cleaning on the fly with grit guard pad washer

[silvermesa]

Going to detail my first vehicle ever tomorrow and had a couple of questions regarding cleaning pads during compounding and polishing. I will be using M105, M205 and PO85rd and a Griots Garage DA.

1) By using the grit guard washer can the pad be washed and immediately put back into use compounding or polishing a panel or does it have to dry?

2) will i need to apply more product?

3) It is my understanding people clean the pad after 1-2 section passes? That seems like a lot.I thought I read where it might take 6 section passes for m105 to do it's job on fairly heavy swirls, so that means cleaning the pad 3 times for that one area?

All input is appreciated!!

[C. Charles Hahn]

Going to detail my first vehicle ever tomorrow and had a couple of questions regarding cleaning pads during compounding and polishing. I will be using M105, M205 and PO85rd and a Griots Garage DA.

1) By using the grit guard washer can the pad be washed and immediately put back into use compounding or polishing a panel or does it have to dry?

You can put it back into use immediately, just blotting the pad dry with a towel is usually good enough.


2) will i need to apply more product?

Yes.


3) It is my understanding people clean the pad after 1-2 section passes? That seems like a lot.I thought I read where it might take 6 section passes for m105 to do it's job on fairly heavy swirls, so that means cleaning the pad 3 times for that one area?

All input is appreciated!!

I would just use a towel to clean it after each section pass, and hit the pad washer after each full panel has been completed.



Ultimately the key is to not over-think it. You'll be able to tell when it's time to clean the pad if you're reading what is happening during the buffing cycle (how the abrasives are reacting, etc.) and keeping an eye on the face of your pad.

[mjlinane]

Still learning on mine but my experience:

1) My pads were pretty dry after spinning vigorously and using the "squeegee". Put them immediately back in service.
2) Need to re-prime the pad.
3) I brush every time I set the polisher down (and hit with compressed air at least every panel). I take it to the pad washer only when the pad is loaded. Guess I'd like to know that, too, from someone who has used the pad washer longer than I. :)

[ScubaCougr]

1. If the pad isn't dry, you can lift it off the grill in the pad washer bucket and free-spin it for a couple seconds to get it almost totally dry.

2. Yes. You are cleaning your pad of used-up, dirty compound in the washer. Then before starting your next panel, apply a small amount of new compound to your already-primed pad. Think 2-3 dime-sized drops of product. If it flings, either the pad is still too wet, or most likey too much new product was applied .

3. 1-2 section passes might be a bit too frequent. Maybe after a couple sections are corrected. It kind of varies, but at some point you will notice your pad is getting caked, and the correction is slowing. That's when I clean / reapply.

[ShaunD]

I usually roll the pad up in a terry towel to remove as much water as I can after spinning it dry in the pad washer. The density of the pad determines how much water may be left in it; hydro tech pads can take a little more work to dry. Once you start using the pad again, press down gently and not at full speed to make sure you aren't going to spray water and product everywhere.
It will noticeable when the pad needs more than a brushing or compressed air to be cleaned. I usually use the pad washer after 2-3 full sections or when I see that product is loading up in the pad. If you are doing heavy correction then you will want to really keep an eye on the pad for product loading, but more importantly, for shiny spots of clear/paint loading on the pad. If the pad is dusting that is a sign to wash it or switch pads. Cleaning a pad in the pad washer takes less than a minute if you are keeping the pad clean(not letting it get loaded up), and use a little pad cleaner in the water.
If in doubt, clean it out. It is quicker to just do than to over think it.:)

[Meticulous-Detail]

Let's say you don't have a grit guard pad washer or compressed air, what would be the best way to clean the pad after each section? Pad reconditioning brush? Terry cloth towel with the machine spinning at a low speed?

[mjlinane]

Have lots of pads ;)

I like brushing the pad frequently. Haven't used the towel technique (all I need is a bunch of dirty towels to wash in addition to the MFs).

You will need to change pads more frequently without the washer.

[Mike Phillips]

Going to detail my first vehicle ever tomorrow and had a couple of questions regarding cleaning pads during compounding and polishing. I will be using M105, M205 and PO85rd and a Griots Garage DA.

1) By using the grit guard washer can the pad be washed and immediately put back into use compounding or polishing a panel or does it have to dry?



