Hand applicators

[jeffswed]

Brand new to detailing but not new to running different types of electric or hand tools. I am working on a 2009 toyota tacoma, white with single stage paint. I am using a Torqx with 5.5" orange lake country pad. I am compounding first and I am getting the result that I want. I Will then polish, then seal then wax. My question is how do I get into the tight spots with the liquids(compound, polish, etc.). I did order a 3" backing plate and pads but there are still areas that are too tight with either pad. I wanted your opinion on the Lake Country EZ Grip hydrotech hand applicator. The store has them but thought I would ask you gentlemen and ladies for your opinion first before I ordered them.

[Stokdgs]

Welcome to the Forum, Jeffswed -

Hope you have lots of pads of each type to accomplish the work.

Have used Lake Country pads and backing plates for almost 20 years, and they work great..

The Hydro-Tech line, I renamed Hydro-Shreds, when they first came out, have proven to me to deliver outstanding correction, and finish down sometimes almost LSP ready.. I speak of the Cyan and Tangerine colors, and I use Rotary Power.

The hardest place to reach for me is the area under the door handles called the door cup. For this area, I have some white, cotton, soft towels that I use with 1 or 2 fingers and some compound to clean up that area just fine..

You do not want to try to clean up under there with a machine, because the -edge- of that door cup will not have as much paint on it (because it IS an edge), and it is possible to take too much paint off that edge..

Sometimes, I have cut up a used, foam pad to the shape I need as well..

They do make backing plates and pads down to 1 inch now, so perhaps, that may be an option..

The small, soft, white, cotton towel is for me, the easiest solution, for most small areas.. If you can get 1 finger in that spot with the towel, then, you should be good to go..

For smaller places yet, like the areas between letters, etc., a Q-tip -carefully- used can sometimes help, but you have to watch out because they -can- scratch, be rough, and create more work.. I try to keep the Q-tip very moist with the product..

Be innovative, think about it, and try to clean the area so it matches as best, the rest of the panel..

Good luck with this !
DanF

[Accumulator]

jeffswed- Welcome to Autopia!

Like Stokdgs, I get into the tightest spots with a towel or swab. The towel is often backed with/wrapped around a piece of wood, basically making it a "pretty big swab". I`ll also sometimes use bits of a machine pad that I`ve cut up, but not all that often.

Cotton cuts better than MF, hence Stokdgs` recommendation. I myself generally (i.e., virtually always) follow that up with a little work with a MF before switching to my milder product, but that`s situational- see what you think is called for.

Some ss white can be pretty hard, but today`s products make for relatively quick work. No more "all afternoon without stopping" just to do behind the door handles

I would`ve thought that the LC EZ Applicator is so big that you might as well just use the 3" pad. By the time I switch to the by-hand approach, I`m only dealing with spots so tight there`s just no way to get the 3" pad to do them. Perhaps I`m missing something, but the LC EZ looks like something for different jobs than what we`re discussing. (By all means school me if I *am* missing something, wouldn`t be the first time!)

[EdLancer]

Good old fashioned Meguiar`s W0004 foam applicator pads is what I use. One pad lasts for years if properly cared for.

[Accumulator]

Good old fashioned Meguiar`s W0004 foam applicator pads is what I use. One pad lasts for years if properly cared for.

While I don`t think I`ve ever used a W0004, I`ll sure agree about foam applicator pads lasting indefinitely! As long as I don`t leave `em in the tin of LSP..some of those have solvents/etc. that degrade the foam (I suppose no other Autopian would do such a thing ).