Does Compound Aggressiveness Change Depending on Pad Type?

[Coach Steve]

I'm curious to know if the properties or aggressiveness of a compound change depending upon the type of pad used. For instance, let's use Megs UC as a baseline. Would it be more aggressive if applied and worked with a microfiber pad vs a foam pad?

2nd question...

Staying with UC as a baseline, what product is your "go-to" compound in terms of getting more aggressive? Or, which one would you consider to be the next step up the scale from that baseline?

Last question...

Is UC the most aggressive OTC compound available at the consumer level? This one is more for my personal benefit as I don't order products on a regular basis due to not detailing full time. There have been times I've run out of Menz or whatever I was using at the time, and had to go with what was available. In the case of being out of compound, it was pretty much a knee-jerk to grab a bottle of UC since it's pretty much available everywhere. That, and the fact that I've never really checked out the other products on the shelves to compare other brands and products.

Thanks!

[davey g-force]

1. Yes

2. M105

3. Yes (in the Meguiars range)

[07RS4]

1. Yes

Yes, because it changes the properties of the compound itself, or yes, because the pad/compound combination is more aggressive?

[lawrenceSA]

Yes, because it changes the properties of the compound itself, or yes, because the pad/compound combination is more aggressive?

In my opinion, the pad cannot change the physical properties of the polish, so it is more aggressive because of the combination of pad and polish

[wdmaccord]

By OTC, I'm guessing you mean big box stores because M105/205 is usually available locally at Advance Auto Parts, and maybe some of the other auto chains. So I guess I would still consider that OTC as you don't have to order it online.

[07RS4]

In my opinion, the pad cannot change the physical properties of the polish, so it is more aggressive because of the combination of pad and polish

I agree. The OP was asking about the physical properties of the compound, and the answer from Davey said yes. I was wondering how he came to that conclusion.

[Mike Phillips]

Mmm.... I have an article on this topic... it can be found in my article list which the link to is at the bottom of all my posts...



Factors that affect how aggressive or non-aggressive a product is


When working on automotive paints, it's important to remember that it's not just the paint care products that determine total correction ability... it's anything that touches the paint and even the way the paint is touched…

Here's some factors...

Application Materials
Wool cutting pads are more aggressive than soft foam finishing pads. Applying any product with a more aggressive pad will make the process more aggressive overall. Applying any product with soft foam will tend to make the process less aggressive than if you were to use any kind of material that's more aggressive than soft foam.


Application Process

A Rotary Buffer is a powerful direct drive tool and has the ability and potential to make any chemical and any application material more aggressive than other tools.

DA Polishers have the potential to increase the aggressiveness of any paint care product by using aggressive foam or fiber pads or decrease the aggressiveness of a product or process by using soft foam buffing pads.

When working by hand you can increase the aggressiveness of any product by the application material you use and the amount of pressure you exert. Foam wax applicators are softer than terry cloth applicators so to give an abrasive hand applied polish more bite use a cotton terry cloth applicator and put some passion behind the pad. To make a product or process by hand less aggressive use a soft foam applicator and a gentle touch.

Size of work area
To increase aggressiveness of a process you can shrink downward the size of your work area, this will concentrate more product to the process. To decrease the aggressiveness of a process you can increase the size of the work area, this will act to dilute the strength of the product being used.


Product amount
Normally you want to use an ample amount of product for the procedure you're doing, that is not use too much product but also not use too little product. The reason why is because using too much product can hyper-lubricate the surface making it more difficult for abrasive to abrade paint. Using to little product means not having enough product on the surface to actually do a good job.

When it come to using cleaner/waxes on neglected surfaces, you should lean towards using the product heavy, or wet so that you error on the side of caution and have plenty of chemical cleaning agents working for you as well as any mechanical abrasives if they are present in the product. Using to little will result is less cleaning ability overall.


Number of applications
Applying a product multiple times can affect how aggressive a product is after the first application because the first application will tend to do the initial grunt work removing all the easily removed defects or topical impurities enabling second and third applications to go right to work on freshly cleaned paint.


Technique - technique is everything...
Using proper technique is vitally important. For example moving a DA Polisher too quickly over the surface will decrease a products aggressiveness because you don't give the combination of oscillating action, rotating action, the pad material and the product time to affect the paint in one area before moving the polisher further along the paint.

[jankerson]

1. Yes, Going from say a White LC Polishing pad to a LC orange or Cyan Pad will increase aggressiveness. Or going from a Cyan pad to a MF Cutting disc.
2. M105
3. UC is a good product, more user friendly than the Pro Version M105. It does have less cut than the Pro vers M105 though, all things being equal..

[davey g-force]

I agree. The OP was asking about the physical properties of the compound, and the answer from Davey said yes. I was wondering how he came to that conclusion.

Nowhere that I can see in the OP did he ask about the physical properties of the compound.

What I meant was; the pad/compound combination is more aggressive, which is what I interpreted his question to be asking.

[tdekany]

For the OP - You can now get #100 locally as well.