problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

[yrdln]

I used a PC XP with a LC CCS gray finishing pad to apply Gold Class paste wax. I was applied the wax to the pad using a putty knife when I put the wax on the car at a speed of 3 over an area of about 20 x 20 it looked like the pad was running dry so I kept putting wax on the pad. In the end I had a fairly thin coat on the car.

The problem is even though the pad looked dry when I seperated the pad from the backing plate the was wax every where. When I tried to wash the pad there was more wax in the wash water than what was on the car. I used about 1/3 the can.

Questions

Did I use the wrong product or the wrong pad or both?

Is this normal?

Is something wrong with the wax or the pad?

What should I have done different?

this is the first time I used a DA polisher so I am not sure what went wrong.

Thanks for the help.

[speed3blackmica]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

You should have used the liquid wax if you are going to apply via DA

[Murr1525]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

Questions

Did I use the wrong product or the wrong pad or both?

Liquid would probably be easier, but paste can be used.

Is this normal?

Sounds like you used too much.

Is something wrong with the wax or the pad?

Probably not.

What should I have done different?

Hard to say without pics, but the goal would be using less.

[Frozenbarb]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

Perhaps lower speed. All you need to do it spread it. I think speed 3 would be flinging it everywhere.

[Daniel Kinder]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

Hey yrldn

I've never applied a paste wax using anything other then my hand (not saying that you can't, some member's do and have fantastic results) but gold class does apply so easy that it is hard to tell sometimes where I've applied it. Also it helps sometimes to mist a spray of a quik detailer/final inspection/last touch or if you don't have any spray detailers atleast a mist of water on the surface of your pad, that could have been the reason you thought that your pad was feeling dry?

Gold class also is rich in polishing oils so that's one reason that your pad was so saturated plus the fact that you used a 1/3 of the can!

You didn't use the wrong product gold class is a great wax. Even though gold class is a polish/wax and does have a small amount of cleaners in it you still need to start on a surface that has been prep correctly in that I mean Clayed-using a cleaner-cleaner/polish or at least a cleaner/wax.

How do you care for your paint?
What was the process for this one?
Do you just wash/wax?
Do you clay/clean/wax?

[Frank787]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

I cleaned a deodorant container then shoved the Gold Class Wax Paste into the container. It makes applying wax to pad easy (made me cuss less too). I apply the paste with an LC pad also, you definitely had too much product on the pad.

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

It seems to me that you could apply paste wax in broad strokes using a hand foam applicator and then use the DA with a finishing pad to uniformly apply the wax over the surface of the car. Or perhaps use a smaller 4" pad that would fit inside the opening of the paste wax can and use that to apply the wax?

[Murr1525]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

Yeah, lots of options. Some use a butter knife/spatula, etc to get it on the pad.

The deoderant idea is interesting.... Meguiars may need to make note of that one....

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

Using paste wax, I would of applied it by hand to the finish, then worked it in using the D/A. It sounds like you applied to much.

I also like the deodorant applicator idea. I think it would be worth looking into.

[Calais]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

The deoderant idea is interesting.... Meguiars may need to make note of that one....

It seems pretty easy to do, the guys at Dodo Juice have done it with their Supernatural wax. I would be interested in Gold Class plus or NXT 2.0 DA stick.

[Daniel Kinder]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

It seems pretty easy to do, the guys at Dodo Juice have done it with their Supernatural wax. I would be interested in Gold Class plus or NXT 2.0 DA stick.

I like it, good ideal

[Michael Stoops]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

First off, if 1/3 of the can was used for a single application, you used waaaay too much product. In fact, you probably used enough product to wax 10 cars!

Even a paste wax should stay fairly "wet" feeling as you apply it in a very thin coat via D/A. Overusing the product, however, can cause excess to dry on the edges of the pad and then you have the potential for it to start powdering, etc.

Using a 4" pad, like our new Soft Buff 2.0 pads that come with our Pro Headlight & Restoration Kit, and will soon be sold seperately, makes D/A application of a paste wax a snap! The pad will fit easily into the can and the small size really does not negatively impact the application process with a D/A. Some people feel that giving the tool a quick "pull of the trigger" on the tool to spin the pad in the can, but that can actually pick up too much product. You can easily place the pad into the can and just lightly swipe it over the surface to pick up product. Subsequent dips into the can leave the pad damp with product and you can spread a very thin and uniform coat of wax. Even with something as potentially finicky as M16 works like a charm with this process.

But no matter how you apply a wax, whether liquid or past, by hand or D/A, use it sparingly. A little goes a very long way.

[yrdln]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

First off, if 1/3 of the can was used for a single application, you used waaaay too much product. In fact, you probably used enough product to wax 10 cars!

Even a paste wax should stay fairly "wet" feeling as you apply it in a very thin coat via D/A. Overusing the product, however, can cause excess to dry on the edges of the pad and then you have the potential for it to start powdering, etc.

Using a 4" pad, like our new Soft Buff 2.0 pads that come with our Pro Headlight & Restoration Kit, and will soon be sold seperately, makes D/A application of a paste wax a snap! The pad will fit easily into the can and the small size really does not negatively impact the application process with a D/A. Some people feel that giving the tool a quick "pull of the trigger" on the tool to spin the pad in the can, but that can actually pick up too much product. You can easily place the pad into the can and just lightly swipe it over the surface to pick up product. Subsequent dips into the can leave the pad damp with product and you can spread a very thin and uniform coat of wax. Even with something as potentially finicky as M16 works like a charm with this process.

But no matter how you apply a wax, whether liquid or past, by hand or D/A, use it sparingly. A little goes a very long way.

so that said if I am using a putty knife to put the product on the pad how much do I put on at a time and approx how big of an area should it cover

[Michael Stoops]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

so that said if I am using a putty knife to put the product on the pad how much do I put on at a time and approx how big of an area should it cover

You should be putting a very small amount of product onto that pad. If you think about those little square pads of butter you often get in restaurants, that's probably 3 or 4 times more than you should put on the pad at one time. Spread it very thin on the pad and you should be able to cover half the hood of a full sized car with the first go. Once that pad starts to become a bit damp with product you can apply less and less wax to the pad. Remember, all you're trying to do is spread a very thin coat of wax onto the paint. A thick coat just takes longer to dry, and is harder to remove. In some cases, much harder to remove.

[yrdln]

Re: problem with Gold Class paste wax and finishing pad

Thanks for all the info guys next time I will try to do better

Hpoefully LOL