Mothers Polish/Wax with pads?

Good Afternoon

I am preparing to detail my car for the spring. It`s a Subaru Legacy in Lapis Blue/Dark Blue. It does have Mothers carnauba wax, as part of their 3 step system on it already. I am new to detailing and did everything by hand but it does have minor scratches - the type that straight on, you don`t see but in the sun at an angle, you do see if you specifically look. Now I`m looking to invest in the PC8424XP.

1. I`ve spent a good amount of time on here researching pads. I see charts with the differences between pads, but what is the difference between the wool pads, foam pads, knitted wool pads?

2. What`s the difference between the different foam pad types, i.e. CCS, HDO, Flat, Better Edge, SDO, Hydro-Tech, Cross Cut, Double Sided, Waffle Pro, and Tufted? Whew... lol.

3. Which pad type would be good with the Mother`s products? I have their paste wax

4. Is the PC really much louder/vibrate more then the Griots 9?

5. The car does have a few curves and such, will the pads work for that, or just on flat surfaces?

6. Any other tips/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks everyone

Good morning. All the pads you referenced have specific uses, mostly with a rotary buffer.

For a Porter Cable (and I`m assuming you meant 7424 and not 8424), you can do well with just a few basic pads. I like the CCS pads. You can use an orange for defect removal and black for applying your wax. A more aggressive approach would be a yellow pad for compounding, a white for polishing and then the black for applying your wax. (Note it`s not ideal to use a machine with a paste wax.)

Vibration and noise are similar (to me, at least) between the 7424 and the GG9. Both are nice machines.

Just remember to match your pad to the product being used - compounds/polishes get firmer pads, waxes get softer pads. Apply a small amount of product to the pad and set it on the paint surface, THEN turn it on. Start the machine at a low speed and gradually increase the speed. Let the weight of the machine do the work. Turn the machine off BEFORE lifting it from the surface. I generally work about a 2` x 2` area with compounds and polishes. Work overlapping passes several times, - up and down, then side to side.

It`s fine for curved surfaces, just remember to keep the machine moving.

What product were you going to use with the machine for removing the minor spiderwebbing you see in sunlight? Our 08612 Rubbing Compound and 08712 Finishing Polish used in tandem would do a nice job of making the surface flaw-free.

Good luck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by forrest@mothers

Good morning. All the pads you referenced have specific uses, mostly with a rotary buffer.

For a Porter Cable (and I`m assuming you meant 7424 and not 8424), you can do well with just a few basic pads. I like the CCS pads. You can use an orange for defect removal and black for applying your wax. A more aggressive approach would be a yellow pad for compounding, a white for polishing and then the black for applying your wax. (Note it`s not ideal to use a machine with a paste wax.)

Vibration and noise are similar (to me, at least) between the 7424 and the GG9. Both are nice machines.

Just remember to match your pad to the product being used - compounds/polishes get firmer pads, waxes get softer pads. Apply a small amount of product to the pad and set it on the paint surface, THEN turn it on. Start the machine at a low speed and gradually increase the speed. Let the weight of the machine do the work. Turn the machine off BEFORE lifting it from the surface. I generally work about a 2` x 2` area with compounds and polishes. Work overlapping passes several times, - up and down, then side to side.

It`s fine for curved surfaces, just remember to keep the machine moving.


What product were you going to use with the machine for removing the minor spiderwebbing you see in sunlight? Our 08612 Rubbing Compound and 08712 Finishing Polish used in tandem would do a nice job of making the surface flaw-free.

Good luck.

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Thanks Forrest! Apologizes as I had emailed Jim at Mothers, and did not know that folks from the company monitor this forum. Thanks for the information, I guess I just need to get to work and hope it`ll be fine.

1. What is the difference between the wool pads, foam pads, knitted wool pads?

2. A gentleman on here mentioned that a compound is for only deep scratches, so I was going to hold off on that and try the polish. Which brand and color/type of pads would be good for 08100 California Gold micro glaze and 07100 California Gold Pure Polish? If you think the professional line you mentioned would work better, please feel free to let me know.

Any other suggestions you`d suggest?

Thanks

Just a personal preference note (and the following refers mainly to LC brand/color-coding): I utterly despise the very soft Black Pads and have never had any problems from using something firmer. I am even *more* negatively disposed towards Yellow Cutting Pads and use MF Cutting Disks/Pads when I need something aggressive.

Chas09- While I do have them and *might* use `em again for...I dunno, something...I can`t imagine any situation where you oughta reach for a wool pad of any kind, with the *possible* exception of Foamed Wool Pads, which I only mention because some here like them much better than I do.

I strongly encourage you to stick with Foam and MF pads until/unless you have a very specific reason to try something else. And I mean *FLAT* foam pads with no, uhm...special features (which are *NOT* features IMO, but rather shortcomings).

And I wouldn`t want a(nother) PC brand polisher, even if somebody gave it to me. Wonder if they ever upgraded the "hollow drive stud" thing that can (and has) fracture leaving a jagged steel post spinning millimeters from the paint...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Accumulator

Just a personal preference note (and the following refers mainly to LC brand/color-coding): I utterly despise the very soft Black Pads and have never had any problems from using something firmer. I am even *more* negatively disposed towards Yellow Cutting Pads and use MF Cutting Disks/Pads when I need something aggressive.

