Wool cutting pad with PC?

[imported_FLAWLESS]

I recently got a wool cutting pad that screws right into my PC. The guy at the pro body supply shop said it would work well to remove water spots with a fine cut cleaner he sold me by Malco. What do you guys think of this? Is the wool pad OK to use with the PC? What`s the recommended technique?

[imported_Intel486]

It is a twisted type wool or the fine wool like CMA`s wool pad?



A wool pad is fine to use but remember it will remove paint faster and it will also probably cause swirls.

[imported_FLAWLESS]

Yes it`s twisted wool threads, looks like thick yarn.



Also...(why start a new post>>> My PC doesn`t really SPIN like a rotary would. It just sorta vibrates and moves around a little. I thought it would spin and orbit? Once I shut it off, it stops orbiting and then spins down like a rotary. Is it working correctly?



But please don`t forget my first question too! :)

[99323ic]

Flawless - It sounds like you have what we generically call a PC or RO. The PC stands for Porter-Cable and RO is for Random Orbital. There are other manufacturers out there, but we use the generic term PC for what you describe. The other device is a Direct Driver Polisher or Rotary. These are really for the professionals and take a fair amount of practice to be safe.



As far as using the wool pad...I really could not recommend it unless you are very comfortable using a PC or straight rotary. You can cut through the paint very quickly.



My suggestion would be to use 3M SMR (Swirl Mark Remover) or 3M FI-II (Finesse-It II) or similar. The SMR is the least abrasive of the two and you`d want to start there. If you need something stronger, then try the FI-II.



Frankly, I think the SMR and a medium cutting pad (CMA`s is yellow) would work fine.



Good Luck !

[imported_JeffBruce]

From an article i read...You should start with least abbrasive (cutting pad) and go from there..



The first breakdown is between wool and foam pads. In general, wool pads are considered "cutting" in nature. That is, the fibers of the wool pad "cut" into the paint, removing top layers of paint much more rapidly than foam pads, which do a relatively small amount of cutting but instead rely on greater heat build-up to do their work.



There are several types of wool pads. The four-ply yarn cutting pad (white wool) is perhaps the most aggressive of the lot. It is not recommended on newer clear coat finishes. The blended pad, which combines both natural and synthetic fibers, is best for cutting newer clear coats. Then there is the "finishing" wool pad, which can be composed of genuine lambs wool or a combination of lambs wool and polyester (synthetic) fiber. The genuine lambs wool, although more expensive, is recommended over synthetic because it contains lanolin, which is a natural oil that helps to lubricate the buffing process and keep the pad soft. This reduces the amount of micro-scratching left behind by the pad, especially on darker paints.



To clean wool pads, use a device known as a spur, available from your favorite detail supplier. To remove chemical build-up as well as the contaminants that are being picked up by the pad while it works over the paint surface, spur the pad often during use. When you are finished with the pad, remove it, set it down, face up, and allow it to dry over night. Never apply any kind of heat to dry a wool pad. The next day, virtually all of the dried chemical residue will come off with by using the spur. To use the spur, lay the back of the buffer on one knee, turn it on, and run the spur back-and-forth along a horizontal line on the side of the pad that is spinning toward the ground. Make sure the cord is out of the way of the pad so that it does not catch in the spinning wheel. Wool pads should never be washed or force-dried. This will break down the pad and remove natural oils, which can cause swirl problems down the line. It will also shrink the pad. If the paint damage is severe, a wool pad may be good for only that one job. But most will last for several jobs. Don`t make the mistake of trying to save money by stretching the life of a pad--if an over-worked pad causes damage that you have to repair, you have just lost all the money you tried to save by trying to extend the life of the pad.

[buldog]

Thanks Jeff - Good explanation of wool pads. Will sock that away for future ref.

[BradE]

Well if it`s a white wool 4 ply twisted pad then don`t use it at all. Otherwise the major concern I would have is not removing too much clear (would be pretty hard to do with a PC) but I would be concerned with putting swirls in the finish that the PC won`t be strong enough to remove.



When using wool pads 100% Lambswool is by far the best choice, yarn style pads are agressive and intended for cutting.

[imported_FLAWLESS]

Excellent...thanks for all the replies everyone. This is why I come here!



I do have the PC 7336.



I`ll stick with the foam pads and a more aggressive product instead of the wool.

Do you think Meguiar`s Clear Coat Prep and Swirl Reducer or Meguiars Scratch-X is too weak? Would I be better off with 3M SMR or FI-II?