Strange Buildup on Pads

[drumdan]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

I'm using the yellow Meguiar's polishing pad. I think you are right about picking up old wax or sealant. I did a test with one of my other cars. I followed the same procedure with a clean pad on the hood with zero "pilling". This tells me it is something on the paint of the car I got from the dealer.

Below is a link to a picture I took of the pad. This is AFTER I have rinsed out the pad with just water. The dark areas are really light gray and require detergent to get out.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=18qcHhZoojnqFqdD8jowW6D4y0sK9oOe8Iw

Thanks for your comments!

Bryan

I used to use M20 Polymer Sealant on my faimly's cars every fall, and spring. Every time I did the spring clean up, I'd get pilling on my applicator pads, and bonnets. Once that started to happen, I'd swap out applicators/bonnets.

If you got it from the dealer, chances are they did some kind of "cleaner wax" type of product, and you might be getting a build up in your pad.

These days, with foam pads, I knock the residue out with a pad conditioning brush after each section, and wipe with a terrycloth towel whenever the brush quit working. After that, I'll change the pad.

[Top Gear]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

Sure. Whatever you say It's also not the same pad as in the shot above, a beige (not yellow) nerf pad that also looks curiously like it's also coming apart. The yellow pad, albeit discolored, doesn't match the beige granules shown against someone's hand and on the paint. So......

[bryandlewis]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

Yep, the pad is disintegrating. That crater near the middle is not supposed to be there, among other pits, etc. I think more than one thing can be going on, but it is coming apart and balling up with product. What is causing that is still a bit of a mystery. Could be a combination of rough paint, dried out pad and dried out product.

What you see is NOT a crater in the middle of the pad. The discoloration may make it look that way, but the pad is fine.

[Top Gear]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

Yep, the pad is disintegrating. That crater near the middle is not supposed to be there, among other pits, etc. I think more than one thing can be going on, but it is coming apart and balling up with product. What is causing that is still a bit of a mystery. Could be a combination of rough paint, dried out pad and dried out product.

[bryandlewis]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

The term is called "pilling".

Typically from using too much product, and not cleaning the pad out often enough.

Most likely you're picking up old sealant/wax, and some paint.

Are you brushing out your pad with a pad conditioning brush, or something similar? If so how often.

This used to happen to me more, when I used closed cell pads. For example, using #2 Fine Cut Cleaner and the old burgundy cutting pad would produce pilling. Most recently, FG400 on a Cyan pad.

Once I reduced the amount of product, and cleaned after each section it's no longer an issue.

I also use open cell "polishing" pads to cut. These pads are actually more coarse than most foam cutting pads, and the pore structure allows the residue to retreat within the cells, where it will cake up before it pills up.

What pad were you using?

I'm using the yellow Meguiar's polishing pad. I think you are right about picking up old wax or sealant. I did a test with one of my other cars. I followed the same procedure with a clean pad on the hood with zero "pilling". This tells me it is something on the paint of the car I got from the dealer.

Below is a link to a picture I took of the pad. This is AFTER I have rinsed out the pad with just water. The dark areas are really light gray and require detergent to get out.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=18qcHhZoojnqFqdD8jowW6D4y0sK9oOe8Iw

Thanks for your comments!

Bryan

[Old Bear]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

You can see the Meguiare's Micro Fibre pads better in this video with Mike/Mike/Jason.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AawmvM5Jo24

[MicrofiberMan]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

The question above is regarding compounding, but I use the DAMF finishing pad to wax with a light pass if that's what I need. There is no cut, even with the D301 finishing wax (a cleaner-wax), unless I put more pressure/speed/time down with the same combo to work the cleaners and pad. When I do that, I can re-wax with some minor correction ability, such as getting faint spiderwebs. Otherwise, it's as gentle as a polish-wax on foam

ok thanks i i might get those mf pads soon

edit so the microfiber finishing and cutting disc are the same color? how do u tell them apart?

[drumdan]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

The term is called "pilling".

Typically from using too much product, and not cleaning the pad out often enough.

Most likely you're picking up old sealant/wax, and some paint.

Are you brushing out your pad with a pad conditioning brush, or something similar? If so how often.

This used to happen to me more, when I used closed cell pads. For example, using #2 Fine Cut Cleaner and the old burgundy cutting pad would produce pilling. Most recently, FG400 on a Cyan pad.

Once I reduced the amount of product, and cleaned after each section it's no longer an issue.

I also use open cell "polishing" pads to cut. These pads are actually more coarse than most foam cutting pads, and the pore structure allows the residue to retreat within the cells, where it will cake up before it pills up.

What pad were you using?

[Top Gear]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

The question above is regarding compounding, but I use the DAMF finishing pad to wax with a light pass if that's what I need. There is no cut, even with the D301 finishing wax (a cleaner-wax), unless I put more pressure/speed/time down with the same combo to work the cleaners and pad. When I do that, I can re-wax with some minor correction ability, such as getting faint spiderwebs. Otherwise, it's as gentle as a polish-wax on foam

[MicrofiberMan]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

Looks like the nerf pad is disintegrating and just balling up and wasting product. Another reason I don't use foam any more. Claying will help, but if you're having to clay that much to save foam pads that are coming apart, something is wrong. MF pads will effectively "clay" the surface much better as you work the product.

what do you use then? for putting on wax or paint cleaners when you dont want any cut?

[twisty roads]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

on one of the pictures, it looks like you are using a rotary polishing pad (7 inch) on the G110v2 DA polisher. I would suggest getting the new thin pads and see if that helps. It is common for too large of a pad to throw product

[The Guz]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

Actually it was a new bottle of UC. The first section may have been with the last of the old one. I had discounted the problem being the UC because whatever built up on the pad would not wash out of the pad with water. UC rinses out easily. And since it is a car I just got from a dealer, I have no idea what they would have used when they detailed it. Whatever it was I don't like it! Some kind of wax or glaze or polishing oil? No clue. I think what I'll do is wash it good with Dawn dish soap and start fresh. I worry I may have made my job harder because I now put ULW on top of what was there before.

I always wash my pads out with Meguiar's all purpose cleaner so I can't say that I have seen the issue you are having. Some paints are sticky and make for the paint to be a little more difficult to polish.

Do you mean using dish soap for the pads or paint? If it's for the pads then that is fine. Just takes a bit to rinse all the dish soap out. If on the paint don't bother using dish soap on it. It does not buy you anything with most modern day waxes and sealants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IeJsOR3V6g

[bryandlewis]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

How old is the product? Was it exposed to sever temperature extremes?

Actually it was a new bottle of UC. The first section may have been with the last of the old one. I had discounted the problem being the UC because whatever built up on the pad would not wash out of the pad with water. UC rinses out easily. And since it is a car I just got from a dealer, I have no idea what they would have used when they detailed it. Whatever it was I don't like it! Some kind of wax or glaze or polishing oil? No clue. I think what I'll do is wash it good with Dawn dish soap and start fresh. I worry I may have made my job harder because I now put ULW on top of what was there before.

[The Guz]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

How old is the product? Was it exposed to sever temperature extremes?

[Top Gear]

Re: Strange Buildup on Pads

Looks like the nerf pad is disintegrating and just balling up and wasting product. Another reason I don't use foam any more. Claying will help, but if you're having to clay that much to save foam pads that are coming apart, something is wrong. MF pads will effectively "clay" the surface much better as you work the product.