Chas09- While I do have them and *might* use `em again for...I dunno, something...I can`t imagine any situation where you oughta reach for a wool pad of any kind, with the *possible* exception of Foamed Wool Pads, which I only mention because some here like them much better than I do.

I strongly encourage you to stick with Foam and MF pads until/unless you have a very specific reason to try something else. And I mean *FLAT* foam pads with no, uhm...special features (which are *NOT* features IMO, but rather shortcomings).

And I wouldn`t want a(nother) PC brand polisher, even if somebody gave it to me. Wonder if they ever upgraded the "hollow drive stud" thing that can (and has) fracture leaving a jagged steel post spinning millimeters from the paint...

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Thanks @Accumulator! As mentioned, I am brand new, and after always having salvaged titles, want to do more for my new car from the dealer. I`ll be getting foam pads. Thanks!

Chas09- Always happy to be of help :D

Hope you enjoy your new car! But ya know...there can be some real bargains in salvage-title cars, just gotta find the (rare?) good specimens that can still be OK.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by forrest@mothers

Good morning. All the pads you referenced have specific uses, mostly with a rotary buffer.

For a Porter Cable (and I`m assuming you meant 7424 and not 8424), you can do well with just a few basic pads. I like the CCS pads. You can use an orange for defect removal and black for applying your wax. A more aggressive approach would be a yellow pad for compounding, a white for polishing and then the black for applying your wax. (Note it`s not ideal to use a machine with a paste wax.)

Vibration and noise are similar (to me, at least) between the 7424 and the GG9. Both are nice machines.

Just remember to match your pad to the product being used - compounds/polishes get firmer pads, waxes get softer pads. Apply a small amount of product to the pad and set it on the paint surface, THEN turn it on. Start the machine at a low speed and gradually increase the speed. Let the weight of the machine do the work. Turn the machine off BEFORE lifting it from the surface. I generally work about a 2` x 2` area with compounds and polishes. Work overlapping passes several times, - up and down, then side to side.

It`s fine for curved surfaces, just remember to keep the machine moving.

What product were you going to use with the machine for removing the minor spiderwebbing you see in sunlight? Our 08612 Rubbing Compound and 08712 Finishing Polish used in tandem would do a nice job of making the surface flaw-free.

Good luck.

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Thanks Forrest. I had posted in the old forum that got merged into this one about something similar, but with a follow up question about the 3M paint film on my car, and can`t find the answer to that question. I have a 3M paint film on my car, on the hood and front end plus the mirrors. Do I avoid using the rubbing compound and/or polish on that part of the paint? If so, is there something else that would do a similar job? The film definitely has some marks/swirl on it from the prior owner and from what would otherwise be paint chipping, and I`m not sure if there`s anything I could do that would make it look better. I realize the paint underneath has been spared the abuse but it`ll bother me to do all this work to the car and not be able to make the areas with 3M look any better!

You can use a polish on the paint protection film without issue. Just be careful with the machine along the edges of the film so it doesn`t lift. After polishing you can apply a wax or coating to the film.

Thank you Forrest. That also goes for the rubbing compound (step 1), or just the polish?

Film is soft and usually doesn’t require such an aggressive product. Try the polish first to see if that doesn’t address the problem.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by forrest@mothers

Film is soft and usually doesn’t require such an aggressive product...

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Yes indeed, and IME if you overcorrrect PPF (even the OEM stuff) it loses its UV-resistance and yellows/cracks more readily...IMO, it`s one of those things where it pays to pick your battles and settle for "a little better" in some cases.

So this is annoying... I had bought two types of pads for my Griot`s Garage GC6 orbital buffer. I get all prepared for a morning of detailing and I can`t find the pads anywhere downstairs in the basement. We have done an addition and some other work, and they probably got lost somewhere.

Forrest, I believe on the old mother`s forum you had helped me choose the correct pads for this buffer, I ended up with two types one for the compound and one for the polish. Can you remind me what those were and about how many I would need for an e-class for each step?

I plan to use a synthetic wax by hand after I`m done with those first two steps.

In Lake Country colors, 2 pads for compound and polish would likely be orange for defect removal and white for polishing. This assumes you’re going to apply the wax by hand as you mentioned.

Alternatively you could use yellow for defect removal and white for polishing. Yellow will work a little faster, but orange is a great all-around pad. You may not even need the white pad if you use orange.

For an e-class sized sedan, I’d want 2 or 3 of each color.

Thanks Forrest - again!

I`m good on pads, but I`m realizing the towels I use to apply wax are getting up there in age, as are my "all purpose" microfiber towels I use for things like applying tire black, or ones I use for particularl dirty jobs like giving the alloy wheels a good scrub when washing the car (which of course I don`t then go and use on the paint). What would you recommend for each?

I guess I do have one more question on pads - I can get Lake Country "regular" (flat) or "CCS" pads in the orange & white you mentioned. Any reason why I wouldn`t go for the CCS pads?

I had CCS pads a while back and didn`t care for them. IIRC the dimples would build up with polish and it was harder to clean them in between passes.

I prefer flat pads.