Why am I destroying pads?!?!

El Flaco Taco

El Flaco Taco

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Finally got a free Sunday to detail my Tahoe. My rupes absolutely destroyed three pads. Which makes me know that it's not the pads but me. First I ruined the 5" Meg's finish MF.View attachment 19588
This was done one the roof of the truck. Didn't think much of it at the time because I've read others having this happen. Plus I figured maybe me bumping against the luggage rack caused some damage as well. So I switch out to 6" Meg's cutting MF after doing 5 panels with this one that joker just came completely undone. View attachment 19590
Well those were the only two MF's that I had. (Gift from Kevin Brown) so I moved over to the rupes green. (Btw I was very impressed with the results from this pad and FG 400) Well this one lasted for two and a half panel before it came apart. View attachment 19591

So here are my guesses as to what I did wrong.
1. Speed too high ( I was using them at just below 5) I'm sure someone's going to tell me that's too high but the results were great. Pad never stopped rotating on curves

2. Maybe the moisture from the pad washer and then heating the pad back up on the paint caused the separation

That's pretty much all I can think of. Except maybe bad technique on my part.

Any ideas?
 
The MF pads can't really be run over speed 4 bc they get too hot and that happens. Also make sure you clean them well after every panel. Compresse air works best but a brush can work also. Switch pads out every couple panels next time to help let them cool.

Also when removing the MF pads from the rupes plate make sure you pull them off with both hands bc that Velcro is something else.
 
I agree with the cleaning portion. It may be getting to saturated which I believe can affect the temperature.

How/When do you clean your pads while polishing?
 
af90 said:
I agree with the cleaning portion. It may be getting to saturated which I believe can affect the temperature.

How/When do you clean your pads while polishing?
Click to expand...

Could it also be not priming the pad properly? - def clean the pads between panels too.
 
Mach1USMC said:
Could it also be not priming the pad properly? - def clean the pads between panels too.
Click to expand...
I'm honestly not sure, but I think not priming it would more so lead to excessive dusting and dry buffing but I suppose if you kept it up it could overheat. That's also why many people recommend 2 pads while buffing so you can switch pads each panel after you clean them and let them cool. Which brings up another possible explanation.
 
af90 said:
I agree with the cleaning portion. It may be getting to saturated which I believe can affect the temperature.

How/When do you clean your pads while polishing?
Click to expand...

Was cleaning with Grit Guard pad washer after every panel. I have compressed air maybe I should use that instead.
 
The rupes definitely generates allot of heat and I myself have ruined some megs mf cutting discs. Also the hook n loop is stupid ridiculous strong with any pad.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using AG Online
 
af90 said:
I'm honestly not sure, but I think not priming it would more so lead to excessive dusting and dry buffing but I suppose if you kept it up it could overheat. That's also why many people recommend 2 pads while buffing so you can switch pads each panel after you clean them and let them cool. Which brings up another possible explanation.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure I kept the pads primed well. Just didn't switch them out, well because I only had one 5" and 6" which would have meant switching backing plates after every panel. So I figured I would just keep them clean. Maybe too clean.
 
I think the problem is you using the grit guard pad washer and only one pad. Use two to four pads for a car.
 
I think your using too much pressure (and speed) and getting too much heat. From what I've been told, you only use a little pressure with a Rupes. Heat will make foam pads come apart like that. You need more pads. You can't just keep washing the same pad after every panel.

Also, its not "pad priming" or lack of that will destroy a pad like that, but using way too much polish. If the pads become soaked and gummed up with product, that contributes to their over heating.

It also looks like the face of the foam pad was ran into/over something mechanical. The face of the looks chewed up.
 
There are a lot of potential things going wrong... although, I think it's a combination of things you are doing that are causing the pads to fail so quickly. I use MF cutting discs on speed 5-6 all day long with no issues... so it isn't simply a speed setting issue.

1. MF pads load up with product and spent paint quickly. Once this happens they can't dissipate heat as quickly and the backing begins to get excessively hot. I brush my MF pads after every section pass. Then I blow them out after each panel or simply switch to a new pad.

2. If you are cleaning the pad with a pad washer there will be leftover water in the foam backing of the pad. If the pad is not 100% dry the water inside the foam will trap heat causing the glue holding the velcro to become hotter than normal. I wouldn't recommend washing MF pads and then immediately putting them back into use. Best bet is to have enough pads to complete an entire car without needing to clean them in the washer.

3. Using any pad at a high speed will generate more heat. You just have to monitor the heat you are generating (both on the panel and in the pad) and be sure to stop or slow down when things get too hot.

