School me on polishing pads

[Riddick]

My wife bought me a Griots 6" RA for Christmas. Today I had the chance to try it out, I was using some Pinnacle XMT (all in one product) on my daily driver and I had a Griots orange pad on there. Half way through the job the pad literally fell apart. Luckily I bought 2 and was able to finish the car just as the second pad started to fall apart.

I did some research and noticed most people prefer the LC CCS pads. Here is where I get confused. Whats the point of getting lets say a 5" backing plate and then running a 5.5" or even 6" pad on there? Today I was using a 6" pad on the 6" bp. Will the extra material allow me to get around mirrors and under door handles better? Im ready to order the LC 5" bp but would like to hear from you guys before I order any pads.

As for the pinnacle XMT I thought it did very well. I just purchased my 2011 civic a month ago but the paint had quite a few swirls and the clear felt very rough. The XMP took about 90% of the defects out of the paint and im sure if I spent more time on it it would of came out flawless. I did not take any pics unfortunately but for my first attempt using a RA buffer im very happy. I ended up putting a layer of Collinite on top since the car is a daily driver and sits outside. Here in the spring ill do the same to my Cobra and see if I can remove the few swirls in the paint.

 

[c6zhombre]

Thats way too quick to fall apart. I have 5.5" orance LC ccs and flat pads that are several years old. Your best bet is to have multiple pads and change them out each couple of panels as you work around the vehicle. You cant just keep "beating" on one pad for an entire vehicle, it will fall apart. You'll get better results, too.

The size factor is the smaller pads are more maneuverable and are slightly easier for the less powerful machines like the pc7424 to rotate the pad. Most the 5.5s are also thinner than the 6.5 pads

You can also try some polishing pad conditioner like this pinnacle xmt.

http://www.autogeek.net/xmt--pad-co...campaign=CSE&gclid=CIb9nqu3xMMCFQ6AaQodyoEAnw

 

[Bullitt 3309]

I run the hell out of the LC Hydro pads http://www.autogeek.net/hydro-tech-foam-pads.html
I usually do no more than two panels per pad. The 5.5in pads are more than enough for the Griots. I am also a fan of Menzurna compounds as well. FG400 is an amazing product.

 

[Riddick]

Thanks guys, I was unaware you had to swap pads every few panels. I went straight through only stopping to wipe the panel with a MF towel and then put more polish on. Im guessing the pad was a little to hot, lol. At least now I know.

When applying wax with a waxing pad is it still a good idea to swap them out or can I just keep one on?

 

[Junkman2008]

Thanks guys, I was unaware you had to swap pads every few panels.

Actually, that's not true. There are only two reasons that your pad fell apart. You either ripped it by buffing over or next to emblems or you were applying WAY too much pressure. I suspect pressure was the culprit. This all comes down to your buffing technique. I can do one stage of my buffing process on an entire fleet of cars with one pad and the polisher that you are using because of the buffing technique that I use. If you use a more pad friendly and correct buffing technique, you will not experience the problem that you ran into.

When applying wax with a waxing pad is it still a good idea to swap them out or can I just keep one on?

I have used the same pad to apply wax on multiple cars for what I know must be 5 years now. You should find it next to impossible to wear out a waxing pad.

 

[07COBRAVENOM]

The griots 6" pads that you order off Amazon are junk. Had them myself, the backing falls apart almost immediatly. Don't worry about what others say its the pads that are bad themselves. I had a set. All three fell apart. I now use the CCS pads or the Rupes pads only. Much better quality and I haven't destroyed one yet.

 

[Junkman2008]

The griots 6" pads that you order off Amazon are junk.

That very well could be true. I have never used anything off Amazon in the name of buffing pads. However, the pads that I have found to be the most effective with an orbital polisher are the Hex-Logic pads. They cut much more effectively than any of the LC pads that I have used.

For the OP, the difference between a smaller pad vs. a larger one is ease of use, especially for a novice. A novice should always start out using a smaller pad as they are easier to control and they will allow you to hone your technique. Bigger pads just get in your way and hang up while buffing, which doesn't allow you to be as effective while learning.

 

[c6zhombre]

Actually, that's not true. .

We'll agree to disagree here. He could very well be using improper technique, but since he's using these griot pads, and they really don't seem very good at longevity..... keeping a handful of these around and swapping out as he works around the car is a good idea.

If he wants to open the wallet and completely overhaul his collection of backing plates, pad brands, and polishing products.... by all means just start over. I was trying to give him recommendations so he could continue to play with his new toy at minimal expense.

 

[Junkman2008]

I don't think that there is any need for him to buy anything new if his problem stems from doing the two main things that I mentioned earlier. If he in fact is using some Harbor Freight quality pads, then pads are the only thing that he needs to replace. Other than that, the tool and back plate that he is using are fine.

 

[black92]

This is a thread I was wondering about. I have the HF DA and pads and will be using them this Spring on my Explorer to "get started."

So are you supposed to use several of the same pads per phase or is there a good pad out there that can do a complete vehicle per phase (polish, wax, seal).

