Polish/pad dilemma

[addysdaddy]

Something like M105/HT Cyan pad or M205 with a HT tangerine or flat white pad combination seems fairly straightforward as to when it’s appropriate. But when do you start getting creative with those selection options? When do you use M105 with a HT Tangerine or flat white pad? Or perhaps the other way around – a HT Cyan pad with M205? (products & pads used for illustrative purposes only)

Are there specific circumstances that aggressive polish w/moderate pad or moderate polish with an aggressive pad makes sense? Thanks in advance Mike.

[ihaveacamaro]

Not Mike, but ime when the test spot doesn't look as good as you want it to, and you are using proper technique, it's a good time to try a different combo :)

[kemefk]

I am no expert but one thing that I have noticed people getting creative with their pad/product combination is due to the paint hardness and softness. For example, most regular hardness paints, people will use M105 with a cyan pad to do their cutting. But, if you softer paint on your vehicle that needs to be compounded, M105 with a cyan pad might be too aggressive and cause marring of the paint. That is when M105 with a tangerine pad might work best. Ultimately, picking the right pad and product combinations is getting the optimum defect correction while minimizing clear coat removal. Hope that helps.

[addysdaddy]

I am no expert but one thing that I have noticed people getting creative with their pad/product combination is due to the paint hardness and softness. For example, most regular hardness paints, people will use M105 with a cyan pad to do their cutting. But, if you softer paint on your vehicle that needs to be compounded, M105 with a cyan pad might be too aggressive and cause marring of the paint. That is when M105 with a tangerine pad might work best. Ultimately, picking the right pad and product combinations is getting the optimum defect correction while minimizing clear coat removal. Hope that helps.

I've consider this as it sounds very logical. I guess my typical approach would be to start with M105 and a tangerine pad and do a test spot. If that doesn't do it, step up the pad aggressiveness to the next one in line - in this example the HT Cyan. So perhaps using this same example if the M105/tangerine did work, maybe I step down one pad to a flat white and see the result - that way u would be able to use the least aggressive combination possible to achieve the desired result.

[kemefk]

Yes, exactly. This topic was confusing for me at first but then I saw this video from AMMO NYC which really helped alot. Take a look for your self:

Paint Correction on 1958 Porsche Speedster - DRIVE CLEAN - YouTube

The pad and product combination part of the video starts around the 7 minute mark if you don't want to watch the entire thing. He really explains this topic very clearly.

[addysdaddy]

Let me ask this question. Which is less aggressive - M105/tangerine or M205/cyan?

[kemefk]

I would say M205 with the cyan pad would be less aggressive.

[tuscarora dave]

I would say M205 with the cyan pad would be less aggressive.
:iagree:

Some paint's just don't respond well to certain compounds or certain pads. Many times what I set out to do wasn't working so I had to go through several combos to end up having something illogical like M-205 on a yellow cutting pad work better than 105 on an orange pad. You will be challenged to end up using some weird combos if you keep doing this work year after year. You use what works for the particular paint that you're working on and you determine that in a test section before going forward.

Sometimes you never do find the magic bullet so you just do the best you can. Even with a lot of experience, this stuff can still be frustrating at times.

[addysdaddy]

:iagree:

Some paint's just don't respond well to certain compounds or certain pads. Many times what I set out to do wasn't working so I had to go through several combos to end up having something illogical like M-205 on a yellow cutting pad work better than 105 on an orange pad. You will be challenged to end up using some weird combos if you keep doing this work year after year. You use what works for the particular paint that you're working on and you determine that in a test section before going forward.

Sometimes you never do find the magic bullet so you just do the best you can. Even with a lot of experience, this stuff can still be frustrating at times.

Thanks Dave, that actually really helps :props: