pads seem to get "caked" with polish and "gray" stuff (which I can only assume is contaminants being removed).



My LC white / M205 combo started throwing small chunks on me this weekend! At first, I thought they were small rocks! I was almost shat myself.



I quickly switched to a new pad.

[BobD]

You really should be conditioning your pads when detailing. A stiff brush does a good job to keep the pads from getting gummed up.

[cptzippy]

Saw a trick of holding an mf towed against the pad and letting it rip for a moment on full power to get rid of the junk on the pad. Don`t know if there is a better way but it was recommended to me for a quick refresh. If it is too gummed up, switch to a new one and wash that one out later.



On a note, the gray stuff? I assumed it was the polish an minute amounts of clear that you are taking away. Shouldn`t the finish be contaminate free before polishing? Asking because I just don`t know :)

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

As mentioned, you should use a brush to clean the pad after each time you polish a section, or at least every other time... keeps the pad from getting too much polish on the surface but pad still stays saturated so you don`t need to add as much polish as the first panel or two

[jmkiang]

You really should be conditioning your pads when detailing. A stiff brush does a good job to keep the pads from getting gummed up.

Thought the pads didn`t need to be conditioned if you prime them first...?



Can QD be used to condition? Z6?




Saw a trick of holding an mf towed against the pad and letting it rip for a moment on full power to get rid of the junk on the pad. Don`t know if there is a better way but it was recommended to me for a quick refresh. If it is too gummed up, switch to a new one and wash that one out later.



On a note, the gray stuff? I assumed it was the polish an minute amounts of clear that you are taking away. Shouldn`t the finish be contaminate free before polishing? Asking because I just don`t know :)

Maybe contaminants wasn`t the proper term...



I will try the MF towel method next detail. How do you keep the towel from flying off? is the MF dry?

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

Saw a trick of holding an mf towed against the pad and letting it rip for a moment on full power to get rid of the junk on the pad. Don`t know if there is a better way but it was recommended to me for a quick refresh. If it is too gummed up, switch to a new one and wash that one out later.



On a note, the gray stuff? I assumed it was the polish an minute amounts of clear that you are taking away. Shouldn`t the finish be contaminate free before polishing? Asking because I just don`t know :)



The m/f towel works ok at best but only with a RO machine... use it with a rotary and you`ll either get hurt or see the towel fly away... unless you fold it up and hold it on one side of the pad, but brush will work a lot better

[jmkiang]

^ Thanks Ivan. Looking forward to this weekend.

[BobD]

Thought the pads didn`t need to be conditioned if you prime them first...?



Can QD be used to condition? Z6?





Maybe contaminants wasn`t the proper term...



I will try the MF towel method next detail. How do you keep the towel from flying off? is the MF dry?



When I said conditioned I just meant kept clean.

[jmkiang]

^ Ah Ok thanks. I will buy a small brush with stiff bristles and give this a try.

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

^ Ah Ok thanks. I will buy a small brush with stiff bristles and give this a try.



I forgot whether it was Murray`s or Autozone, but they sell that little 3-brush kit... one`s plastic, one metal and one even stiffer metal I think... I`ve been using the plastic one for almost 2 years I think and it works perfectly fine... when you stop by I can show you...



As for this weekend, I`ll only be home for a quick interior on Saturday then an `away` detail Sunday, so we`ll have to re-schedule

[SuperBee364]

Pad pores do get clogged with polish and clear coat. When I`m using a wave foam pad on either the PC or rotary, I just wipe down the face of the pad with an MF after about every other application. When I`m using wool, I use a wool spur after every application of polish.

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

Pad pores do get clogged with polish and clear coat. When I`m using a wave foam pad on either the PC or rotary, I just wipe down the face of the pad with an MF after about every other application. When I`m using wool, I use a wool spur after every application of polish.



Try a brush too Supe, you might just like it haha

[SuperBee364]

I use a brush on flat foam pads, but I use wave foam more often. Kinda hard to use a brush on wave foam. :D

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

I use a brush on flat foam pads, but I use wave foam more often. Kinda hard to use a brush on wave foam. :D



Stop being lazy

[jmkiang]

All I have is the LC CCS pads... I`ll try the brush.



Ivan, thats cool. Just lemme know when I can stop by. I think I got a couple more jobs thru referrals!