Why aggressive pads?

[bambo2888]

Orange really isn't too abrasive guys. For the past three cars (2004 4Runner, 2005 645ci, and my car), I have been attacking it with yellow and XMT4.

I have been finishing them up with Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish, and everything has been turning out amazing, even to my perfectionist eyes.

I see the compound choices being a scale of time. You can achieve the same result with ANY combination of any pad and any polish. The variable is the amount of time needed to achieve the desired effect. I see the jumping in with an aggressive combo saves me a ton of time, even if needed to follow up with a finishing polish.

To each their own, but I love my method. The results are astounding and the time is minimal.

I attacked a 2005 BMW 6 series this morning. It looked like someone took a brillo-pad to the black pearl paint and decided to buff with a metal polish on a yellow pad for 20 sec. I started the first wash at 8:15 am and was completely finished with paint, windows, tires, etc. by 12:30. I feel that this is great time, especially since I achieved a show-room finish. The customer was ecstatic and I was happy I could help, without consuming a huge chunk of my time. This was because I started with XMT4 on yellow and finished with Pinnacle AFP.

I wish I took pictures of this BMW. I was so happy, probably one of my best details. But, just like me, I forgot the dang camera, of course.

[budman3]

Originally Posted by bambo2888

Orange really isn't too abrasive guys. For the past three cars (2004 4Runner, 2005 645ci, and my car), I have been attacking it with yellow and XMT4.

I have been finishing them up with Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish, and everything has been turning out amazing, even to my perfectionist eyes.

I see the compound choices being a scale of time. You can achieve the same result with ANY combination of any pad and any polish. The variable is the amount of time needed to achieve the desired effect. I see the jumping in with an aggressive combo saves me a ton of time, even if needed to follow up with a finishing polish.

To each their own, but I love my method. The results are astounding and the time is minimal.

I agree that its faster to use a strong pad and polish combo but shouldn't you be more concerned with being too aggressive and removing too much clear coat? Taking the step to an extra aggressive pad may be just enough to cut enough clear to damage it vs. being more cautious with a lighter pad/product combo. Sure this is streatching it a little bit but the risk is still there.


Just another question- How many people actually try out different pad and product combinations before doing a whole vehicle?


I admit that I don't test all of the time but then again I am usually using a polishing pad and usually SSR2.5. If SSR2.5 and a polishing pad doesn't remove all of the swirls, I'll follow up with SSR1 and another polishing pad and be done with it. Sure not 100% of the swirls will be out but most of the time it is 90-95% swirl free, all without being too aggressive.

[coupe]

Originally Posted by budman3

I admit that I don't test all of the time but then again I am usually using a polishing pad and usually SSR2.5. If SSR2.5 and a polishing pad doesn't remove all of the swirls, I'll follow up with SSR1 and another polishing pad and be done with it. Sure not 100% of the swirls will be out but most of the time it is 90-95% swirl free, all without being too aggressive.

Thats exactly what i do except i do that with edge2K blue and OC and then OP.....done. Sometimes it comes out 99% imperfection free and sometimes 90%. I would rather do it quickly and safely with 90%+ defect removal than fast and overly agressive with 99% defect removal.

[klumzypinoy]

This is a great thread. I learned a lot

[budman3]

Originally Posted by coupe

Thats exactly what i do except i do that with edge2K blue and OC and then OP.....done. Sometimes it comes out 99% imperfection free and sometimes 90%. I would rather do it quickly and safely with 90%+ defect removal than fast and overly agressive with 99% defect removal.

Plus 98% of the people won't notice the difference anyways. I feel that it is better to live with some slight swirls, especially on newer cars when the owner will keep the car for many years... on older, neglected cars- thats a whole new ball game.

[Darren F]

So if i go back and use XMT360 again and bump up my PC from 5 to 6 and spend a little bit more time on each panel do you think that would make a difference using an Orange LC pad? Am i running the risk of doing damage if i spend too much time on the panel?

[Nimble]

Darren, I think that's a good idea and will continue to improve your finish. Speed 6 is safe.

[trlblazer3]

I've only once had to whip out the yellow pads, but this was on a 2000 ZR2 Blazer that has seen quite the many off-road trails and the customer wanted the scratches gone. But this was only after trying SSR 2.5 and orange LC pad with minimal improvement. The yellow pad took the defects I needed out, then followed up with SSR1 and a white pad to remove the micro-marring. But a majority of the details I get the customer only wants most of the imperfections out, so I've never really had to move up to a more aggressive pad than an orange LC pad and either SSR 2.5/OC/XMT3 (whatever the flavor of the week is for me). Could I save more time? Probably. But I don't want to do more harm than good long-term by going too aggressive.

[Mike T]

So who has had positive results with a polishing pad, XMT360 vs. moderate swirling?

[MacAddict]

This is interesting debate. I am polishing my 2000 BMW with SSR 2.5 and LC Orange. Its working but very slowely and would need many hits to remove swirls. So I bought a Menzerna cutting pad and Power Gloss compound. I tried the following combination:

- LC Orange & compound
- Cutting with SSR 2.5

Both combos are an improvment, but will still need at least a second hit and will need to be followed up by SSR1. I dont want to use the cutting pad with the compound (yet), but I guess that could remove most swirls with 1 hit, but less safe ?