How to clean your foam pad on the fly

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Be happy to...

The original article I wrote on "How to clean your pad on the fly" was targeted at cleaning pads one the fly while use a Porter Cable DA style polisher, that would include,

• Porter Cable 7424XP and all Porter Cable variations of this model
• The Griot's Garage Random Orbital Polisher
• The Meguiar's G110v2 and all variations of this mode

It's also a way you can clean a foam pad on a rotary buffer but you want to be careful so you don't hurt yourself by getting your towel caught into the spinning pad and pulling your hand into the mix at the same time.

We'll shoot a video on both techniques tomorrow.




Correct.

You can't hold a towel against a foam pad on the Flex 3410 in the same way you would for a DA style polisher, it will simply be pulled out of your hand and flung into the air or onto the ground.


Lets go back and take a look at how we got to this point of the discussion on the topic of using the cleaning your pad on the fly technique in this thread...

07 z-oh-6 posted, (Note the part I made bold and blue




07 z-oh-6 didn't mention what type of polisher he was using. From the thread I think it became apparent he was referring to a Flex 3401.


Now lets go look at my original post to this thread, after the blue clickable link, which I start all my article with so the title of the article can be quickly highlighted and copied and then pasted into any message on any forum on the Internet to link back to the article, (a speed and efficiency thing), the first sentence starts out...




Now I know that a segment of online enthusiasts will argue that a Flex 3401 is DA Polisher, that is a Dual Action Polisher and some will go on on rants about how it's one of the only true dual action polishers, in the context of this how-to article I was referring to the Porter Cable "STYLE" of polishers and if you look down towards the end of my article, you'll see I even list most if not all the specific models this article applies too.





I actually never recommended the "How to clean your pad on the fly technique" for other types of polishers. I know that in our society people are "Scanners", I do my best to break up my text with plenty of white space, write short paragraphs not huge clumps of text and place bold headings on top of paragraphs that tell the reader what the rest of the text will be about but it's all to easy for people to scan and not read the entire article.

If you're using a Flex 2401 and you need a way to clean your pad as your work around the car there are some options.

• Turn the polisher off and scrape any built-up residue off using a nylon brush like a toothbrush
• Use a pad washer like the Grit Guard Universal Pad Washer
• Turn the polisher off and use a terry cloth towel bunched up in one hand and scrub any residue off.
• Switch to a clean, dry pad
• Remove your pad off the Flex and place it either on a DA Polisher or a Rotary Buffer to clean your pads using the the methods that work best with each of these tool.

The really cool feature about the Flex 3401, that is the FORCED ROTATION dual action motion of the buffing head which give it more power to remove defects than the Porter Cable style polisher but with less risk than a Rotary buffer also means that it doesn't work well for the "Clean your pad on the Fly" technique.

And that's just how it is...

Mike,

It seems as though you're a bit irritated that I didn't read the thread, I just "scanned" it. Actually, I read the thread very carefully. You even mention the Flex 3401 has a DA motion(even though it has forced rotation), so it would be fairly normal for someone to think the Flex 3401 could be in the DA polisher category. If you look below, not seeing the Flex 3401 listed, I specifically asked if this method would work with the Flex 3401, and look at the answer I got.

I'm assuming this speed and method will work with the Flex 3401?

Any DA polisher! I have even used my old PC @ speed 6 and boy did my arm get a workout holding the towel. LOL!

So, now can you understand why I was a bit confused?

[WRAPT C5Z06]

07 z-oh-6 didn't mention what type of polisher he was using. From the thread I think it became apparent he was referring to a Flex 3401.

I'm assuming this speed and method will work with the Flex 3401?

Huh??

[Mike Phillips]

Huh??

Sorry.. I was scanning...



Point being, it's my fault...

I should have wrote the title for this thread now and back in the original to read,



How to clean your foam pad on the fly when using a Porter Cable style DA Polisher

In fact, I'll make that change right now...

[Mike Phillips]

Mike,

It seems as though you're a bit irritated that I didn't read the thread, I just "scanned" it.

Oh no, not irritated at all. I've been doing this to long to get irritated on a discussion forum. I was actually typing for the bigger pictures and that is most people are scanners, not you specifically. Heck even I'm a scanner, I have to read a lot of posts or messages and entire threads everyday and this means scanning...

Actually, I read the thread very carefully. You even mention the Flex 3401 has a DA motion(even though it has forced rotation), so it would be fairly normal for someone to think the Flex 3401 could be in the DA polisher category. If you look below, not seeing the Flex 3401 listed, I specifically asked if this method would work with the Flex 3401, and look at the answer I got.


So, now can you understand why I was a bit confused?

I'll have to re-read that portion of the thread.

I really did target this article at the Porter Cable style polisher however and even took the time to list the Porter Cable and all the variations in the first post as that is my style to type very specifically so there isn't any confusion.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Sorry.. I was scanning...



Point being, it's my fault...

I should have wrote the title for this thread now and back in the original to read,



How to clean your foam pad on the fly when using a Porter Cable style DA Polisher

In fact, I'll make that change right now...

LOL!

[Mike Phillips]

Mike,

You even mention the Flex 3401 has a DA motion(even though it has forced rotation), so it would be fairly normal for someone to think the Flex 3401 could be in the DA polisher category.

?

My comment about the Flex 3401 is not in the context of using this technique with that tool.

Suffice to say, the technique in this how to article wasn't' targeted at the Flex 3401 because it doesn't work for this type of tool.

I've changed the title to reflect that it is specific to the Porter Cable style polisher and as soon as I can, I'll create an article on how to clean your pads if you own a Flex 3401 but it probably won't be as on the fly, that is you won't be able to do it as quickly or as easily as you can for the Porter Cable type polishers.

That's just the nature of the tool...

[Mike Phillips]

Okay, the change has been made, the new title of the thread is,


How to clean your foam pad on the fly when using a Porter Cable style DA Polisher


Also, we'll try to shoot a video on how to use this technique with the Porter Cable unit this weekend.


Thanks everyone for your patience...

[WRAPT C5Z06]

?

My comment about the Flex 3401 is not in the context of using this technique with that tool.

Suffice to say, the technique in this how to article wasn't' targeted at the Flex 3401 because it doesn't work for this type of tool.

I've changed the title to reflect that it is specific to the Porter Cable style polisher and as soon as I can, I'll create an article on how to clean your pads if you own a Flex 3401 but it probably won't be as on the fly, that is you won't be able to do it as quickly or as easily as you can for the Porter Cable type polishers.

That's just the nature of the tool...

I should have been more clear, you've stated in past threads that the Flex 3401 has a "DA motion", so not seeing the Flex 3401 listed, that's why I asked...

I'm assuming this speed and method will work with the Flex 3401?

[A4 1.8tqm]

Thanks everyone for your patience...

Ha! No, thank you

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Okay, the change has been made, the new title of the thread is,


How to clean your foam pad on the fly when using a Porter Cable style DA Polisher


Also, we'll try to shoot a video on how to use this technique with the Porter Cable unit this weekend.


Thanks everyone for your patience...