After how many times of using a cutting pad will the clearcoat disappear?

[Egoolps]

I'm thinking of buying the Porter Cable 7424, but I'm starting to hesitate.



I was reading about the orange pad, and it says it cuts into the clearcoat. Even though it's minimal, at one point will the entire clearcoat be gone from doing this?

 

[Eliot Ness]

...........I was reading about the orange pad, and it says it cuts into the clearcoat. Even though it's minimal, at one point will the entire clearcoat be gone from doing this?

The orange is a light cutting pad. Technically if you used an aggressive polish/compound often enough I guess you could cut through the clear coat, especially with 4" orange pads. Realistically you'll use the orange pads to initially remove defects, scratches, swirls, etc. from your paint. After that you should develop your washing skills to the point you don't need to use the orange pad very often if at all.

I'm thinking of buying the Porter Cable 7424, but I'm starting to hesitate..............

Don't hesitate unless you're thinking of buying a Flex or G110 instead. A good DA polisher will make your life a lot easier and with just a dab of common sense they are very safe for your paint. Read the following DA guide to get a bit familiar:



http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/images/misc/dapolishing.pdf

 

[Invigor]

you can buzz through the clear on edges and body lines in no time.

 

[JasonC8301]

I believe you will not burn through the clearcoat with a Porter Cable 7424 unless you get a rock stuck in the pad or use an ajax paste as the polish.



Using the PC7424 with a light cut/aggressive polish pad and a light/medium polish on a beater car first can actually let you get a feel for the polisher and what combination of pads/product/technique works for you.



There is more hesitation to use a rotary because heat is what burns/cuts through the paint. The rotary (I use a Makita 9227C) spins in a direct circle which causes more heat build up which leads to paint correction if using the right technique.



A PC7424/7336 on the other hand is a dual action polisher which pretty much spins in a figure eight which doesn't produce as much heat build up as a rotary but more so than hand polishing.

 

[Accumulator]

I believe you will not burn through the clearcoat with a Porter Cable 7424 unless you get a rock stuck in the pad or use an ajax paste as the polish..

Well, unless you're me Cyclo green 4" pad/3M PI-III RC 05933/too much time/pressure/confidence. This was on a *badly* scratched (down to primer) flat area of the MPV that needed repainted anyhow, but I did compromise the clear surrounding the scratch, did it in a rotary-goof-like way. Sure surprised me! Also surprised my painter, who'd assumed I did it with the rotary and was astounded that the PC could do that.



But yeah...a little common sense goes a long way and the above wasn't remotely a normal occurrence.



Egoolps- More likely, you'll find that the PC isn't as aggressive as you'd *like*. That's what usually happens Don't let the above spook you, you *won't* do what I did.



But note that it's not really a matter of cutting *through* the clear; removing more than 0.0003-0.0005" will usually be enough to precipitate failure. So correct it when needed, but then don't mar it again (heh heh, easier said than done). Polishing out scratches/etc. should only be an annual thing at most, if you wash/dry/etc. properly.