Game Changing Performance: CarPro Denim Orange Peel Pad Review

[Todd@RUPES]

Orange Peel:

-The bumpy protective skin of a citrus fruit

-The often loathed bumpy texture of paint that reduces gloss and disputes light

Orange Peel, in this discussion, refers to the latter. It is the bumpy texture common to most factory and refinished paints. Orange Peel can begin in any of the paint`s layers (primer/base coat/clear coat) but it is the final layer (often clear coat) that will determine how light reflects. If the surface of the paint system is smooth the paint will reflect light evenly.



Old Idea, New Method

Imagine a cross section of paint like the earth`s terrain. Orange Peel would represent rolling hills. In order to remove Orange Peel you would have to effectively reduce the height of the hills. If create perfectly a perfectly smooth surface you would need to lower the hills down to the lowest base and then level the surface like a plateau.

Typically Orange Peel is removed (or reduced) by using a coarse grade of sandpaper wrapped around a firm sanding block. This block is necessary to focus the action of the paper on just the peaks (high spots) of the Orange Peel. The firmer the sanding block -the more the action is focused- the more level the surface will become.

After sanding with a coarse grade of paper the surface is flat but heavily scratched. This often requires an additional step (or more) of sanding followed by an aggressive machine polishing known as "cutting" or "compounding" to remove the sanding marks and restore gloss to the paint. After cutting the paint several more steps of polishing are often requires to remove the subsequent finer and finer polishing scratches until the paint is smooth.

CarPro`s new Orange Peel Removing Pads are designed to level orange peel while eliminating the need for multiple sanding steps and "cutting/compounding". The firm design of the pad and the careful selection material (a unique denim and corduroy velvet) allow the pads to plane surface, focusing on the peaks of the Orange Peel, and create (more) level paint.


The Subject

Do they work? That is what I aimed to find out. My Mazdaspeed3 was in accident and entire driver`s side (front fender to rear bumper) was repainted. As typical of many bodyshop`s the paint had heavy Orange Peel (much heavier than then Orange Peel found on the factory OEM paint). Given that my car has both factory/OEM paint and thicker, more heavily textured aftermarket paint, I have the perfect subject to test out both of CarPro`s Orange Peel Removal Pads. This review will focus on the Denim version of the pad.


CarPro Orange Peel Removal Pads

CarPro Orange Peel Removal Pads are available with two different material configurations:

Denim: The Demin pads use a unique, coarse grade demin that is aggressive and offers maximum leveling power. This pad is designed to remove heavy orange peel from resprayed (thick) paint systems.






Velvet: The Velvet pads use a roped corduroy velvet that is milder in action when compared to the Denim pads. This pad is design to reduce orange peel on factory/OEM (thin) paint systems.






Both pads measure 5.3 inches in diameter and are extremely thin/firm. They feature a full length hook-n-loop backing material that attaches to any 5 inch or smaller rotary backing plate.



To use the CarPro Orange Peel Removal Pad you will need a polishing compound, rotary polisher, and a backing plate.

For this test I used a FLEX PE14 Rotary Polisher with a Lake Country 4.75 Inch Rotary Backing plate. I tested the CarPro Denim Pad with Menzerna FG400, CarPro Fixer and Meguair`s M105 Ultra Cut Compound.

Choosing a backing plate- There are several styles of backing plates available. I elected to go with the Lake Country 4.75 inch because it is the firmest one we offer which will increase the leveling action of the pad (necessary to remove orange peel). I did test it with the FLEX FOAM HD backing pad and found that while the cut was impressive, the leveling action (necessary to remove Orange Peel) was GREATLY reduced.






Getting Started

The driver`s side of my Velocity Red Mazdaspeed 3 was involved in an accident. This required the entire driver`s side to be repainted. The body shop did an excellent job in matching the multi-stage paint system but the amount of surface texture -Orange Peel- was unacceptable. Below are some pictures of the heavy texture, some of which you could feel by hand.






The dulled reflections on an old Ford Falcon in the background...








