Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 6
Buffing Pad Recommendations for the FLEX BEASTS Trio - BEAST - Supa BEAST - CBEAST
Lake Country and RUPES Foam Buffing Pads for the FLEX BEAST Trio
Once you've found the right tool for you and your unique style of detailing, the next thing to figure out are which pads to get?
It's great to have options
There are so many pads on the market and to be honest, the brand and style of pad is one of the least important factors when it comes to paint correction, polishing and doing one-step production detailing AS LONG as you're using the right TYPE of pad for the job.
Brand and Style
Just to be clear, when I use the words brand and style when I say they are one of the least important factors in the above paragraph, this basically is saying, out of the different brands, Lake Country, Buff & Shine, RUPES, Meguiar's, Griot's, etc. (these are brands), and the different styles, i.e. thin pads, pads with a bevel, pads with a hole, pads with a taper, pads with no hole, bevel or tape, open cell versus closed cell, when it comes to these pads options, in the BIG PICTURE - these factors are really not HUGE factors when it comes to doing any type of paint polishing.
Say what?
The reason I say this is because the MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR when it comes to polishing paint is abrasive technology. If you get that right, the the brand and style of pad is simply less of a factor AS LONG AS YOU MATCH THE RIGHT type OF PAD TO THE TASK AT HAND.
Let's dive down deep into the Rabbit Hole
By the word TYPE of pad, I mean,
If you want to use a compound and do some serious paint correction - then the right TYPE of pad would be a CUTTING pad.
If you want to use a polish and do some light correction or refine the results created by the heavy cutting step, OR use an AIO and do a one-step process - the the right TYPE of pad would be a POLISHING pad.
If you want to use a fine cut polish, an AIO or even a non-cleaning finishing wax or sealant for doing show car work, maintenance work or if working on super soft of finicky paint - the the right TYPE of pad would be a FINISHING pad.
And out of the above 3 basic categories of foam buffing pads, if you choose the right TYPE of any established brand of buffing pads with a known reputation for quality - then chances are REALLY GOOD you'll get the job done.
In order of importance,
Why?
This picture tells the whole story.
In the above picture, my buddy Jeff Bell is buffing on the trunk lid of a neglected 1969 Ford Thunderbird.
Here's what you see IN ORDER of what touches the paint.
1: The first thing you see "touching" the paint is the abrasive technology.
2: The second thing you see over the top of the compound is the buffing pad.
3: The third thing you see spinning the pad is the polisher.
4: The fourth thing you see behind the tool is the person and of course their technique.
Of course technique is important but technique is not touching the paint. It is the abrasive technology or in other words, the stuff in the bottle, that is touching the paint. Yancy and I made a video in 2020 that talks about abrasive technology. In this video, we did not name specific brands but we did show 3 products, currently on the market, that do not use great abrasive technology and the results from grinding these products over black paint is they leave micro-marring.
Here's the video - if you want to bypass all the great information an get right to the part where some products leave micro-marring in paint - then fast forward to the 53:20 time stamp.
And here's the deal, NO AMOUNT OF TECHNIQUE WILL MAKE BAD ABRASIVE TECHNOLOGY GOOD.
Feel free to try, I'm past that point. I'm also way past the point of arguing with anyone. And just one of the reasons why using great abrasive technology is important is because the factory clearcoat on modern cars is THIN. If you use sub-standard abrasive technology and leave micro-marring in the paint - you have not only removed precious factory thin paint for no good reason BUT you've also left scratches in the paint. (micro-marring is technically scratching).
Here's 3 reasons leaving micro-marring in paint is bad.
1: Appearance. Micro-marring does not look good. When a clearcoat has micro-marring, the micro-marring, (millions of scratches), turns the clearcoat OPAQUE. On black paint this would be seen and turning the black color shades of grey. You'll see this in the video I've shared above. This same effect, turning the clearcoat opaque or cloudy happens to ANY color of paint. So micro-marring dulls down the true color of the paint because it makes the clearcoat cloudy.
2: To remove micro-marring you must remove more paint. In the video I shared above, a few minutes before the 53:20 time stamp, actually at the 51:48 time stamp, I explain how thin the factory clearcoat is on a new or modern car. I show it in fact and make it very easy for anyone to understand.
Follow me, if the product you use micro-mars the paint, this process removed some paint. If you choose to RE-BUFF the car to remove the micro-marring, obviously you've purchased a different product to re-buff the car, the act of re-buffing the car will remove more paint. So the first time was a waste of time and a waste of perfectly good paint.
3: I got this quote from Dr. David Ghodoussi, he is the President and Owner of Optimum Polymer Technology. He's also a PhD Organic Chemist AND a chemist that has worked with many of the car paint manufactures to help invent modern clearcoat paint technology. Pretty good credentials if you ask me. Here's what he said, and after you read this, like me you'll think, Wow! that's so simple but it makes so much sense!
