Although technically all buffing and polishing pads exist somewhere along an aggression spectrum, broadly speaking, there are three main types of pads: pads for heavy cutting, pads for gentle polishing (sometimes called finishing or jewelling pads), and pads for anywhere in between! For very coarse and deep polishing up to very fine and high gloss. I plan on using both but I can't help but wonder which one is "better". In use, polishing pads will gradually become saturated with spend compound/polish and paint residue, and by far, the best way to clean them out (whether they be wool, microfiber or foam) is with a dedicated pad washer. This video demonstrates why its so important to clean your pads and how the System 4000 makes doing that so straightforward. Some wool pads are made with a short pile (like a microfiber), creating the exception to the rule, but in general, normal wool pads are intended for rotary use. 'Hard' paint will be harder to damage, but will also take more work to correct. A hard lacquer needs a different approach than a soft lacquer. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. However, Cartec also has an Orbital Woolpad. Every detailer will eventually find their go to pads which over time they have come to find the most comfortable to use, consistent and best performing, but here are two useful tips to remember if youre just starting out: Dont just think about the paint surface defects does the pad fit? Todays pads have been designed with contours, tapers and profiles that maximize the convenience, comfort and control available to the user. Achieve a higher level of gloss when finishing. You can check these in your browser security settings. More aggressive / heavier cutting pads typically remove paint material more quickly but tend to induce fine imperfections of their own. It has a better work time than M105. Can you prop open that door or hood for better access? Also are you having difficulty flashing the polish on a test spot or is this later in the detailing process? Microfiber is a lot better for cutting while foam is better for finishing down. In addition, vehicles come in all kinds of shapes and sizes (some with tricky-to-access areas) and there are multiple styles and sizes of machine polisher tools available too. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. I have a black2013 Ram 1500. I bought the 6.5" MF pad a while back but have yet to use it. There are many different types of materials to polish with. This pad is suitable for use on an eccentric machine. I agree the MF is great for cutting an its more agressive than the orange foam pad. Has a lot of experience in the car care industry and likes to share practical tips & tricks. Want to know more about different polishers? Right now, the knock-on effects of a complex economic situation are forcing many of us to take a closer look at our finances. The advantage of wool is that it generates less heat than a microfiber pad. More options in terms of cut ranges. I find myself using foam pads more and more. With the foam it flashes almost after the 1st pass. Softer foams, in particular, are the choice of most professionals when it comes to refined polishing / finishing / jewelling stages, where the cushioning from the foam itself, combined with the extremely even nature of its polishing face, combine to make it the ideal pad design for the ultimate finessed polishing action. Microfiber will correct more easily than foam, but foam finishes down better. I tried more passes just to see where it would get me and it still won't flash. Especially with eccentric polishing on deep scratches and hard lacquers, the microfiber pad comes into its own. Thats why microfiber pads have a significant advantagethe short pile microfiber strands are designed to be the right length to work with that tighter pattern and effectively cut the paint surface while still carrying a high quantity of cutting compound thanks to their exceptional surface area. Joseph pretty much nailed it with advice related to pads and polishes. I thought I saw an Adam's video comparing microfiber and foam cutting pads, but I guess I am mistaken. Microfibre pads such as the Lake Country HDO microfiber pads tend to have an amazing ability to both cut and finish automotive paint like no other material before and tends to be fantastic all-round pads. This benefits the result. I'm more than likely going to hold off on purchasing a machine until next spring, but I believe i'm ready to take that step. Is a firm pad going to contour into a concave channel, or might it be smart to use a more pliable, flexible, maybe thicker pad? Thats when you get to experience the singular joy of new pad day. Detailers out there, you know Im right , When I first started detailing in 2006, like a total noob, I carried all my equipment and products loose in a flimsy plastic box which I transported to jobs, Machine polishing can seem daunting at first. The best way to find out is to do a test section on your paint. To view the recording of the full webinar where these charts are discussed in detail please visit the video section of the website or download the PDF version of these slides using the link below. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. Cartec has a wide range of different foampads. What would the paint be on it? Sometimes foam just works better with certain products. These pads focus on different areas than just cutting, providing more versatility and better finishes. With simple maintenance, your pads will be ready to polish time and time again: However, other methods are available! Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. It is best to use foam or microfiber for this. Good quality cutting pads will easily be useful across multiple cars, and finishing pads will potentially last for dozens. This in turn has a negative influence on the abrasive power. This particular example is what led to the creation of the Lake Country Manufacturing HDO and SDO pad range, which weve explained the science behind on our YouTube channel. To those who have used both, which do you prefer? See point above. With good aftercare and maintenance, the results will last for many years.However, paint is a finite resource on a cars surface. The results were still good, I just found it weird that it wouldn't flash. When we are machine polishing paint, we are using abrasion (the wearing away of the flawed paint surface material) to create a surface that is free from defects again (as we achieve correction). Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. A variety of surface defects can make vehicle paint look untidy, lifeless, unloved and dull. My technique needs the most improvement though. Foam pads are by far the most commonly used and most widely diverse pads with so many variants and grades available to suit many situations. Typically, I use microfiber with Paint Correcting Polish, until I get desired correction results, and finish with white foam and Paint Finishing Polish. Buffing pads are made with the fuzzy loop material on the back, and machine polisher backing plates feature the grippy side (the hook) ready for the pad. The yellow and white are in between. Its imperative that microfibre pads arent worked for long periods at a time, but due to their increased performance, its also not necessary to work them for as long as equivalent foam or wool pads. You can also change some of your preferences. I'm sure we can get it working for you but more insight into your priming process and quantity of polish used is needed. The harder the foam and the coarser the structure, the deeper the grinding force and the faster scratches can be removed. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. From heavy cutting to no cut. Hard paint is tougher to correct, but generally finishes down easier. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. Learn more about removing scratches? Foam comes in many different variations. My son's pewter colored Civic could not be corrected with the most aggressive foam pads. Wool pads are the oldest and have been around forever. Most polishing pads are attached to the backing plate via a simple hook and loop connection (often referred to as Velcro, although that is a brand name). In general the woolpads of real sheepskin perform best. The largest issue with microfibre pads is their increased heat production, which can skyrocket if used with improper technique, and due to their increased grip, they dont tend to work well with rotary polishers. In addition to these real sheepskins there are also woolpads that consist partly or even one hundred percent of synthetic hairs. This video explains neatly why that is the case: Foam pads are also a great fit for rotary work, especially at the polishing and finishing stages. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. Fact: all Cartec foampads are reticulated. All good things must come to an end (even this FAQ blog, at some point). Microfibre pads are the newest development in polishing pads inthe industry. Especially on gelcoat, wool gives the best results, as well as on very soft lacquers and sticky paint. Upload or insert images from URL. Foam pads tend to be a great choice for beginners as they are less demanding to work with and tend to be less aggressive as a whole. When attaching the buffing pad to the backing plate, it needs to be centrally aligned, and the pad youre using must be at least the same diameter as the backing plate (if not slightly larger) for optimal and safe operation. Foam polishing pads are available with an extensive range of cutting and polishing characteristics to suit almost all occasions. What would the paint be on it?p. I have a black2013 Ram 1500. Correction= microfibre, and Refinement/Glossing = foam. 'Soft' paint will mar easily, but will correct quickly. When it comes to machine polishing car paint, there are three main different types of materials for machine polishing pads which are wool, microfibre, and foam. Typical pads are circular in shape, but they can come in various sizes, thicknesses, densities, and materials to suit a range of applications. This will happen quicker, in general, with cutting pads than with finishing pads, simply because of the heavier forces and abrasion involved. When it comes down to defining which pad is "better" it will depend on the job at hand and the level of defects/damage on the paint. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Running up against or over sharp badge corners, pushing super-hard, getting smoking hot, using needlessly high-speed settings all of these will prematurely shorten a pads lifespan, as will expecting one pad to carry too much load. The information provides both relative performance comparisons between foam pads, microfiber pads, and wool pads as well as overall recommendations for situation-specific applications including defect removal, finishing, various paint conditions, and more. Firm, rough, coarse pads will have more cut / be more aggressive than soft, fine, plush ones. Although wool pads do tend to be effective cutting pads, they are also less safe for beginners due to their increased aggression and as a whole. Theres much less of a difference in how much work the pad is doing between the center and the circumferenceits a matter of a few %. From very hard to very soft foam and from very coarse to very fine cell structure. Comparing MF cutting pad to orange foam pad, the MF cuts more but doesn't always finish down as well. Especially on softer paints. This is why rotary polishing, by its nature, offers the highest levels of aggression and so wool pads are a natural fit. Wool pads also tend to be the messiest pads to work with as they tend to dust and shed fibres more so than any other pad. We may request cookies to be set on your device. Do not be alarmed! Although if you overwork megs compounds they tend to turn hard as a rock because they don't breakdown like a DAT polish. These are the advantages: Reticulating is an extra step in the process while making the pad. Which pad works better? Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. Slower defect removal on medium/harder paints vs microfiber. For our mobile detailing side of the business here in Australia, I'm finding the orange microfibre cutting pad with PCP followed by the white foam pad with PFP yields great results correcting 85-90% of defects. However, the risk of holograms increases enormously. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. All three pads are identically constructed (the same size, shape, taper), but the different foams mean each has a very different amount of cut that makes them suitable for different stages of the polishing process.Furthermore, buffing and polishing pads range in size from 1 to 8 and above (youll want the big ones when polishing the side of a yacht and the small ones in the aero vents on a supercar). Someone here may have corrected one. I personally prefer having a few of the microfibre and foam in my detailing arsenal as the damage on paint is never completely identical. Medium cut foam pads can remove defects and finish with little detectable haze, saving detailers time with enhancement packages or when working on silver, white, or pale colored paints where the law of diminishing returns applies most. The paint on my black Frontier can be damaged with a hard look, but it does not take too much to get smooth again - foam pads and PCP/PFP. The softer the foam and the finer the cell structure, the higher the gloss level and the fewer holograms. They can be scary to look at the first time your confronted with them, after you take them out, you'll smile when you can wow a friend or customer by easily removing them.