Shredded pads?

[gbackus]

Mike, is there anything that can be done about shreeded pads? For a long time I'd be using another manufacturers pads, but when I needed smaller pads a friend suggested I try the meguiars pads again(I had an issue with the velcro back in in april '04 and hadn't bought them since). I'd used the pads about 3 times before, and today I was polishing out part of my truck bed and the surface of the 8006(yellow) pad began to shred on me, which has never happened before. I think switched to a 7006(red) pad and it was fine. However, the same thing happened when I switched to a 9006(tan) pad however, not as badly as the 8006(when I noticed it happening I immediately stopped polishing). This was all on a rotary BTW. What should I do? Previously the pads were like new.

[Mike Phillips]

What do you mean by shredding? Can you post a picture?

You have to be pretty hard on a pad to shredd it?

[gbackus]

I don't have access to my camera right now, but I'll post a picture in the morning.

[Mike Phillips]

It's morning? Where are they?

[gbackus]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
It's morning? Where are they?

[Ranger72]

Was there any emblems, or corners on the panel you were buffing?

[gbackus]

Nope, jsut the flat vertical panel(truck bed).

[Mike Phillips]

It looks like you do something pretty hard core buffing? What are you working on when this happen?

[gbackus]

Doesn't look so hard core to me

The rotary was running at 1200-1400 rpm and this was about the 4th time I used the pads. When I was buffing a lot of "dust" was appearing and I don't maybe it was dry product, but the product was still wet, and when I let go of the trigger and lifted the machine, that pad is what I saw. When the finishing pad started to dust, I immediately stopped, so it doesn't look as bad. I don't know if I had defective pads or what?

[Ranger72]

Wow! Never had that happen to me that fast! Hope you get it worked out!

[Mike Phillips]

Well I wear them out like the picture you're showing but usually not on flat surface in good shape.

I would say however that once a pad becomes worn and textured like the picture shows it will tend to continue to wear at a more accelerated pace than when new and completely flat. Especially if/when you clean them using a nylon brush.

That's normal wear and tear however when used with a rotary over time. They don't last forever. Usually when they start looking like this I delegate them to things like the side rails of a boat trailer, or some other odd thing you want to machine clean but not something that's important like the finish on a nice car.




Example:
a couple of times a year I would buff out the rails on my boat trailer usually with a one step cleaner/wax like M06. Because of all the curves, thin areas, sharp lines and such, I would never use a new pad or a pad in nice condition for something like this. Instead I would use my more tatty and worn pads, like the one in your picture.

[gbackus]

I understand pads wear out, I just though for such little use a failure like this seems a little premature. Ah well, hopefully it has enough life left to finish polishing out the good side of my car.

[Superior Shine]

George your and animal!!! Go easy on those pads!!

We have had pads for months before we toss 'em. I have never seen one shred like that unless I hit something sharp.

I date my pads when I label them w/ the product used with it.

And some of my pads are five to six months old.


Is the pad old? Is it an old pad that is dried out?

Are you appling plenty of product and have the rotory at the right speed?

[gbackus]

Nope, didn't hit anything sharp. Thing is, I've used my red cutting pad more than both the polishing and finishing pads combined, and it's in better shape than both, in fact, it looks almost new.

I was wondering if perhaps maybe I had gotten some pads from old stock and the foam itself had low integrity. Can't really tell.

[everglo]

George, shouldn't you be studying? Maybe you were on your break. What a buffing nut!

Some of the pads we were using Thursday are starting to look like that too. I'm thinking it's your brush. That brush is stiff. Maybe it's just a coincidence that my pads ended up in similar condition because they are at least 3-4 months old.