MF Pads

I have been using MF pads since Meg's introduced them way back. For me, Optimum cuts better, more durable. You should see the stack of pads waiting to be returned to the M'eg's rep for an exchange. :D



BOTH will kill foam cutting pads in the cutting department. However, always finish with foam if you are looking for Autopian results unless using meg's own D301 hiding.. I mean finishing wax.
 
I had the same problem with my first Optimum cutting pad. found out through my supplier who buys from dave that they used the same glue for the cutting pads as the polishing pads but the different foam on the cutting pads meant the glue didnt work with it so they have now changed the glue for those



I reglued mine with one for foam and fabrics

totally agree with GMblacks comments. I've never used megs MFs but they look to be thinner which could mean more cut (less cushioning) but could be made in china like the gold class accessories and the G110 but not 100% sure about that



as for cleaning, mine get compressed air after every section is buffed but as for washing, mostly warm machine wash with water only or a dash of detergent but hand only for the cutting pads until I get the next batch of pads
 
Mikenap, I bought the 6 packs from ADS a few weeks back when I got a deal on them and so far most of them are separating. I think it would be very wise and great if all of you that have had this problem posted it in the Optimum Forum so Chris there knows. I have sent him 3 emails with 3 different instances where I had this problem and he said that I am the only one having more than 1 pad do this. So far I've had now about 6 or 7 pads do this. Seems that when the detergent hits them or they get hot, the glue softens and they separate.



SVR, what kind of glue are you using to reglue them? I told Chris from Optimum about me possibly trying this with some kind of upholstery glue like 3M or I have a headliner glue for automotive use that is VERY strong and thinking about trying this. My only concern is that it goes on smooth and evenly so there aren't any lumps of glue behind to cause any problems. I wish I thought of this before throwing my other ones out but oh well.



As for anyone else having this issue, Optimum or the place you bought the pads from will replace them with new ones! ADS is great about doing this, all they ask is for you to send the damaged one back to them. Sure the shipping charges suck but it is what it is I guess.
 
Thomas Dekany said:
I have been using MF pads since Meg's introduced them way back. For me, Optimum cuts better, more durable. You should see the stack of pads waiting to be returned to the M'eg's rep for an exchange. :D



BOTH will kill foam cutting pads in the cutting department. However, always finish with foam if you are looking for Autopian results unless using meg's own D301 hiding.. I mean finishing wax.



What polish are you using with the Optimum pads Thomas? I just did a swirled up Merc S63 and did side by side comparison on the hood between the Opt and Meg's discs. It was very apparent that the Meg's had removed more of the swirls. I used Meg's D300 with both. What is your method (priming etc) with the Optimum pads? I'll try your method as well.
 
Not surprisingly, I used HD UNO.:D



With UNO, I don't prime, as that will (too much product) reduce the cutting ability. Speed 4 on GG PC. If it cuts better for you, that is great. I love the 3" Meg's MF pads though. Sure is a great leveling combo. I haven't tried the 3" Optimum ones yet.



detailfanatic said:
What polish are you using with the Optimum pads Thomas? I just did a swirled up Merc S63 and did side by side comparison on the hood between the Opt and Meg's discs. It was very apparent that the Meg's had removed more of the swirls. I used Meg's D300 with both. What is your method (priming etc) with the Optimum pads? I'll try your method as well.
 
It is Selleys Kwik Grip Advanced mate. It doesnt appear to be holding the pads together if I let the glue dry for a full day then use the pads again and wash in the machine but hand washing is fine



Reason I went for it was that most superglues I looked at didn't mention foam or fabrics as what you could use it on.
 
I used a thin layer of "Goop" glue where the Megs pad seperated. Only used it once after glueing, and it did not seperate so far. Why do we have to deal with this? It should be tested before being presented as market ready.
 
B&S have some DA microfiber pads coming out soon here and the microfiber is black instead of the typical white like everyone else has (optimum, megs, lc, etc). if i'm not mistaken there will be two versions (sizes 5.5" and 6.5"), cutting (orange foam) and finishing (black foam). i'm really curious as to how they compare to the formentioned. given the high quality of their foam pads, this shouldn't dissappoint! :)
 
BigAl3 said:
B&S have some DA microfiber pads coming out soon here and the microfiber is black instead of the typical white like everyone else has (optimum, megs, lc, etc). if i'm not mistaken there will be two versions (sizes 5.5" and 6.5"), cutting (orange foam) and finishing (black foam). i'm really curious as to how they compare to the formentioned. given the high quality of their foam pads, this shouldn't dissappoint! :)



