DA polisher questions for rookie

Grifffx4

Grifffx4

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I want to get a PC or Griots DAP soon. I've never used one so I will be doing some research but wanted to get pointed in the right direction to begin.

Do I need a cleaner grit guard bucket for the pads? And, do you clean the pad after each section of a vehicle or after doing a whole vehicle?

How do you clean pads w/o a grit guard bucket?

Basically, besides a DAP kit sold here, what other accessories and items do I need? :buffing:

Thanks!
 
Grifffx4 said:
Do I need a cleaner grit guard bucket for the pads? And, do you clean the pad after each section of a vehicle or after doing a whole vehicle?

How do you clean pads w/o a grit guard bucket?

Basically, besides a DAP kit sold here, what other accessories and items do I need?

Thanks!
Click to expand...


If you're just detailing your own cars, instead of getting a Grit Guard Universal Pad Washer, spend this money getting extra pads.

More pads means you can buff out a car faster and do better work and your pads will last longer.

Get some pad cleaning soap, like BLACKFIRE Advanced Pad Cleaner & Restorer and put a scoop into about 4 gallons of water in a 5-gallon bucket.

After you buff out a hood, take the pad and dunk it in the bucket and squish it so it fills up with pad cleaning solution.

Repeat this as you work around the car, switching to a clean, dry pad for each major body panel.

At the end of the day squish all the pads in the bucket a few times, then squish them under some running water till they rinse clear then wring them out and place them upside down somewhere to dry for the next time you need them.

I cover this in my how-to book in-depth with multiple ways to both wash and dry your pads.

The first tool or accessory I would get is a copy of my paperback book or the ibook.

See my Signature Line at the bottom of everyone of my posts on this forum.


:)
 
Grifffx4 said:
I want to get a PC or Griots DAP soon. I've never used one so I will be doing some research but wanted to get pointed in the right direction to begin.

Do I need a cleaner grit guard bucket for the pads? And, do you clean the pad after each section of a vehicle or after doing a whole vehicle?

How do you clean pads w/o a grit guard bucket?

Basically, besides a DAP kit sold here, what other accessories and items do I need? :buffing:

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Its always best to have 2-3 pads for each panel of your vehicle. My advice to the go with a 5" backing plate and the 5.5" pads.

If you get the pad washer its still good to have more than just one pad. as that pads dries out you can move on with a new clean dry one.

To clean pads without the washer then you have to do that after your finished with the vehiclein the sink by hand and a pad cleaner spray.
 
Evan.J said:
Its always best to have 2-3 pads for each panel of your vehicle. My advice to the go with a 5" backing plate and the 5.5" pads.

If you get the pad washer its still good to have more than just one pad. as that pads dries out you can move on with a new clean dry one.

To clean pads without the washer then you have to do that after your finished with the vehiclein the sink by hand and a pad cleaner spray.
Click to expand...

Take his advice. 5 inch back plate with 5.5 inch pads. Same thing I am doing. Along with LC flat pads.
 
great question, and great answers! I was also looking for a solid answer on this topic... thanks!
 
So, going by the advice above....that would be 36 pads of each color. Am I thinking about this wrong?

By sections, for my truck, there are:
Front bumper/grille, hood, roof, tailgate, LF fender, RF fender, LF door, RF door, LR door, RR door, Left bedside, Right bedside

Is this wrong in terms of section?
 
Grifffx4 said:
So, going by the advice above....that would be 36 pads of each color. Am I thinking about this wrong?

By sections, for my truck, there are:
Front bumper/grille, hood, roof, tailgate, LF fender, RF fender, LF door, RF door, LR door, RR door, Left bedside, Right bedside

Is this wrong in terms of section?
Click to expand...

Really depends how much cutting & polishing you really need to do. A safe number is 12-15 pads of each color.

-3 pads for each side
-2 pads for the hood
-1 pad tailgate
-1 pad roof

I'd rather have them and not need vs need and not have. Besides, you'll soon experience it can be a pain to stop and have to clean pads in the middle of correction. So much easier just to grab a clean pad and continue with the correction.

I have about 10-12 pads of each color (5" LC Hybrids), 4 pads of each color (4" LC Hydros) myself just for my mustang...
 
My truck is only a year old, silver and not very swirled up. I just want to do a two-in-one clean/polish and then Collinte or Coating.

Should white and blue pads be enough?
Lake Country 5.5 Inch CCS Pads 6 Pack - Your Choice!

I was looking at the hydros but they are really costly for me for now. I could buy them but I'd go way past what I was planning to spend.




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Grifffx4 said:
My truck is only a year old, silver and not very swirled up. I just want to do a two-in-one clean/polish and then Collinte or Coating.

Should white and blue pads be enough?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yes white n blue will be fine. I would suggest to grab a couple orange pads to have just in case.
 
Ok, I was about to pull the trigger on the PC kit with the 5 pad choice and then three 6 pack pads @$55 each. I'm just having trouble buying $165 worth of just pads. Sticker shock.

Since I'm not a pro and just doing this to my own truck (silver) could I get away with using one or two pads for the whole truck? Will I hurt it more than help it?


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Grifffx4 said:
Ok, I was about to pull the trigger on the PC kit with the 5 pad choice and then three 6 pack pads @$55 each. I'm just having trouble buying $165 worth of just pads. Sticker shock.

Since I'm not a pro and just doing this to my own truck (silver) could I get away with using one or two pads for the whole truck? Will I hurt it more than help it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I couldn't feel your pain more... i'm also just getting into this, and think i'm going to try and do 4-6 pads of each colour. I think with using the quick clean/towel method along the way - i'm hoping to be alright. When starting into this hobby, between the products, DA polisher, cart, pads, tools... i'm at a $500 bill! I know there's more I want to protect over winter months... but that'll wait until the Fall. That first order is to get me through April-October.
There should be a nice 24 pad combo kit - 3 colours, 8 of each - at a nice discount.
 
Grifffx4 said:
Ok, I was about to pull the trigger on the PC kit with the 5 pad choice and then three 6 pack pads @$55 each. I'm just having trouble buying $165 worth of just pads. Sticker shock.

Since I'm not a pro and just doing this to my own truck (silver) could I get away with using one or two pads for the whole truck? Will I hurt it more than help it?
Click to expand...

Photecs said:
I couldn't feel your pain more... i'm also just getting into this, and think i'm going to try and do 4-6 pads of each colour. I think with using the quick clean/towel method along the way - i'm hoping to be alright. When starting into this hobby, between the products, DA polisher, cart, pads, tools... i'm at a $500 bill! I know there's more I want to protect over winter months... but that'll wait until the Fall. That first order is to get me through April-October.
There should be a nice 24 pad combo kit - 3 colours, 8 of each - at a nice discount.
Click to expand...

I agree with both of you. I'm relatively new to this also and I'm only using my GG 6 every few months on my wife's car and my truck. I'm going to do 3 pads of each color and spend a little extra time cleaning them with a pad brush in between sections. Pads are expensive and I can't justify spending that my money on pads.
 
I'm just wondering if I can hurt or swirl my paint more using less pads. I've been looking at the "Forum Favorite" kit with the brush


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