A smooth surface will last longer than a scratched surface
And he's correct. A smooth surface is more resistant to breaking down via oxidation and corrosion. It has a limited and known surface area. Plus it's smooth. A surface filled with scratches, (micro-marring in this example), is OPENED-UP. It has a much greater surface area and it's the opposite of smooth. All the sides of all the scratches create more surface area and this fact along will do more to accelerate deterioration versus preserve itself.
The above is why I'm always sharing that when it comes to polishing paint, the most important factor is the abrasive technology, not the pad, the tool or the person. I told you we were going down the Rabbit Hole.
And this circles back to buffing pads. Now that I've explained that the most important aspect of buffing paint is abrasive technology the next most important thing is choosing the right pad for the job. The brand and style are less important than the TYPE so as long as you pick a great brand and match the TYPE of pad to the work you're doing you should get great results the first time. And of course, we all know that what pad and product you choose comes from doing a TEST SPOT.
Back on track...
And the above long-winded, or long-typed dissertation leads me back to what I really wanted to share and that is the type, brand and style of buffing pads I personally like and use for the FLEX family of BEAST tools.
Here are the current FLEX BEAST tools as of Wednesday, December 30th, 2020. First is the factory part number and then the name I use to refer to the tool.
FLEX XC 3401 VRG - the original corded BEAST. The word BEAST is spelled with all capital letters. This is the original BEAST, which is a 8mm gear-driven fixed orbit - orbital polisher. It's easily identified by the visible aluminum shroud at the head of the polisher.
FLEX XCE 10-8 125 - the new corded BEAST aka the Supa BEAST. The word Supa is short for super and only the first letter is capitalized and the word BEAST is all capital letters. This is a 8mm gear-driven fixed orbit orbital polisher.
FLEX XCE 8-125 18.0 - the cordless BEAST aka the CBEAST - The word CBEAST is spelled with all capital letters and the letter C before the word BEAST simply stands for cordless. This is a 8mm gear-driven fixed orbit orbital polisher using Lithium-Ion re-chargeable Batteries.
At the time of writhing this article, here are my preferred choices for pads.
For compounding and heavy correction work
Lake Country 6.5 inch Lake Country Force Hybrid Orange Cutting Pad - $10.99
For Polishing and finishing or using AIOs
RUPES 7" CP Pads - Yellow and White
RUPES DA Yellow Fine Foam Pad - 7 Inch - $11.99 each
RUPES DA White Ultrafine Foam Pad - 7 Inch - $11.99
My recommended pads
NOTE: I included the current prices as shown on the AG website. Pricing fluctuates, so these prices can and do change.
Hope this helps everyone that comes to that point in their detailing live where they pony up to the table, take out their wallet and purchase one of the FLEX BEAST polishers.
:cheers:
Lake Country and RUPES Foam Buffing Pads for the FLEX BEAST Trio
Once you've found the right tool for you and your unique style of detailing, the next thing to figure out are which pads to get?
It's great to have options
There are so many pads on the market and to be honest, the brand and style of pad is one of the least important factors when it comes to paint correction, polishing and doing one-step production detailing AS LONG as you're using the right TYPE of pad for the job.
Brand and Style
Just to be clear, when I use the words brand and style when I say they are one of the least important factors in the above paragraph, this basically is saying, out of the different brands, Lake Country, Buff & Shine, RUPES, Meguiar's, Griot's, etc. (these are brands), and the different styles, i.e. thin pads, pads with a bevel, pads with a hole, pads with a taper, pads with no hole, bevel or tape, open cell versus closed cell, when it comes to these pads options, in the BIG PICTURE - these factors are really not HUGE factors when it comes to doing any type of paint polishing.
Say what?
The reason I say this is because the MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR when it comes to polishing paint is abrasive technology. If you get that right, the the brand and style of pad is simply less of a factor AS LONG AS YOU MATCH THE RIGHT type OF PAD TO THE TASK AT HAND.
Let's dive down deep into the Rabbit Hole
By the word TYPE of pad, I mean,
If you want to use a compound and do some serious paint correction - then the right TYPE of pad would be a CUTTING pad.
If you want to use a polish and do some light correction or refine the results created by the heavy cutting step, OR use an AIO and do a one-step process - the the right TYPE of pad would be a POLISHING pad.
If you want to use a fine cut polish, an AIO or even a non-cleaning finishing wax or sealant for doing show car work, maintenance work or if working on super soft of finicky paint - the the right TYPE of pad would be a FINISHING pad.
And out of the above 3 basic categories of foam buffing pads, if you choose the right TYPE of any established brand of buffing pads with a known reputation for quality - then chances are REALLY GOOD you'll get the job done.
In order of importance,
- Abrasive Technology
- Buffing Pad
- Polisher
- Person/Technique
Why?
This picture tells the whole story.
In the above picture, my buddy Jeff Bell is buffing on the trunk lid of a neglected 1969 Ford Thunderbird.
Here's what you see IN ORDER of what touches the paint.
1: The first thing you see "touching" the paint is the abrasive technology.
2: The second thing you see over the top of the compound is the buffing pad.
3: The third thing you see spinning the pad is the polisher.
4: The fourth thing you see behind the tool is the person and of course their technique.
