Suggestions appreciated before I purchase

[Jeff 5280]

New to detailing and about to pull the trigger on a purchase but want to make sure that my setup looks ok. Also looking for suggestions on what kind of pads I should go with. I have spent countless hours of research on pads on Autogeek, but my head is spinning with all the products out there.

GG 6" Random Orbital
Meguire's DA Microfiber Correction Compound
Meguire's DA Microfiber Polish
Meguire's Ultimate Liquid Wax
5" Meguire's backing plate
Microfiber or Foam pads by Meguire's (not sure which is better of the two)

Thanks in advance.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Looks pretty good. Both pads are a pleasure to work with, microfiber pads get to the point faster are more aggressive and offer great results , foam pads are less aggressive and sort of give you the feeling they're safer for repeated use on your paint.

If it was me, and I could only pick 1, I'd choose microfiber pads if my paint had heavy defects, if not too bad I'd just go with the foam.
If you're looking to apply the Ultimate Liquid Wax with your DA, make sure to pickup at least 1 foam finishing pad.

 

[Mike lambert]

Use the micro pads with the chemicals they are designed for to get the best out of them. 1 set of each will do, a couple of finishing discs will be ok. Just read up on micro pad priming, an extremely important step in using them.

 

[custmsprty]

HD Polish and HD Poxy

 

[Mantilgh]

I believe most here say you need to clean the microfiber pads with compressed air to keep them useable while working. Just a thought if you don't have a compressor.

 

[Jeff 5280]

Looks pretty good. Both pads are a pleasure to work with, microfiber pads get to the point faster are more aggressive and offer great results , foam pads are less aggressive and sort of give you the feeling they're safer for repeated use on your paint.

If it was me, and I could only pick 1, I'd choose microfiber pads if my paint had heavy defects, if not too bad I'd just go with the foam.
If you're looking to apply the Ultimate Liquid Wax with your DA, make sure to pickup at least 1 foam finishing pad.

Thanks. Going to get the microfiber pads for compound and polish and then foaming finishing pad for wax.

 

[Jeff 5280]

Use the micro pads with the chemicals they are designed for to get the best out of them. 1 set of each will do, a couple of finishing discs will be ok. Just read up on micro pad priming, an extremely important step in using them.

Thanks for the suggestion. Just found one of Mike's online videos with Meguire's team showing how to prep for new micro pads.

 

[Jeff 5280]

I believe most here say you need to clean the microfiber pads with compressed air to keep them useable while working. Just a thought if you don't have a compressor.

Thanks for the advice. Going to use a toothbrush to clean the microfiber pads on the fly.

 

[vanev]

Just curious.
Why not go with the Griot's Garage pads and polishes?
You could purchase a kit with your GG 6.

 

[Jeff 5280]

Just curious.
Why not go with the Griot's Garage pads and polishes?
You could purchase a kit with your GG 6.

Just partial to Meguire's products because I used them years ago (non buffer stuff). I may change once I get more experienced, but for now it is the product I know the most about.

 

[cardaddy]

Thanks for the advice. Going to use a toothbrush to clean the microfiber pads on the fly.

Jeff,

That WILL NOT work.

The ONLY way to properly use a microfiber pad is with a air compressor. Doesn't take a large one, but it DOES take one. One of the little pancake compressors is fine for the job. When cleaning, start at one edge of the pad, go outside in, then inside out. The reverse direction... inside out, outside in. Do that AT LEAST as described above, in both directions, clockwise and counterclockwise. Doesn't hurt to do it two or three times either. Remember, microfiber pads generate more heat in the pad, and in the backing plate, so using AIR not only cleans the pads (the proper way) but cools them as well.

Now as for the Meguiar's "DAMF" Microfiber Correction System. It is a really GREAT system! :dblthumb2: If you look, you can find the entire kit, 2 cutting pads, 2 finishing pads, a 5" backing plate *that is DESIGNED FOR the Meguiar's pads* (IE the Velcro on the pads and backing plate are engineered to match) with a "non-clog" bottle of Meguiar's D300 and another of D301, plus... a nifty Meguiar's detailing apron just for kicks. (Hint... that place that has huge stores, often called "Wally World" has it CHEAP!!!!) Autogeek will match that price.

