which color / type of pads to use with my random orbit buffer?

P

paradigmGT

New member
I picked up a Porter Cable Porter Cable 7346SP random orbit buffer, and now need to chose some pads to use on my car.



My Maxima has a lot of swirl marks and oxidazation, my Mustang has light swirls. I was going to use Lake Country pads.



I wanted to buy their 3 pack, so which of these three are generally the most used?



Purple Foamed Wool - Rated 6 - Heavy cutting

Yellow - Rated 5 - Cutting

Orange - Rated 3 - Mild Cutting

White - Rated 2 - Polishing

Green - Rated 1.5 - All in One Pad

Black - Rated 1 - apply protection to the prepared paint surface, layering sealants

Blue - Rated 1 - slightly softer then the black



I was thinking of going with an Orange, White and Black. Also typically what size is the best size to use? My porter cable came with a 6" backing plate with counter balance, so I was thinking of just going with the 6.5" pads, otherwise I will need to get a smaller backing plate as well.



Thanks
 
Polishes:



Optimum Hyper Polish is spray-able polish; by spraying the polish onto a buffing pad, you can effectively prime the entire pad with a minimal amount of product. Therefore you are using the entire pad to polish the paint and achieve better results in less time than a conventional polish.



Like all polishes it is ‘pad dependent’ that is to say it acts as a light compound with a cutting pad and as a finishing polish with a finishing pad. It works quickly to remove (not hide) swirl marks, scratches, and other blemishes, and has excellent workability on painted surfaces and will not clog buffing pads. Aggressive enough for paint correction and swirl removal, yet the shine, clarity, and gloss of the paint left behind requires only final protection.



Foam Pad:



Foam pads are available in various sizes from 3.5 – 8.0-inch diameter, but I have found that for the application of a polish the optimum size of foam pad for whole panel (i.e. hood, trunk, fender, etc.) is 6 to 6.5- inches, with an effective pad contact diameter of 5.5 to 6.25- inches. For ‘spot-repair’ on a specific blemish or paint defect, I prefer working with a 4- inch pad, this pad size allows pad ‘pressure’ to be localized and to focus on just the problem area and not affect the surrounding paint.



Lake County Constant Pressure™ Foam Pads have a layer of engineered, instant rebound foam between the pad and the backing plate. This layer acts as a cushion or shock absorber between the machine, the operator and the surface being worked on. It absorbs off-axis motion while maintaining a constant and uniform pressure on the surface; Lake County Constant Pressure™" technology allows even a neophyte detailer to achieve professional-like results.



Lake County (LC) Foam Pad Starter Kit:



1-Polish / Light Cutting Pad (Orange)

2- Medium Cutting / Polishing Pad (Green)

2 – Polishing Pad (White)

2-Finishing Pad (Black)

1- Flexible Urethane Backing Plate



Note: Use the 6-inch counter weight (Porter Cable PN 699933) to lessen machine / pad vibration.
 
paradigmGT- Welcome to Autopia!



It can be tough for the Porter Cable ("PC") polishers to effectively move the larger pads, too much friction. I haven't used that particular model of PC, so I can't say whether it'll have that problem or not. If you want to play it safe, go with the 5.5" ones.



The counterweight will still be OK, it was designed for use with a *single sheet of sandpaper*, not a big foam pad wet with product, so the minimal diffs between pad sizes never amount to much in that regard (at least not IME; I use the 6" weight with all my different pad sizes).



You're on the right track with your choice of colors/types of pads; the orange/white/black trio would be a good starting point.
 
I don't have the experience on multiple types of cars, but I know I have much better luck with 5.5" orange than I did with the 6.5" pads with my PC. The larger pad just wouldn't hardly touch the heavier swirls. The larger pad does seem to work fine on the final polish with the white pad that I use.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone.



I am going to go with 5.5" pads because it seems like the PC will struggle with the 6.5" pads. I should have bought a Griots polisher instead for the extra power.



I am thinking of ordering the following (quanities in brackets). Let me know if it is overkill or good enough. I figured I would double up on the white pad.



