4" pads versus 6"

R

runnerbl

New member
Does anyone here prefer to use the 4 inch pads versus the 6 or 7 1/2 inch pads. From what I have been reading the 4 inch pads do better work faster. Sure you are not covering as much area but it seems that you won't havta repeat an area as much if you use the 4 inch. I know 4 inch is mainly for spot buffing but what about using it for a whole detail...Kinda like the cyclo (even though they have 2 pads)



Thanks
 
I got some 4" pads from Patrick..nice pads by the way...



I find the 4's do better at paint correction.,,,seems like the PC does not bog down..and the products seem to work better...



I did my whole truck with 4's and seen no time difference from using larger pads...the 4's seem to work faster so no extras passes like when you 6-7's...



another plus was that the 4" pads prime faster..and seems like you use less product as a little goes a long ways...



I like the 4's..seem like they make a real work horse out of a PC...



AL
 
Thanks for the replies....I have been wondering if that is why the cyclo is gaining popularity because it seems to be doing more correction than the pc but not as much as a rotary...
 
I use 4" pads on my convertible because it has a lot of tight spaces and a lot of curves that make it hard to use larger pads.



I've been using them ever since whenver extra power is needed. The PC runs more smoothly and you can apply more pressure before the machine bogs down. It definitely creates more heat than with the larger pads.
 
velobard said:
Gaining popularity??? You talk like it's something new on the market. :chuckle:
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I am talking about the long time users of the pc and rotary have decided to pick up the cyclo...I think I am smart enough to know it's not new on the market....duh...always a smart$%$ everywhere you go.
 
imacrnut- heh heh, right before I saw your post I was thinking "ah, they already covered anything I'd have to say" :D



So...what they said.



FWIW, I've never damaged a clearcoat with a Cyclo, but I *have* damaged clear with a PC/4" combo. Yeah, I was being dumb, but not *that* dumb.
 
I'm going to have to pull out my 4" pad on the PC this weekend to see how well I can take care of a scrape on the fender after a tree limb bounced off it during the storms that hit St Louis on Wednesday evening. Wish I had a paint thickness gauge, I'll do as much as I feel safe (which is just a pure guess for me) and hit it with a couple layers of Swirlbuster polish.
 
Accumulator, would you be able to go into more detail about how you damaged the clear with PC/4" combo. The reason I ask is I'll be using 4inch pads tomorrow for the first time, thanks.
 
Sure- Here's what *NOT* do do on *your* vehicle :D



I had a deep (to-the-primer deep) scratch on the MPV, knew it was gonna have to get spotted in by my painter anyhow. Decided to round its edges a bit so it wouldn't be *quite* as awful-looking. (Should've left it alone or used touch-up paint.)



Used the PC with a Cyclo green pad and 3M PI-III RC 05933 (fairly mild combo that I've used on that vehicle many times without problems). Speed 6.



I concentrated my efforts on the area of the scratch and applied significant pressure. OK, it worked, things looked better (relatively speaking). Decided to do it some more. What could go wrong...you can't hurt paint with a PC and mild products, right? I angled the PC so I was working with a limited area of the pad (uh-oh, bad idea), left the PC pretty much in one spot (oh-oh, bad idea#2), and leaned on it pretty well, but not excessively (well, it didn't *seem* excessive at the time but still, another bad idea). Can't say for sure how long I held it there but it wasn't a full minute or anything goofy like that. Still...OOPS! :eek: should've left well enough alone :o It clouded the clear like a rotary burn and nothing will improve it :( Yeah, it was hot to the touch, more so than I'd expected, but it didn't seem all *that* hot :nixweiss



Lesson is to not apply a lot of pressure on a small, concentrated area when running the 4" pads at speed 6. I don't *think* anybody's likely to do this, but people do funny things and I'm not the least prudent person in the world, so if *I* did it, well.....Guess the *real* lesson is to avoid thinking that a lot of experience can substitute for giving a job sufficient thought.



Noting that I've never posted a pic :o I plan to take a photo before I get it repainted so I can show what *can* happen if you get too careless with the PC/4" combo.
 
Cyclo makes good pads, but personally I use Lake County's for all of my Cyclo/4" work. I hear Propel makes a good set too, I have not had a chance to try them but I have been disappointed with Propel's offerings in the past. You can't go wrong with LC, IMHO.
 
Lake County 4" pads are great. I bought mine from detailersparadise.com...



Their 4" black finishing seems softer than a 4" I purchased from autogeek.
 
So is there really ANY reason to NOT do entire vehicle's w/ 4" pads? Sounds like you can't go wrong really. 4" pads are 2-for-1 or better price-wise compared to 6.5" pads. I just ordered my first set of 4" pads... LC - 1 yellow, 2 orange, 1 white, 1 grey. If I can do whole cars w/ the 4" pads always... I'll just keep ordering those and never get the 6.5" pads again! Why is that a bad idea?
 
drew.haynes said:
So is there really ANY reason to NOT do entire vehicle's w/ 4" pads? Sounds like you can't go wrong really. 4" pads are 2-for-1 or better price-wise compared to 6.5" pads. I just ordered my first set of 4" pads... LC - 1 yellow, 2 orange, 1 white, 1 grey. If I can do whole cars w/ the 4" pads always... I'll just keep ordering those and never get the 6.5" pads again! Why is that a bad idea?
Click to expand...



I have also been trying to come up with possible reasons, as I haven't used my 6" in a couple years, even on my sedans.



The drawbacks seem to be time and possibly less consistency. To exaggerate, it's like using a toothbrush to clean your floor, so you have to put more effort to make sure each pass overlaps evenly and to control the machine.



Can't think of any other reasons though...
 
A little off topic, but would the 4 inch pads that came with my Polishin' Pal be suitable to use as spot pads? I bought the thing and have never used it, so I thought maybe I'd just have to buy the 3.5" backing plate. (probably a self-explanatory question, but it never hurts to ask)
 
natebood- I don't see why not. If something's OK by hand it's usually OK by PC and that oughta include pads. I suppose too much pressure might compromise the velcro if they're especially fragile, but that's all I can think of...
 
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