I mentioned the backing plate with the system, because in the early days... Meguiar's had a lot of problems with pads coming apart. When their engineers started looking into it, they found that the movement that was happening on the back of the pad, literally between the pad and backing plate was generating more heat than the pad to paint friction was generating. That's when they redesigned their "system" and started offering a backing plate with their pads.

Can't go wrong with D300 though, it's been my favorite Megs compound since right after it came out. Plus... that cinnamon aroma ain't all bad either!

 

[Eldorado2k]

Jeff,

That WILL NOT work.

The ONLY way to properly use a microfiber pad is with a air compressor.

I disagree. A pad conditioning brush [I gave mine away so now I use this brush] combined with a quality terry towel work more than fine to clean microfiber pads on the fly.. By the time I'm done with a job this towel is caked on all sides And the brush gets out so much dust while doing a great job at fluffing up the microfibers

View attachment 41163

 

[cardaddy]

In a pinch... sure... a brush can get you through, providing you're wiling to accept not getting the pads as clean as you possibly can. (Not to mention cooling them along the way.)

Microfiber pads will hold onto spent product waaaaaaaaay harder than a foam pad will, and they'll hold that product, and abraded paint, DEEP within the pad(s). Considering the level of cut they provide, and the chance of ending up with pigtails when they have even a minute amount of imperfect product embedded deep within the pad, for me... I'll not even touch paint with them unless I have air, just not worth the risk.

Also... The problem with a brush and the Megs pads is they are, to some degree, more fragile than a foam pad.

From Michael Stoops @ Meguiar's. (Bold and underlines added)

Microfiber discs: the fibers mat down with each section pass and need to fluffed up again. But more importantly, microfiber is great at hanging on to stuff, and you want to clean that stuff out from between the fibers after every section pass. That "stuff" is a combination of spent product and the small bit of paint you've just removed. If you don't clean these pads regularly you get an excess buildup of both product and paint, and that can lead to a clumping of dried material, which in turn can lead to the creating of pigtails in the paint. The chance of this happening is actually quite high if you fail to clean the pads regularly, partly due to the thin construction of the discs, and partly due to the amount of pressure used with them. Add those two together on a dirty disc and you could run into trouble. With the microfiber discs compressed air is the best way to go, but not everyone has it available. A pad conditioning brush is an excellent second choice.

Go to around 44:10 in this video to see cleaning them. There are others... but it's in this one for sure.

[video=youtube_share;pyHHto0FtHg"]Meguiar's Microfiber DA Correction System with Jason Rose and Mike Stoops - YouTube[/video]

 

[Jeff 5280]

Jeff,

That WILL NOT work.

The ONLY way to properly use a microfiber pad is with a air compressor. Doesn't take a large one, but it DOES take one. One of the little pancake compressors is fine for the job. When cleaning, start at one edge of the pad, go outside in, then inside out. The reverse direction... inside out, outside in. Do that AT LEAST as described above, in both directions, clockwise and counterclockwise. Doesn't hurt to do it two or three times either. Remember, microfiber pads generate more heat in the pad, and in the backing plate, so using AIR not only cleans the pads (the proper way) but cools them as well.

Now as for the Meguiar's "DAMF" Microfiber Correction System. It is a really GREAT system! :dblthumb2: If you look, you can find the entire kit, 2 cutting pads, 2 finishing pads, a 5" backing plate *that is DESIGNED FOR the Meguiar's pads* (IE the Velcro on the pads and backing plate are engineered to match) with a "non-clog" bottle of Meguiar's D300 and another of D301, plus... a nifty Meguiar's detailing apron just for kicks. (Hint... that place that has huge stores, often called "Wally World" has it CHEAP!!!!) Autogeek will match that price.

I mentioned the backing plate with the system, because in the early days... Meguiar's had a lot of problems with pads coming apart. When their engineers started looking into it, they found that the movement that was happening on the back of the pad, literally between the pad and backing plate was generating more heat than the pad to paint friction was generating. That's when they redesigned their "system" and started offering a backing plate with their pads.

