Polishing with 4" pads???

**Elonheater32** · 12-07-2007, 09:30 AM

I am using a PC on my car and will be using 106ff. I was told that in order to get correction that I must use a 4" pad since the PC capablities are limited. I was looking at the 4" pads and it says SPOT PADS..... I am assuming that you are only supposed to use it on certain spots that are espeically bad.

Should I polish my entire car with the 4" pad if I am trying to remove moderate to very mild swirl marks? Or should I use something larger and apply more pressure? Is it possible if I use a 4" cutting pad and apply pressure that I will cut into the paint too much or is this just not possible with a PC? The paint is Audi so its supposed to be hard.

**Twista616** · 12-07-2007, 10:02 AM

They call them spot pads because they correct really well and they are small in size to correct the "spot". Whoever told you you "MUST" get 4" pads is wrong, I`ve corrected and many other have corrected plently of paint with 5.5 pad or even a 6.5 pad. Granted you chances of correction are greated when you use a smaller pad(creates more heat and many more rotations)

4" pads are very good for clearcoat correction, atleast they are for me and MANY other people on here... If 106ff is the only Menz polish you have, i think a 4" pad will work better than a larger pad. 106ff does an awesome job combinded with IP or SIP, just an FYI.

With that being said, it wouldnt hurt to try a 5.5" Orange pad with 106ff or IP(if you have it) rather than buying the 4" pads. Apply alittle more pressure than usual though. You might get the results you need with that. Many will recommend you have 4" pads in your arsenal though, ideal for paint correction.

All in all, first...use what you have already, if that fails, then buy something that will fix the problem. If someone says "you need this and that, to get good results", don`t jump and buy that product, everyone has their own opinion, find out what works for YOU! Hope it helped!

**Elonheater32** · 12-07-2007, 10:24 AM

Thanks Twista616, that was a big help! How much pressure do you have to apply on the PC when you are using a 4" cutting pad in order to get out the "typical" swirl marks?

**Twista616** · 12-07-2007, 10:30 AM

Thats a good question, I asked the same question when I did my first correction. The rule of thumb or what I was told, if you have a household scale, grab it. Put a pad on your PC typically a 5.5 or 6.5 pad. Press down on the scale as you would like you were putting the PC on a car. The scale should read anywhere from 6-10 pounds of pressure. DO what feels comfortable, 10 pounds maybe alittle too much, but its really what feels go for you.

Now with a 4" pad, you dont need to apply as much pressure as you would for a larger pad, like I explained before, the 4" pad creates friction, which creates heat, which is a key component in correction! If i had to put a number, maybe 3-6 pounds of pressure.

Try it out, let me know how it goes, just dont apply too much pressure where you bog the PC out...then you wont get any correction!

What kind of Audi do your have or are working on?? Just wondering!

Audis!

**cshorey** · 12-07-2007, 10:45 AM

When polishing my car I use 4" pads on my car (white and Green). I do use them to do the whole car.

Twista616 already pointed out how 4" pads increase the the corrective power of the PC. So if you need more "bite" step down in size. But be careful and use common sense it trying to do correction so you don`t have to learn the hard way like me.

chris

**Elonheater32** · 12-07-2007, 01:13 PM

What was the hard way??!!!

I am actually going to be working on my A6. This will be my first Audi and I am looking foward to it!

**Twista616** · 12-07-2007, 01:24 PM

Not sure about cshorey`s hard way, but If a car has really soft paint, a 4" pad with some aggressive polish could easily burn thru the paint...i don`t care how many people say that you can`t harm anything with the PC...very untrue!

Prob wont have to worry with the Audi though...but just be cautious!

**BigJimZ28** · 12-07-2007, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Elonheater32

What was the hard way??!!!

he burnt through the paint:

http://autopia.org/forum/car-detaili...rewing-up.html

**Elonheater32** · 12-07-2007, 01:45 PM

Man... If I burnt through my Audi`s paint... I would just die! I guess I need to go with some 6" pads to be safe.

**cshorey** · 12-07-2007, 02:22 PM

Thanks BigJimZ28. I had done really well on that scratch, and *thought* I will give it one more pass and oops...

I guess keep realistic expectations. I didn`t expected to fix the scratch, but I was pushing my self to the limit, and well I found it. luckily this is a car I don`t care about and don`t plan of fixing this. Unfortunately every time I see my wifes car I see that spot and it bothers me, but she has the learning car. I finished up her car and it came out really nice (well except that spot) and now I am confident enough to handle my wifes car.

Don`t be afraid of 4" pads because of me. I am sure I could have done that with a 6" pad as I fell into the just one more time trap. Otherwise I am liking the 4" pads with 1Z polish.

chris