Pad Discussions

R

RAG

New member
We've had many good discussions on pads over the years here...I'd like to have another one about some of the popular pads out there:



1) Lake Country CCS - I'm thinking the consenus is that overall, the Lake Country CCS pads are the best. I must say I like them very much, though I'd like them even better if they didn't have those gimmic dimples...in theory, they hold wet product and thus all the product may not get broken down all the way if it really "releases" product midway through buffing...but I'm not sure they hurt any. But it's nonsense that they prevent chatter - I have old wolfgang concours pads that are very similar, only without the dimples, and I can't tell a difference.



Also, good thing CMA came out with the regular (they call it "OEM") version of their pads, cause their dual-density "Technology" pads have horrible backing and come apart rapidly...especially via DA.



2) American Buffing - if it wasn't for those gimmic cross-cuts, and recessed area in the back, these would be my favorite pads. In fact, the old American Buffing flowered-edge green pads (AKA Propel II) are still my favorite final finishing pads; I didn't care one way or another regarding the flowered edge, but these were the first pads with really good backing material...and they were flat on both sides, like pads should be. Their green foam was softer than the CCS green foam and is still the best final finishing foam/pad I've used! The problem I have with their new pads is that with the recessed area, they aren't think enough and "bottom out" too easily...also, the cross cuts are actually cut (and not formed) into the pad, and thus they tend to "shed" pad material and wear out too fast.



3) Cobra Cross Groove - What's the deal with these pads (I've never used them). They look like they'd be great if they didn't have the grooves. The gooves simply allow the pad to wear too fast and I'm sure allow more product sling via a rotary.



4) Meguiars soft-buff - tried and true shape, but the backing material stinks...needs to go edge to edge. And they need to make it in more foams - give this design to me in the white closed-cell foam along with a softer foam with edge to edge backing and I'd use them all day long. I guess you need gimmics to sell.
 
RAG said:
2) American Buffing - if it wasn't for those gimmic cross-cuts, and recessed area in the back, these would be my favorite pads. In fact, the old American Buffing flowered-edge green pads (AKA Propel II) are still my favorite final finishing pads; I didn't care one way or another regarding the flowered edge, but these were the first pads with really good backing material...and they were flat on both sides, like pads should be. Their green foam was softer than the CCS green foam and is still the best final finishing foam/pad I've used! The problem I have with their new pads is that with the recessed area, they aren't think enough and "bottom out" too easily...also, the cross cuts are actually cut (and not formed) into the pad, and thus they tend to "shed" pad material and wear out too fast.
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+1



I was just telling Patrick that he should bring those back too! You listening Patrick? :D
 
I want to know why more people don't use a 100PPI pad for final finishing with the rotary.

This with Menzerna FPII cant be beat on dark colors.

I have a couple from American buffing and one prototype from LC. The LC is close to a year old and is holding up well. I'm very careful with it. They have not put into production but if more people requested it they might.
 
Dent's & Details said:
I want to know why more people don't use a 100PPI pad for final finishing with the rotary.

This with Menzerna FPII cant be beat on dark colors.

I have a couple from American buffing and one prototype from LC. The LC is close to a year old and is holding up well. I'm very careful with it. They have not put into production but if more people requested it they might.
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Have you compared Ultra Fina to FPII?
 
Rag, or anyone else familiar, have you tried the pads put out by SA Arnold? Most of their products seem pretty bullet proof and I like that SA Arnold had such a wide range of pads to choose from.



I will be honest, I am not sure of who the "parent" company is for their pads and have never personally used them, but they appear to be well made.
 
No I have not had a chance to try the 3M yet. I hear it is as good as FPII.

What about the price? I think I called a while back and the stuff was over $50.00 a bottle.

I have a sample of the M105 coming that I cant wait to give a spin. Get it give it a spin. lol
 
Dent's & Details said:
No I have not had a chance to try the 3M yet. I hear it is as good as FPII.

What about the price? I think I called a while back and the stuff was over $50.00 a bottle.

I have a sample of the M105 coming that I cant wait to give a spin. Get it give it a spin. lol
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I paid $29.95 locally
 
mshu7 said:
Rag,



I have a couple of the American Buffing green and blue pads. I really like them as well. Where do you order yours from?
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I stocked up on them from Patrick and another supplier back east, but the flowered edge ones like are no longer being made. I'm sure they still have the dies to make them, so if enough people wanted them, AB would surely indulge us. Now they are making them with a cross-cut design, which effectively makes them too thin for my liking.
 
