Priming You’re Pads

[Cdhoff502]

Recently, in one of your videos, I saw where you manually “primed” the pads with polish before you began polishing. This being so, would you still recommend investing in a pad cleaner, conditioner, and brush set? Thanks.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Recently, in one of your videos, I saw where you manually “primed” the pads with polish before you began polishing. This being so, would you still recommend investing in a pad cleaner, conditioner, and brush set? Thanks.

In my classes, I show the "Mike Phillips Method of Priming Pads". This is for foam pads. I no longer actually prime foam pads. Nothing wrong with it, but after adding some product to you pad and spreading this product around over the section you're going to buff (and make your SECTION PASSES), by the time you've done this - your foam pad is primed. I don't wast time doing things that don't matter. I get in and I get out.

For microfiber pads I continue to show the Kevin Brown Method.

I do clean my pads with a pad brush after two section passes, in a perfect world we would all clean our pads after EACH section pass.

I swap to a new pad so often that pad cleaning is less of an issue during the process. After the process, everything goes into the washing machine with microfiber detergent and then into the dryer unless it is a fiber pad, then it gets set out to air dry.

I discussed this in video #5

Complete List of Live Broadcast Videos on YouTube - Yancy Martinez & Mike Phillips


I've never used a liquid to "prime" a pad when buffing out cars. Pad saturation is a problem with foam pads, even fiber pads. I'm not going to help the pad get wet. It will get plenty wet from the product I'm using.

The pad cleaners do work great but because I wash everything in the washing machine these would be redundant for my cleaning process.

 

[Dr Oldz]

I’ve used the priming of the pads method in the past. Where logically it makes sense that 100% of the pad face is working for you when it’s primed buffing liquid on it, I never noticed a difference with FOAM pads besides going thru way more product. MF pads I still find it necessary. Wool or foamed wool it is unnecessary IME also.

Personally I’m not a fan of pad conditioner at all. A good brush is a must for cleaning on the fly and also if you wish to clean in a sink with free flowing water.

 

[Paul A.]

I don't prime my pads anymore and use Mike's logic i.e. the pad will get moist with product after 2-3 panels and then it's replaced with a fresh pad.

I do brush the pad after every section and Terry towel dry after every 2 sections. I don't mess with pad "conditioners" at all. Product lubrication is all I rely on.

I also don't use any special cleaners. After each pad is retired I rinse it in water, spray it with my diluted APC and toss it in a bucket of fresh water to be cleaned later.

 

[WillSports3]

The way I see it, priming the pad is the process of when you squeeze the polish onto the foam pad itself.

I do like to use McKee's rinseless wash to spray the pads with, but that's mostly because my cars have soft Japanese paint, and it helps prevent any sort of marring as well as any dusting I might have with certain products.