technically, are foam pads able to scratch paint?
- Thread starter pman626
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silverfox
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- Oct 5, 2010
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Agreed...Compounding itself scratches the paint. That so called compounding "haze" are actually very fine scratch marks. That being said, always prime any pad thoroughly. The whole "just need x pea size drops" stuff is something I've never bought into. Better safe than working backwards.
dlc95
Active member
- May 18, 2013
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Like most things, I would have to assume it's paint/pad dependant.
You can also look at the Rupes system, where their intensely coarse blue pad, paired with a few drops of polish, on a violently moving machine can sometimes leave a wax ready finish. The pad on their UHS system, which is considered a "one step" polishing system, is crazy hard and coarse feeling.
Lake Country's Cyan Hydrotech is a pretty stiff pad, leaves a near wax ready finish, despite being as aggressive as it is.
All things considered, the components designed into the compounds and polishes we use serve to lubricate the surface as we buff.
A dry pad though? I'll have to try it myself to see.
You can also look at the Rupes system, where their intensely coarse blue pad, paired with a few drops of polish, on a violently moving machine can sometimes leave a wax ready finish. The pad on their UHS system, which is considered a "one step" polishing system, is crazy hard and coarse feeling.
Lake Country's Cyan Hydrotech is a pretty stiff pad, leaves a near wax ready finish, despite being as aggressive as it is.
All things considered, the components designed into the compounds and polishes we use serve to lubricate the surface as we buff.
A dry pad though? I'll have to try it myself to see.
FUNX650
New member
- Dec 1, 2010
- 21,057
- 1
Yes...
-Foam pads do have different chemical, and abrasive, compositions for the various stages (steps) of compounding, polishing, as well as for "sealing" vehicles' paint. The NO. of: Pores-Per-Inch (PPI) is one metric.
-Some people will start the buffing-process wet, by "priming the pad" with product;
-Some will start-off dry, by laying the product "in a line" upon a vehicle surface (the: 10@10 method, for example).
Either way:
• "Dry-buffing" for any period of time is to be avoided.
• Yet still be somewhat stingy with liquid products.
Many people use way more than is necessary.
Bob
-Foam pads do have different chemical, and abrasive, compositions for the various stages (steps) of compounding, polishing, as well as for "sealing" vehicles' paint. The NO. of: Pores-Per-Inch (PPI) is one metric.
-Some people will start the buffing-process wet, by "priming the pad" with product;
-Some will start-off dry, by laying the product "in a line" upon a vehicle surface (the: 10@10 method, for example).
Either way:
• "Dry-buffing" for any period of time is to be avoided.
• Yet still be somewhat stingy with liquid products.
Many people use way more than is necessary.
Bob
dcjredline
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- Mar 26, 2012
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If it can "cut" I would then have to assume it can scratch so my vote is yes
- Thread starter
- #8
That's what got me wondering.
Is the cutting due to the foam stiffness that is pushing the polish harder into the paint, or is the foam alone powerful enough to cut away clear coat.
One of these days I'll have to go to the junkyard and pick up a scrap panel, though I was hoping someone here had tested this already :xyxthumbs:
FUNX650
New member
- Dec 1, 2010
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Whatever gave you the idea that the amount of a foam pad's stiffness is what pushes polish "into the paint"...and the cause of "cutting" to occur?
Also:
Somewhere in this thread there was the mention of:
PPI, chemical, and abrasive compositions of foam pads.
Bob
oldmodman
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- Sep 25, 2007
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Absolutely, positively yes.
A while ago I had some of the very course, maroon Meguiar's pads and they left a considerable amount of marring on the finish. To test whether it was the pad or the compound I used different compounds. Even a very fine compound left marring on the paint. And when I switched to a mild pad using the same compound the paint finished down beautifully.
A while ago I had some of the very course, maroon Meguiar's pads and they left a considerable amount of marring on the finish. To test whether it was the pad or the compound I used different compounds. Even a very fine compound left marring on the paint. And when I switched to a mild pad using the same compound the paint finished down beautifully.