Mike! Question about rotary wool setup!

[Kris R]

Hello Mike,

I wanted to ask you this specifically.

I have a LC backing plate on my mikita and Ive had a few wool pads. They seem to be hard and curve around the backing plate. Not only does the lint make 10xs the mess than needed, but it seems to be very stiff and hard to work with.

I was watching a few polishing videos and I keep seeing this flexible wool pad set up on a rotary. It looks like the backing plate may be a smaller diameter and the wool pad seems to be much bigger in diameter but flexible. I know you want to use the pad flat but in certain areas thats just not possible. Ive seen people use the edge of these flatter wool pads. I cant find anything like it at autogeek. What are your thoughts on this?

[Mike Phillips]

I like to use a flexible blacking plate instead of a rigid backing plate.

I tend to like wool pads with longer fiber length, like 1.5" versus shorter lengths. The shorter the pile or fiber length the stiffer the pad becomes. The longer the pile length the more flexible the pad becomes and in my opinion buffs easier and cleans easier.


IF you look at the backing plates in these recent projects you'll see flexible backing plates...


1959 Impala - Mothers Extreme Makeover! - Pictures & Comments!





1990 Corvette - Extreme Makeover Pictures & Process




If you watch this video, all I used for every step with a rotary buffer was flexible backing plates.

How to wet sand a car

[HateSwirls]

Since 1985 I've only used a double sided wool pad , good flexing plus you have two sides, one for heavy compounds and you can use the other side for polishing.
IMO it's the best in using a wool pad, no worries about backing plates.
They last too, I use the one made by 3M, the current one I have is 7-8 years old and still going strong

[Hoytman]

I have and use the same flexible pads pictured above and I really like them, but the most flexible backing plate I've had in my hands (no experiene using it) is not offered here at AG or any other online company...that I'm aware of.

Think Oz...and you'll most likely think of the company offering it.