What am I doing wrong?

[dlc95]

Totally agree.

In fact, I use to teach people NOT to use an X-pattern but the Circle Pattern for the sole purpose of doing everything a person could do to avoid pad saturation at the center of the pad. I actually taught this in my Meguiar's classes when their normal practice was to show the X-pattern, at least years ago.


The product is going to migrate to the center back of the pad where it causes a problem so why do anything to help it?

And, I learned the circle technique from your tutorials!

I still prefer it for open cell pad designs, where I prime with something like m34.

For the denser foams (think yellow, orange and white CCS), I like priming with product. Another technique I learned in you videos.

[allenk4]

"The product is going to migrate to the center back of the pad where it causes a problem so why do anything to help it?"

I still can't understand what laws of Physics could lead to this phenomenon

Centrifugal force should be moving whatever is on the pad out towards the edges


I have seen mentioned that the oscillation of the pad, sort of "reaches out" and grabs the polish, but if the pad is flat to the surface...the edge of the pad would be collecting any polish from the surface of the paint...not the center of the pad


I hypothesize that the center of the pad appears to gather more polish because it is loosing less than the edges and it in fact is not gaining any polish at all. What started there is more likely to stay there.

I think Kevin Brown used the analogy of marbles trapped underneath a dinner plate in a different context, but it seems it would apply here. Not positive it was him, though.

[rogergoochman]

I think it was using the x pattern over saturating and heating the pads. When i polished I tried the circle technique for a half, and the pea sized drops technique on the other half. And had no issues for either with my white hex logic pads. I thought that might be the problem just need the reassurance.

[custmsprty]

I've never used Hex Logic pads, I'm kind of a flat pad guy myself as it makes more sense when buffing a flat surface plus all the other factors that go into working on thin, scratch sensitive surface.

I recommend reading this article, more than just the top post....


Video: Mark your backing plate to make it easy to see pad rotation

I agree 100%. I tried those pads and the ccs pads and went back to LC flat pads. I also didn't like the fact that product gets lost down in the grooves or dimples, this lead to over saturation.

[Mike Phillips]

I still can't understand what laws of Physics could lead to this phenomenon

Centrifugal force should be moving whatever is on the pad out towards the edges

What you wrote above makes sense but after using dual action polishers since they were taken from the wood sanding industry and introduced to the paint polishing industry here's what I've seen over and over and over again...

Product residue builds up in the center of the backing plate


This means if you buff long enough with a single pad the product will migrate through the pad, through the adhesive, through the velcro loop material and build up on the hook material on a DA backing plate and build up in the center first.

Can I get a witness?


So I too don't understand how this happens as it would seem that centrifugal forces would cause excess product to sling outward but I know what I've seen for over 25 years now. This is way I also would teach people to use the Circle Pattern instead of the X-Pattern.

Then Kevin Brown started the practice of priming your pad and adding drops of product to the OUTSIDE of the pad and because I agree with this approach I started sharing it too and always giving credit where credit is due, see my how too book on page 61 in the First Edition and page 77 in the Second Edition.

Just to note, Meguiar's as far as I know started the X-Pattern as that's what they showed in their early videos and all though I don't think it's a good idea to place product in the center of the pad MILLIONS of cars have been de-swirled using the X-Pattern. It's just as a "collective" when new or better ideas are introduced they are disseminated over time and this is greatly sped up via this thing called discussion forums.




Here's my article on the history of the electric DA Polisher, I've never seen anyone else document this before... since I was there when it happened it's kind of easy to write the article.


The history behind polishing paint with a DA Polisher

[Setec Astronomy]

Product residue builds up in the center of the backing plate


This means if you buff long enough with a single pad the product will migrate through the pad, through the adhesive, through the velcro loop material and build up on the hook material on a DA backing plate and build up in the center first.

Can I get a witness?


So I too don't understand how this happens as it would seem that centrifugal forces would cause excess product to sling outward but I know what I've seen for over 25 years now. This is way I also would teach people to use the Circle Pattern instead of the X-Pattern.

I'm with you, brother Mike! Circle Pattern!

[FUNX650]

I still can't understand what laws of Physics could lead to this phenomenon

Centrifugal force should be moving whatever is on the pad out towards the edges

With Newton's Third Law of Motion in mind...

I'll venture to say
that what is at play, is:
Centripetal Force; and, its counterpart:
Centripetal Acceleration----whose direction is always towards the center...towards the rotating axis.


But, to be sure:
"I feign no hypotheses".


Bob

[AeroCleanse]

I'm totally new to polishing. My first attempt was with porter cable with orange CG hex logic pads. I had all 3 pads detach from the Velcro and fall apart.

Sounds like you're using too much pressure or you have defective pads.

[dlc95]

I think it was using the x pattern over saturating and heating the pads. When i polished I tried the circle technique for a half, and the pea sized drops technique on the other half. And had no issues for either with my white hex logic pads. I thought that might be the problem just need the reassurance.

Sometimes I'll start with the circle, and from there do the drops

[dlc95]

I agree 100%. I tried those pads and the ccs pads and went back to LC flat pads. I also didn't like the fact that product gets lost down in the grooves or dimples, this lead to over saturation.

My CCS pads have varying depths of dimples, ranging from very deep to almost non existent.

Personally I like them these pads with the designs in them. I feel like they don't generate as much heat, and it helps manage product dispersion. Granted I've only got Megs smat products in my arsenal. I might want to use a flat pad with a diminishing abrasive product.