Of course technique is important but technique is not touching the paint. It is the abrasive technology or in other words, the stuff in the bottle, that is touching the paint. Yancy and I made a video in 2020 that talks about abrasive technology. In this video, we did not name specific brands but we did show 3 products, currently on the market, that do not use great abrasive technology and the results from grinding these products over black paint is they leave micro-marring.
Here's the video - if you want to bypass all the great information an get right to the part where some products leave micro-marring in paint - then fast forward to the 53:20 time stamp.
And here's the deal, NO AMOUNT OF TECHNIQUE WILL MAKE BAD ABRASIVE TECHNOLOGY GOOD.
Feel free to try, I'm past that point. I'm also way past the point of arguing with anyone. And just one of the reasons why using great abrasive technology is important is because the factory clearcoat on modern cars is THIN. If you use sub-standard abrasive technology and leave micro-marring in the paint - you have not only removed precious factory thin paint for no good reason BUT you've also left scratches in the paint. (micro-marring is technically scratching).
Here's 3 reasons leaving micro-marring in paint is bad.
1: Appearance. Micro-marring does not look good. When a clearcoat has micro-marring, the micro-marring, (millions of scratches), turns the clearcoat OPAQUE. On black paint this would be seen and turning the black color shades of grey. You'll see this in the video I've shared above. This same effect, turning the clearcoat opaque or cloudy happens to ANY color of paint. So micro-marring dulls down the true color of the paint because it makes the clearcoat cloudy.
2: To remove micro-marring you must remove more paint. In the video I shared above, a few minutes before the 53:20 time stamp, actually at the 51:48 time stamp, I explain how thin the factory clearcoat is on a new or modern car. I show it in fact and make it very easy for anyone to understand.
Follow me, if the product you use micro-mars the paint, this process removed some paint. If you choose to RE-BUFF the car to remove the micro-marring, obviously you've purchased a different product to re-buff the car, the act of re-buffing the car will remove more paint. So the first time was a waste of time and a waste of perfectly good paint.
3: I got this quote from Dr. David Ghodoussi, he is the President and Owner of Optimum Polymer Technology. He's also a PhD Organic Chemist AND a chemist that has worked with many of the car paint manufactures to help invent modern clearcoat paint technology. Pretty good credentials if you ask me. Here's what he said, and after you read this, like me you'll think, Wow! that's so simple but it makes so much sense!
A smooth surface will last longer than a scratched surface
And he's correct. A smooth surface is more resistant to breaking down via oxidation and corrosion. It has a limited and known surface area. Plus it's smooth. A surface filled with scratches, (micro-marring in this example), is OPENED-UP. It has a much greater surface area and it's the opposite of smooth. All the sides of all the scratches create more surface area and this fact along will do more to accelerate deterioration versus preserve itself.
The above is why I'm always sharing that when it comes to polishing paint, the most important factor is the abrasive technology, not the pad, the tool or the person. I told you we were going down the Rabbit Hole.
And this circles back to buffing pads. Now that I've explained that the most important aspect of buffing paint is abrasive technology the next most important thing is choosing the right pad for the job. The brand and style are less important than the TYPE so as long as you pick a great brand and match the TYPE of pad to the work you're doing you should get great results the first time. And of course, we all know that what pad and product you choose comes from doing a TEST SPOT.
Back on track...
And the above long-winded, or long-typed dissertation leads me back to what I really wanted to share and that is the type, brand and style of buffing pads I personally like and use for the FLEX family of BEAST tools.
Here are the current FLEX BEAST tools as of Wednesday, December 30th, 2020. First is the factory part number and then the name I use to refer to the tool.
FLEX XC 3401 VRG - the original corded BEAST. The word BEAST is spelled with all capital letters. This is the original BEAST, which is a 8mm gear-driven fixed orbit - orbital polisher. It's easily identified by the visible aluminum shroud at the head of the polisher.
FLEX XCE 10-8 125 - the new corded BEAST aka the Supa BEAST. The word Supa is short for super and only the first letter is capitalized and the word BEAST is all capital letters. This is a 8mm gear-driven fixed orbit orbital polisher.
FLEX XCE 8-125 18.0 - the cordless BEAST aka the CBEAST - The word CBEAST is spelled with all capital letters and the letter C before the word BEAST simply stands for cordless. This is a 8mm gear-driven fixed orbit orbital polisher using Lithium-Ion re-chargeable Batteries.
At the time of writhing this article, here are my preferred choices for pads.
For compounding and heavy correction work
Lake Country 6.5 inch Lake Country Force Hybrid Orange Cutting Pad - $10.99
For Polishing and finishing or using AIOs
RUPES 7" CP Pads - Yellow and White
RUPES DA Yellow Fine Foam Pad - 7 Inch - $11.99 each
RUPES DA White Ultrafine Foam Pad - 7 Inch - $11.99
My recommended pads
NOTE: I included the current prices as shown on the AG website. Pricing fluctuates, so these prices can and do change.
Hope this helps everyone that comes to that point in their detailing live where they pony up to the table, take out their wallet and purchase one of the FLEX BEAST polishers.
:cheers:
