Pad Priming
- Thread starter Z06LOVER
- Start date
Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 7
You know that question comes up all the time not only on the forum but in my classes when we use any type of DA Polisher.
Here's the answer...
In a perfect world, if you're doing a GREAT job of cleaning your pad then there's now down side to re-priming your pad and only positive benefits to gain. The only downside is pad saturation when using foam pads but this will happen no mater what and this is why I use a terry cloth towel when cleaning foam pads on the fly as the cotton is bulking enough to help absorb or wick out much of the excess liquid inside the foam.
The downside to priming your pad, and by this I mean to take your finger and spread and work fresh product over the entire face of the pad is that if you multiple the time you'll spend doing this after each time you clean your pad you're going to extend the total time it takes to buff out the car.
So there's the perfect world and reality.
Here's what I know... two things...
1. Millions of cars have been buffed out successfully by simply cleaning your pad in-between buffing out sections and then simply adding some fresh product to the face of the pad and getting back to work.
2. Either way, (adding fresh product or re-priming your pad and then adding fresh product), if you're focused on the task at hand and monitoring your results as you buff out a car section by section, you're going to get great results either way.
Some could argue that by cleaning and then diligently priming the pad for each new section you will be working at maximum efficiency. I think this is true and accurate.
Me?
After I prime a clean, dry pad the first time, the rest of the time I'm using this same pad I clean my pad on the fly to the best of my ability and then add fresh product and get back to work.
This is one of those techniques where everyone can find what works best for them but anyone that's ever buffed out cars for a living knows that buffing out an entire car already takes a long time so finding ways to get stellar results while not skimping on quality but also not wasting time is the key...
Becciasm
New member
- Jul 6, 2009
- 1,066
- 0
You know that question comes up all the time not only on the forum but in my classes when we use any type of DA Polisher.
Here's the answer...
In a perfect world, if you're doing a GREAT job of cleaning your pad then there's now down side to re-priming your pad and only positive benefits to gain. The only downside is pad saturation when using foam pads but this will happen no mater what and this is why I use a terry cloth towel when cleaning foam pads on the fly as the cotton is bulking enough to help absorb or wick out much of the excess liquid inside the foam.
The downside to priming your pad, and by this I mean to take your finger and spread and work fresh product over the entire face of the pad is that if you multiple the time you'll spend doing this after each time you clean your pad you're going to extend the total time it takes to buff out the car.
So there's the perfect world and reality.
Here's what I know... two things...
1. Millions of cars have been buffed out successfully by simply cleaning your pad in-between buffing out sections and then simply adding some fresh product to the face of the pad and getting back to work.
2. Either way, (adding fresh product or re-priming your pad and then adding fresh product), if you're focused on the task at hand and monitoring your results as you buff out a car section by section, you're going to get great results either way.
Some could argue that by cleaning and then diligently priming the pad for each new section you will be working at maximum efficiency. I think this is true and accurate.
Me?
After I prime a clean, dry pad the first time, the rest of the time I'm using this same pad I clean my pad on the fly to the best of my ability and then add fresh product and get back to work.
This is one of those techniques where everyone can find what works best for them but anyone that's ever buffed out cars for a living knows that buffing out an entire car already takes a long time so finding ways to get stellar results while not skimping on quality but also not wasting time is the key...
Very complete, concise answer. Thanks!
I'll be cleaning up a black 2010 Challenger this weekend (no correction work this time), and want to take the time to educate the owner as well. He'll be hanging out and helping me tune up my lawnmower for the season in exchange.