(1) Lake Country 5" Rotary Backing Plate

(1) Lake Country 5.5" CCS Yellow Cutting Pad

(1) Lake Country 5.5" CCS Orange Light Cutting Pad

(2) Lake Country 5.5" CCS White Polishing Pad

(1) Lake Country 5.5" CCS Black Finishing Pad



Also should I be going with flat pads or the CCS pads? Should I be using a flexible backing plate or the standard backing plate (I see both listed on detailing store websites)?



Thanks
 
The Flat Pads for sure with the flexible backing plate for a DA. You might want to take a look at Buff and Shine pads also and consider UNO v4 as a polish. You can get a 16 OZ bottle and a free bottle of POXY for $18. I think you're going to need more pads of each color than you are contemplating--perhaps select just 3 different pads to keep it simple and get multiples of each. 4 orange mild cut, 3 green polishing or white and 3 red or black (dedicate one of these for your LSP the others to finish).
 
paradigmGT- I'd skip the yellow LC cutting pad and use something else (MF cutting pad, Purple Foamed Wool) if you need something that aggressive.



And I'd be buying a scad of the pads you'll use for the aggressive work, especially if you're planning to use a non-diminishing-abrasive product.
 
How do you guys clean your pads? Do I need a special solution like lake country's snappy pad solution. or can I simply use dishwasher detergent or clothes detergent to clean them?
 
pwaug said:
Many use plain Dawn or Dawn Power Dissolver--can get it a Walmart for under $3.00
Click to expand...



That's what I use, or Optimum Power Clean when polishing oils/etc. make it a tough job. I just do it by hand in the utility sink, no padwasher or anything like that.
 
Accumulator said:
That's what I use, or Optimum Power Clean when polishing oils/etc. make it a tough job. I just do it by hand in the utility sink, no padwasher or anything like that.
Click to expand...



Guys:

How is Meguiars Ultimate Polish's and Ultimate Compound? What about Mothers Carnuba wax as a finisher?



I was going to use the Ultimate Compound with the Orange pad, then Ultimate Polish with the white pad, and finally a carnuba wax with the black pad.
 
paradigmGT- With all the "every case is different"-type disclaimers, that UC/Orange UP/white is the general idea. Just have plenty of pads and/or keep them clean since those are nondiminishing-abrasive products.



I myself would want something much more durable than that wax, but it's not like there's anything wrong with it. And even I (who love letting the machines do the work) will often/usually do my LSPs by hand. Yeah, some LSPs are simply great to do my machine, but others, well...not so much.
 
Accumulator said:
paradigmGT- With all the "every case is different"-type disclaimers, that UC/Orange UP/white is the general idea. Just have plenty of pads and/or keep them clean since those are nondiminishing-abrasive products.



I myself would want something much more durable than that wax, but it's not like there's anything wrong with it. And even I (who love letting the machines do the work) will often/usually do my LSPs by hand. Yeah, some LSPs are simply great to do my machine, but others, well...not so much.
Click to expand...



What does an LSP stand for, I see this term getting tossed around a bunch.



Can anyone suggest a good wax that is relatively cheap? I am hearing good things about Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax (No. 845) and Poorboy's Natty's Paste Wax Blue.



In choosing a wax, should I be weary of the fact that my cars are black and blue, or should their dark colors not matter?



Finally, can anyone suggest a good tutorial or video on how to use a DA? I am a first timer.
 
paradigmGT said:
Can anyone suggest a good wax that is relatively cheap? I am hearing good things about Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax (No. 845) and Poorboy's Natty's Paste Wax Blue.



In choosing a wax, should I be weary of the fact that my cars are black and blue, or should their dark colors not matter?
Click to expand...



The Collinite is good, but I also like FinishKare's FK1000P, which is basically a paste version of a sealant. I'm all about protection and durability, and those two products are good for that.



I wouldn't worry about the light/dark vehicle thing where the LSP is concerned. I've used "the wrong LSP for that color!" on my stuff and it wasn't a big deal. In fact, one of the cases where I was really wondering if I used the wrong stuff (FK1000P on metallic black), I got more compliments than I woulda ever imagined...like people coming up to me in parking lots to say something.
 
The only thing to remember with dark cars and LSPs is that they will not last anywhere as well as on lighter colors in the summer time.



Instead of foam for cutting, use Micro fiber pads. There is a night and day difference between the 2 types as far as effectiveness and ease of use. JM2C
 
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