I'm planning to do some polishing tomorrow...most likely not my whole car but as much as I can. For some reason I have never primed my pads and it's something I have ignored. I will be using XMT 3 and Menzerna 106FF. I've read that different polishes will react differently, and possibly negatively depending on the polish. I already know what to use with XMT, but should I use just distilled water with Menzerna, or can I use DP 4 in 1 QD mix?
Foam pads I am assuming... If So just get them wet....totally soaked. Then squeeze them out and put them on your machine (If I remember you have a udm). Anyhow, put it on your machine, put the pad on the machine, put it in a bucket (it wont spatter on you :chest and spin it on 5 maybe 6 until no more water comes off. Your pad is now "primed".
Interesting, when using Menzerna polishes I never prime them. Works great! Is it just polish-dependant?
Me too I've never primed my pads with Menzerna. Should we be? I do like MotorCity's trick. Toto also told me about spraying water on a pad and squeezing it out then fold it in half and place in a cotton towel and stand on it, that has worked well for me.
Really...:thinking: :thinking: that sounds interesting...I never use water or QD or anything like that to prime my pads I just use the product it's self...fist time I get going I just use a bit more and then just small amounts...I should give this method a try though...never know till you try :thumb:
I dont prime my pads at all. Only thing I do is rinse them off with warm water, then dry them. You dont want water in the pad, and you dont want to dilute the product.
Just Spray Pad With A few sprays of Qd And Then Place Pad In Hand Or Place On Window And Spin For A Few Seconds. This Will Stop The Polishes From SOAKING All Into The Pad
For regular polishing I don't. I just prime it with product. I do on the rotary with some heavy polishes or compounds.
In regards to when do I prime... Only when the pad is really stiff.. only happens with yellow or orange pads...... The oad itself ends up just like when you have to wash a pad mid detail... It's not "wet"by any means and the product does not get "diluted"
I tried it yesterday and the pad barely feels like there's any wetness to it, so I'm sure it doesn't "dilute" any of the product. I thought it worked well .
Priming Foam Pads: Polishes and compounds appear to work better when the foam pad is ‘primed’ a very slightly distilled water dampened foam, not too wet, it can effect the cutting ability of the product; do not use a quick detailer (QD) as most are formulated with either a wax or a polymer; however they are not easily adaptable to a spray formula. To be efficient they need to be emulsified to work as a spray, to facilitate this they need to use an emulsion of silicone oils and water. The wax will reduce the friction heat, negatively impacting the diminishing abrasives; silicon-based products can also have a negative effect on the surface / polish lubrication oils used causing surface smearing. Apply the compound or polish to the surface and spread the polish using the foam pad with the machine off. This coats the pad and the surface being polished with product to prevent scratching or hazing the finish, then place the foam pad flat on the surface and turn the machine on. Do no, under any circumstances, turn the polisher on with any portion of the foam pad dry as this will produce hazing.
