talk to me about MF pads....

mnewxcv

New member
so I have detailed a few cars now and want to jump on over to MF pads because it looks like they will make my corrections finish down a lot easier/better than with orange pads. So what is some advice for a MF noob? what do I need to watch out for when using a MF pad compared to foam? do they have 3" mf pads and should those be used on the small tight places(pillars)? in terms of product choices, will m105/205 work just as well with MF or should I jump to m100? Please do not hold back any thoughts on this as the more info the better! thanks and happy holidays!
 
I have recently started using MF pads instead of my Foam ones.

I really like my variable contact Lake country pads. That being said,

I am not totally sold on MF yet.


I have been using 6.25 inch pads and I like that size.

I know that they sell pads in 3 inch also, but I really can't vouch

For the pads, as I am not convinced yet
 
MF pads have been proven to work better by some of the top detailers. That said, here's the grain of salt - some guys promote one brand over another because they get either pay or freebies (oh the humanity!) so, my advice is to ask someone on your level what they tried and what they like. Remember, if you ask 10 detailers what is the best polish - you'll get 10 different answers. OK, me? I tried Megs, CG aka Optimum and Buff & Shine. The Megs were the first version and didn't last long, it's a real pisser to lose a pad and a backing plate at the same time, I heard they are better now. The CG's delaminted in my wash/soak bucket - yes really..


Buff & Shine - what can I say, I am now a convert, I like their MF pads and their foam pads the best. I was a Lake Country guy for years but no more. Now, I detail on the weekends, I use a PCXP and use compressed air to clean the pads between panals. YMMV
 
once you try any buff and shine pad ill bet you won't use any other....except maybe a scholl's waffle.


 


the buff and shine MF are superior IMO.
 
Wow, thanks for the info JuneBug.

I was looking at some CG pads and didn't know that they were the same.

Next I will try some of the buff and shine pads.


One thing i am skeptical about, is the difference between a MF polish

and a MF cutting pad. Is the difference the gsm? Or, is the difference

the density of the foam under the MF?
 
bunkeroo26 said:
Wow, thanks for the info JuneBug.

I was looking at some CG pads and didn't know that they were the same.

Next I will try some of the buff and shine pads.


One thing i am skeptical about, is the difference between a MF polish

and a MF cutting pad. Is the difference the gsm? Or, is the difference

the density of the foam under the MF?


 


foam density
 
thanks for all the info! so when it comes to using the pads, is the technique different than if I were using foam?
 
For me, my technique is the same.

The only difference is that my Foam pads were Variable Contact,

and this helped around trim and edges of panels.

With the MF pads, I found them to be quite forgiving.

I use the optimum polishing pad, and have good results.
 
There are a couple things to watch out for: heat - these suckers can get hot, especially the Megs cutting pads - and will melt a perfectly good backing plate, the newer thicker ones seem to run cooler. Then there is cleaning, compressed air is best, otherwise plan on swapping out pads more often.
 
JuneBug said:
There are a couple things to watch out for: heat - these suckers can get hot, especially the Megs cutting pads - and will melt a perfectly good backing plate, the newer thicker ones seem to run cooler. Then there is cleaning, compressed air is best, otherwise plan on swapping out pads more often.


 


so when they get hot, is that due to poor tecnique, ie running it too fast or with too much pressure? or normal behavior? should I stop to let it cool?
 
I dunno about using MF/HD Cut for correcting wetsanding....guess it'll depend on the grit-level of the sanding scratches (4K, OK, 2K maybe not), the hardness of the paint, what the user considers timely/efficient, and the user's familiarity with the HD Cut.


 


I just used my GG 3" pneumatic/Meguiar's 3" MF Cutting Disk/HD Cut on some (bodyshop inflicted) scratches on the A8.  While newbie-HD Cut user-error undoubtedly factored in, I found that combo to be a *lot* less aggressive than when I use M105, especially the v1.0.  I've used the M105 to correct wetsanding plenty of times and as I did the A8 I was thinking how the HD Cut was simply a different level of compound (NO, that's not a slam).


 


I'm always a little surprised when people have heat issues with the Meguiar's MF Cutting Disks.  I run mine pretty hard (speed, pressure) with different polishers and I've simply never had a problem along those lines....gee, hope I don't jinx myself by posting that!
 
No doubt M105 is a great compound and I still keep/use it when the occasion presents itself. I personally find the cutting level of it to be very similar to HD CUT, but the characteristics of the cutting action is different. M105 no doubt cuts much quicker, but CUT will certainly give you paralleled cut if worked out a bit longer. In fact Mike Murphy and I did a car together that was finished by the body shop in 2000 grit. He was using M100 (which is just as stout as M105) with the Rupes 21mm and I used HD CUT via Megs MF and Rupes 15mm. Had no real issues cutting through those sand scratches with either product. 


 


 
David Fermani- On the rare occasions when I do real correction, I *do* envy you Rupes users!


 


FWIW, I was working the Cut a long, *long* time and I'm pretty sure that I wasn't using too much product.  I'm pretty fanatical about blowing out the pads regularly, usually after every section pass (and I was working mighty small sections).  Note that I've followed postings by you and others about how to use the stuff ;) 


 


Eh...same ol' same ol', there are a lot of variables and user-error is undoubtedly one of 'em in this case.  But FWIW#2, the Cut sure *was* user-friendly.  Ditto for the Polish that I followed up with, probably the overall easiest finishing polish I've ever tried.
 
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