 

[Junkman2008]

I will say it again, I can use one pad to compound 5 cars if I wanted to. The technique that I use with an orbital polisher is NOT going to destroy one pad. YOUR success depends on the buffing technique that you decide to use.

 

[4u 2 nv]

since its been mentioned...i was looking at getting a orbital and was recommend the PC from one friend and the Griots from another forum im on (Rupes is too pricey for me).

Any reason to go one or the other?

 

[Junkman2008]

... Any reason to go one or the other?

Yea, pick the one with the longest warranty and the cheapest price because they are basically the same unit. You ain't gonna fix paint any faster with one over the other and it doesn't matter what you buy if your technique is lousy.

 

[Mach1USMC]

Griots is more powerful if I'm not mistaken. Personally I'd get a HF over either and just get a better backing plate and pads. I use HL and LC pads on a 3401 and a PE-14. While I do in fact have a LOT of pads, I usually use only 2-3 per car per process. I wash my pads on the fly every couple of panels and it works great! Some of my pads I've had for years. If buy good quality to begin with and properly take care of them you will have no problems. I also agree that if you are buffing emblems, THAT will smoke your pads pretty quickly.

 

[hoamskilet]

I usually use 3 or 4 pads/vehicle. I've used LC pads for many years, recently picked up some buff n shine pads that I liked, and my last detail was done with Rupes microfiber pads and I really really like those. I've never used griots pads myself, but recall seeing many people over the years saying they're junk

 

[Junkman2008]

Griots is more powerful if I'm not mistaken. Personally I'd get a HF over either and just get a better backing plate and pads. I use HL and LC pads on a 3401 and a PE-14. While I do in fact have a LOT of pads, I usually use only 2-3 per car per process. I wash my pads on the fly every couple of panels and it works great! Some of my pads I've had for years. If buy good quality to begin with and properly take care of them you will have no problems. I also agree that if you are buffing emblems, THAT will smoke youre pads pretty quickly.

From many years of buffing, I have found that the HL pads work best on ANY orbital polisher. On a DA or rotary polisher, the HL pads make the machine "walk" and hard to control so I only use HL pads on orbital polishers. On all other types of polishers, I have use various manufactured pads with good results. As for the Griot's polisher supposedly being more powerful, it's like the difference between the PV-7424 and the PC-7424XP. Technically, the XP is more powerful but in reality, you ain't gonna notice it. Productivity wise, they are the same machine. It's how solid your technique is with the polisher that matters. I would challenge anyone by giving them the Griot's and taking the PC myself to see who could be more productive the fastest.

I usually use 3 or 4 pads/vehicle. I've used LC pads for many years, recently picked up some buff n shine pads that I liked, and my last detail was done with Rupes microfiber pads and I really really like those. I've never used griots pads myself, but recall seeing many people over the years saying they're junk

Griot's doesn't manufacture their own pads. There are only a few pad manufacturers out there.

 

[Bullitt 3309]

I will say it again, I can use one pad to compound 5 cars if I wanted to. The technique that I use with an orbital polisher is NOT going to destroy one pad. YOUR success depends on the buffing technique that you decide to use.

You should clear up this "technique"... With out stopping to clean the pad, you are diminishing the compounding abilities of the product by using the same pad for an entire car. To say you could do 5 cars with one pad is very misleading, especially when talking what you are doing. One step? swirl removal? ect...

 

[Junkman2008]

You should clear up this "technique"... With out stopping to clean the pad, you are diminishing the compounding abilities of the product by using the same pad for an entire car. To say you could do 5 cars with one pad is very misleading, especially when talking what you are doing. One step? swirl removal? ect...

It's a 5-part video series on my You Tube channel - 2-hours long. It's like a college course in paint correction. You need to go check them out. Someone posted a link to those videos here last year so a lot of folks here are familiar with them and my talk of technique. And to clarify EXACTLY what I said earlier in this thread that you must have missed was, " I can do one stage of my buffing process on an entire fleet of cars with one pad and the polisher that you are using because of the buffing technique that I use."

 

[Bullitt 3309]

you must have missed was, " I can do one stage of my buffing process on an entire fleet of cars with one pad and the polisher that you are using because of the buffing technique that I use."

No i didn't miss it. You are telling me you will do "one" stage of buffing process with one pad: meaning same pad with out removing and cleaning it between panels or cars? So you are saying your "process" somehow eliminates product saturation of the pad??? What kind of magic is that???

 

[Junkman2008]

No i didn't miss it. You are telling me you will do "one" stage of buffing process with one pad: meaning same pad with out removing and cleaning it between panels or cars? So you are saying your "process" somehow eliminates product saturation of the pad??? What kind of magic is that???

It's called "knowing what I am doing." Had you bothered to watch those videos, you would have seen that pad saturation IS NOT a problem that I experience because of the polishing technique that I use. Now if you want to watch those videos and see for yourself WHAT I do and HOW I polish, we can continue this discussion. If not, then we're done here. You seem to be the only one who is in the dark as to what and how I do what I do. I think that the results that I achieve more than speak for my methods. The videos are FREE and it sounds like you will benefit from the information.

I have enough pads to last me more years than I plan to rub on my car.