Detailing with only one pad

If I'm just polishing I will use one pad, corrections of course not.
 
Eldorado2k said:
We're not recommending it, just saying it's possible, very possible.
Click to expand...
Anything is possible, but again, you will not get the optimal outcome. When polishing, you want the least amount of paint residue/spent polish on your pad, therefore, producing the best finish. The more paint residue on the pad, the more chance of scouring. I don't care how much you clean 1 pad on the fly, you can't clean it good enough when doing a whole car. JMO. :props:
 
Seems to me that you want almost as many pads for the polishing step as the compounding step since the goal of polishing is to produce the gloss level we all want. Trying to do that with one pad that is full of spent product and removed clear is not going to produce maximum gloss even with cleaning on the fly.

Check with some top notch detailers and you'll find they agree multiple clean pads are even more important when polishing. Here's a link to Mike's recommendation regarding the number of pads needed for each step--- http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/88109-how-many-pads-do-i-need-buff-out-my-car.html
 
I won't disagree with you guys, except for the part about "removed clear" on the pad.. My goal isn't to go so hard during the polish step that I'd be removing a significant amount of clear while doing so.
 
Full correction on a car full of defects = you'll see me out there with 6 cutting pads + 4 polishing pads by my side.
Messing around polishing my own car on Saturday morning, I might be able to get by using just 1.
 
I really don't understand the thought process of using only one pad for polishing, even finessing (which is MUCH easier on your pad(s).

I mean, after all the work of doing the correction is behind you, and you're in the final stretch.... WHY would you want to risk it all by being cheap and not spending a whole SIX bucks for a second pad!?!?!?!!!!???? (Based on 6@$35.99) :nomore: Better yet, $12 bucks for two more pads.

Not to mention... isn't your TIME worth more than taking the risk with a far to well used pad and magnifying the chances of marring your freshly corrected paint? :dunno:

Go ahead and swap the pads already... it'll more likely than not give you a better result, AND save you time in the long run. Not to mention using more pads actually HELP your pads last longer. :dblthumb2:
 
@Cardaddy. It has nothing to do with being cheap. I've got plenty of pads and I'm in the process of buying even more to use with the new polisher I recently bought..

View attachment 41888

But if I happen to clay my car 1 day, and there's a little bit of marring left behind by the clay, I might end up only needing 1 polishing pad to get the job done. Not because I'm cheap or anything like that, just simply because the job is such that "needing" a new pad never even comes to mind.

Btw, I clean on the fly after Every section pass. Meaning as soon as I pull the polisher off the paint, the pads either getting brushed off or cleaned on the fly with a terry towel or both. I see people recommending cleaning on the fly after every panel and I think that's borderline bad advice because I couldn't see myself going that far between cleaning the pad.

Trust me, if the results degrade as much as you seem to think they do, my car would look like a complete mess, but it doesn't. And neither do any of the vehicles I've polished.
 
cardaddy said:
I mean, after all the work of doing the correction is behind you, and you're in the final stretch.... WHY would you want to risk it all by being cheap and not spending a whole SIX bucks for a second pad!?!?!?!!!!????
Click to expand...


Question: How many wash mitts do use when washing your car? If you're only using using 1 why would you want to risk it all by being cheap and not buying 5 more?!?!?!?!!!!!

Me personally, I use no less than 6 mitts when I wash my car.

View attachment 41889

And since you want to talk about "risking it" During the wash process is when you're really risking it. Because that's a time when your vehicle's actually full of grit for you to have to rub off. And don't tell me about Grit Guards because we both know they're far from perfect... So who's risking it now? Are you cheap? Why don't you by some more mitts? Lol.
 
Eldorado2k said:
Question: How many wash mitts do use when washing your car? If you're only using using 1 why would you want to risk it all by being cheap and not buying 5 more?!?!?!?!!!!!

Me personally, I use no less than 6 mitts when I wash my car.

View attachment 41889

And since you want to talk about "risking it" During the wash process is when you're really risking it. Because that's a time when your vehicle's actually full of grit for you to have to rub off. And don't tell me about Grit Guards because we both know they're far from perfect... So who's risking it now? Are you cheap? Why don't you by some more mitts? Lol.
Click to expand...
Ok, so why even vouch for using 1 pad?
 
WRAPT C5Z06 said:
Ok, so why even vouch for using 1 pad?
Click to expand...


