Edge2000 DA Pads: A first look

**awd330** · 05-25-2004, 11:30 PM

The UPS man delivered a box to me this afternoon. The box contained the much anticipated Edge2000 DA pads and connectors. At first glance, I noticed that the pads sported a much sleeker design than the prototypes I had seen in photographs. The Edge2000 DA pad is 6â€ in diameter and slightly less than 2â€ thick. The construction quality looked to be very good. The foam is the same type as that featured in the re-designed velcro DA pads (see this thread for more info - Re-designed DA Pad review ).

Below are some photos comparing the original DA pad (white), re-designed DA pad (green), and Edge2000 pad (blue). The front view -

**awd330** · 05-25-2004, 11:31 PM

The Edge2000 pad is a dual-sided design. You can mix and match textures to meet your needs. In the near future, I plan to try a pad with the yellow cutting texture on one side and the green light cut texture on the other side. The pad pictured below had the blue polishing texture on both sides.

The back view -

**awd330** · 05-25-2004, 11:32 PM

The Edge2000 DA has rounded edges which allows for easier transitions over bumps and curves. Furthermore, the interior partition is narrower than the foam by about ¼â€ all around. This means that the edge of the pad can also be used for buffing as long as you donâ€™t press down too hard. This allows the pad to be used in tight areas like â€œAâ€ pillars.

The side view -

**awd330** · 05-25-2004, 11:33 PM

In order to use the Edge2000 system on a Porter Cable Dual Action polisher, one needs to have 2 additional pieces of hardware. First, you need an adapter which converts the smaller PC thread to a larger rotary sized thread. This will allow you to attach the quick connector.

View of parts -

**awd330** · 05-25-2004, 11:33 PM

To firmly attach all the hardware, itâ€™s best to hand tighten the adapter onto the PC then screw the quick connector onto the adapter. Afterwards, attach a pad by centering and firmly pressing the pad down onto the quick connector. There is a satisfying â€œclickâ€ when the pad is correctly mounted. I had no difficulty in determining whether or not the pad was properly attached. At this point, use the wrench supplied with the PC to hold the fitting in place. Then, use your other hand to twist the pad until it is firmly anchored.

View of adaptor and quick connector mounted to the PC -

**awd330** · 05-25-2004, 11:36 PM

Once assembled, the pad sits farther away from the machine than a velcro backed assembly. This, coupled with the higher mass of the Edge2000 pad, seems to result in higher vibration levels at speeds greater than 4.5. However, it may be possible to reduce the vibration by adding more robust counterweights to the PC. This situation is currently being researched.

I had the opportunity to try a blue polishing pad and a white finishing pad this afternoon. I used PwC with the blue pad and EX-P with the white pad. I first misted the pad with distilled water. Then, based upon my experience with the re-designed velcro DA pad, I used about 1/3 less product than usual on the pad. With this process, both combos produced excellent results. No splatters, blotchiness, or uneven application problems were apparent. I was able to successfully use the flat portion on wide areas and the edge in narrow areas. The wider distance between the pad and the PC also allowed the underside of the pad to be used for buffing around mirrors.

Afterwards, it was easy to detach the pads from the quick connector. You simply depress a small button on the end of the quick connector and the pad just lifts off. I recently aggravated an old carpal tunnel injury which greatly reduced my grip strength. However, I was still able to attach and detach the pads with no problems. Seems to be a very nice design.

I handwashed the pads in warm water using Murphy Oil Soap. The residue cleaned up very easily. Since the interior partition is solid and inflexible, the only way to wring out the water is by squeezing the two sides together. To remove even more water, I placed the pad inside a MF towel and squeezed again.

Overall, the new Edge2000 DA pads are a nice design. The pad itself appears to be made of durable foam, and the quick connect system is simply a joy to use. The only things left on my wish list are for a little less vibration at high speeds and the inclusion of a beveled edge design. Then, it would be my perfect pad. In the meantime, I consider it to be one of the best designs available today. Knowing the folks at Dedication to Detail, they will not be content to rest on their laurels. They are probably working hard on ways to improve upon their design so that they will be everyoneâ€™s first choice for pads. At Detail City, weâ€™re fortunate to have a direct way to communicate with Aaron Krause and the people at Dedication to Detail. They answer our questions, listen to our concerns, and look for ways to meet our needs. Thatâ€™s good customer service.

**groebuck** · 05-26-2004, 12:06 PM

Hey AWD - wow are you detailed!! -

did you try drying it via spinning it dry on the PC?

**EBPcivicsi** · 05-26-2004, 12:34 PM

Thanks so much for taking the time to write such an informative review!

**andriver** · 05-26-2004, 01:21 PM

Awd330, great review

. Very definitive and concise.

**jay** · 05-26-2004, 02:00 PM

so will that adapter scrape against the paint if pressed down too hard..

**bigron62** · 05-26-2004, 02:32 PM

nice review ..i ordered the edge 2000 for my rotary from dwayne and ive been waiting at the front door ever since i got off the phone with dwayne .. also i ordered the edge 2000 da for my pc and i cant wait to try it out .. im tired of centering pads all the time ,, i hope i like it ..im commited to it now . anyway i hope to be posting some reviews on the system soon.. gotta run i think i hear the UPS truck ...later

**awd330** · 05-26-2004, 05:24 PM

Originally posted by groebuck
Hey AWD - wow are you detailed!! -

did you try drying it via spinning it dry on the PC?

No, I didn`t try the spin dry method. I`ve always used the hand wring/squeeze method for removing water. However, I noticed that these Edge2000 DA pads seem to take longer to air dry. This is probably due to the additional thickness of the pad. I will give the spin dry method a try next time.

**awd330** · 05-26-2004, 05:28 PM

Originally posted by jay
so will that adapter scrape against the paint if pressed down too hard..

I don`t see how the quick connector could possibly scrape against the paint unless you are using the bulk of your body weight to bear down on the machine. If you tried that, the PC would probably just bog down and stop spinning before the adapter got anywhere near the paint. The end of the quick connector sits well inside the middle of the pad and is held firmly in place.