Grit Guard Universal Pad Washer

R

rockymountaindetail

New member
I recently purchased one of these and am curious if anyone else uses one.


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It's like the original version but works with PC, Flex and other DA's. It does "work" but I feel like my pads aren't truly clean, as there is no rinsing to really get the cleaning solution out of the pad aside from spinning it dry. I'm sure the first few times it comes out clean, but as the water in the unit gets dirty it has to be re-entering the pad.

It wasn't cheap ( $135 at Au*****k) and I find myself still soaking pads in a regular bucket and rinsing them by hand as I did before. I have used it a few times where I took it with me to a job to remove oxidation on a RV and it allowed me to only use 2 pads for the whole thing. But for everyday use I am not inspired.... any thoughts???
 
I have been looking at this and another model that has some type of spurs on the top. Haven't pulled the trigger yet but your post is the first that dosen't praise the cleaning ability and speed of keeping the pads user ready.What type of cleaner do you use and how often does it need to be changed ? This is one of the top 3 or 4 items on my to buy list but maybe the wifes sink will remain the destination for my dirty pads. You opinon has made me re-think my priorities and do a little more investigating. :scared:
Paul S
 
Paul,

Don't let me scare you off. It does work. And it does get the pads clean. I'm just questioning the use on large scale with many pads dirtying up the water.. I use snappy cleaning powder mixed in a spray bottle. The pad washer itself is supposed to only have water in it. You spray the pad and the water in the bucket is the rinse. I guess you could change out the water constantly to keep it clean. If you were just doing a single car, cleaned the pad a few times during the process, it would be fine. If I work all day I can come back to the shop with 10 dirty pads, so all the crud from the first 5 pads is in the water in the bucket and I still have 5 pads to go. I guess I could dump it and refill another 5 gallons, but that sorta lessens the convenience factor. So on a small scale I wouldn't worry about it. It's just the big load of pads that I was wondering about.
 
I have the older style pad cleaner and while it is excellent on wool pads, it does not get the center of foam pads totally clean. The snappy pad cleaner works very well, but I found myself using 2-3oz of APC.
 
It might help make up my mind if those of you that have pad washers would answer this question. If the one you have broke , would you buy another and if yes , what kind ? Thanks
Paul S
 
I have one, used it heavily for a few months and stopped. It worked pretty good but I ended up burning the center cap grit with a foam cutting pad.

I never felt like the pads were perfectly clean or perfectly dry.

Im moving onto more advanced methods these days, buying a dozen of each pad I need and clean them all when im done with a correction!
 
I almost got one when it came out, but something told me to wait awhile. I just wash mine the same old way like always.....by hand.
 
I'll let you guys in on my method of pad cleaning.

We have a little over 300 pads at the shop. Mostly due to the fact that I absolutely HATE cleaning pads! And I like buying the latest and greatest pads :D There is nothing more boring in my eyes than sitting there spinning the rotary, cleaning pads. When I'm working on a vehicle, I never use my pad cleaner, and I use the same pad throughout the entire vehicle(this includes single stage paint).

Use compressed air to blow out your pads! This removes about 90% of the crud in the pad. What I do is use a blow nozzle, with a rotary and Flex you will have to turn the machine on(at a low speed), turn the machine upside down, place the blow nozzle on the pad and hit the button to blow out that nasty crud! With a DA, you do not have to start the machine as the pad will spin freely.

Depending on the pad and how nasty it is after the car, this method works very well! And sometimes the pad is clean enough to use on another vehicle. This does not make pad cleaning obsolete, I still wash my pads with a dedicated pad cleaner regularly, but it does make buffing a vehicle easier.

Anyhow, there's my $0.02

Nick
 
I have had great success using this pad washer. I use this with my UDM and Makita, with no issues. In the water solution is use approx. 1/2 scoop full of the DP Pad Wash concentrate. In addition, prior to washing the pad, I spray the pad face with 100% IPA, whatever I have on hand, 91% or 70% non-diluted with water. I'll let that soak in for about 10 seconds, the put teh pad inside, pump the pad/machine assembly on the middle convex attachment, and let the pad soak up some of the solution.

Activate the machine on the slowest setting and pump the convex assembly at the same tiem to ensure solution running through the pad. After a few pumps of this, say 10-20 seconds, elevate the pad so it is not touching the convex attachment and fire up the machine to spin dry.
 
Paul S said:
It might help make up my mind if those of you that have pad washers would answer this question. If the one you have broke , would you buy another and if yes , what kind ? Thanks
Paul S
Click to expand...

Personally yes I would buy another and it would be the same unit (even tough there is nothing to break in this model) I use it with a scoop of DP pad cleaner and I spray the pad with the grit guard pad cleaneing solution or an apc and the pads come out clean as a whistle .
 
I have both the S2000 and the UPW. Both work well IMO with the S2000 having the edge for cleaning wool pads and the UPW working better for foam pads, as it can clean the center really well.

I have actually been running my foam pads through the UPW when I get done using them and throwing them in the washing machine after that...I feel that cleans them better deep down, at the very least it rinses them out better. ;)
 
RaskyR1 said:
I have actually been running my foam pads through the UPW when I get done using them and throwing them in the washing machine after that...I feel that cleans them better deep down, at the very least it rinses them out better. ;)
Click to expand...

in the washing machine? this doesn't mess them up? do you put any type of cleaning solution or just use it for the rinse. If you could give me more details on this method I'd appreciate it.

I'm always after the easiest way, but my wife already gets pissed from the ring that all my towels leave in "her" washing machine!!
 
rockymountaindetail said:
in the washing machine? this doesn't mess them up? do you put any type of cleaning solution or just use it for the rinse. If you could give me more details on this method I'd appreciate it.

I'm always after the easiest way, but my wife already gets pissed from the ring that all my towels leave in "her" washing machine!!
Click to expand...

I hear you on that I'm not putting no pads in my washing machine I would be dead .Mine complains about the same issue from the towels . The pads are cleane enough from the padwasher
 
rockymountaindetail said:
in the washing machine? this doesn't mess them up? do you put any type of cleaning solution or just use it for the rinse. If you could give me more details on this method I'd appreciate it.

I'm always after the easiest way, but my wife already gets pissed from the ring that all my towels leave in "her" washing machine!!
Click to expand...

I have not had any issues with LC pads or the newer Megs pads. I use liquid tide, warm temp, and the extra rinse setting.

I don't live with my girl....yet, so she can't say sh#t about me using the washing machine! :D

FWIW, I do wipe out the basket and run a empty load after I'm done using it with some bleach added. Pre-cleaning them with the UPW cuts down on any residue being left in the washer. It would be nice to have a dedicated washer for my pads and towels though.
 
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