I'm not advising to use just 1 pad, I'm just saying, based on my experience and depending on the situation, it's possible. And since that's what OP pretty much asked, I figured it would maybe help him get an idea of what to expect if/when he begins polishing his car.
[we're all pitching in our thoughts and advice. There's some who say it's impossible, others who say it's not ideal, I simply offered my 2 cents, based on my experience]




JoeyGT said:
I hit my $300.00 budget limit and realized afterwards that I would need multiple pads.
Click to expand...


... I figured a little encouragement can't hurt since he's exhausted the funds dedicated towards his detailing supplies.. We can suggest $500 worth of cool stuff that would make his experience awesome, but if he already spent the ca$h he had to spend, then why keep suggesting he spend more money?
 
I see there has been a lot of activity in this post!

I ended up purchasing 3 more orange pads and white pads.

I have the 6.5 inch pads, but should have just gotten a new backing plate with smaller pads, but these will have to do for now.

Now I have a total of 4 Orange and 4 White for my detail job with HD Speed & HD Poxy. I would have purchased more, but that is only what my budget allowed. I'm already $400 into awesome detailing products.

For removing light to moderate swirls and imperfections, should I be starting with the white pad, or just go ahead and use the orange?

I plan on alternating between all 4 pads and cleaning them on the fly after each use, and also allowing them to cool down.

As for HD Poxy, I only have one blue pad for this step. I understand it is a sealant, so no cutting is involved. I will end up cleaning that pad as well, probably only once at the halfway mark.

Feed back please
 
I am no where near the amount of pads I feel I really should keep in stock. Bottom shelf is all LC CCS, and middle shelf, left is all BOSS pads & MF.

I also would like to give the new flat LC pads a shot too, but I always keep coming back to CCS. I like the feel, smoothness, controlability and the way they finish off. Because they're a thicker pad, I do clean on the fly and change out more often.

Changing out pads often makes a HUGE difference in how the project turns out. Plus, at the end of the day, the pads are like new when properly cleaned. One pad used over and over will wear out.

 
paul_g said:
I am no where near the amount of pads I feel I really should keep in stock. Bottom shelf is all LC CCS, and middle shelf, left is all BOSS pads & MF.

I also would like to give the new flat LC pads a shot too, but I always keep coming back to CCS. I like the feel, smoothness, controlability and the way they finish off. Because they're a thicker pad, I do clean on the fly and change out more often.

Changing out pads often makes a HUGE difference in how the project turns out. Plus, at the end of the day, the pads are like new when properly cleaned. One pad used over and over will wear out.

Click to expand...

CCS are great pads. I use pads with interruptions in the face too. I find them to run smoother, and cooler. Flats are great, but I like them more for laying down a sealant.
 
cardaddy said:
I really don't understand the thought process of using only one pad for polishing, even finessing (which is MUCH easier on your pad(s).

I mean, after all the work of doing the correction is behind you, and you're in the final stretch.... WHY would you want to risk it all by being cheap and not spending a whole SIX bucks for a second pad!?!?!?!!!!???? (Based on 6@$35.99) :nomore: Better yet, $12 bucks for two more pads.

Not to mention... isn't your TIME worth more than taking the risk with a far to well used pad and magnifying the chances of marring your freshly corrected paint? :dunno:

Go ahead and swap the pads already... it'll more likely than not give you a better result, AND save you time in the long run. Not to mention using more pads actually HELP your pads last longer. :dblthumb2:
Click to expand...

Eldorado2k said:
@Cardaddy. It has nothing to do with being cheap. I've got plenty of pads and I'm in the process of buying even more to use with the new polisher I recently bought..

But if I happen to clay my car 1 day, and there's a little bit of marring left behind by the clay, I might end up only needing 1 polishing pad to get the job done. Not because I'm cheap or anything like that, just simply because the job is such that "needing" a new pad never even comes to mind.

Btw, I clean on the fly after Every section pass. Meaning as soon as I pull the polisher off the paint, the pads either getting brushed off or cleaned on the fly with a terry towel or both. I see people recommending cleaning on the fly after every panel and I think that's borderline bad advice because I couldn't see myself going that far between cleaning the pad.

Trust me, if the results degrade as much as you seem to think they do, my car would look like a complete mess, but it doesn't. And neither do any of the vehicles I've polished.
Click to expand...

Wait a minute.... did I kick your cat or something?

Sure, I see your stack of pads, and I can show you bins and BINS of pads if you want to see them. So does that prove that you, or I use them all on each job?