Like Charles posted, blot out any excess water using a clean, dry terry cloth towel using the clean your pad on the fly technique here...

How to clean your foam pad on the fly (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/20135-how-clean-your-foam-pad-fly.html)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/994/EODodgeNeon012.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/994/EODodgeNeon013.jpg


The Grit Guard Universal Pad Washer and the Clean your pad on the fly technique are two methods that work great together...








2) will i need to apply more product?


Yes.



3) It is my understanding people clean the pad after 1-2 section passes? That seems like a lot.



What they are talking about is cleaning their pad after buffing out two section of paint, not two section passes. There's a difference.

A section of paint is an area about 16" to 20" squarish that you're going to buff out that is part of a panel like a hood or door.

A single section pass is where you move the buffer over the area you're buffing one time. Buffing that area twice would be 2 section passes. If the paint still needs buffing you wouldn't stop and clean your pad until after you've made your 6-8 section passes to that one area of paint.

You clean your pad AFTER you finish making all the sections passes to an area with the product on the pad. Once the product is used up then you clean your pad to remove the spent product and removed paint.

This is the kind of thing that is so easily shown but harder to teach with a keyboard. It's also just one of the zillions of things you would see and do in one of our classes.




I thought I read where it might take 6 section passes for m105 to do it's job on fairly heavy swirls, so that means cleaning the pad 3 times for that one area?


6 Section Passes means moving the polisher over a single section of paint you're buffing 6 times. Then afterwards you would clean your pad.

If that section of paint still had swirls then you could buff it again.



Let's say you don't have a grit guard pad washer or compressed air, what would be the best way to clean the pad after each section?

Pad reconditioning brush?
Terry cloth towel with the machine spinning at a low speed?



Both of the above but when I clean my pad on the fly it's on a high speed, whatever the speed was while I was buffing.

Keep in mind the whole idea behind cleaning your pad on the fly is to QUICKLY clean "most" of the gunk off the face of your pad so you can get back to work.

It already takes a long time to buff out an entire car in one day if you're doing a multiple step process, you don't want to use a pad cleaning method that takes a half hour or every time you clean your pad you'll be adding a half hour to the total time it takes to buff out a car.

You should see us during our Thursday Night products, we clean or pads on the fly all the time and it takes seconds and then we get back to work.

Also, you leave your tool on the speed setting you were using. To stop, turn the speed down, then clean your pad, then turn the speed back up would all take more time, keep it simple. If you're buffing on speed 6, then you use speed 6 when you place the towel against the face of the pad and clean it.


:)

[ShaunD]

Thanks Mike for clarifying these steps for us all and helping us "Keep It Simple Simon(Shaun/Stupid)"LOL

[Meticulous-Detail]

10-4 Mike thanx. Will pick up a bag of terry cloths.

[Mike Phillips]

Thanks Mike for clarifying these steps for us all and helping us "Keep It Simple Simon(Shaun/Stupid)"LOL


No probelmo... I have to remind myself to keep it simple sometimes too...




10-4 Mike thanx. Will pick up a bag of terry cloths.


While at the gym this morning the owner popped in and I asked her where she gets the terry cloth towels she sells at the gym for members and she said Costco.

These are Martex brand hand towels made in Pakistan using 100% cotton. I pick up a few extras all the time for use in the studio for things like cleaning pads on the fly.

Any clean terry cloth will work, just sharing at least one source that works well for me...


:xyxthumbs:

[C. Charles Hahn]

While at the gym this morning the owner popped in and I asked her where she gets the terry cloth towels she sells at the gym for members and she said Costco.

Interesting.... I'll have to take a closer look at those the next time I'm in Costco. The ones I buy from Sam's Club work, but they're really junk towels; they lint like crazy!

[Meticulous-Detail]

No probelmo... I have to remind myself to keep it simple sometimes too...




While at the gym this morning the owner popped in and I asked her where she gets the terry cloth towels she sells at the gym for members and she said Costco.

These are Martex brand hand towels made in Pakistan using 100% cotton. I pick up a few extras all the time for use in the studio for things like cleaning pads on the fly.

Any clean terry cloth will work, just sharing at least one source that works well for me...


:xyxthumbs:

Saw them at Costco last week and thought to myself I should get these and then I saw the lines and left. Next time.