Issues with Buff and Shine Pads

[nprotz]

I have two Buff and Shine pads that after one use, are depressed/indented in the center in a large spot. There’s two Lake Country pads in the back of this pic and they’re fine, as well as one other Buff and Shine pad. I made sure to rotate them to keep from overheating and cleaned them too.

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[vobro]

When the center of the pad collapses it’s a sign of over heating. Perhaps these 2 pads were subjected to more abuse then the other. How much liquid material was used? How many passes?

 

[nprotz]

When the center of the pad collapses it’s a sign of over heating. Perhaps these 2 pads were subjected to more abuse then the other. How much liquid material was used? How many passes?

I made sure to switch them out. I used two on the hood, one on top and on the trunk, one on each door.

I made sure to prime the pad with polishing compound then added several drops around the edge. Not sure how many passes I made. It’s weird that just those two are like that as I used them all what I thought was an equal amount.

Are they still useable?


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[vobro]

LC 6" Orange flat pad collapsed.

I wouldn't use them, if they completely fail you'll have bigger issues when the backing plate touches your paint. Is this your first time polishing? If so everyone when they first start usually uses to much product which can lead to pad failure.

 

[nprotz]

LC 6" Orange flat pad collapsed.

I wouldn't use them, if they completely fail you'll have bigger issues when the backing plate touches your paint. Is this your first time polishing? If so everyone when they first start usually uses to much product which can lead to pad failure.

Yeah it’s my first time. I may have. I primed it and then put dots on the edge. I did 1/4 of the hood then added some more on the other 1/4 so maybe I did use too much


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[DBAILEY]

Too much moisture within the pad makes it heat up very quickly, then the foam deforms in the center of the pad usually. You may have also been pushing down on the polisher too much creating more heat

 

[Belo]

was your vehicle in direct sunlight and maybe the paint was hot? seems like you did all the right steps. what polish?

 

[nprotz]

Too much moisture within the pad makes it heat up very quickly, then the foam deforms in the center of the pad usually. You may have also been pushing down on the polisher too much creating more heat

Maybe I put too much pressure then. I didn’t think I used too much product but maybe I did that too. The others didn’t do that so I’m trying to figure out what variable changed.


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[nprotz]

was your vehicle in direct sunlight and maybe the paint was hot? seems like you did all the right steps. what polish?

No I pulled it into my garage to polish. Although temps are in the 90s now, so probably in the 80s inside with no air conditioner.

I’m using Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0 but also used Meguiars Ultimate Compound. I probably used 6-7 oz combined of compound. It had severe scratches and swirls so I polished it one day, washed pads then did some other spots again the next day when my pads were dry. I probably needed a heavier cutting pad.


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[PaulMys]

LC 6" Orange flat pad collapsed.

I wouldn't use them, if they completely fail you'll have bigger issues when the backing plate touches your paint. Is this your first time polishing? If so everyone when they first start usually uses to much product which can lead to pad failure.

Very true.

And good call.

I'm not a fan of priming. The pads get saturated too quickly IMO.

To the OP: Until you get more experience, turn off the machine after like 2 section passes and check for excess product in the center of the pad.
Feel the center with the back of your index finger to check for excessive heat.

Also, get yourself a pad cleaning brush. I have the Griot's brush, but there are many others. If you find buildup on the pad, use the brush to knock it off (with the machine running) and ease up on the amount of product.

 

[swanicyouth]

Looks like the pads were just cooked. I’m not saying you did anything wrong..

But you were going after severe defects / scratches with polishing pads, TSR, & UC. You probably were on the boarder of what those products could handle.

Next time get some MF pads & a compound with a more aggressive cut.

Also, work time is very important too. Compounds that have a long work time you use less of them - less liquid in the pad it stays cooler. TSR is fine - but if you are using it aggressively it will hum up pads. You prolly would have been better off with Wolfgang Compound

 

[Calendyr]

Do you have a long throw machine or a regular DA? Buff&shine flatpads don't do well on long throws. On mine, the velcro kept failing and it was throwing the pads off the backplate as soon as I lifted the polisher from the paint.

