DACP + Orange Pad = WOW!

Dave N

Dave N

My PC goes to 7...
I began the yearly deep detail today on my Tacoma, and for the first time am using DACP and a CMA orange pad. So far I've just got it washed and clayed, but I couldn't resist buffing out a panel with the new products. The orange pad certainly is different than any other pad I've used. It seems to keep it's shape -- reminds me of the "Tempur-Pedic" bed commercials where the foam keeps the shape of a hand imprinted for a few seconds. Anyway, I chose a particularly marred panel, put a circle of DACP on the pad and started with the PC set at 3. I worked this in for a little bit, then cranked the speed up to 5 and worked the DACP until it was nearly gone. The orange pad seems to grab the paint a lot more than the white pad I'm used to. It made the PC really torque-y in my hands. Also, the DACP didn't break down like 3M SMR, and I was able to work the panel for a lot longer than with SMR. I don't know if this had anything to do with the orange pad, but I do know I liked it! After the DACP was nearly gone, I stopped buffing and wiped the panel with a MF towel. Wow!!! Every micro-mar was gone! There were a few scratches left in the paint, but anything that I could see I could also feel with my fingernail so I know the PC will never remove these. All this was done under cruel halogen lighting, so it should look even better in the daylight. I also hit the panel with 50/50 isopropanol/water just to make sure what I was seeing wasn't just fill. Nope!



I know I should give some sort of idea of how much micro-marring was in my paint, to help gauge how well this product combo actually took them out. Hmmm, it's been the better part of a year since I've done any buffing. My truck is a daily driver, and is only garaged when I'm at work. While I use a MF wash mitt and the 2-bucket method for washing, I'm definitely not as careful (anal :) ) as some on this forum. My truck has also seen several dreaded mitt-on-a-stick winter washings, and I've QD'd a few times when the truck really should have been washed. I guess the micro-marring was "medium" -- invisible to the common car owner, but easily discernible to any Autopian.



The bottom line here is that I'm really impressed with the DACP and orange pad combination. I didn't have time to do any more buffing tonight, but I think that one pass with the PC will take care of all my micro-mars. This is definitely my new favorite product combination. I plan to follow it up with BF polish and BF II sealant.
 
:showpics well, maybe not worthless, but if you get a chance, please, please take some before DACP and after DACP pix.
 
I'll try and get some before/after pictures, but I don't know how well the things will show up.



I forgot to mention that DACP with the orange pad is great because there is no haze, and I could go straight to a sealant if I wanted. I'm going to put on the BF polish because it will do a little filling on the scratches, and I want my paint to look as dark as possible.



I also forgot to mention how well the Mother's clay worked. It's a little rubbery (maybe that's because I've had it sitting on my shelf for the past year), but it didn't grab at all. This was probably the best claying experience I've ever had (I've used Mother's, Clay Magic, and Meguiar's mass market consumer clay).
 
I just discovered the Orange Power Pad yesterday myself as I was getting nowhere with Meguiars yellow pad and DACP. My car doesn't have any swirls but, the previous owner installed lots of scratches for me probably via auto store bought towels. They were not visible in normal light until I bought this @#$@ 1200 watt shop light :)



I definitely agree, DACP and Orange Power Pad = WOW



I tried taking before pics but, just couldn't get any of the scratches to show their ugly heads for the camera. I will definitely post some after pics though if anyone is interested. I should be starting the Zaino process some time tomorrow if it doesn't rain.
 
Dave N...



How do you compare the orange pad in abrasiveness vs the white or yellow pad?????



I have been thinking of ordering some new pads and am wondering if I should pick up an orange one.
 
Pats300zx said:
Dave N...



How do you compare the orange pad in abrasiveness vs the white or yellow pad?????



I have been thinking of ordering some new pads and am wondering if I should pick up an orange one.
Click to expand...



I talked with CMA yesterday and they put it in somewhere between Meguiar's yellow pad and their yellow pad.



The nice thing about the Orange pad though is that it leaves such a mirror smooth surface behind.
 
Just my opinion but I wasn't overly impressed with the "power pad". I purchased two of them based on what I'd read here and planned on using them with both the PC and rotary. What I disliked about them is the shape. The under side of the pad never touches the finish unless you bear down very hard which goes against everything I've learned....especially with the rotary.



Don't get me wrong, the orange pads worked fine but IMO not really any better than my usual Meg's pads or the Lake Country VC white polishing pad (which seems to have a little more bite than the yellow Meg's polishing pad).



Given the additional cost of the power pads I just don't see the benefit. I'm certainly not nearly as experienced as many here so maybe I'm missing something or didn't use them properly. But what I did see left me somewhat underwhelmed.
 
NattyBumppo said:
Don't get me wrong, the orange pads worked fine but IMO not really any better than my usual Meg's pads or the Lake Country VC white polishing pad (which seems to have a little more bite than the yellow Meg's polishing pad).



Given the additional cost of the power pads I just don't see the benefit. I'm certainly not nearly as experienced as many here so maybe I'm missing something or didn't use them properly. But what I did see left me somewhat underwhelmed.
Click to expand...



I couldn't disagree more. I guess maybe it depends on what product you are using. I have spent the better part of a week with my PC, DACP and Meguiars yellow pads trying to remove scratches the previous owner was nice enough to install.



Meguiars yellow pad did a fine job on the very light marring and swirls but the best it did on the scratches was round the edges. Mind you these are light scratches barely visible in normal light and takes a good halogen to really see them. A few passes with the PC, DACP and the Orange Power Pad has by a large margin removed a good many of the scratches and lessened the ones I went over 4 and 5 times with the yellow Meguiars pad.



I am not the most experienced here, only been using the PC for the past year but, this is what I have observed.
 
Jimb0 said:
Thanks, I've been seeing references to it everywhere and it was driving me out of my mind.
Click to expand...



For other acronyms that drive you nuts: Autopia Acronym List



You can find a link to that on the home page at the top left, under Features.



I know DACP (from Meguiar's) isn't on the list, but lots of other acronyms are.
 
FUEL said:
Who makes it and can you post a pic of the bottle. I have only used 3M products in my professional career. Thanks
Click to expand...



It is made by Meguiars. Here is a link to their site. You can order it on line but, I would just do a search on their web site and find a local retailer. It is typically body shops or auto paint supply shops that carry the professional line which DACP is a part of.







Meguiars Professional Line (scroll half way down)



product_m83.gif
 
Here is a follow-up to this post. While the DACP/orange pad combination was great on that one panel, I found that it became kind of "gummy" after the pad was used for a while. It still did a nice job, but I had to wash out the pad many times. I buffed the top of the cab and topper with my old favorite -- Meguiar's #2 Fine Cut Cleaner and a CMA white pad. This combination does a good job, and the FCC isn't as thick as the DACP so the pad doesn't get gummed up as much. It's also easier to rinse out of the pad.



I tried to take some pictures before/after of some panels, but I just couldn't get any of the micro-marring to show up (sorry Taxlady).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top