Microfiber DA pads vs Foam

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04lss

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Hi all,

I watch a few detailers on you tube, and I've seen quite a few of them use microfiber cutting pads on paint with heavy swirls. I was wonder what the benefits/downsides to something like that are. I have an Audi, and my experience with VW and euro cars is that the paint is usually pretty hard. I had almost no luck removing swirls on my Volvo s60 with an orange pad an meguiars 105. Im wondering if i should order one of the microfiber pads for when i decide to recon the paint on my new to me 2014 s4. Of course, id start off with polish and a light cut pad, and move up the aggressiveness scale.
 
Basically for the most part -- in general, The MF cutting pads are more aggressive, but now I believe they have some that are not so agressive,
If I were you, and wanted to use a MF pad on your heavily swirled paint, I would try one as a test spot with your M105 and see how it does. You can keep the same pad and change the polishes and see the difference- I think that different abrasive technology is something all detailers need to have on hand
 
I like using microfiber pads (Meguiars Finish and Cutting Pads) and what I like most is how easy they are to clean with compressed air; cleans the product and paint off the pad along with cooling it down. I still use pads too, especially for curves but I like the pads for the flat surfaces. I do have many different polishes/compounds to find the pairings that work best.
 
In some ways Microfibers is more aggressive than wool. Cuts really well but foam seems to finish better (Buff and Shine Uro-Fiber Pads feature a blend of two different microfiber grades into just one pad so its a great pad to use for a one step). Microfiber also generally runs warmer than both wool and foam. Excessive heat can cause havoc on some paint system if not careful. Microfiber works better on long throw DA and to a certain extend a traditional DA.

Gear driven DA with wool is my machine of choice for compounding and long throw DA with foam to finish. If a one step correction is called for... Long throw DA with Uro-fiber all day long.
 
psnt1ol said:
In some ways Microfibers is more aggressive than wool. Cuts really well but foam seems to finish better (Buff and Shine Uro-Fiber Pads feature a blend of two different microfiber grades into just one pad so its a great pad to use for a one step). Microfiber also generally runs warmer than both wool and foam. Excessive heat can cause havoc on some paint system if not careful. Microfiber works better on long throw DA and to a certain extend a traditional DA.

Gear driven DA with wool is my machine of choice for compounding and long throw DA with foam to finish. If a one step correction is called for... Long throw DA with Uro-fiber all day long.
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Do you have any particular compounds, polishes, or AIO’s that are your favorites to use with those Uro Fiber pads when doing 1 steps?
 
Eldorado2k said:
Do you have any particular compounds, polishes, or AIO’s that are your favorites to use with those Uro Fiber pads when doing 1 steps?
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Have had solid, consistent results w Griots Correcting Cream & UroFiber pads.

Have never tried myself but HD One w UroFiber is somewhat well regarded.
 
Lots of options. Sonax cutmax with megs cutting disc's followed up with a foam pad with perfect finish another example.

Might be able to do a one step with 3D One and the right pad.

I've only used the 50/50 pad a few times it cuts more then LC orange for sure.
 
Eldorado2k said:
Do you have any particular compounds, polishes, or AIO’s that are your favorites to use with those Uro Fiber pads when doing 1 steps?
Click to expand...

3D Speed for AIO... I havent tried Rupes Uno Protect or BF One Step ( I did have experience with the old BF formulation years ago but not with Uro-fiber since the pad came out a few years later).

Depending on paint hardness, 3D One, Merzerna 2400 (SIP1500 old label), CarPro Reflect for polishes. I generally finish down with foam (after compounding).

Sonax cutmax or 3D ACA 500 X-TRA CUT is a toss up for compound. Carpro Clear Cut is good too but it dust a little more. I found myself having to add more pressure on last 2 passes to get the most from it....It's just my experience based on my buffing style. I also prefer wool pads over microfiber since the Flex 3401 and the new beast are my weapon of choice when compounding.
 
psnt1ol said:
3D Speed for AIO... I havent tried Rupes Uno Protect or BF One Step ( I did have experience with the old BF formulation years ago but not with Uro-fiber since the pad came out a few years later).

Depending on paint hardness, 3D One, Merzerna 2400 (SIP1500 old label), CarPro Reflect for polishes. I generally finish down with foam (after compounding).

Sonax cutmax or 3D ACA 500 X-TRA CUT is a toss up for compound. Carpro Clear Cut is good too but it dust a little more. I found myself having to add more pressure on last 2 passes to get the most from it....It's just my experience based on my buffing style. I also prefer wool pads over microfiber since the Flex 3401 and the new beast are my weapon of choice when compounding.
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What situations would you use 3D One and Carpro Reflect?
 
BudgetPlan1 said:
Have never tried myself but HD One w UroFiber is somewhat well regarded.
Click to expand...

psnt1ol said:
Depending on paint hardness, 3D One
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Thanks guys, that’s the answer I was looking for.. I recently had someone ask me if I had any experience using the Uro Fiber pads and also 3D One as a 1 step combo...

Well of all the things I’ve tried, the guy happens to ask about 2 things that I’ve absolutely never tried out. Doh!

I told him he should be alright, but I felt kinda bad not being able to provide a definitive answer based on experience or even much else to really go on since those Uro Fiber Pads aren’t really mentioned much + I never really got excited about 3D One, so I pretty much shot a blank on that 1 too. Lol.
 
