Lake Country 1-Pad Polishing System - In Stock!

TLMitchell said:
I've got some freebies coming that I intend to wash after use and see how long they can actually be used. I'll let you know.

TL
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Looking forward to your review!

The way I see it is this: these pads cost about half of what the pads I have been normally using cost, so as long as I can expect to get at least half as much life out of them they may have a place in my arsenal. If they wear out significantly faster than traditional pads, they're not worth it at their current price point -- especially when you factor in the high cost of the backing plate for the system.
 
The Pad Man said:
Lokk at it this way. You buy a pair of shoes, and the more you wear them they get broken in and are not as snug as new ones. When you wash a pad, it looses a bit of its ability compared to a new one. If you use sandpaper, do you wash it and reuse it?
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Using that analogy, shouldn't you be advocating single-use for your CCS and flat pads as well?

As I mentioned, I won some 1-Pads and a backing plate. I'm not a professional and I otherwise wouldn't expect to be buying them unless I used a rotary a lot more than I do. I'm gonna give 'em a whirl and wash 'em and possibly discover why they should be reserved for single-use. Or not. Who knows, I may start throwing away shoes and replacing them after one use. I do like a snug shoe...

Thanks for the idea on washing sandpaper, I never thought of that. Gotta save pennies wherever I can in this economy. Maybe I'll consider turning my skivvies inside out for increased usage while I'm at it. Unless they lose their snugness. Then I'll probably toss 'em.

TL
 
It sounds like they are marketing this in terms of the TIME it saves...to counter the cost disadvantage. Throw away Pads should not cost the same as conventional Pads. Its all about time (which is money for most people).
 
I would like to see the ROI (return on investment) calculations that would justify the price. When someone goes to sell this, I there must be some math to prove its value.

Is the idea that high volume shops can justify new pads since it would cost about the same amount cleaning them?
 
fairlady350z said:
While I see that LC as a company has to stay fresh and come out with new ideas, I don't think this is practical for a majority of the detailing niche. I will definitely pass on this product. Cool concept though...
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Fairlady, I'm thinking along those very same lines.

I would like to give the system a try just to see the actual differences between the old and new generation just for comparison....

The system is pricey and the pad prices compare with what I'm using now and I don't throw them away.
 
If you think about how much of a pad you use when polishing, its typically 1/2 inch from the face, then you throw the rest away after the foam looses its stability. I can totally understand the thoughts and feelings about this.
 
Without actually trying the system these are my inital thoughts.

Contour Polishing: Pro

Price: Con
+: Save $3 for each pad you would have had to clean (3$ is for me personally) based on time I spend per pad and the value I attribute to my time.
-: Price of each "1 pad" is approx. 7$

Green: ??? I don't imagine it would be unless you rewash them at least 1/2 as many times as you would wash your regular pads

Summary:I think its an excellent idea. Love being able to throw away the front face instead of cleaning pads and letting them dry. Unfortunately for me the cost would have to be about $3 to use them regularly. I am very interested in using them on the curves of my Sky though. Shame they can't be used on my Flex 3401.
 
To avoid any confusion, I have an easier analgy. If you have a brand new cutting pad, and you use it on a vehicle, and then wash it. It may be clean but the pressure, heat and chemicals have broken down the foam to a point. After you use it again, it does not have the same cut as brand new and goes from a cutting pad to a polishing pad. With the 1 pad system, you always get consistant results.
 
The Pad Man said:
If you think about how much of a pad you use when polishing, its typically 1/2 inch from the face, then you throw the rest away after the foam looses its stability. I can totally understand the thoughts and feelings about this.
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The stability loss apparent to a LC rep may be much different than what's perceived by many end users. Most of the folks I know toss a pad only when it shows obvious physical deterioration. As long as it looks and feels OK they keep washing them and reusing them. A trained eye with more intricate knowledge of the product may observe the pad as needing replaced long before that. Perception vs reality... perspective is all about which rock you're standing on and what direction you're looking.

Businesses in general have created a jaded consumer by demonstrating profit motivation above all else. When any manufacturer introduces a disposable product that will result in repeated purchases and presumably increased sales it's natural to wonder if it's an improved mousetrap or merely an improvement for the bottom line. If it's indeed an improved product the marketplace will decide.

