LC orange pads losing stiffness?

[ebrammer252]

I'm relatively new to machine polishing and out of my five orange LC flat pads I have two that I've used the most on my Griot's G9. Granted I've only done one full car, and I've done a single hood, and a motorcycle tank as practice. After I did the first full car today I'm cleaning my pads out and I notice that two of my five orange pads are much softer and more pliable than the others. In fact they're on a "squishiness" level of a green pad. Do these orange pads still have the same amount of cut or are they toast? How did I kill them so quickly?

[Dr Oldz]

Were they wet or damp? A wet pad will be softer.

Read these also to help answer any questions and educate yourself:

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-to-articles-by-mike-phillips/88109-how-many-pads-do-i-need-buff-out-my-car.html?highlight=Pads

Cool video on pads here:

LIVE BROADCAST - Tuesday, May 12th at 3:00pm Eastern Time - Tips & Techniques (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-mike-phillips-your-detailing-questions-/126378-live-broadcast-tuesday-may-12th-3-00pm-eastern-time-tips-techniques.html)

[ebrammer252]

They were both wet after soaking in water, prior to being agitated with a pad brush and cleaner. Of the five orange orange pads I have, I used 4 today doing a one step correction with HD Speed on a Toyota Corolla.

[WillSports3]

Try washing them int eh wash machine and then letting them dry, should be good to go.

[ebrammer252]

Try washing them int eh wash machine and then letting them dry, should be good to go.

Thanks, hey same car! 2016 Mazda 3 S GT, Mica Black here!

[WillSports3]

Very nice man, I love this thing. Wife won't let me buy anything more higher end so here I am haha

[ebrammer252]

So I hand washed the pads last night and then washed them in the washing machine and set them up to dry. This morning evaluating them, those two pads are still just as soft. Sounds like they've lost their cut?

[Mike Phillips]

After I did the first full car today I'm cleaning my pads out and I notice that two of my five orange pads are much softer and more pliable than the others. In fact they're on a "squishiness" level of a green pad.

Do these orange pads still have the same amount of cut or are they toast? How did I kill them so quickly?



They will feel soft and squishy as long as they are wet. Let them dry and then feel them again.

For this same soft characteristic when they are wet (with product while buffing), they LOSE their cutting ability. This is why I'm always preaching everyone needs to be using MORE pads when buffing out cars.

Wet pads don't cut.






They were both wet after soaking in water, prior to being agitated with a pad brush and cleaner.




Lay them out flat to dry somewhere - they should be dry and ready to use the next day.


:)

[Mike Phillips]

IF you watch the beginning of this video, I always show what I used and how many pads I used to do the work. I also show how many microfiber towels I go through.

Mike Phillips - Walk-Around Video - Stick a Fork in this... (https://www.facebook.com/Mike.Phillips.Autogeek/videos/200359640919885/)


The next day when I came into work, I did my laundry. I'm not only the Director of Training here at AG I'm also the laundry guy and head floor cleaner in the garage. :)



Fresh out of the dryer

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/722/FPLaundry_01.JPG


Time to sort and stack and then put away for the next job.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/722/FPLaundry_02.JPG


All these pads are dry and ready to put away but the 6.5" White Force Hybrid pad on the right.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/722/FPLaundry_03.JPG


Being a "hybrid" and in this context it means part open cell and part closed cell, the water from the washing machine does not all sling out during the spin cycle. I always HAND SQUEEZE these over the washing machine before throwing in the dryer and then they still come out of the dryer with water in the INSIDE of them. So when I use lots of them, after they come out of the dryer I place them in the garage to finish drying via evaporation.


But that stack of orange Lake Country 6.5" Force Hybrid foam CUTTING pads?

Yep - they are dry and back to being SHARP and ready to go.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/722/FPLaundry_04.JPG



They clean up pretty good too...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/722/FPLaundry_05.JPG




:)

Like I always say,


More pads are better....



:buffing:

[ebrammer252]

They will feel soft and squishy as long as they are wet. Let them dry and then feel them again.

For this same soft characteristic when they are wet (with product while buffing), they LOSE their cutting ability. This is why I'm always preaching everyone needs to be using MORE pads when buffing out cars.

Wet pads don't cut.






Lay them out flat to dry somewhere - they should be dry and ready to use the next day.


:)

Thanks Mike! I had them drying overnight and this morning they still feel really soft compared to a brand new Orange pad. Do they still have the same cutting ability?

[Bruno Soares]

I would bet on the pads were too wet and got too hot during usage and damaged the structural integrity of the foam. That's why you go through more pads and use them for less time, to avoid overheating. Also a reason why I don't prime my foam pads, when you prime them you put so much product that the pads are too wet and with friction that water in the pad gets hot. Probably best to replace them.

[ebrammer252]

I would bet on the pads were too wet and got too hot during usage and damaged the structural integrity of the foam. That's why you go through more pads and use them for less time, to avoid overheating. Also a reason why I don't prime my foam pads, when you prime them you put so much product that the pads are too wet and with friction that water in the pad gets hot. Probably best to replace them.

I was under the impression that dry/unprimed pads didn't perform as well?

[Bruno Soares]

I was under the impression that dry/unprimed pads didn't perform as well?

Only if it's a microfiber pad. Foam pads don't require priming. When I started I used to prime. After having a few pads fail I researched more and learned that too much product on the pad is bad. If you're priming you end up with too much product even before you polish your first section. What I do now is on the first usage of a pad I put maybe a couple extra dots of polish and on the second I apply the dots to areas that were in between the first ones so by the time I'm done with 2 sections the pad is covered and still not wet like it would be if I primed.

[ebrammer252]

Only if it's a microfiber pad. Foam pads don't require priming. When I started I used to prime. After having a few pads fail I researched more and learned that too much product on the pad is bad. If you're priming you end up with too much product even before you polish your first section. What I do now is on the first usage of a pad I put maybe a couple extra dots of polish and on the second I apply the dots to areas that were in between the first ones so by the time I'm done with 2 sections the pad is covered and still not wet like it would be if I primed.

Well I definitely know one of my pads I let get too wet and saturated with product yesterday. I was priming the pads, then adding 3 pea sized drops of product. Then after each panel pass I would use my brush on the pad, then add 2-3 more drops and move to the next section. At one point it almost seemed like a switch flipped and the product started "foaming" on the panel, like spreading very white and heavy. I've gotten in a habit of feeling the center of my pads after each section pass to gauge temperature, and it was definitely hot in the center.

[Bruno Soares]

Well I definitely know one of my pads I let get too wet and saturated with product yesterday. I was priming the pads, then adding 3 pea sized drops of product. Then after each panel pass I would use my brush on the pad, then add 2-3 more drops and move to the next section. At one point it almost seemed like a switch flipped and the product started "foaming" on the panel, like spreading very white and heavy. I've gotten in a habit of feeling the center of my pads after each section pass to gauge temperature, and it was definitely hot in the center.

Yeah, it will always get hotter in the center, that's why some pads have a hole there, to allow for additional cooling. That's also why the center is where they collapse first and feel soft there, perhaps even look sunken in.