TheFiveO said:
Rag, or anyone else familiar, have you tried the pads put out by SA Arnold? Most of their products seem pretty bullet proof and I like that SA Arnold had such a wide range of pads to choose from.



I will be honest, I am not sure of who the "parent" company is for their pads and have never personally used them, but they appear to be well made.
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Yeah, a couple of them...and they weren't my favorite...kinda basic and cheap feeling. And the ones I tried didn't have edge to edge backing, and as I recall, they were alittle undersized (6.0" I think)...and I didn't really like the composition of their foams. I didn't try their larger pads.
 
RAG said:
I stocked up on them from Patrick and another supplier back east, but the flowered edge ones like are no longer being made. I'm sure they still have the dies to make them, so if enough people wanted them, AB would surely indulge us. Now they are making them with a cross-cut design, which effectively makes them too thin for my liking.
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That's disappointing b/c I really like the flowered edge pads that I just got. Thanks for the info though!
 
Personally i'd use none of the pads listed when it comes to cutting and heavy swirl removal.



Wool pads are the best by a golden mile when it comes to paint correction. They are softer, produce less holograms and in my opinion provide less marring for a given level of cut.



I'd a big fan of the Meguiars solo pads. Definitely the best pads on the market as it combines two wool pads for cutting and two foam for polishing and finishing.
 
TTWAGN said:
Personally i'd use none of the pads listed when it comes to cutting and heavy swirl removal.



Wool pads are the best by a golden mile when it comes to paint correction. They are softer, produce less holograms and in my opinion provide less marring for a given level of cut.



I'd a big fan of the Meguiars solo pads. Definitely the best pads on the market as it combines two wool pads for cutting and two foam for polishing and finishing.
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What material are the Solo pads made out of? Yah I hear the Solo buffing system really works well.
 
I gotta quickie, how do you guys like the Green LC CCS pad as a middle ground bewteen orange and white?
 
mshu7 said:
That's disappointing b/c I really like the flowered edge pads that I just got. Thanks for the info though!
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Are you being sarcastic? Did you recently pick up some of the 6.5" flowered edge AB pads? If so, where and how much? Now that I think about it, several months back someone PM'd me saying they were available somewhere.
 
dsms said:
I gotta quickie, how do you guys like the Green LC CCS pad as a middle ground bewteen orange and white?
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Funny you ask, as I've only used this "new" green foam once...but even though it kinda has a rough feel to it, there's no way it's more aggressive than the white foam, as the white foam is very firm (able to withstand lots of pressure), and it generates much more heat because it is closed cell foam. I'm guessing a fair number of guys that don't have a ton of experienice with the rotary will get sling with this new green foam, whereas they won't with the white.
 
TTWAGN said:
Personally i'd use none of the pads listed when it comes to cutting and heavy swirl removal.



Wool pads are the best by a golden mile when it comes to paint correction. They are softer, produce less holograms and in my opinion provide less marring for a given level of cut.



I'd a big fan of the Meguiars solo pads. Definitely the best pads on the market as it combines two wool pads for cutting and two foam for polishing and finishing.
Click to expand...



Sure. For moderate to heavy cutting (via rotary) I prefer wool too. But I was trying to get the skinney on various foam pads. With that said, I agree that a wool pad in itself (say with a final finishing polish) provides a moderate level of cut and doesn't tear the paint up too much...and given that you can really turn the speed up, still provides more cut than most foam pads with a compound that typically leaves behind and ugly surface condition...this is why I rarely ever use a foam pad with compound...I either use a wool pad with FPII or if I need more I'll go to a wool pad with compound.
 
RAG said:
Funny you ask, as I've only used this "new" green foam once...but even though it kinda has a rough feel to it, there's no way it's more aggressive than the white foam, as the white foam is very firm (able to withstand lots of pressure), and it generates much more heat because it is closed cell foam. I'm guessing a fair number of guys that don't have a ton of experienice with the rotary will get sling with this new green foam, whereas they won't with the white.
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Yeah, that green *is* more aggressive than the white. It leaves the surface with a scoured look whereas the white doesn't. You're comparing putting a good amount of pressure on the white pad to just using the green if I'm understanding what you're saying.
 
There are 2 different type of Lake Country Green pads. The one Danase carries (the 7.5" inch one I believe) is very aggressive, open cells and leaves a ton of marring. It reminds me of a bug sponge. Autogeek carries a different green pad that is essentially a polishing pad. I'm not sure where this pad stacks up to the white polishing pad though.
 
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