pads

I use a pad cleaning brush like the one below:



http://www.detailersdomain.com/foampadconditioningbrush.aspx

 

I use the $.99 fingernail cleaning brushes that Oreily's sells...

 

I rarely use more than 1 or 2 pads per step when polishing. I brush my pads after couple panels to keep them clean. If your pad is gumming up, you are probably using too much polish unless of course, you're a fan of the KB method.

 

A clean or fresh pad will restore the intended abrasive ability, were as a saturated foam pads abrasive ability will decrease (note dried or caked on polish will increase risk of surface scratches) clean often with a soft fairly stiff brush or pad spur (Duospur). It is very important that you keep your working pad clean; as you go over the surface the removed polish and oxidation is being absorbed, which will become large abrasive fragments and will interfere with the cutting ability of the abrasives

1. During the polishing process, trace amounts of paint and / or oxidation is removed; this can cause the debris and the polish to ‘load-up the foam’. This can cause a haze to the paint surface, or the hardened polish could cause scratches, a wipe-down or a paint cleaning product will eliminate this.
2. Use a brush or a Duospur™ to clean the pad after each time you polish a section, as it keeps the pad from accumulating too much polish on the paint surface but the pad remains saturated, avoiding the necessity of adding as much polish as the first panel or two.
3. Clean and / or replace pads as often as is necessary; a clean seasoned pad will enhance the abrasive abilities of the compound / polish and make the process not only more efficient but less time consuming.
4. After using foam pads place in some water with a P21S Total Auto Wash or a microfiber detergent. This keeps your pads moist and begins the cleaning process while you finish detailing. Never allow a used pad to air dry before it is washed.
5. When you are ready to clean them, rinse well, re-wash and leave to air-dry Velcro™ side up to enable the foam to drain and protect the Velcro™

 

@ $13 for this:


versus

$15 for this:




is one better than the other? If the Duospur is a better tool I'd be willing to spring for the extra $2

 

I would go with the brush for a foam pad, and the spur if you use alot of whool pads. I would not trust a spur on a foam pad, but that is just me.

 

Yeah, I was kinda wondering is the metal spur would be a bit too harsh on my CCS pads.

Any DuoSpur & LC CCS pad owners out there that can confirm or allay my fears?

 

You know what I use for cleaning foam pads?



And for my wool pads, I use this:

 

Crest or Colgate?

 

Peronsally, I have LOADS of pads on hand for every detail. When you deal with possible repaints, and paitns the react differently then avaerage paints...you never know which combination of pads and polishes will work best. I may seldomly use all my pads and polishes, but I always have all of them on hand.

Assuming everything is straight forward, I use 1 pad per panel. I just find it faster and easier to toss it (throw it in the soak bin) then to clean it, rinse it, and spin it dry... If you do most of youre work with a DA like I do, youll want to cut as much time as possible if its a paying job.

If its youre own car and you have no time constraints, you could get by with 1 pad per step...Tho, just incase it rips, shreds, falls apart, you should have a backup on hand.