The next step was to chart the thickness of the paint so I could accurately measure how much paint (clear coat) was removed after each application. First up... The factory side:




As the above picture shows, Mazda`s have a notoriously thin paint system from the factory. The pictures below show measurements from the repainted side, which varied in thickness from 4.1 mils all the way to 7 mils, although most readings were around 6.5.








Before polishing with the CarPro Demin Orange Peel Removal Pad you want to make sure your paint is perfectly clean. I used BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Waterless Wash and several Supreme 530 Microfiber towels in order to clean the paint. Because of the aggressive leveling action of this tool you will want to make sure your textured and soft trim is taped off. I used Meguiars Automotive Masking Tape to tape off the window seals.




Priming The Pad and Selecting A Polish

Before skipping to the results and techniques, which is what we are anxiously waiting for, let me move forward and look back in retrospect.

CarPro recommends using their Fixer Polisher with the Orange Peel Removal Pads, and it works great. Being that I work for Autopia and have a huge selection of products at my disposal I wanted to team this system up with other polishes to get a feel of how they perform.

CarPro Fixer: Fixer worked well. The thin formula provided plenty of lubrication and a quick cut. The finish left behind by Fixer was considerably more scoured then the other polishes and the cutting speed was the weakest.

Meguiar`s M105: When used with Meguiar`s M105, the Demin Pads performed flawlessly and delivered the fastest cutting/leveling action. The dry nature of this product meant that the pad caked quickly and would start skipping if over worked.

Menzerna FG400: Menzerna FG400 delivered the smoothest polishing action and highest quality finish. It was the second most aggressive in terms of leveling ability and speed (behind M105) but delivered the best finish.

My Pick: For this test I found Menzerna FG400 to be my favorite. Although slightly less aggressive then M105 it dusted much less and keep the working surface clean. I suspect that removing Orange Peel from paint is no different then polishing the paint- in the sense that certain products are simply going to work better on certain paint systems. In the case of my repainted panels, Menzerna was the clear winner.

The Demin Pad`s are non absorbent so very little product goes a long way. I found that using 5 dime sized dots for the first application and 3 dime sized dots subsequently provided the best results.




The Technique

You should be very comfortable using a rotary polisher and have knowledge of paint removal before getting started. If you are using to polishing with soft wool/foam pads and a cushioned backing plate you should start slowly to get used to the much more direct (sensitive) steering this system will give you.

I did a lot of research prior to using this system, watched videos and read articles. Most recommendations called for light pressure and low speed. After some experimenting I found, that on my paint system, higher speeds (1400-1500 rpm) and not pressure delivered the best results.

• Work a small section, about 2 ft x 2 ft square (or 4 square feet in various shapes depending on the shape of the panel). Increasing the working size had a dramatic effect on the amount of orange peel removed.
  
• Spread the polish over the working section at a slow speed. Thankfully the FLEX PE spins down to 600 RPM (less when the trigger is slightly depressed) so I could get a nice even coverage on the working area.
  
• Increase to your working speed (in my case 1400-1500 RPM). Use medium arm speed to avoid over heating the paint and work back and forth until the orange peel is removed or the product begins to dry.
  
• Adjust the amount of pressure you are using until you find The Sweet Spot. The sweet spot is when you are leveling just the Orange Peel, which creates a visible pattern in the polish residue. It almost looks like the peaks of the Orange Peel are becoming dull with polish.
  
• Remove residue with a soft microfiber towel.
  
• Clean The Pad after each section with a soft nylon brush or compressed air. When the pad becomes caked with residue, wash it, and set aside to allow to dry.

[Todd@RUPES]

The Sweet Spot

As you are polishing, adjust the pressure you are using in order to find the sweet spot. The sweet spot will cast a pattern in the the polish residue that appears that the orange peel is being sanded away. Using too little pressure or too much pressure would reduce the leveling effect. I found that when I was able to maintain the sweet spot I would get a maximum reduction in Orange Peel.








The Results - Preview

Let me preface the following by stating that I did not expect these pads to work as well as they did. While, hypothetically, I could understand how they would work the results left my jaw on the floor.