Eldorado2k said:
Thanks guys, that’s the answer I was looking for.. I recently had someone ask me if I had any experience using the Uro Fiber pads and also 3D One as a 1 step combo...

Well of all the things I’ve tried, the guy happens to ask about 2 things that I’ve absolutely never tried out. Doh!

I told him he should be alright, but I felt kinda bad not being able to provide a definitive answer based on experience or even much else to really go on since those Uro Fiber Pads aren’t really mentioned much + I never really got excited about 3D One, so I pretty much shot a blank on that 1 too. Lol.
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Apex detailing made that combo popular. I think he was trying to imitate esoteric's sonax perfect finish with rupes yellow 1 step.
 
noorth said:
Apex detailing made that combo popular. I think he was trying to imitate esoteric's sonax perfect finish with rupes yellow 1 step.
Click to expand...

Hmm. I don’t think I caught that video.. I watch some of his vids but don’t subscribe, so I mainly come and go based on whatever youtube decides to recommend on my list.
 
04lss said:
Hi all,

I watch a few detailers on you tube, and I've seen quite a few of them use microfiber cutting pads on paint with heavy swirls.

I was wonder what the benefits/downsides to something like that are.
Click to expand...


Here's the nutshell answer.

Fibers are a form of abrasives.

Fiber pads will CUT paint better than foam. So "yes" a microfiber pad will work better to remove any defect better than foam.


Here's the problem - because each of the fibers that make up any fiber pad can CUT the paint, (even with a finishing polish or AIO), these cuts will cause PAD HAZE, which is micro-marring on medium and soft paints.

So as a good rule of thumb, kind of like a rotary buffer, microfiber pads are good to start with but you'll get better overall results more consistently if you FINISH with foam.



I have a number of articles that go deep on this topic if you care to read them and look at the pictures.


In this article, I'm the only guy that's ever shared the backstory behind microfiber pads for DA polishers. Look for the section under the heading,

Car Detailing History 101

Fibers are a form of abrasive - Foam Pads vs Microfiber Pads by Mike Phillips





And here's a more recent article where I think the pictures tell the story.

Foam vs Fiber - Car Detailing by Hand or Machine


Foam_vs_Fiber_05.JPG





:)
 
Mike Phillips said:
Here's the nutshell answer.

Fibers are a form of abrasives.

Fiber pads will CUT paint better than foam. So "yes" a microfiber pad will work better to remove any defect better than foam.


Here's the problem - because each of the fibers that make up any fiber pad can CUT the paint, (even with a finishing polish or AIO), these cuts will cause PAD HAZE, which is micro-marring on medium and soft paints.

So as a good rule of thumb, kind of like a rotary buffer, microfiber pads are good to start with but you'll get better overall results more consistently if you FINISH with foam.



I have a number of articles that go deep on this topic if you care to read them and look at the pictures.


In this article, I'm the only guy that's ever shared the backstory behind microfiber pads for DA polishers. Look for the section under the heading,

Car Detailing History 101

Fibers are a form of abrasive - Foam Pads vs Microfiber Pads by Mike Phillips





And here's a more recent article where I think the pictures tell the story.

Foam vs Fiber - Car Detailing by Hand or Machine


Foam_vs_Fiber_05.JPG





:)
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike! Very informative. Ive achieved great results on 90s era GM cars with soft clear coats with some 3m compound and a medium cut pad. But that same combo on my newer euro cars just falls short. I think Polishing/compounding with the microfiber, then doing a foam polish might be the technique. I plan to do a full detail and paint correction on my S4 once i have access to a garage in March.
 
If I need to use fiber to compound, would a foam polishing pad have enough cut to polish out the micro marring?
 
just remember that your choice of abrasive technology is probably more important
 
04lss said:
If I need to use fiber to compound, would a foam polishing pad have enough cut to polish out the micro marring?
Click to expand...



The below is the crucial factor.

luckydawg said:
just remember that your choice of abrasive technology is probably more important
Click to expand...


As long as you're using great abrasive technology then in most cases the answer would be yes.

If you're working on HARD paint, which Auids are known for,



04lss said:
Im wondering if i should order one of the microfiber pads for when i decide to recon the paint on my new to me Audi 2014 s4.
Click to expand...


When working on harder paint instead of finishing out with a foam finishing pad (very soft), and a fine cut polish you can use a normal foam POLISHING pad, (more correction than a foam finishing pad), and a medium cut polish. And this all has to do with how harder paints polish and finish out.


Clear as mud?


What are you using for,

Tool
Products


:)
 
Mike Phillips said:
The below is the crucial factor.




As long as you're using great abrasive technology then in most cases the answer would be yes.

If you're working on HARD paint, which Auids are known for,






When working on harder paint instead of finishing out with a foam finishing pad (very soft), and a fine cut polish you can use a normal foam POLISHING pad, (more correction than a foam finishing pad), and a medium cut polish. And this all has to do with how harder paints polish and finish out.


Clear as mud?


What are you using for,

Tool
Products


:)
Click to expand...

I have a Griots g8 mini (love it) A pitsburgh harbor freight DA, Typically i use hexlogic pads. For compounds I have used and have on hand meguiars 105, turtlewax rubbing compound and Meguiars 205.
I also clay the car. I am considering upgrading to a Griots G9 DA. I am completely open (and would like) Polish and compound suggestions for my Audi. What i have works great on my Old GM cars, but it didnt work on VW, or my volvo.
 
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