I made a statement, based on what we all already know. That is, you can use less pads for polishing than for compounding, but less doesn't mean ONE.

Can you do it with ONE? I reckon.
(Depends on how big of an area, how much correction, what level of cut your 'polish' has, what level of gloss/finesse you want to end up with, what level you had to begin with. Those are but a few of the parameters involved.)

All I said was the cost of a single pad isn't but $6, yes six bucks, not $60, not $15, but SIX. Better yet, two for $12. How is that going to break someone? Then figuring out your time involved not only cleaning on the fly after each section (which you should always do) but keeping it clean for the entire vehicle, AND keeping it cool. It's faster, and easier not to mention safer to use 2~3 pads when polishing, period. (And if your time is worth something, then you've saved enough to pay for that 1 or Lord forbid... 2 extra pads the first time around.)

For instance... are you going to use that pad that polished behind your wheels, at the bottom of your door, along your rocker panels, on your ROOF? You might clean it, but I'd not use it down low, then high as well. I'd do all the work up high, then take my 'used' pads and do the bumpers, down low, then rockers. One for the front bumper, one for each side, and I reckon one of those for the back bumper.

Bottom line is that it's far easier to use multiple pads than the same one for the entire vehicle. Need to fix a little clay marring on a single panel... then sure... pop out a pad and knock it out.

As for cleaning them after each section pass.

THAT is just good practice of the art!:dblthumb2:
Trying to do an entire panel, with ONE PAD, that HAS NOT been cleaned, for the ENTIRE PANEL, is JUST NUTS! :eek:



Eldorado2k said:
Question: How many wash mitts do use when washing your car? If you're only using using 1 why would you want to risk it all by being cheap and not buying 5 more?!?!?!?!!!!!

Me personally, I use no less than 6 mitts when I wash my car.


And since you want to talk about "risking it" During the wash process is when you're really risking it. Because that's a time when your vehicle's actually full of grit for you to have to rub off. And don't tell me about Grit Guards because we both know they're far from perfect... So who's risking it now? Are you cheap? Why don't you by some more mitts? Lol.
Click to expand...

And the price of eggs in China is????? :rolleyes: :dunno:


FWIW, I always, ALWAYS use multiple mitts. The mitts that get used below the beltline NEVER get used above.

My soap bucket, AND my rinse bucket both have TWO Grit Guards. They are fastened together, in a fashion where the fins are offset 45°, and they have fishing weights hot glued into the bottom one where they never float. :D

You can slosh water all you want, and it's hard to get ANY swirling above the top Grit Guard. ;-)

Can't remember where I saw it, but there is a video out there somewhere. Heck... Todd Cooprider wrote an article over on DI back in 2010 about it. So yeah... Grit Guards work, but they REALLY WORK when you stack and offset them. :)


Here ya' go... here's one. Don't need the sound, it's in German. ;)

[ame]www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4RGoQ6c50w[/video]

The comment about it being a fail couldn't be farther off base. First, that's a 5 gallon bucket. He was showing that even with a low water level (the same level you would have with a single guard) that you can't disturb the bottom enough to make a difference.

Notice the end part where he took and aligned the Grit Guards together. Two barely worked any better than one. But turn the top one 45° and you really isolate currents in the bucket. :props: Of course if the water were deeper it'd only be better. :) You'll never get anything go move up higher in the bucket if you can't get it above the top of the Grit Guard. ;)



WRAPT C5Z06 said:
Ok, so why even vouch for using 1 pad?
Click to expand...

As Sheldon Cooper would say....

BaZinGA!​
 
Last edited:
cardaddy said:
Wait a minute.... did I kick your cat or something?



Sure, I see your stack of pads, and I can show you bins and BINS of pads if you want to see them. So does that prove that you, or I use them all on each job?





BaZinGA!​
Click to expand...


No, you didn't kick my cat, nobody kicks my cat. [I polished my car this morning, as you can see she was ready for detailing]

View attachment 41951


You called me cheap.. Nobody but myself calls me cheap, because in reality I say that just jokingly.. I'm not cheap. I may be thrifty, but I'm not cheap so whatever. And I've never bought a pad for $6. They're more like $10 each.. And these new Boss pads are $26 for 2 on average, but like I said, I couldn't care less how much they're going to cost because I'm getting what I need and that's all that matters.
I don't care to see your pads, nor am I interested in how or what you have in your cabinets. I'm not the 1 who brought this up or called people cheap. Lol.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top