Here is the paint before



And immediately after



I`m going to steer the discussion back into the how to area but I thought this would make a nice interlude. Plenty more before and after pictures will be at the end of this review and tutorial.


Pad Cleaning

The very act of removing Orange Peel requires that a large (relative) amount of clear coat/paint is being removed during each application. This amount of material removal means that the pad is going to quickly load with spent paint residue which will have a negative impact on performance.

Below is a picture of the pad after being completely caked with residue.




While it was difficult to capture in pictures, there is an actual sheen to the pad, likely due to the large amount of clear coat in the caked on residues.




Frequently cleaning the pad (using a nylon brush or compressed air) after each application will lengthen the usefulness of Demin Orange Peel Removal Pad. After some time it will become necessary to wash the pad to remove excess residue. Because the pads are constructed of Denim I am sure a number of wash techniques, including machine washing, will work.

I lightly misted BLACKFIRE Advanced Pad Cleaner on the face of the pad (it helps if you soak the pad in a bucket of water first).




Then, using a nylon Pad Reconditioning Brush, lightly agitated the pad in the direction of the denim.




Finally I rinsed the pad in a bucket of water.




Note: Because Demin will absorb water the pad will stay wet even if you "spin" it dry. Because of this you should plan on having 4 or more pads if you are leveling an entire car.


Be Careful of Edges

The edges of the Demin and Velvet Orange Peel Removal Pads are sharp and will cut into paint. I would strongly recommend taping up edges (including body lines that are perfectly even) to avoid damaging near-by objects. In this picture I am using my foot to prop open the order while Meguiar`s tape protects the door handle.




Finishing Results

The aggressive nature of machine polishing paint leveling is going to leave some swirl marks or "buffer marks" in the paint system. While these marks were definitely visible, I was/am impressed by the quality and shine of the finish. It was similar, perhaps even slightly better, then using the same polish on a wool compounding pad.

Holograms visible in the light of a Brinkmann Swirl Finder.






The area of the door polished with CarPro Fixer had the highest amount of visible paint marks/holograms.

[Todd@RUPES]

The Finishing Touches

Compared to the untouched passenger door, the surface had considerably less buffer swirls then the finish left behind by the bodyshop. Of course that isn`t good enough for us, I wanted to create a swirl free, flawless finish.

I found this easy to do using Sonax`s Profiline Polishes. First Fine Abrasive Paste was used on an orange pad (still using the FLEX PE rotary polisher) and this was followed with Sonax Profiline Nano Polish. The result was a hologram free finish in two easy steps.

The light is on the after side, the unfinished side is to the right.




50/50






Measuring the paint in various spots saw between a .1 mil and .3 mil removal (after polishing). This may not sound like much (some areas had heavy peel that required two applications) but I would recommend that everybody proceed with caution.




Final Results In Pictures


Back of the door compared to the front of the passenger door...








Compared to the un-polished front fender...




The sharpness of the reflections (you can see the refectled car become blurry in the passenger door.






Outside you can see the sharpness of the leveled paint compared to the blurred image (look at the building) in the back door.




Blurry...




A clear difference in accurate reflections....




I love when you can clearly see the texture of concrete in the reflections...




Driver`s side door (leveled) on the right vs. the un-leveled passenger door.






Conclusion:

The CarPro Denim Pads open up a new chapter in what a machine polisher is capable of doing. This is one of the few times in my detailing career (perhaps the only other time was after using Meguiar`s M105) that I have been blown away and had a full paradigm shift in how I view paint correction.

To learn more about the products used please visit the CarPro page at Autopia by clicking HERE

Soon I will test the CarPro Velvet Orange Peel Removal pads on the factory applied paint (passenger side) and make another full report.

[Todd@RUPES]

Please post any comments or questions below. I will be adding a video that shows the difference soon and will post when completed.

[Orinda Auto Detail]

Awesome review Todd! One question? Were you using water when you were leveling with it? I using M105 and I couldnt get it to not jump around with out water(velet pad that is)

[ca.detailchick]

Very impressive!

How many passes did it take to remove the peel?

Whats faster ,wet sanding then compounding or the using the orange peel pad?

