5 inch backing plate - 6 1/2" pads or 5 1/2"

[BFEHB]

Hello,

I read here Learn how to use the Porter Cable 7424 dual action buffer with CCS Smart Pads by Lake Country. Polish swirl remover car wax polisher wax buffing pad that the folks at AGO recommend using the 6 1/2" pads with the 5" backing plate - more margin for error apparently. Does that seem reasonable? I am planning to order a PC 7424XP and I am trying to figure out which pads (and how many) to order.

I will be working on our family cars. All of them are in pretty good shape paint-wise but one is 17 years old and one is 9 years old. They have both been garaged. Any suggestions, previous experiences and/or thoughts are welcome and appreciated.

[Just02896]

Smaller pads work much better on the PC.

[281]

Smaller pads work much better on the PC.

[kamakanani0]

I would say a couple orange pads used with m105 to remove swirls etc and a couple white pads for polishing with m205

Maybe try Menzerna FG400 I've been reading some great reviews with that compound

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[kamakanani0]

And yea 5.5 inch pads work better, I got a orange waffle pad 6 inch for a gift and doesn't work well with my 5 inch backing plate

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[Tato]

Hello,

Probably I can't give you the entire answer, but please, if you're willing to buy a porter cable xp, consider looking at Meguiar's G110v2 and Griot's Garage v3 polisher to compare which will fit better your needs.

All those 3 polishers can run 6.5" pads, but correction power will be diminished mainly because larger pads are thicker, and needs more pressure during use. Increasing pressure to the optimum level with them would slow down the machine very much, reducing correcting properties.

That would leave you with a less than desirable finish.

To optimize those free-spindle machines, it's desirable to use a 5" backing plate and 5.5" pads. They are smaller and thinner (generally), giving the machine plenty power to correct better. Odds here are that your work area will be reduced based on size of pads, and work will take a bit longer.

In my opinion, for a random orbital polisher, Microfiber Discs (mainly cutting discs) are what works best for correcting swirls and scratches. They are thin and powerful, and works with many compounds available (Meguiar's M101/UC/105/D300/M100, Menzerna FG400, WG Uber Compound), just to cite a few.

Meguiar's has also released X-tra cut discs, which would improve their system correction power up to 25% more.

I've also used Lake Country DA MF pads and I've found them pretty decent.

If you can, go smaller (5" backing plate with 5.5" pads), use MF for cutting and use foam polishing pads (lake country white polishing pad, lake country hydrotech tangerine pad), to cite a few.

Anyway, you can risk Meguiar's Microfiber finishing disc with their D301 finishing wax or even D302 (new product), Microfiber Polish.

That way you can be down to 2 pads to choose from, microfiber cutting (use compound, D300 generally) and microfiber finishing (use D301 or D302, but in this case finish with your preferred wax or sealant.

However, you can never have too many pads, so it's great to have both Microfiber discs, and at least 3 types of foam, mainly 1 kind for cutting, 1 for polishing and 1 for finishing, generally that's equivalent to lake country flat Orange, White and Gray (black), respectively.

Good practice is to have at least 2 pad of each type. Even with 2 you may struggle to do the entire car, but it's really difficult and backward work try to use only ONE pad to polish an entire car.

I always have smaller than 5" plate (3.5" or 3"), so you can use smaller pads for spots and difficult to access areas. Again, you'll have to get pads (generally the same you have bigger versions), but smaller ones to fit.

Get some microfiber towels to cover your needs, good quality to avoid inputing scratches back after just removing them.

Everything cited can be acquired at AutoGeek.

I'll stop here, hope I've helped.

Please, don't hesitate to ask if you have any question.

Kind Regards.

[BFEHB]

Hello,

Probably I can't give you the entire answer, but please, if you're willing to buy a porter cable xp, consider looking at Meguiar's G110v2 and Griot's Garage v3 polisher to compare which will fit better your needs.

...To optimize those free-spindle machines, it's desirable to use a 5" backing plate and 5.5" pads. They are smaller and thinner (generally), giving the machine plenty power to correct better. Odds here are that your work area will be reduced based on size of pads, and work will take a bit longer.

In my opinion, for a random orbital polisher, Microfiber Discs (mainly cutting discs) are what works best for correcting swirls and scratches. They are thin and powerful, and works with many compounds available (Meguiar's 101/UC/105/D300/M100, Menzerna FG400, WG Uber Compound), just to cite a few.

Meguiar's has also released X-tra cut discs, which would improve their system correction power up to 25% more.

I've also used Lake Country DA MF pads and I've found them pretty decent...

However, you can never have too many pads, so it's great to have both Microfiber discs, and at least 3 types of foam, mainly 1 kind for cutting, 1 for polishing and 1 for finishing, generally that's equivalent to lake country flat Orange, White and Gray (black), respectively.

Good practice is to have at least 2 pad of each type. Even with 2 you may struggle to do the entire car, but it's really difficult and backward work try to use only ONE pad to polish an entire car.

I always have smaller than 5" plate (3.5" or 3"), so you can use smaller pads for spots and difficult to access areas. Again, you'll have to get pads (generally the same you have bigger versions), but smaller ones to fit.

Get some microfiber towels to cover your needs, good quality to avoid inputing scratches back after just removing them.

Everything cited can be acquired at AutoGeek.

I'll stop here, hope I've helped.

Please, don't hesitate to ask if you have any question.

Kind Regards.

Tato and all, sorry for the delay in responding. You gave some excellent advice. I took a lot of your suggestions to heart and have been very pleased with the results. My wallet is a tad sore, but I should be set for at least a couple of months. Thanks again!

[Just02896]

:-)

[Tato]

Great to hear your answer.

'Our wallet is a tad sore', lol, however I've learned (the good way) that quality polisher, pads, products and towels will give you better results than their cheap variants.

Add a good amount of knowledge you can acquire here at AGO, and you'll be good to go.

Please, count on me if needed, and good luck.

Kind Regards.