Cutting pads: Do you prefer flat or VC?

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White95Max

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I have an orange Variable-Contact light-cut pad, but I think I would prefer a flat pad, where the entire pad is always contacting the surface.

Do you prefer a flat pad or concave (VC) pad?

Where can I get a flat cutting pad?

Is the Meg's 7006 cutting pad flat?
 
If we are talking *cutting* pad only (moderate to high abrasives), I like the Advanced Lake Country Pads from TOL (yellow only), since they don't get caked quickly at all vs. the flat pads that cake very quickly with a thick product like 3M RC. I prefer flat pads for everything else, and I use Sonus pads for that. I just saw recently that Propel has an orange pad like Sonus, but also has an additional yellow cutting pad which should be just like the yellow LC pad that I like so much, just flat.
 
same as L33, you can get the flat LC pads from detailers paradise. The concave ones are good too on the pc. The megs pads are flat too but i dont like their cutting pad i perfer the LC cutting(orange) or the Edge green pad.
 
If you go with the Edge pads you have two options.



1. The Edge 2000 Double-Sided Durafoam Buffing Pads For DA Polishers (Quick-Connect) with DA Quick-Connect Adapter sold separately.



or



2. The Edge Durafoam Buffing Pads For DA Polishers (Hook & Loop Connection) with 5" velcro backing plate.





www.detailersparadise.com



With Aloha,

Ranney :)
 
TW85 HHI said:
I've been looking at the Edge 2000 pads. How does the quick-connect work without the risk of scratching paint?
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Edge 2000 pads use duraoam, which feels a bit stiffer

than their classic foam. The disk in the 2000 pads sits

in the middle of the pads, and are disigned to be very

durable and not let the quick connect section come

through. If you are familiar with sockets and ratchets,

this works in a similar fashion.



Incidentally, I have been using both the classic and

2000 pads for some time now. But now that I use the

D/A size pads more often, I just stick with them: use the

pad on the rotary, then switch over to the d/a if I need

a little more finese.
 
White95Max said:
Do you prefer a flat pad or concave (VC) pad?
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I prefer both! :D



For most surfaces flat works better. But if you're doing a classic/vintage type (or even a contemporary) car with lots of curves and cowls, a flat pad will drive you nuts. It lifts too much resulting in polish sling and dusting. Also at high speed it will stop spining too easily reducing its cutting effectiveness.



For our detailing business I keep both types, especially for cutting, and tailor their use to the vehicle.



Where can I get a flat cutting pad?

Is the Meg's 7006 cutting pad flat?
Click to expand...



You might find this pad too aggressive with a PC. Both Megs and those who've used it (including myself) say its only for rotary use. Using it can dull down the surface to an extreme, making it hard to recover.



Go for the medium-light cutting pads, as you're doing.
 
White95Max said:


Do you prefer a flat pad or concave (VC) pad?
Click to expand...



Man I hate concave pads. I never feel I'm getting even distribution and find myself pressing down too hard to get that. The concept of it is good if you're using a rotary which produces alot of splatter. But for me, using a PC, there is not much splatter to control therefore a flat pad where I know I'm getting full contact works well for me.



I have the orange Sonus pad and that thing is serious - it is an aggressive pad that will leave some micromarring (I used it with 3M FCRC). But its quickly cleaned up with a white polishing pad and some 3M PI III MG. A great two step polishing process!!
 
I really prefer Meg's pads for my rotary and PC, I have started to use the 6" on both and find them easier to work with.
 
I've been using only LC VC pads and want to try switching over to flat, at least for my cutting. Top of the Line has flat LC orange cutting pads that I plan on trying in the spring. TOL has some of the lowest prices I've seen for pads.
 
I prefer flat pads. I have some VC pads and they do fine, but I guess Iâ€â„¢ve been using flat ones for so long thatâ€â„¢s what I feel more comfortable using. Iâ€â„¢ve got a lot of Megâ€â„¢s pads that I like, LC pads that I like, and most recently some propel pads from Patrick that I like (especially $$$$ wise).



Anyone looking for some 6.5â€Â� LC pads should check out the Autopia Garage sale (I believe the orange and grey are VC and the white is flat):



http://www.autopia-carcare.com/garagesale.html



Otherwise if you like flat pads check out the Propel pads:



http://www.prestostore.com/cgi-bin/store.pl?ref=exceldetail&ct=29307
 
The Propel pricing is very sharp!



Does anyone know who manufactures their pads, and how they compare to the pads I use - LC DA and Sonus DAS pads?
 
Great write-up! Sorry I missed.



Thank you for pointing it out...just what I was after. :bigups



Any idea who manufactures them?
 
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