What is this, and how can I fix it?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: What is this, and how can I fix it?

OK, so you've got the DAMF System on order - great!! It's a fantastic system that will really take your DA to a whole new level. Even so, we really really want you to keep working on honing your technique with foam pads. Working on your wife's car will do wonders for that.

But back to the weird situation on the Audi and using the DAMF System on it. There are a few things you need to change up in your technique when using this system, as noted below:

• Prime the cutting disc with D300 before you start buffing. Don't just apply a ring of product like you did with UC - you absolutely must coat the entire face of the pad in D300, turning it from white to fully pink in color. You can either squirt a bunch of product onto the pad and then rub it against the paint, or literally rub it into the pad with your fingers to distribute it fully. Then add just 3 pea sized drops of product to the pad.
• Set the tool to speed 5 (on a Meguiar's G110v2 you would use speed 4) and apply moderate pressure when doing your initial pass. The pad should be spinning slowly, but definitely still spinning. The thinner nature of backing plate/microfiber pad compared to foam pads means you can get away with more pressure and still maintain pad rotation, but that does NOT mean you should lean on it. More potential pressure, however, also means it's easier to lose pad rotation if you tip the pad at an angle. In fact, you can lose pad rotation pretty fast this way, so watch that angle!!
• After every section you buff it is very important that you clean the pad out. You mentioned having purchased a pad spur, but if you purchased what we think you did, that's more a tool for cleaning wool pads on a rotary and not the best choice for microfiber pads. The best solution is to blow them out with compressed air, but lacking that a microfiber towel works great. Just wrap it around your index finger, switch the tool on and work the towel back and forth over the face of the pad. This will not only fluff the fibers but it will pull both paint residue and spent product out of the pad.
• Once the pad is clean, simply apply 3 pea sized drops of product to the pad and move on to your next section. Adjust your pressure and arm speed as you see fit in order to remove the defect. Don't change the speed of the tool; either move very slowly, increase your pressure a bit, or do a combination of the two. Slow movement is key though - take your time and you'll actually work faster since you won't have to go back and do it over. And over.

[davey g-force]

Re: What is this, and how can I fix it?

The best solution is to blow them out with compressed air, but lacking that a microfiber towel works great.

Michael,

How about a pad cleaning brush such as this?



This is what I've been using...

[The Guz]

Re: What is this, and how can I fix it?

That brush works well with both foam and DAMF pads. I use the brush when I don't have compressed air for the DAMF pads.

[Dolphin Gray]

Re: What is this, and how can I fix it?

Thanks Michael - you saved me some money and embarrassment, I was definitely going to use a pad spur for the MF pads. . I will use the microfiber towel technique for now - thanks for the tips. I am already very happy with the progress, but I figured since I've gone this far I will try for a complete fix! I think the foam pads will work just fine for the Pathfinder, the challenge on that one will be removing some pretty egregious overspray with the Meguiars mild clay.