Can't go wrong with D300 though, it's been my favorite Megs compound since right after it came out. Plus... that cinnamon aroma ain't all bad either!

I spoke to a Meguiar's surface care specialist earlier today and they referenced a tooth brush or similar type device for cleaning. Unfortunately, I don't have a compressor. To be on the safe side, I will probably buy one of the Meguiar's pad cleaning brushes.

In the mentioned kit above (BTW thanks for mentioning, seems like a good deal), the polish and wax are together in 1 bottle. Would it be better to do a 3 step process, compound, polish, and wax? If so, do you have any recommendations for 3 step process for Meguiars' product?

 

[Jeff 5280]

In a pinch... sure... a brush can get you through, providing you're wiling to accept not getting the pads as clean as you possibly can. (Not to mention cooling them along the way.)

Microfiber pads will hold onto spent product waaaaaaaaay harder than a foam pad will, and they'll hold that product, and abraded paint, DEEP within the pad(s). Considering the level of cut they provide, and the chance of ending up with pigtails when they have even a minute amount of imperfect product embedded deep within the pad, for me... I'll not even touch paint with them unless I have air, just not worth the risk.

Also... The problem with a brush and the Megs pads is they are, to some degree, more fragile than a foam pad.

From Michael Stoops @ Meguiar's. (Bold and underlines added)

Microfiber discs: the fibers mat down with each section pass and need to fluffed up again. But more importantly, microfiber is great at hanging on to stuff, and you want to clean that stuff out from between the fibers after every section pass. That "stuff" is a combination of spent product and the small bit of paint you've just removed. If you don't clean these pads regularly you get an excess buildup of both product and paint, and that can lead to a clumping of dried material, which in turn can lead to the creating of pigtails in the paint. The chance of this happening is actually quite high if you fail to clean the pads regularly, partly due to the thin construction of the discs, and partly due to the amount of pressure used with them. Add those two together on a dirty disc and you could run into trouble. With the microfiber discs compressed air is the best way to go, but not everyone has it available. A pad conditioning brush is an excellent second choice.

Go to around 44:10 in this video to see cleaning them. There are others... but it's in this one for sure.

Meguiar's Microfiber DA Correction System with Jason Rose and Mike Stoops - YouTube

Thanks for sharing the link!

 

[Eldorado2k]

It'd be pretty sweet if there was a hack to make the Master Blaster SideKick be able to blow out pads..

 

[The Guz]

I agree with cardaddy. One can chug along with a brush and cleaning the pad on the fly but the compressor works best to keep the microfiber pads clean.

I would consider picking up the Meguiar's thin foam discs

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...s/86336-new-meguiar-s-foam-buffing-discs.html

Product wise I would pick up some

Meguiar's M205

D300 compound works well on the foam cutting disc. Ultimate Compound is another compound that works well. As a matter of fact the ultimate line is a great place to start.

 

[Eldorado2k]

It's also ideal to have a good 4 or more microfiber cutting pads on hand for a vehicle.. So it's not like we're ever needing to stretch a pad so far to where cleaning it becomes soo critical.

 

[Zubair]

Been using a toothbrush on Megs,Optimum,Rupes MF,Surbuf,Carpro wool/mf etc with great results. Can't imagine not using a toothbrush on them to get them clean in a hurry. If you don't have access to a compressor, a toothbrush works well.

 

[dlc95]

It's also ideal to have a good 4 or more microfiber cutting pads on hand for a vehicle.. So it's not like we're ever needing to stretch a pad so far to where cleaning it becomes soo critical.

This is what I like to do.

Even though, whenever I use microfiber pads I only ever end up using two.

My method involves both using a brush, and a microfiber towel to clean them. It's kind of like cleaning an interior carpet. Dry brush the fibers with the pad conditioning brush, then use a microfiber cloth to pick up the residue, brush again if needed, and get back to work.

I prefer microfiber over terrycloth towels to clean pads. I've had the fibers of terrycloth cloth towels get caught in the pores of my foam pads, and the nap of my microfiber pads. Terry is great for smooth foam pads though, like orange, white, black and hydrotech pads.