Pad Washer class review

Harleyguy

Harleyguy

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Well Ag brought out all there cool products on Sunday's 102 class.Paint meter,all the new rotarys and polishers and products to use and try.Well another one worth looking into was there Pad washer setup.It would of been nice if we had a video camera there to show how well it works.Just fill up the bucket to a certain point,Open the half moon cover place the rotary or pc in the top close the cover turn the machine on push down and lift up while you have the machine on .When you pump the machine up and down water squirts on the pad and the grit guard cleans the pad.Takes a few seconds lift up on the machine run the machine it slings off the excess water,remove from the bucket and run the pad on the top of the lid there is another guard run the pad on that it drys it even more and done.

I see alot of guys complaining about pads gummy up and needing at least 4 to 5 of each color pad to do a detail.After seeing this cleaner work i bet you wouldn't need so many pads and actually i feel it would help the pads last longer.The whole process took less then a minute to use.And great results.
 
What are the disadvantages of using a wet pad to complete a detail? A PC or flex would not spin it dry like a rotary would. Did you guys use the pads wet?
 
I have one and wouldn't be caught without it. Its really a must have for anyone that details several cars
 
loudog2 said:
What are the disadvantages of using a wet pad to complete a detail? A PC or flex would not spin it dry like a rotary would. Did you guys use the pads wet?
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The pads are damp not soaking wet. You want to have the pad a little damp so you can work the compound/polish in longer so there is not a disadvantage using the pad cleaner. It helps by keeping the pads clean allowing them to do there job much better. I am deff getting this along with the Flex lightweight and Flex DA. I need to replace my old PC
 
loudog2 said:
What are the disadvantages of using a wet pad to complete a detail? A PC or flex would not spin it dry like a rotary would. Did you guys use the pads wet?
Click to expand...

If you either sling any excess water out of the pad using your polisher and/or remove any excess water manually by wringing your pad out by hand, there's not enough water to have any negative effect on any process you're performing. The exception "might" be if you're applying a finishing wax or paint sealant but in the real world you're not cleaning your pad when applying a finishing wax or paint sealant because you're not removing paint thus there is no product residue on the face of the pad.

We never used the pads wet, but we did use pads that were damp. There's a difference.


The important point to keep in mind is that every time I've witnessed someone cleaning a used pad with a pad washer the comments are all pretty much the same...

Dang! That' works great!

Next to the investment of a machine, the next most important investment a person can make is in a Pad Washer.

I'm still on the road and away from the office but tomorrow I'll start posting pictures from the Sunday Advanced Class which include pictures of the Students using the Pad Washer to clean used pads.


Pictures & Comments from October 4th, 2009 Sunday Detailing 102 - Advanced Class


:)
 
Well you know, I'm glad to read that as I'm just looking at placing an order for a 230v Flex at the moment.

I was considering adding a pad washer to my order, but now I think I really will have to give it some serious consideration.
 
I don't really use my polisher that much. I'm about to get pretty busy doing a pre-winter detail for a bunch of my family cars, but that's the exception. I'm wondering if I could modify a grit guard somehow to get a similar type tool for cleaning pads. Being a hobby detailer, it's hard to justify that much for a tool that I will rarely use.

But in hindsight, most of my products fall into that category because once I find a certain product that rocks... That will leave 4 or 5 products that do the same thing, that go on the back burner. I think I need a psychiatrist, my brain is a mess lol.
 
CTS-Veo said:
I don't really use my polisher that much. I'm about to get pretty busy doing a pre-winter detail for a bunch of my family cars, but that's the exception. I'm wondering if I could modify a grit guard somehow to get a similar type tool for cleaning pads. Being a hobby detailer, it's hard to justify that much for a tool that I will rarely use.

But in hindsight, most of my products fall into that category because once I find a certain product that rocks... That will leave 4 or 5 products that do the same thing, that go on the back burner. I think I need a psychiatrist, my brain is a mess lol.
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I'm sure you can come up with something but that's whats nice about the one they sale all of the r&d has all ready been done and works the why it should.I'm in the same boat as you to justifie spending over $100.00 for one.All i know it works,
maybe wait and see if they go on some sort of sale.
 
The pad washer is worth the money!! Plain and simple. And if you HATE cleaning pads, this will change that. This is the one product you will not be hating after you buy it.

Colin
 
cnfowler said:
The pad washer is worth the money!! Plain and simple. And if you HATE cleaning pads, this will change that. This is the one product you will not be hating after you buy it.

Colin
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Another happy user of the pad washer.Keep the list going !!
 
cnfowler said:
The pad washer is worth the money!! Plain and simple. And if you HATE cleaning pads, this will change that. This is the one product you will not be hating after you buy it.

Colin
Click to expand...

Colin makes a very good point.

If you've ever cleaned pads by hand, it's not that it can't be done, it's just not any fun to do. With the pad washer, all the icky work is done for you in the bucket.

Here's a tip...
After a detailing session, after you've cleaned your last pad, empty out and then rinse out your pad washer. If you wash it out the same day you filled it and used it, all the residue that's been removed from your buffing pads will rinse out quickly and easily.

If you let it go for week, or months, the residue will settle become firm and cleaning it will require more effort. So at the end of the day, or the end of the project, empty out the bucket, remove all the components and rinse everything clean. Then simply re-assemble it, put the lid back on and it will be clean and ready to go next time you need it.

This is seriously one of those tasks that doing it sooner will always be better than doing it later.


:)
 
I have one, and now that I do I wonder why it took me so long to get. I would stand over the sink and scrub, and wash the pads and then my back would start to hurt. This is very much worth every penny!!:xyxthumbs:
 
Gotta get one of these things for sure. May be a birthday gift to myself in November! lol
 
Hopefully neither AG nor DetailCity will mind that I lifted one of my old posts about the GG Pad Washer and copied it here. This thing is not a gimmick. If you do even several cars per month, you need one.


Re: Grit Guard Pad Washing System

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Hey, good review, Pockets.

Great minds... well you know what they say. I have a review of the same product locked and loaded, just waiting for a couple more pics this weekend.

I received a Grit Guard Pad Washer as a gift from my new best friend last week!

I know one pro detailer who told me that he did not like the system, but everyone else loves theirs. Put me down in the "Where have you been all my life?" column.

This thing is fantastic. I have actually been throwing my pads in the WASHING MACHINE!

Well, the Pad Washer cleans the pad BETTER, much FASTER, and does not prematurely damage the velcro backing. No kidding, these pads are much cleaner than when washed in a 30 minute machine cycle.

Pockets' review is excellent. I'd like to throw out a few warnings though. After all, you are putting a power tool into a bucket of water.

Not to insult anyone's intelligence, but this is important... be sure to plug into a GFCI (the garage and kitchen type electrical wall plugs with the pop-out buttons.) These will short out more readily if you accidentally dunk the motor, protecting you from electrical shock.

Fill the System carefully to the correct level... no more.

Push the pad onto the spring loaded Grit Guard only momentarily touching the water level. (I don't know if the instructions were not clear on this point, or if I'm just dense.... most probably the latter.) Lift back up slightly and pull the buffer trigger, spinning the pad on the Grit Guard, slightly above the water.

I say all this because I originally mistakenly kept the pad in the water as I started the machine, splashing up into the motor... not good.

Don't let me scare you off. I HIGHLY recommend this product.
__________________
JohnHenry
 
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