I hope these suggestions help. Pads start getting expensive if you're blasting through 2-3 on each car!! :props:
 
Heat is the reason pads separate, on any machine.
The heat that is generated at the backing plate is incredible.
Try working a smaller area, use more pads (I use 3-5 pads).
Change/clean them often and them a break.
 
Lesson learned. I have to use more pads and give them rest. Makes me feel like I wasted money on the pad washer. I mean I know I can't expect to use one pad on a car but isn't the whole idea of the pad washer to make it so you use less pads. Looks like I should have put that pad washer $ towards pads. Well I guess t makes clean up when you're done a lot nicer.
 
As others have mentioned, the MF pads are quite sensitive to heat and product saturation which will lead to pad failure.

My method is to work with 2-4 pads (depending on the size of the vehicle). I will use 1 pad per panel (cleaning the pad after each section), and then switch to another pad for the next panel while the 1st pad cools down and has a chance to dry a bit, then I will return to the 1st pad and let the 2nd pad have a break... make sense?

This keeps the pads cooler and allows you to examine them more often... if you notice excess saturation to the point where the back of the pad is fully saturated, you are probably using too much and should discontinue the use of that pad until it has been cleaned and is dry.
 
zmcgovern45 said:
As others have mentioned, the MF pads are quite sensitive to heat and product saturation which will lead to pad failure.

My method is to work with 2-4 pads (depending on the size of the vehicle). I will use 1 pad per panel (cleaning the pad after each section), and then switch to another pad for the next panel while the 1st pad cools down and has a chance to dry a bit, then I will return to the 1st pad and let the 2nd pad have a break... make sense?

This keeps the pads cooler and allows you to examine them more often... if you notice excess saturation to the point where the back of the pad is fully saturated, you are probably using too much and should discontinue the use of that pad until it has been cleaned and is dry.
Click to expand...

Yup. Makes sense. Off to AG to buy more pads.
 
Nicholas@Autowerx said:
There are a lot of potential things going wrong... although, I think it's a combination of things you are doing that are causing the pads to fail so quickly. I use MF cutting discs on speed 5-6 all day long with no issues... so it isn't simply a speed setting issue.

1. MF pads load up with product and spent paint quickly. Once this happens they can't dissipate heat as quickly and the backing begins to get excessively hot. I brush my MF pads after every section pass. Then I blow them out after each panel or simply switch to a new pad.

2. If you are cleaning the pad with a pad washer there will be leftover water in the foam backing of the pad. If the pad is not 100% dry the water inside the foam will trap heat causing the glue holding the velcro to become hotter than normal. I wouldn't recommend washing MF pads and then immediately putting them back into use. Best bet is to have enough pads to complete an entire car without needing to clean them in the washer.

3. Using any pad at a high speed will generate more heat. You just have to monitor the heat you are generating (both on the panel and in the pad) and be sure to stop or slow down when things get too hot.

I hope these suggestions help. Pads start getting expensive if you're blasting through 2-3 on each car!! :props:
Click to expand...

I think I'm going to adopt your method. Which sounds like does not include a pad washer. What kind of brush do you use on MFs?
 
El Flaco Taco said:
I think I'm going to adopt your method. Which sounds like does not include a pad washer. What kind of brush do you use on MFs?
Click to expand...

I use something similar to this to brush out the pads after each section:

Meguiars Professional Pad Conditioning Brush, pad cleaning brush

To clean the pads I usually just spray them out in the sink with the hand wand and the high pressure gets 90% of the product out. If I'm really crunched for time I just spray them off really quick and then toss them in the washing machine for 1 cycle. Spin dry on the rotary and let dry overnight on a metal wire rack. They are always ready for use the next morning.

Pad washer is on my list though... When I get a bunch of paint correction jobs all in a row the last thing I want to do is clean a bucket full of spent pads at 11pm when I get home.
 
Nicholas@Autowerx said:
I use something similar to this to brush out the pads after each section:

Meguiars Professional Pad Conditioning Brush, pad cleaning brush

To clean the pads I usually just spray them out in the sink with the hand wand and the high pressure gets 90% of the product out. If I'm really crunched for time I just spray them off really quick and then toss them in the washing machine for 1 cycle. Spin dry on the rotary and let dry overnight on a metal wire rack. They are always ready for use the next morning.

Pad washer is on my list though... When I get a bunch of paint correction jobs all in a row the last thing I want to do is clean a bucket full of spent pads at 11pm when I get home.
Click to expand...

I was looking at that brush but wasn't sure because it said foam and wool. Thanks!
 
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