Buff & Shine had those new pads on display at SEMA in November. They claimed they were getting good feedback from their beta testers. Seems like both Meguiars and Optimum are addressing the separation problems. I'm a firm believer in this style of pad and hope to see the advancements paying off in the finished products for us consumers
 
[Why do we have to deal with this? It should be tested before being presented as market ready]



:thumbs_up:
 
TOGWT said:
[Why do we have to deal with this? It should be tested before being presented as market ready]



:thumbs_up:



Not sure about other brands but Meguiars did yrs of testing. Since their introduction, pads are being subjected to more and more aggressive compounds and machines capable of producing more extreme heat and or friction then ever before. Not making excuses for any manufacturer because all of them have had their share of delamination problems. Heck automobile companies spend millions for R&D and still end up with recalls on hundred of thousand of cars. To me the main thing is the pad producers are improving their products and standing behind what they sell with great customer service. The mf pad has come a long way very quickly and is quickly becoming the go to type of pad for heavy cutting.IMO.
 
Got my hands on the B&S MF cut and polish Pads the other day from my distributor, Dont think they are for sale yet :) But I LOVE them. I have the optimum MF pads as well and the B&S seem better to me. Now i got my hands on 1 of each in a 7" size and was only able to test them on a dark blue Hyundai santa fe which had very bad car wash scratching and oxidation, of course i didnt have my camera on hand and am still learning how to properly capture before and after pics but needless to say i was able to correct about 85-90% with the cutting pad using HD Cut and a HF DA on speed 5/6. I think the pads would for sure work better with a better DA of course. While it didnt take too much effort i had to apply some pressure to get results in some areas and the HF motor looses lots of power at that point. My auto magic guy is going to let me borrow his Flex DA for about a week next week. Ive had my hands on one of them before so i know that the B&S MF pad combined with the Flex power will = awesome results! Ill make sure to try and get some pictures this week as i use the pads more.



On that note how can i get better pics of the paint side by side comparison, corrected area vs not. I have a Nice DSLR and the Brinkmen LED gun but cant capture what i see with my eyes properly :(
 
Good to know that you're on to something Shane. I'm also interested to see how a more powerful machine compares to not only improvng the cutting power, but keeping the pads alive. i'd pay close attention to keeping them clean and cool to avoid delam.



As far as pictures/swirl capturing goes....yes, that can sometimes be a challenge. I prefer using halogens and having the surrounding shop lighting off or very low. No flash either. See if that helps.
 
Shane.belzers said:
On that note how can i get better pics of the paint side by side comparison, corrected area vs not. I have a Nice DSLR and the Brinkmen LED gun but cant capture what i see with my eyes properly :(



You might want to consider one of the Par 38 LED bulbs mentioned in this thread Finally a comprehensive review of the best bulbs out there... - Autopia Forums - Auto Detailing & Car Care Discussion Forum I picked up one last week at Home Depot and was totally amazed at how it highlights swirls and rids. There are two versions of the bulb-one is 90W and the other is 100W, but they both do a fantastic job because of the single diode. My HD had the 100w on sale for $27.



Also, if you can get your hands on a Griots Polisher give it a try--no problem maintaining rotation with even heavy pressure.
 
Well i only had my phone on me so these pics kinda suck and again im learning the whole pics process.. Here are some from today on a black hyundai i did. It was pretty bad looking i used our HF DA with the B&S MF cut and polish pad on the hood using HD Cut and Polish of course.



First up is the best i could capture the condition prior to some correction:



IMG_20130312_100105_zps1ed76b54.jpg




Pick of the Cutting pad



IMG_20130312_100315_zps5a951f9d.jpg




IMG_20130312_100309_zpsa2c1098f.jpg




Here are is a side by side, uncut left, cut on right. Again not captured too great :(



IMG_20130312_101834_zpsbb2c8de7.jpg




IMG_20130312_101655_zpsa570be4b.jpg




Side by side, un touched, cut and polished on right.



IMG_20130312_101933_zps66bbaec0.jpg




Finished area



IMG_20130312_102005_zpsd4a2ea5b.jpg




IMG_20130312_102036_zps98a8f894.jpg




I was able to get about 90% correction or more in some areas with the B&S pad speed 6 using the HF DA. There were some scratches down to paint too deep to do anything with using DA or probably even rotary... All in all for a used car for our bargain lot it was a good test subject and i was pleased with the results. Again i feel a stronger DA will be able to use the pad to it max cutting potential. Quality of the pads is high, the foam is about twice as thick as the optimum MF pads, and the MF itself is a lot ore plush.



Enjoy :)
 
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