imported_ww2717
New member
Can someone please extrapolate as to what DRC pads are. Thank you.
Optimum Microfiber pads
- Thread starter maxepr1
- Start date
SVR
Dream Machines
The OPT polishing pads are superb, they can create some heat when used on my Makita rotary with or without the Dynabrade 61375 random orbital head
On the Makita random orbital, they are brilliant for one step polish and I just use compressed air to blow them clean and wash with water only and
they look and feel just like new after nearly several months of use
speed 6 on rotary with dynabrade and heavy pressure, not a problem either.
I still love surbuf pads though, a little shedding of fibres and durability is lower but both pad designs (from what I've read and seen) seem superior to the megs
pads. one factor could be china manufacturing (MEGS) vs USA manufacturing to Dave G's standards (optimum)
On the Makita random orbital, they are brilliant for one step polish and I just use compressed air to blow them clean and wash with water only and
they look and feel just like new after nearly several months of use
speed 6 on rotary with dynabrade and heavy pressure, not a problem either.
I still love surbuf pads though, a little shedding of fibres and durability is lower but both pad designs (from what I've read and seen) seem superior to the megs
pads. one factor could be china manufacturing (MEGS) vs USA manufacturing to Dave G's standards (optimum)
I used the Optimum Microfiber pads yesterday and they seem to work ok. My cutting pad had issues right off the bad though with the microfiber side separating from the foam. I probably only worked a 2X2 area at 1200-1400 RPM with Optimum Spray Compound and it tore right now (no pressure, pad was primed, etc etc). Polishing pad came shipped with a slight separation already but I used it anyways without it going any further. Not sure how these things finish though since I only did a compound and swirl removal stage.
Anyone here use them with Optimum Finish Polish? By the way, the car I used them on is an 07 Infinity M45 in Black with severe cobweb swirls and the paint is VERY picky for some reason (looks like 80% of the panels have been resprayed).
Anyone here use them with Optimum Finish Polish? By the way, the car I used them on is an 07 Infinity M45 in Black with severe cobweb swirls and the paint is VERY picky for some reason (looks like 80% of the panels have been resprayed).
imported_WCD
New member
I have the finish polish- pretty good on black, but the newer Hyper Polish with the finishing MF pads were the best in my practice. David might have to change the glue or what holds the MF to the foam. I have a Saab this weekend and will get more practice with the pads. However, with the finishing pads and the polish or GPS, a one step looks more like a 2 step these days.
I should have mentioned that Chris at Optimum is taking care of my pads that were defective. VERY good customer service as always from Optimum. I've had a few things go bad on me as far as polishes and stuff before and that's just my luck and I understand it happens here and there but over the years I've purchased a lot of Optimum and always happy with their products and service. Their spray polish and compound is top notch and I do not even buy their Polish II and Compound anymore only their sprays.
Shawn F. said:
Im SO glad to hear someone else besides me is getting separation w/the cutting pads. I received 3 of these pads in their 'final version' form about 2 weeks before they were released. I was told to give em a whirl and see how i like them. The first time i used them i used the 5" and 6"...and they worked great on the griots, Flex and Makita. I personally thought they ran smoother than the Megs pads, probably due to the thickness. They cut very well (I was working on a pretty oxidized 86' Lincoln town car and one pass was cutting the oxidation even on a DA).
Forward to the next day. I had soaked the pads a cpl hours...rinsed them out and left them out to dry...Next day (actually close to 24 hrs later since i was just doing this car in my spare time), i go grab the pads for round two. Note i had tried Megs D300 with one the day prior and HyperPolish with the other.
The pads were 99% dry....if i squeezed really hard i could feel a slight dampness...that may even be an exaggeration, but i had used pads in this condition before so i grabbed em, primed em (KBM) and went to work. I got one pad to separate after only two passes...just bam, flopped right off...same as you said, the MF separated. So i changed to the second pad, i got one section out of this one, took the pad off the paint and it did the SAME thing. So i got the last of the 3 pads i was given to test and used it...it was totally fresh, and no problems with it. Again this was with D300
Forward two days later, this pad was washes, not allowed to soak this time...and left to dry...this time TOTALLY dried over 2 days. Take it out, after 3 sections it falls apart on me as well. So all in all 2/3 fell apart on the Flex and one fell apart on the DA, so not even super heat generated by the rotary. I reported these issues and was told the info would be passed on...and then later was told that they tried to 'recreate' the scenario, but to no avail...and that i was the only person reporting THIS problem.
Cpl weeks later the pads are released. So i try out one of the 'new' 5" ones...get 2/3 of a vette done with it using 105..no problems, great cut, lasted a long time while cleaning w/compressed air. Cpl days later i go to try it out on another Vette, first section it falls apart on me. I really agree too that the glue needs to be better, which was my initial report but, i know im pretty low on the totem pole
. We'll see what happens, i HOPE it was just i was super unlucky and got 4 flukey pads...but now i see others reporting the same thing... Shawn F. said:
Does Chris take care of ANYONE with Opt problems no matter who you bought it from or only if you buy from him?
