pre wax cleaner

[93mr2red]

I just purchased a porter cable polisher. I have the 6.5" lake country pads (orange, white and black) I can order a 6.5 green pad, if needed.

4" (Orange, green and white)



which color pad should be used for pre wax cleaner? I have tried white and green. Green seemed to give better results. Is it okay to use orange for a pre wax cleaner?



which color pad should be used for the polish?



Also, on an mr-2 the rear deck lid has air vents. Approx. 8 per column and 2 per row, there are two of these. How is a good way to clean oxidized paint under the grooves? I can put my finger through the grooves, but it is impossible to move it to polish or wax. Do they make any spray on solutions that would make that part shine like the rest of the car. Any ideas?

 

[JasonD]

I usually use pre-wax cleaners with a blue pad. I find that the green pad leaves very fine micro-marring that still needs to be removed. If you find that you are trying to remove a defect that doesn't come off with a blue pad I think I would take a step back and use a polish with a very mild abrasive and the green pad, something like say 1Z MP or PP and then go back to your paint cleaner and blue pad to finish it off.



As far as if its *okay* to use an orange pad, you can do anything you want. There is no exact process to follow so trial and error is the way to go. If it were me, I wouldn't do it only because if I think something requires the orange pad I usually jump in feet first and grab something stronger than just a prewax cleaner, but that's me.

 

[93mr2red]

Are you using Lake Country pads?

 

[93mr2red]

Are any of my pads equivalent to your blue? I have white and black. If not I can order blue.

 

[imported_Burlyq]

I never understood why people apply pre wax cleaners with buffers. If the oxidation is that bad I polish then apply prewax cleaner by hand. The less I use machine around my car the better. I do use a rotary exclusivley these days so it's a little more dangerous anyhow, but even the possibilty of dropping the machine (happens occasionally) isn't worth it for a prewax cleaner. Just my opinion.

 

[JasonD]

Are you using Lake Country pads?

No, sorry, you mentioned a green pad so I assumed you had Sonus DAS pads. Those are the ones I am referring to. I do have LC pads but I don't use them since I got the Sonus ones.

Are any of my pads equivalent to your blue? I have white and black. If not I can order blue.

No, the blue is between the white and black

I never understood why people apply pre wax cleaners with buffers. If the oxidation is that bad I polish then apply prewax cleaner by hand. The less I use machine around my car the better. I do use a rotary exclusivley these days so it's a little more dangerous anyhow, but even the possibilty of dropping the machine (happens occasionally) isn't worth it for a prewax cleaner. Just my opinion.

I always apply prewax cleaners by machine. In my experience it always comes out better than by hand and it allows you to apply a thinner and more even coat. A prewax cleaner still has *cleaners* in it, so buffing by machine actually helps it do its job better. You have to remember that hand application can sometimes be more aggressive than by machine since your pressure varies constantly and you are using fewer/heavier strokes, so to me the machine is always the first choice.

 

[imported_Burlyq]

I always apply prewax cleaners by machine. In my experience it always comes out better than by hand and it allows you to apply a thinner and more even coat. A prewax cleaner still has *cleaners* in it, so buffing by machine actually helps it do its job better. You have to remember that hand application can sometimes be more aggressive than by machine since your pressure varies constantly and you are using fewer/heavier strokes, so to me the machine is always the first choice.

Fair enough and decent argument. I still use by hand, time for a pole? Prewax cleaners machine or by hand?

 

[JasonD]

Fair enough and decent argument. I still use by hand, time for a pole? Prewax cleaners machine or by hand?

Done. You made me curious. First vote already in.

 

[Accumulator]

I just purchased a porter cable polisher. I have the 6.5" lake country pads (orange, white and black) I can order a 6.5 green pad, if needed.

4" (Orange, green and white)



which color pad should be used for pre wax cleaner? I have tried white and green. Green seemed to give better results. Is it okay to use orange for a pre wax cleaner?

As long as the pad isn't so coarse as to leave micromarring you can use whatever you want. Sometmes you can get away with the orange, but not always. Just depends on the paint and your technique.

..which color pad should be used for the polish?

Probably the white pad, might need to step up to the orange for marring, then back down to the white.

Also, on an mr-2 the rear deck lid has air vents. Approx. 8 per column and 2 per row, there are two of these. How is a good way to clean oxidized paint under the grooves? I can put my finger through the grooves, but it is impossible to move it to polish or wax. Do they make any spray on solutions that would make that part shine like the rest of the car. Any ideas? [/B]

I wrap a MF around a stick (have a lot of different sized ones) and use that, both to apply and remove product in tight spots. Or even swabs. If you can fit a toothpick in, you can polish there, just takes time Heh heh, some of my vehicles have over 60 slots in their main grills alone, four surfaces per slot, all too small for a finger to fit...