[Concours.John]

Truly interesting Todd. I think people
Need to realize a little experience can go a long way. Great product but anyone should be aware this is truly removing material at a rapid rate. Proceed with caution. I myself like what I see.

[Old Pirate]

I wonder if I cut hole`s in my wife jeans and make my own, that they would work? Need to get a set and see for myself on how fast they cut. Also is that your Speed 3?

[Todd@RUPES]

Awesome review Todd! One question? Were you using water when you were leveling with it? I using M105 and I couldnt get it to not jump around with out water(velet pad that is)

No. One of the reasons I preferred Menzerna FG400 to the other polishes in the article was because of the smooth buffing action.

Very impressive!

How many passes did it take to remove the peel?

Whats faster ,wet sanding then compounding or the using the orange peel pad?

It took two applications (series of passes over a working area) to get the results in the pictures.

The polishing was much faster, mainly because it eliminates the sanding steps and the subsequent compounding steps, plus if you get a tracer or a pig tail with sanding forget it.

Traditional

Sand with 1500
Sand with 2000-3000
Compound
Polish
Final Polish


New Way

Compound and Removal Orange Peel at the same time
Polish
Final Polish

Truly interesting Todd. I think people
Need to realize a little experience can go a long way. Great product but anyone should be aware this is truly removing material at a rapid rate. Proceed with caution. I myself like what I see.

Yes, I would NOT recommend these pads to a newbie or the weekend guy who has some experience with a rotary. Also, soft pads and soft backing plates make controlling a rotary easy/ when you switch to a low profile backing plate and a pad with no give it is much more difficult to steer it, particularly on compound/curved body panels.

I wonder if I cut hole`s in my wife jeans and make my own, that they would work? Need to get a set and see for myself on how fast they cut. Also is that your Speed 3?

Yes that is my Speed3. No your wife`s denim will not work.

[daveinsweethome]

your repair shop is terrible. that is the worst repaint ever. beyond orange peel onto grapefruit peel. was it brushed on or what? wow, wonderful write up and results thank you

[Concours.John]

What would you say the heat comparison would be on these pads.
I`m assuming they might run a little hotter. Understanding speed, pressure, working times can affect this. Just wondering if typical technique will keep it down or did you find one polish over the other made that drastic of a difference.

I`m just curious as regarding to composite body panels which tend to isolate and not transfer heat as well especially woven composites.

[Orinda Auto Detail]

your repair shop is terrible. that is the worst repaint ever. beyond orange peel onto grapefruit peel. was it brushed on or what? wow, wonderful write up and results thank you

If I had to guess Todd told them not to wet sand and polish it after painting

[ca.detailchick]

I wonder if I cut hole`s in my wife jeans and make my own, that they would work? Need to get a set and see for myself on how fast they cut. Also is that your Speed 3?

Go ahead and try it!Be sure to give us the results !

You like sleeping on the couch right?!

[Todd@RUPES]

your repair shop is terrible. that is the worst repaint ever. beyond orange peel onto grapefruit peel. was it brushed on or what? wow, wonderful write up and results thank you

LOL. Factory paint on Mazda`s have quite a bit of peel. I guess they were just trying to "match it".

What would you say the heat comparison would be on these pads.
I`m assuming they might run a little hotter. Understanding speed, pressure, working times can affect this. Just wondering if typical technique will keep it down or did you find one polish over the other made that drastic of a difference.

I`m just curious as regarding to composite body panels which tend to isolate and not transfer heat as well especially woven composites.

I did measure the temperature of the panels during polishing but didn`t take pictures. Starting panel temp was around 80 degrees. After polishing they would get up to about 130-140 degrees, which is pretty warm. The polish used didn`t make too much of a difference.

If I had to guess Todd told them not to wet sand and polish it after painting

They actually tried to fix it twice.... lol.

Go ahead and try it!Be sure to give us the results !

You like sleeping on the couch right?!

lol

[Old Pirate]

Go ahead and try it!Be sure to give us the results !

You like sleeping on the couch right?!

She saw what I was going to do and told me it`s my butt getting cold. She was saying she was going to cut hole`s on all my Levi`s.