So if you have a long throw machine, I suggest you get Lake Country HDO pads next time, they do very well on them, and they are also amazing pads to boot

Back to your current pads. You could use them but there is a risk. If you still want to use them, turn the speed on the machine down and don't stress them too much because the center part of the foam no longer has structural strenght, so they might rip. They might also have started to delaminate in the center section, you can pull on the foam when it's on the backing plate and if you can lift it, it means it's no longer attached to the velcro on that section... a definite warning there.

 

[Bruno Soares]

I stopped priming because of that. I put a few extra dots on the first pass so the pad isn’t too dry. When you prime foam pads they already get saturated and you keep adding more and more. Microfiber is a different story.
Also don’t put too much pressure and don’t use the machine on really high speed.

 

[dlc95]

No I pulled it into my garage to polish. Although temps are in the 90s now, so probably in the 80s inside with no air conditioner.

I’m using Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0 but also used Meguiars Ultimate Compound. I probably used 6-7 oz combined of compound. It had severe scratches and swirls so I polished it one day, washed pads then did some other spots again the next day when my pads were dry. I probably needed a heavier cutting pad.


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I might use 4 oz of compound through the entire process, and go through four to six pads. I never prime them either. 4 medium pea sized drops is enough to get the pad self primed during the first set of passes. Usually two on the reload.

 

[nprotz]

Very true.

And good call.

I'm not a fan of priming. The pads get saturated too quickly IMO.

To the OP: Until you get more experience, turn off the machine after like 2 section passes and check for excess product in the center of the pad.
Feel the center with the back of your index finger to check for excessive heat.

Also, get yourself a pad cleaning brush. I have the Griot's brush, but there are many others. If you find buildup on the pad, use the brush to knock it off (with the machine running) and ease up on the amount of product.

Thanks, I’ll definitively do this. Seems like one had some buildup in the center. Can’t remember if it was one of these or not. I bet it was


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[nprotz]

Looks like the pads were just cooked. I’m not saying you did anything wrong..

But you were going after severe defects / scratches with polishing pads, TSR, & UC. You probably were on the boarder of what those products could handle.

Next time get some MF pads & a compound with a more aggressive cut.

Also, work time is very important too. Compounds that have a long work time you use less of them - less liquid in the pad it stays cooler. TSR is fine - but if you are using it aggressively it will hum up pads. You prolly would have been better off with Wolfgang Compound

I bet this was my problem. I have a 3” microfiber pad and it cut better. I kept feeling like I wasn’t cutting enough and my product was drying some. I tried to take care to stop when it started to dry.

I’ll check out the Wolfgang compound.


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[nprotz]

Do you have a long throw machine or a regular DA? Buff&shine flatpads don't do well on long throws. On mine, the velcro kept failing and it was throwing the pads off the backplate as soon as I lifted the polisher from the paint.

So if you have a long throw machine, I suggest you get Lake Country HDO pads next time, they do very well on them, and they are also amazing pads to boot

Back to your current pads. You could use them but there is a risk. If you still want to use them, turn the speed on the machine down and don't stress them too much because the center part of the foam no longer has structural strenght, so they might rip. They might also have started to delaminate in the center section, you can pull on the foam when it's on the backing plate and if you can lift it, it means it's no longer attached to the velcro on that section... a definite warning there.

Thanks for the info. I have just the regular DA polisher. I’ll check the pads but I’ll probably just throw them out. This was my first time polishing so I don’t wanna take any chances.


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[nprotz]

I stopped priming because of that. I put a few extra dots on the first pass so the pad isn’t too dry. When you prime foam pads they already get saturated and you keep adding more and more. Microfiber is a different story.
Also don’t put too much pressure and don’t use the machine on really high speed.

I used it on 6. I guess I should back that down then?


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[Bruno Soares]

I used it on 6. I guess I should back that down then?


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Yeah, I usually keep it around 4.5. My first time polishing I also primed and used speed 6 and that led to pad failure. Learned from that and never had issues again.

 

[dlc95]

I used it on 6. I guess I should back that down then?


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Speed 6 can be fine, but I only use it with light pressure. As tool speed decreases pressure increases to at most a "moderare" level.

The pad never appears compressed at any point. The theory is to let the pad, abrasive, and motion of the polisher remove paint.

If you ever pick up a scrap panel, get some sanding discs, and you'll get a gauge of the pressure you want. Heavy pressure moisture, and high speed cooks pads, and slows results.