Personally, I prefer a thinner pad and I especially look forward to the curved edge as well as the flexible backing plate. Despite the product being designed as rotary-only I suspect I'll probably give it a look with an adapter on a DA as well. (yeah, I know, outside design parameters and intentions. M105 was rotary-only too and was quickly embraced by DA users with excellent results.) I would hope if the marketplace accepts this system an assortment of different sized backing plates and pads will be in the pipeline soon.

Looking at the colors and aggressiveness progression it appears the tangerine and cyan 1-Pads are in similar relative positions of aggressiveness as the corresponding HydroTechs. From the descriptions relating to finishing capabilities one might assume these to be comparable to those pads. Bonus for versatility when you can polish and finish with the same pad!
TL
 
The Pad Man said:
To avoid any confusion, I have an easier analgy. If you have a brand new cutting pad, and you use it on a vehicle, and then wash it. It may be clean but the pressure, heat and chemicals have broken down the foam to a point. After you use it again, it does not have the same cut as brand new and goes from a cutting pad to a polishing pad. With the 1 pad system, you always get consistant results.
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So you're saying that all of your pads are junk after 1 use? Sorry but it doesn't sound like you're going to win with this group.
 
Consistent results makes sense (I think you hit it on the head)...along with saving time. I think perhaps those two factors alone make it more worthwhile.

A lot of bad results are the direct result of poor (or lack of) Pad cleaning during an entire detail job...so yes, I'm warming up to this thing. I hate cleaning pads as much as the next guy.
 
I am also a professional detailer and car collector outside of Lake Country and I have obviously used the system. I knew when we launched this, there would be positive/negative thoughts to this system. I am not saying our pads are junk after one use, I am saying that any pad be it from LC or any other manufacturer, the foam has broken down to a point after each use.
 
The Pad Man said:
To avoid any confusion, I have an easier analgy. If you have a brand new cutting pad, and you use it on a vehicle, and then wash it. It may be clean but the pressure, heat and chemicals have broken down the foam to a point. After you use it again, it does not have the same cut as brand new and goes from a cutting pad to a polishing pad. With the 1 pad system, you always get consistant results.
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Thanks for posting this! Everyone has flamed me for throwing away once used Cyan HT pads, this is exactly why. I'm not an expert on the product like Lake Country, but I can clearly see the difference in the pad after one use. With that being said, the only thing that will deter me from switching is the price point. A traditional backing plate costs less than the required backing plate for this system. The pads are priced the same for the most part. My question is this, is the backing plate for this system more durable than a traditional backing plate?

I agree that this system is not for everyone. Most people are cheap and want to pinch pennies as much as possible, I can understand this. Why flame Lake Country for catering to a select crowd with this system? Do you flame Swissvax or Zymol for making products that cater to a higher end market? Do you flame Mercedes or BMW for making luxury cars when you can simply go down the road and buy a Chevy or Ford with similar features? :xyxthumbs:
 
I love the idea, as I only polish my car once maybe twice a year. I hate washing pads and cost wise this is not an issue as I do not polish on my car that often. So I can avoid washing pads and grab a new fresh one when I am ready. Now if you are a pro and go through a lot then this would probably not be cost effective for you, but for someone like me its perfect! :props:

And lucky enough my black beauty is due for a polishing in January so I will try them out.
 
I'll say this. If it fit my 3401 I would love to give it a chance. All those curves I bet it would be nice.
 
rwright said:
Do you flame Swissvax or Zymol for making products that cater to a higher end market? Do you flame Mercedes or BMW for making luxury cars when you can simply go down the road and buy a Chevy or Ford with similar features? :xyxthumbs:
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Well, yes! Thanks for asking. :D

The jury's going to be out on the 1-Pad system until people evaluate for themselves. It's impossible to make a reasonable decision without some hands-on time and evaluation. Another about-to-be-introduced pad system is being highly touted by many long-term independent testers that have created a groundswell of anticipation. People are going to be naturally skeptical of a manufacturer's rep offering selling points.

TL
 
Actually its not ridiculous. When you buy a 15 pack of 3M trizact 3000 grit for anywhere between 75-90 dollars, do you wash out the paper and re-use it?
 
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