A few detailing issues

[jayjones]

Hi everyone,

As I'm learning to detail I've run into a few issues. While it's a great learning experience my ego has been taken a beating. I've detailed about 5 cars now and hoping to get some advice

Products I've been using:

PC7424
CG v36 Orange pad /v38 white pad
Glaze
Sealant
Pad cleaning bucket with CG Pad cleaner

1 - I seem to be going though more of my pads than normal. When I buff dark cars, my pads have been getting really dark afterwards. See pictures. Using my pad cleaner I haven't been able to get them clean. I've polished a few light colored cars with no issues. Would you still use the pads if they looked like this?? I don't want to ruin or stain someone else's paint.

2 - caked up pads. I've been noticing after a few panels my foam pads will be caked with product to where you can't see the foam surface underneathe. I'm wondering if this could be using too much product and or not working all the polish in enough?

3 - I just buffed a beautiful green 97 integra. Just after the deal it rained so I offered to wash it for free. After it was washed I noticed there were runs on the driver side door as if it ran down from windows after a car wash. I offered to go back and attempt to fix it. So I go over it with one pass v38 and it's still there. Then I go over it with v36 and it was still there. I then tried another pass with v36 and pressed a little harder. When I stopped I noticed very little green on my pad. My question to this is, is removing some paint normal (I would do it), did it do any real damage, and what do you do when that happens?

4 - last but not least and most important to me. Going back to the integra. It had tons of nasty swirl marks and water spots. In the garage when the car was finished it looked like a complete mirror with zero swirls. Then in the sun if I look up close I can still see a lot of swirls but with the nice new reflection you can't see them that much. I feel I'm using the right combination of materials, I'm wondering if this is more of a technique issue? I heard you are supposed to press down more during your first pass and then ease up on the pressure when you're on the second pass. Any ideas on where I might be going wrong?

Thanks in advance.

[Billy Baldone]

Are you working on a 100 percent clean surface? Wash/clay/ decontaminate. That is where I would start.

[Billy Baldone]

As far as seeing all the swirls in the garage, you need better lighting

[Mantilgh]

It should be fine to reuse the pads after cleaning.

The caking could be from to much product, or it could be from not removing spent polish/compound, or both. Most people here use a pad brush, or something similar, or compressed air to clean their pad on the fly for every, or every other, working section(not pannel). So the pad would get brushed cleaned like 4-8 times just for the hood depending on the size of it.

Sounds a little scary on the green Integra, you might have cut through to the base paint which caused the paint transfer to your pad.

Better lighting should help or get an intense flashlight, or swirl finder light to check your work as you go. But, the remaining swirls and scratches may have been deep ones that you may not want to chase after or they may require additional section passes.