Pads Pads...where to start?

[skibumdc]

4", 7", 6"?
White/orange/red etc.

I had a bird crap on my trunk hood and I removed it a few hours later but it had left it's mark. Tried to claybar it off=no luck.
SO I assume a nice 4" with something like Menzerna FP might work, or better to go straight for an orange pad and Menzerna IP, then up to White/FP, then glaze, then sealant?


Is it ok to use Menzerna polishes, and then use Wet Diamond sealant?
Steps I need to do in between?

I know a kit would be my best $$ option, but not sure if I should go with larger pads or if I can use 4" the whole time?

Thanks all,
Matt

 

[Todd@RUPES]

Hi Matt, sorry to hear about your bird bomb etching. What type of machine are you planning on using to remove the defect?

 

[skibumdc]

Hi Matt, sorry to hear about your bird bomb etching. What type of machine are you planning on using to remove the defect?

I don't have a machine yet, but will be buying a PC7424XP when I make my order, so I know a kit would be my best bang for the buck.

I guess the real question is whether 4" is more useful for a medium size car than 6"?

 

[Todd@RUPES]

With a dual-action Random Orbital polisher such as the Porter Cable XP (or Meg's G110) switching to a smaller diameter pad increases the polishing power of the machine.

The draw back, of course, is that the smaller pads mean you are working a comparatively smaller section at a time. For most applications the 6.5 inch pads are a great size (any larger and you begin to seriously compromise the polishing ability of the machine) as they still allow the PC/G110 to correct most paints effectively while allowing you to cover a larger section. On severly neglected or damaged paints you may still need to swap to a smaller, 4 inch, pad to free up a little horsepower in the machine, if that makes sense.

If you select the 4 inch pads you will need to 'shrink' your working section slightly; it could take more time to complete the car. Because the 4 inch pads work 'faster', the difference could in time could be negligible, or even faster with the smaller pads (on severely damaged paints).

As it applies for use with a dual action Random Orbital Pad.

6.5 inch pads

Pro's:
-Ideal for most paint situations and conditions.
-Generally the best compromise between speed, power, and efficiency
-Large size means that 'spent paint', polish residue, and saturation are
reduced, meaning the pads do not have to be cleaned as frequently or
swapped as often (for a fresh pad).

Con's:
-May take longer to remove severe damage or deep defects.
-Cannot reach the tightest areas.
4 inch pads

Pro's:
-Smaller diameter size acts to increase the machine's efficiency at the spot of polishing, making the polisher more aggressive.
-Ideal for removing severe damage
-Can reach tight areas, in vents, around curves, A-pillars, ECT.

Con's:
-The smaller pad (and working section) may take more time to fully polish the car.
-The pads will become contaminated quickly and require frequent cleaning or replacement with a fresh pad.​

As you can see there is no real 'wrong' answer. If it where me, I would probably stick with the 6.5 inch pads (because they are a little 'safer' as well) and consider picking up 4 inch pads (and the backing plate) in the future if needed.

As far as pad colors, here is a quick run down.

Purple Cutting Foam (Kompressor style only)- Very aggressive pad for removing serious paint defects. Will leave a haze in the paint that requires additional polishing steps.

Yellow Cutting Foam- Aggressive pad for removing serious to moderate paint defects. Will leave a slight haze in the paint that requires additional polishing steps.

Orange Power Foam- Moderate pad for removing moderate defects and typical wash induced swirl marks. May leave a slight haze (micro marring) on soft paints that will require additional polishing steps.

White Polishing Foam- Polishing pad for removing light swirl marks and compounding marks (from aggressive polishing). On most paints this pad will create a finish that is ready for waxing.

Black (gray) Finishing Foam- Finishing pad used to increase gloss and remove microscopic marring on very soft paints with a dual-action polisher. Used to remove holograms with a rotary polisher.

Red (blue) Finishing Foam- Extremely soft paint that has no mechanical action on most paint systems. Used on a dual-action polisher to apply glazes, pure polishes (non abrasive), waxes or sealants. Also used by a rotary to remove holograms on very soft paints.

Concours Gold Foam- Very soft foam ideal for applying waxes and sealants.

You may find these posts helpful as well:

Proper Auto Care: Understanding Lake Country Pads
How do you clean your pads?
The Hi Gloss Pad Difference

 

[skibumdc]

That's great info. Thanks!

 

[Todd@RUPES]

That's great info. Thanks!

My pleasure.

To answer your question about what type of pad/polish you are going to need, it comes down to a couple of factors.

1) How deep has the etching penetrated. To remove the defect means to abrade away all of the paint above the deepest part of the defect. If the etching is very mild in depth then a very minimal amount of paint needs to be removed. (Keep in mind that minimal and depth are relative terms. The typical clear coat on a car is between 2 and 3 mils in thickness, roughly the sheet of note book paper thick. To maintain the integrity of the paint we do not want to remove more then 20% of that total thickness over the life of a car, or about .4 to .6 mils. Most 'severe' damage can be removed in under .2 mils, and mild defects such as a swirl marks typically are less the .05 of a mil in depth.) Use common sense and if the defect hasn't been fully removed after repeated applications, it might be best to live with it.)

2) You experience and comfort level.

3) The specific hardness of the paint- Harder paints tend to be more difficult to polish and require more work as the pad/polish combination is becomes (in relation) less aggressive

Since purchasing a new machine and separate polishes/pads/backing plate, accessories is going to be costly, a kit is really the best bet. I would consider one of our Kevin Brown Method Kits, which contain all of the needed products to not only correct the paint, but increase the gloss and remove the swirls.

If you select one of the kits from this page, and select the 'tab' titled general directions, there is a lot of great information (I hope it's great, I wrote it!) about polishing in general and methodology.

Some of the methodology is worth repeating.

Always use the least aggressive method possible to achieve your goals- Start mild and see if that works, the goal is to remove the defects with out removing excessive paint.

Keep the pad clean and fresh- As you polish paint you pick up some of the paint that has been removed (trace amounts) which can interfere with the polish.

Polish a small test section first and inspect it. This will allow you to dial in a process that works before repeating it over the entire vehicle.