Wills, try taking the pads back to the place you bought them. If not then Chris usually takes products back and replaces them. Optimums customer service is top notch and anytime I've had a problem with their product, they offer to take care of it right away with no hassles no matter where I bought them. He delivered new pads to my door again so tomorrow I will try them out.
What I believe is happening is the pads are heating up and the glue is melting and therefore separating from the foam. If they came up with a better adhesive then these pads will be my go to pads for 80-90% of the vehicles I detail. I still have my white and grey foam pads though and will never give them up. Hopefully Optimum fixed this problem ASAP because I am afraid to chance buying anymore and running into problems in the middle of a job even if I do have extras.
What I believe is happening is the pads are heating up and the glue is melting and therefore separating from the foam. If they came up with a better adhesive then these pads will be my go to pads for 80-90% of the vehicles I detail. I still have my white and grey foam pads though and will never give them up. Hopefully Optimum fixed this problem ASAP because I am afraid to chance buying anymore and running into problems in the middle of a job even if I do have extras.
imported_WCD
New member
I think David is going to redo the pads with a different glue of some kind. He knows and has heard of this situation. Luckily for me, I have yet to have the compound pad separate on my Flex.
Rob
Rob
Shawn F. said:
Shawn F. said:
Shawn F. said:
I feel you, i love the pads...and i wish i had been testing directly for him lol, i coulda reported up front that that glue wasn't gonna cut it. Cause guess what....buffing paint...it creates heat. Ive had this happen with other pads do but its always the backing that separates (Obviously because the foam part is one piece). I'd probably drop my Megs ones if these Opt ones worked CONSISTENTLY and held up as long as some have said they do. Id buy a dozen of every size and never blink twice, IF they held up lol. I won't go to microfiber for my final polish though....i still see light marks even when using the polishing pad and a fine polish. Honestly i think thats just the nature of the beast (at this time at least) for microfiber to leave some marking...its VERY hard to see, even on dark colors, but its there. So for now i just prefer my white/grey/blue pads for finishing.
WCD said:
Rob you're lucky man...maybe you got a good batch lol...what speed are you using on the flex and what product? Do you prime?
imported_WCD
New member
I went all the way to 5 on the Flex DA. I used Hyper Compound and Polish and once the Menz. Micro Polish. Med pressure to light..not leaning on the polisher.
On or with my halogen lights and Brikman, results are great. With this 5" light with 80 lumens (purple almost in color) I can see very fine marring that looks in the shape of the mf fibers- sunlight, can't see at all. Weird. I either want this light or I want to run it over with my car- haven't decided.
I am going to try my DRC finishing and 3D finishing pads next time and see if it flattens down (finishes) to a better result.
Rob
On or with my halogen lights and Brikman, results are great. With this 5" light with 80 lumens (purple almost in color) I can see very fine marring that looks in the shape of the mf fibers- sunlight, can't see at all. Weird. I either want this light or I want to run it over with my car- haven't decided.
I am going to try my DRC finishing and 3D finishing pads next time and see if it flattens down (finishes) to a better result.
Rob
WCD said:I went all the way to 5 on the Flex DA. I used Hyper Compound and Polish and once the Menz. Micro Polish. Med pressure to light..not leaning on the polisher.
On or with my halogen lights and Brikman, results are great. With this 5" light with 80 lumens (purple almost in color) I can see very fine marring that looks in the shape of the mf fibers- sunlight, can't see at all. Weird. I either want this light or I want to run it over with my car- haven't decided.
I am going to try my DRC finishing and 3D finishing pads next time and see if it flattens down (finishes) to a better result.
Rob
Rob, welcome to my world. I MADE myself a sungun, super bright with a much broader beam than the brinkmann or any flashlight...and man does it show defects. SAME thing happened to me w/an 08' vette and a 10' camaro repaint...i wasn't finishing w/a microfiber pad though, it was foam polishing with 205...and under direct sunlight (both cars black btw) it looked flawless, with direct halogens, flawless...even w/the sungun pointed directly at the paint...flawless...BUT..i set the halogens up at about a 45 degree angle, then used the sun gun a bit further away from the paint..and i could see the ever so light marring. I too feel the same way, i love the light and hate it lmao. My customer who i was showing the paint to came out and called it "The Light Of Truth"....he said man that light is bad bad bad! He told me that if i set it down he might accidentally trip over and step on it lmao. Im sure as you know now with your new light, you almost ahve to let your eyes UNfocus from the paint...and then slowly refocus, and you start to see the marring. Ive tried finishing with MF a cpl times also, but i always see the 'microfiber marks'...as you called em, which is exactly what i think they look like too. Though for CUTTING...either aggressively or moderate cutting, i love them I think it leaves a nice even 'hazy' finish that polishes out nicely with a second step.
So from now on withe every job...wheni do my test spot, i close up the garage, set my halogens up and do several different angles and distances to check the paint. I find for soft paint, a grey pad with Menzernas PO85rd or 106FA does the trick..that stuff is SO oily though, you really gotta break it down.