Should You "Re-prime" Pads?

[Coach Steve]

In poring over the various posts regarding pad priming and reading as many different methods as there are car care products, there's one thing I'm left wondering and that's whether or not a pad should be re-primed at some point and if so, when? It seems to me that when you are cleaning the pad on the fly, at least for me anyway, after wiping the build-up off, the pad is pretty dry and seemingly void of any product left in it. Sure, when I push on the pad, there's a little bit of product left down inside of it but nowhere near the amount when it was originally primed. Thoughts?

 

[HateSwirls]

If you think it's time to reprime the pad then I say it's time to change out to a clean pad and prime it and continue.
I don't see how you would benefit on priming it twice.
I mainly prime my pad to make sure the entire pad is covered with product before touching the paint with it, in other words not to dry buff it which could cause swirls and or scratches.

 

[swanicyouth]

No. Don't re-prime the pad. "Prime" is something you do once. However, a squirt of pad spray won't hurt.

 

[tuscarora dave]

The only reason I prime my pad (with product) is so that 100% of the face of the pad has product on it. That way it will "theoretically" be most efficient at cutting or polishing. I routinely clean a pad then apply product and smear it thinly across the pad every time I add more. This is kind of like re-priming the pad several times through a job.

It's kind of a "to each his own" type thing, I just like to think that things go better for me that way.

At the risk of hijacking your thread, I'd like to make a comment then ask a question of the folks who will read this thread moving forward.

The comment is that in the years I have been doing any detailing work, other than for selling a specific QD like pad priming liquid, I've not seen any benefit at all of spraying said liquid onto a pad prior to compounding or polishing.

The question is, has the marketing machine created this as a trendy sales strategy or can anyone really explain what the benefit of misting a QD like pad priming liquid onto a pad would be?

 

[swanicyouth]

I like doing it because it seems to smooth out the buffing cycle and help me use LESS polish. To me, less polish is always a good thing: easier to wipe off and pads don't get gummed up. I probably use less polish than most. If I was doing crazy compounding or something it might not be the best idea. But I'm always doing finishing polish type work, so it works for me.

I started doing this since day one, when I was a nooblet and tried to polish my black hood. I used 3 pea size drops - but didn't know to prime the pad. That wasn't enough polish and it marred the hood. So I came on AG looking for help and some kind soul told me to spray my pads with QD and the rest is history. It's always worked, and I've never had any POLISH that didn't finish out LSP ready. So, I just stuck with it and recommend it.

 

[Tato]

If you think it's time to reprime the pad then I say it's time to change out to a clean pad and prime it and continue.

Perhaps I've thought OP question really pertinent, your explanation makes sense. :iagree:

At the risk of hijacking your thread, I'd like to make a comment then ask a question of the folks who will read this thread moving forward.

The comment is that in the years I have been doing any detailing work, other than for selling a specific QD like pad priming liquid, I've not seen any benefit at all of spraying said liquid onto a pad prior to compounding or polishing.

The question is, has the marketing machine created this as a trendy sales strategy or can anyone really explain what the benefit of misting a QD like pad priming liquid onto a pad would be?

I can't answer your question technically, but for my use, I've tried misting some QD to prime the PAD however it didn't made my mind, I prefer to prime the conventional way.

Looking forward to hear more about it,

Kind Regards.

 

[tuscarora dave]

I like doing it because it seems to smooth out the buffing cycle and help me use LESS polish. To me, less polish is always a good thing: easier to wipe off and pads don't get gummed up. I probably use less polish than most. If I was doing crazy compounding or something it might not be the best idea. But I'm always doing finishing polish type work, so it works for me.

I started doing this since day one, when I was a nooblet and tried to polish my black hood. I used 3 pea size drops - but didn't know to prime the pad. That wasn't enough polish and it marred the hood. So I came on AG looking for help and some kind soul told me to spray my pads with QD and the rest is history. It's always worked, and I've never had any POLISH that didn't finish out LSP ready. So, I just stuck with it and recommend it.

I need no further convincing. Thanks for that insightful reply of actual experience. I've never actually witnessed this happen before and wondered (Like I eluded to in my earlier post) if it wasn't just something people said because they heard someone else say it.

 

[Tato]

I like doing it because it seems to smooth out the buffing cycle and help me use LESS polish. To me, less polish is always a good thing: easier to wipe off and pads don't get gummed up. I probably use less polish than most. If I was doing crazy compounding or something it might not be the best idea. But I'm always doing finishing polish type work, so it works for me.

I started doing this since day one, when I was a nooblet and tried to polish my black hood. I used 3 pea size drops - but didn't know to prime the pad. That wasn't enough polish and it marred the hood. So I came on AG looking for help and some kind soul told me to spray my pads with QD and the rest is history. It's always worked, and I've never had any POLISH that didn't finish out LSP ready. So, I just stuck with it and recommend it.

Nice 'rationale' (sorry I don't know the right word!), for sure I'll give QD spray another try for finishing polish like you described. Made a lot of sense.

Thank you for being a 'kind soul' sharing these thoughts.

Best Regards.

 

[swanicyouth]

Just to show you I'm not crazy (well, I likely am crazy), coincidently... I'm sitting here watching this guy's lasted video:

In the video he very briefly mentions he primes using "spray wax" on foam polishing pads (towards end of the video). Even if you have no interest in that topic, the video is awesome as well - and - you will learn something about MF pads.

Video:

http://youtu.be/2CmhFe1r3rk

 

[Tato]

Hey!, thank you for reference. Very instructional video. I also admire someone who speaks honestly about flaws regarding his own products.

Kind Regards.

 

[shagnat]

Hey!, thank you for reference. Very instructional video. I also admire someone who speaks honestly about flaws regarding his own products.

Kind Regards.

