DA Backing Plates/Pads

D

Deandome

New member
I'm just about set to get going, as my 4* products & PC polisher have arrived.

But I got the woodworking kit, so I don't have a backing plate that will work for auto use.

I'm lookin at the Megs. kit and/or getting a kit or seperates from here:

http://www.properautocare.com/porcabpolac.html

My main question is the plate-do I want the yellow, flexible urethane one (these guys have 'em while most other places are backoredered!), or a rigid plate (theirs or anyone else's)?? Is flexible better overall, or only when you have lots of contours & niches on your car (I have a minivan & nissan altima, not exactly ornate!!)?

I think I'm set re. the types of pads I want (a few whites, a yellow & maybe one of those newer orange ones), but as I'm always drawn to the new & obscure, I'd like to hear some opinions on this "MicroFinger" pad:

http://www.properautocare.com/6mifipa.html

Finally, I've been thinking a 5" plate/6.5" pads would be best, but now I'm wondering if I might regret not going w/a 6" plate & 7.5" pads. Yes, I'm a newbie, but I'm pretty handy overall & can't see a BIG difference in ease of use between these not-so-different sizes (unlike rotary polishers, which I AM scared of!). I figure I'd save a bit of time AND I'd be able to use more sophisticated pads, like these:

http://www.properautocare.com/adfoampadfor.html

Opinions, PLEASE!!

Thanks,

Dean
 
There probably are as many ways to go with pads/plates as there are polishes. Well, maybe not that many, but lots.

In early October of 2002, I pought a PC, the Meg's 5" backing plate, two 6.5" polishing pads, and one 6.5" finishing pad. My PC came with a screw-on polishing pad as well. Since then I have added two more poplishing pads and two more finishing pads.

No regrets on my decisions, no problems with any of the pads. If I were starting over I would probably do it the same way. Might buy the extra pads a little sooner. :dunno

Premium Auto Care, the company that furnishes this forum for us has pad and backing plate kits available.

Charles
 
Were the extra plates you got BIGGER (6" plate/7.5" pads), or just different versions of the 5"/6.5" setup??

It seems there's a wider variety of pad types when you get to 7.5", and of course, it'll speed things up, too.

Also, what's the general opinon of those German "orange" pads (for my '97 Altima that hasn't been washed well in 2 years, not my new van!)?

Dean
 
Deandome said:
Were the extra plates you got BIGGER (6" plate/7.5" pads), or just different versions of the 5"/6.5" setup??

It seems there's a wider variety of pad types when you get to 7.5", and of course, it'll speed things up, too.

Also, what's the general opinon of those German "orange" pads (for my '97 Altima that hasn't been washed well in 2 years, not my new van!)?

Dean
Click to expand...
All I purchased were extra pads. The reason was to have a different pad for each product I was using. Hey, this whole detailing thing gets kinda crazy after a while.

For my personal use a variety of pads isn't needed. The polishing pads for polishes, the finishing pads for wax or sealant. I'm not too sure you couldn't do it all with only polishing pads.
The difference in the area covered by a 7.5" pad compared to a 6.5" pad is about 1/3 more in theory. In actual use, I don't know if it would be much of a time saver. The larger pads might be a little more difficult to get into some of the tighter places.:dunno

Don't know what a German "orange pad{/I] is, but a good polish with a good polishing pad will probably make the Altima look like a new car.

Charles
 
Thanks again!

Here's the German Orange pad. LOTS of companies are offering it (Griots, etc.), but I can't see how it's a lot different/does different things than the yellow pads. It's a "mid-cutting" pad, not too harsh, not a polisher. Someone said that it has a "memory foam" feel to it.

http://www.properautocare.com/orangepowerpad.html

I'm almost done (deciding)!!

But now that I'm getting a handle on flexible vs. rigid backing plates, I'm wondering if the one that came on my PC 7566 kit would work for detailing? It is the std. dense foam on a hard plate with Velcro, but it has vent holes for the dust collection setup (woodworking). Has anyone else used this for cars?

Dean
 
Deandome said:
But now that I'm getting a handle on flexible vs. rigid backing plates, I'm wondering if the one that came on my PC 7566 kit would work for detailing? It is the std. dense foam on a hard plate with Velcro, but it has vent holes for the dust collection setup (woodworking). Has anyone else used this for cars?

Dean
Click to expand...
According to the Porter Cable site, the 7566 is a drill. Are you sure of that model number?
I also don't understand the foam pad on a hard plate with Velcro. Can the pad be removed from the Velcro backing plate?
What size is it?
What does it say in the instruction booklet that came with your tool?

Charles:confused:
 
CharlesW said:
The difference in the area covered by a 7.5" pad compared to a 6.5" pad is about 1/3 more in theory. In actual use, I don't know if it would be much of a time saver. The larger pads might be a little more difficult to get into some of the tighter places.:dunno
Click to expand...
Actually, the 7.5" Advanced pads are easier to get into tighter areas than the 6.5" Variable Contact pads. The edge of the 7.5" pad is beveled and will be able to squeeze into smaller spaces than the rounded 6.5" pad's edge. Time savings doesn't necessarily come from the larger overall size, but from not having to go back and cover quite so many areas by hand.
 
CharlesW said:
According to the Porter Cable site, the 7566 is a drill. Are you sure of that model number?
I also don't understand the foam pad on a hard plate with Velcro. Can the pad be removed from the Velcro backing plate?
What size is it?
What does it say in the instruction booklet that came with your tool?

Charles:confused:
Click to expand...

I WAS way off on the #, it's 97366, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...2//103-3398295-2454245?v=glance&s=hi&n=228433

PC & others make a wide range of backing plates in every combination: 5", 6", stick-on, hook & loop (with & without dust holes), FLEXIBLE AND RIGID. Even the rigid ones have a hard rubber pad that's mounted on a plate (to which the threaded shaft connects). On that pad their are either hooks or it's smooth (pressure-sensitive adhesive). Flexible ones are, well, flexible, so if you push on an angle, the pad conforms to the surface you're sanding/polishing.

This tool is primarily designed for sanding-the 7424 polishing vesion just substitutes a puffy polishing pad (that you can use as-is or wrap bonnets around) for the backing plate, but most users quickly replace that with a Velcro backing plate so you can use the foam pads.

My kit comes with a 6" velcro pad (w/holes), so I was wondering if that plate is prety much the same thing as the ones sold as being specifically for detailing.

BTW, this kit is great if you want to use it as a sander, not just a polisher. The value of the dust collection hood, hose & CASE that you get far exceeds the $30 price diff. w/the 7424, and in APRIL, the fact that it's more than $150 entitles you to a $25 cash rebate from PC!!!!!

Dean
 
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