If you need more cut, which do you find is better to go with a more aggressive compound or pad?

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Bri26

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If you need more cut, do you tend to go with a more aggressive compound or pad? If usually pick one over the other, please explain why.
 
Do what i think works best for each situation. And gives you the result you are after.

For me personally, 9.5 times outta 10 im using a compound with a cutting pad and a polish with a polishing pad. Even if its a light cutting pad, im using a compound with it. I dont see that im gaining much by just using compound with polishing pad or a polish with cutting pad.

Only time i go for something else with my pads is if im using 3d 505(3d speeds sister). Which is rare, cuz im usually doing some sort of ceramic protection application.

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I always like to depend on the compound and not the pad. Trying to use a polish and only stepping up the pad is like wearing a sweater during a rainstorm, you should’ve worn a raincoat. Do it once and do it right.
 
Bri26 said:
If you need more cut, do you tend to go with a more aggressive compound or pad? If usually pick one over the other, please explain why.
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When polishing paint I am not familiar with, and the marring on the paint isn't too bad, I start with polish on polishing pad on my test spot. For example Meguiars 210 on Lake Country White Pad. If that makes an improvement but I need a little more, I will step up to a compound like Meguiars 110 also on a Lake Country White Pad. In many cases that will do the trick. If not, then I will stick with Megs 110, but use a Lake Country Orange Cutting Pad. I can continue to step up if need be. For example, if I need more aggression, I will go to Meg's heavy compound, Megs 101. That on a cutting pad such as Lake County Orange will clean up the vast majority of marring. To get more aggressive than that, I will need to go with wool or microfiber which is really pulling out the heavy artillery at that point.

That was when dealing with unfamiliar paint that is not marred too bad, if the paint is trashed, I will skip the polish on a polishing pad on my test section and go straight to one step farther up the aggression progression, that being, compound on polishing pad ie Megs 110 on Lake Country white and just keep working my up till I reach satisfactory correction.

These days, I never go for marring free paint, just don't like to remove that much clear coat. If I can't see the marring from 5 feet way, and the shine looks good, I'm happy and so are all my customers who I explain the risks of me going nuts on their clear, not worth the risk to me.
 
I usually jump up the liquid first and try the same pad (clean pad). If still not quite there i change to a firmer pad. That usually does it. I rarely do more than 3 test spots to dial something in that the customer wants.

I record every customer and know what works on their paint. The above process is for new clients.

It always depends on the paint and conditions.

Great question, btw. There's no right answer and comes from experience.
 
My choice would be using more aggressive compound first, with variations of a DA speed increase and my hand pressure on the pad stepping up.
 
I usually try 2 test panels with the same pad and different compound. If the best one does the trick but is just a bit shy I will go to a Blue vs.Orange. Or yellow to Orange etc. If I'm still not happy I will go up in compound with original pad.
most pad switches I usually do without changing compound is a micro vs. a foam. Last cast scenario is the dreaded rotary on a purple wool.
 
Paul A. said:
I usually jump up the liquid first and try the same pad (clean pad). If still not quite there i change to a firmer pad.
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This is my approach too. I typically work with a medium cut pad and I move up/down the aggressiveness scale with my liquids before swapping out pads.

There's no right answer and comes from experience.
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The almost infinite variance in variables between the hardness of the paint, cut liquids, and cut of the pads means each car can be a bit different. You just have to try combinations of what is on hand to dial in the best results.
 
Depends, but if you're using a compound (DAT), then you can go to a firmer pad or MF for more cut, and probably still get great finish. If you're using a typical polish (that only goes down to about 2500-3000 grit), you're never going to get the cut you need, no matter what pad you choose.

In my experience, only a versatile compound (DAT) can do both cutting and one step (good cut with good finish), and you can go with difference density or open/closed cell depending on the softness/hardness of the paint.

Where as a polish, no matter what pads you use, are really only for finishing. I suppose on a really soft/finicky paint type, you can get enough cut with polish, but not medium/hard paints. Again, my experience.
 
Apex detail did a video a while ago on this topic, really makes you go hmmm...

 
SNP209 said:
Apex detail did a video a while ago on this topic, really makes you go hmmm...

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I remember this was a real eye opener when it first came out and it is one of those lessons that’s super important (at least to me) but easy to forget when you get caught up in the “gotta have it” moment and you get lost in a sea of too many choices


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I try and start with a polish and change the pad.

For instance, say I start with Ultimate Polish on a blue Hex pad. If that doesn't do the job, I'll switch to green. If that doesn't work I'll move to a fiber pad.

That doesn't work, I'll go back to green with Ultimate Compound, and to a fiber pad afte that if necessary.

Seems a little convoluted, but those are my pathways.
 
dlc95 said:
I try and start with a polish and change the pad.

For instance, say I start with Ultimate Polish on a blue Hex pad. If that doesn't do the job, I'll switch to green. If that doesn't work I'll move to a fiber pad.

That doesn't work, I'll go back to green with Ultimate Compound, and to a fiber pad afte that if necessary.

Seems a little convoluted, but those are my pathways.
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There is nothing convoluted about your methodology at all

Unless paint is absolutely trashed I will almost always start with a polish and work backwards just changing pads, even if I KNOW it won’t work, because there have been times that I KNEW it wouldn’t work, but it did, and I had no need for bigger guns

We are taught to use a pad, product, and process best calculated to achieve the desired results, but starting on the gentle end of the calculated spectrum and possibly needing more is the safest way to go in my book and learning your liquids intimately and adjusting pads to suit the situation is a skill worth developing


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chilly said:
There is nothing convoluted about your methodology at all

Unless paint is absolutely trashed I will almost always start with a polish and work backwards just changing pads, even if I KNOW it won’t work, because there have been times that I KNEW it wouldn’t work, but it did, and I had no need for bigger guns

We are taught to use a pad, product, and process best calculated to achieve the desired results, but starting on the gentle end of the calculated spectrum and possibly needing more is the safest way to go in my book and learning your liquids intimately and adjusting pads to suit the situation is a skill worth developing


Sent from my iPhone using Autogeekonline mobile app
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Thank you, Chilly!

I have always liked the idea of having "headroom". Knowing that if the polish / polish pad combo isn't sufficient, there are options in either direction.

The reason I do that is to try and make it a "one step" process.

Ultimate Polish, M205, Menz 2500, Jescar Medium, 3D ACA520 / ONE, Optimum Hyper Polish.

They've all done more than I could have expeced. There were times like you, I "knew they wouldn't work", but I was wrong. Often they finished really well too.
 
If it looks bad, an orange cutting pad is a good place to start. Now, I've had stuff that the orange cutting pad wouldn't remove but moving to a Griots fast finishing MF pad took out.
 
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