Most Aggressive Cutting Rupes Pads

[RPM_BR]

I need to spend more time with them, love the firmness but wish it didnt clog up and be so near impossible to clean without reducing its life.

Hi Zubair. I did manage to clean it, I soaked in a pad cleaner for like 30 minutes, removed, then I put over a grit guard and water pressured it. From a safe distance, like 40 cms.
I saw this method here, somebody posted, a clever and simple method.
I hope it helps

[Zubair]

Hi Zubair. I did manage to clean it, I soaked in a pad cleaner for like 30 minutes, removed, then I put over a grit guard and water pressured it. From a safe distance, like 40 cms.
I saw this method here, somebody posted, a clever and simple method.
I hope it helps

Hi, thanks, just seems abit extreme and time consuming. Was hoping to clean on the fly like my other pads. I need a quick clean and dry solution so I continue polishing with just a few pads. Going home n cleaning 6 pads like this at once when I'm already knackered after a detail is something I am trying to avoid.

I am however going to give your method a shot no doubt just hopes Rupes can chime in on a faster on the fly solution.

[Zubair]

Also to add, I absolutely love the cut and firmness which I think go hand in hand. Coupled to any serious cutting compound this pad seriously destroys defects more so than my Rupes Coarse Blue pad and my Flex with 5" Hybrid Orange pad. I was looking for a serious foam cutting pad where I don't need to reach for my Hybrid Foamed Wool pads as wool is harder to clean than foam but in this case my wool pads are much easier to clean. If Rupes can maintain the cut and firmness of the Grey UHS pad but have it clean like their other foam pads or LC pads they have a winner. These UHS pads have SERIOUS cutting power when used with compounds, I cant stress that enough, makes removing defects faster and easier.

[dlc95]

Yes please and let me know your findings as I too have done this test but would like to see if your experience matches mines.

The Zephir blue compound on the same Grey UHS pad far outcut the UHS compound and also looked to finish better. I did not manage to burn paint with the Blue coarse pad and Zephir not even a body line but I did on a test hood with the Zephir/UHS pad combo which leads me to believe the grey pad is the most aggressive foam pad I have ever used.

Few things I don't like with the UHS pad though,
It doesn't soften even after an entire hood so the pad remains very firm and almost straight making it impossible to polish on curves. I tried cleaning it and for the first time in my life I cant get a pad clean.

Will do, sir!

[dlc95]

Also to add, I absolutely love the cut and firmness which I think go hand in hand. Coupled to any serious cutting compound this pad seriously destroys defects more so than my Rupes Coarse Blue pad and my Flex with 5" Hybrid Orange pad. I was looking for a serious foam cutting pad where I don't need to reach for my Hybrid Foamed Wool pads as wool is harder to clean than foam but in this case my wool pads are much easier to clean. If Rupes can maintain the cut and firmness of the Grey UHS pad but have it clean like their other foam pads or LC pads they have a winner. These UHS pads have SERIOUS cutting power when used with compounds, I cant stress that enough, makes removing defects faster and easier.

I have some foam I'm working with to make some prototype cutting pads. They're firm, and very dense. Might work out, might not.... I'll have to wait and see.

[Todd@RUPES]

Hi All

I have all of the Rupes pads and polishing compounds including the Lake Country HD Orbitals. I just received my UHS polish/pads from AutoGeek today and noticed the Grey UHS pads are the most dense and to me most coarse pad I own. Is the UHS Grey pad more aggressive meaning has more cut than the Blue Coarse pad? It really does seem so...(Am hoping it is).

On most paint systems, the blue pad will create a more aggressive cutting action. However on hard paints, in conjunction with the UHS compound, it may actually out cut the blue pad.

[Todd@RUPES]

Yes please and let me know your findings as I too have done this test but would like to see if your experience matches mines.

The Zephir blue compound on the same Grey UHS pad far outcut the UHS compound and also looked to finish better. I did not manage to burn paint with the Blue coarse pad and Zephir not even a body line but I did on a test hood with the Zephir/UHS pad combo which leads me to believe the grey pad is the most aggressive foam pad I have ever used.

Few things I don't like with the UHS pad though,
It doesn't soften even after an entire hood so the pad remains very firm and almost straight making it impossible to polish on curves. I tried cleaning it and for the first time in my life I cant get a pad clean.

The gray UHS pad with Zephir Blue Compound has become a favorite "outside the box" combination for a number of reasons. As you suggested, the Zephir will usually cut faster and more than the UHS (although on hard paints the performance pendulum can swing) and the finishing ability as quite good.

A number of bodyshops are using this as their first and only polishing step to remove 1500 grit sanding marks from fresh paint and leave a beyond acceptable finish.

The key with the UHS pad is to prime the pad with about 6 pea-sized drops and run the polisher on speed 3 for about 30 seconds. This will spread the product over the face of the pad and soften the first 5mm or so, making subsequent applications far easier.

[Todd@RUPES]

I've noticed that with them as well. Not impossible to polish on curves, but it takes more passes to cover every compound angle and curve. I switch to my 3401 for quarter panels and severe compound curves.

I've also found them difficult to clean. When I do get them completely clean, it's because I over did it and damaged the pad face in the process. I will usually spin them on high speed before putting them to paint which gets leftover polishing dust out.

Despite these shortcomings, UHS pads are still my go-to for one step work on harder paints.

The UHS Compound/ UHS Pad should be cleaned as quick as possible after use. The unique emulsion in the compound and the cell thickness of the pad can make clean up difficult if the pad sits too long.

With the blue compound, it should be relatively easy to clean, although sooner is still better.

[Mike Phillips]

The UHS Compound/ UHS Pad should be cleaned as quick as possible after use. The unique emulsion in the compound and the cell thickness of the pad can make clean up difficult if the pad sits too long.

I'll vouch for that. I think I have some UHS pads that are still stained from when we buffed out the 1953 Hudson using the UHS system.


1954 Hudson Hornet polished with Rupes UHS





Two things you might try...

Have a 5-gallon bucket with warm water and some pad cleaning solution all mixed up and ready to go. After using a UHS pad or any pad, dunk the pad into the bucket of warm water and squeeze it to fill it with both the warm water and the pad cleaning solution and then let it soak until you're done with the buffing step. Then wring the pads out and flush under running water if you have a utility sink or another bucket of clean water and then lay out to dry.

With the blue compound, it should be relatively easy to clean, although sooner is still better.

The blue pads clean out and look brand new. The yellow, green and white take a little more work but the soaking method helps a lot.


Thanks for chiming in Todd, always great to have a RUPES Rep giving the official word.

[Zubair]

Thanks Todd and Thanks to Rupes for always attending to questions/queries by providing clarity. The Rupes system is so much fun switching pads and products between the colours and every time getting better results. Its like Lego for grown ups