He's a standup guy as far as I can tell. I will definitely be trying his products when I need to re-stock my stash Hopefully only one or two at a time as his "stuff" has a nice price tag on them.

 

[cardaddy]

If you think it's time to reprime the pad then I say it's time to change out to a clean pad and prime it and continue.
I don't see how you would benefit on priming it twice.
I mainly prime my pad to make sure the entire pad is covered with product before touching the paint with it, in other words not to dry buff it which could cause swirls and or scratches.

THIS! :dblthumb2:

Basically as you 'clean on the fly' then you keep adding product, keep using the pad, and you KEEP ADDING HEAT, there comes a time when enough is enough. That's where you keep up with the heat in the pad with the back of your hand. Or if you have tough ol' working man hands, your cheek. Not just the face of the pad, but moreover the back - where it's at the backing plate. If the pad is past warm, it's time for a new one.

Not that you can't be creative and use one longer and longer, just that it is so much easier to swap out and keep going. Which is why I've always said if I'm doing the entire compounding stage all at once I'd prefer half a dozen pads at least. Not saying everyone needs to, but heat will make a pad collapse internally. Much easier to wash half a dozen at once than keep trying to cool down one, while using only two.

 

[lawrenceSA]

One other advantage to priming the pad before use is that your will use less product over the period in which you are using that pad.

If you think of an un-primed dry pad that you add polish too, some of the polish will soak into the pad. By priming it, you effectively create a thin layer of product over the entire surface of the pad. Now when you add new product to the pad, the new product cannot travel through the section that is primed deeper into the pad.

Thus more of it will stay on the working face of the pad.

Hope that makes sense?

 

[Calendyr]

I have been reading from a few members that less is more when using products. Seems that the reason for dusting is using too much product.

I have not tried spray wax or quick detailer as a pad primer yet. I have read that mineral oil is also excellent as a pad primer. Some other members have mentioned water.

I have used water in the past to increase product work time. Works fine. When product flashes or is about to, one squirt of water from a spray bottle and you get second life to your product.

I have tried mineral oil, seems the product takes for ever to flash with this, so I think it's better than anything else. Downside would be that it will make it a little harder to clean the pannel when you are done. So if you can live with that then try it and see for yourself.

 

[Bunky]

The amount of polish on the pad is also related to the work area. If you using a flex in 2x2 sections you need a different amount than say a 18x18 with a PC.

 

[HateSwirls]

Just to show you I'm not crazy (well, I likely am crazy), coincidently... I'm sitting here watching this guy's lasted video:

In the video he very briefly mentions he primes using "spray wax" on foam polishing pads (towards end of the video). Even if you have no interest in that topic, the video is awesome as well - and - you will learn something about MF pads.

Video:

http://youtu.be/2CmhFe1r3rk

He's one of the best in the business.
Much respect for this dude.
I watched many of his vids.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using AG Online

 

[Klink10]

One of the outside things I caught watching the video was his mention of outside temp and the things being done inside with doors open. I had a flash to a thread talking about at what temps do we stop. If this makes sense. I do like his videos.

 

[cardaddy]

When product flashes or is about to, one squirt of water from a spray bottle and you get second life to your product.

I have tried mineral oil, seems the product takes for ever to flash with this, so I think it's better than anything else. Downside would be that it will make it a little harder to clean the pannel when you are done. So if you can live with that then try it and see for yourself.

I think the whole idea of getting product(s) to give that 'little extra' working time is whey there ARE SO MANY different products. I mean at the end of the day you could likely do most every car you've ever seen with 2 compounds and 2 polishes. Yet if you ask anyone you know, that is serious about detailing, either as a hobby or business (but I suspect on the business end that by that point most have honed it down to where they stopped trying this and that and comparing one to another long ago) that most have more compounds sitting around and more polishes than they ever use, or will use.

Not talking about the sheer volume of product in ounces in that it can't be consumed, but that they have stuff that they've bought that they just don't use, tried and don't like, bought to try but haven't done it yet, caught a 'sale', whatever.

Getting back to the working time though, Amen to that! That is where you find what you like, and use it. Trying a spritz of water works with some, then will make another one gunk up. Mineral oil is a GREAT tool to get product to work longer, but I've wondered "At what cost?". :dunno: Sure it makes everything work longer, it's an oil after all! But how does it affect cutting power? How does it help/hurt the abrasives, especially in a compound vs. a polish.

When I've use it, (and I keep a bottle on my cart) is if a compound happened to flash over, perhaps the panel was too warm, hot and humid day, etc..... and for some reason it just wants to stay on the paint. Then is when mineral oil helps re-hydrate the product or just plain dissolves the bind between the product and the surface to where you can remove the product without harming the paint.

On polishes however it seems like you can never get a small enough amount of it on the surface and spread around with equal dilution throughout the product itself to be a mixture anything other than hit or miss. More like if you just premix it with the polish you're better off than trying to splash some here and there. (If that makes any sense at all?) :dunno:

In any event, it will help products work longer, much longer... and with more predictable results than water actually. (Doesn't need re-application like water.) Just have to then find yet another process to help remove the residue. If it's compounding then the polishing step will remove it, but with polish you end up with IPA, Eraser, etc.

And everyone wonders why we spend so freaking much time and money on this crap! :laughing:

 

[runrun411]

Caddady, good answer. My question to you would be do you mist the pad or the suface when you see the product flashing? Sorry if that's a dumb question.

 

[Old Tiger]

icture:

If you think it's time to reprime the pad then I say it's time to change out to a clean pad and prime it and continue.
I don't see how you would benefit on priming it twice.
I mainly prime my pad to make sure the entire pad is covered with product before touching the paint with it, in other words not to dry buff it which could cause swirls and or scratches.

I agree 100%!