Saintlysins
New member
wannafbody said:
This question is tough to answer, but here's "my interpretation";
Pads are a sponge, and they have a "designed-purpose". If you lightly press a sponge against a pane of glass, you can see the holes/porosity of the sponge from the other side. If you press harder, you won't see many of the holes and the surface area of the sponge is greater, and if in motion will have increased drag/friction, causing heat. If you press very hard against the sponge it will maximize the contact area - and the sponge is no longer functioning as a porous surface and it's "designed-purpose" is compromised and useless. When released, the sponge will return back to it's original condition ... in slow motion.
Although pads have significantly smaller porosity, pressure still affects the surface of the pad immensely, and in turn affects how the detailing products, pad and paint will all interact. If you apply more pressure (which we all do over certain areas and uneven topography of the vehicle surface) then you distort the surface of the pad. When the pad surface is distorted it's cutting/polishing action is either reduced or enhanced and will affect the results. A pad distorted for any time (seconds) is also building heat and that too affects the texture/rebound of the pad. So, if the pad 'rebounds' back to original shape quickly then it's designed surface will remain as designed for best results.
Most of us will use the same pads with/for specific products and results, there are others that won't get the same results unless they're using a different pad. This has more to do with pressure than any other technique, and why pad companies are increasing the options of the pad densities and textures to keep market share.
These 'user differences' can be found in the posts on this thread ... some are getting satisfactory results using what's always been available, while others are seeing better results from different pads.
I (personally/professionally) can't stand to see a crew member 'consistently pressing harder for results' - instead of switching pads and letting the product work with the pad and get the results as designed.
I know that was very long winded (but what do you expect from me after all these years
) ... but I hope it helped with perspective.