Like the title said I just got a PC7424 and I was wondering if I could use a 5" backing plate with some 6.5" pads? I want to polish my car this weekend but may wait if I will get better results with the 6.5" pads combined with the 6" backing plate. Also can you buy the backing plates anywhere besides online?

 

6.5 pads FTL on a DA, unfortunately. the outer edges of the pad go too slow in my opinion, which hampers efficiency. it's already a patience game using a DA, and adding bigger pads will make it that much worse. yes, it's safe, that's why so many all in one kits come with big pads, but it's safest because it does the least work! if you destroy a finish with any pad on a DA you should not be detailing, so i don't see the need for the big *** pads.

5.5" and 4" pads are the way to go.

but all of this info might be a moot point; do you already have the bigger pads?

i don't know of any place that would sell backing plates other than online sources.

 

I have 2 5.5" orange lake county pads. I also have 6.5" yellow, black, white, and blue. I was planning on using the yellow pad for with some cutting agent for the first pass but maybe I am better off using the orange. Do ou know any places that sell lake county pads other than online?

 

oh, well if you already have them then i guess you should stick with them.

the mantra to follow is always use the least aggressive that you think might work first, and then see what happens. if you can't get the results you need, then step up to a more aggressive combo. never start out with something that you think for a second can possibly be too aggressive.

FWIW, yellow pads of any size IMO are ONLY good for removing severe defects or working with extremely hard to polish surfaces. they are very aggressive pads as i'm sure you know. even then, you typically can get the right initial corrective results with some heat (speed and slight pressure), an orange pad and a quality compound. of course either way you'll have to refine the finish after this type of work.

the only place i can think of that might sell lake country pads would be a paint and body supply store.

regarding your question about using a smaller backing plate with the bigger pads, i think you ideally could, but you would probably make the bigger pad effectively smaller because of the lack of even backing pressure.

 

Will it hurt the paint to try the orange pad and cutting agent first then if that does not work use the yellow pad with cutting agent? Do I have to go through all three steps cut polish and wax before I know if it will be the result I want or can I simply tell right after the first blush?

 

if you are looking to remove alot of swirling and scratches, you will be able to see with an orange pad and compound after a few passes to see if it's working. the finish should then be free of the larger scratches, and should be a little hazy, but generally free of anything other than uniform hazing scratches. that haze will go away after you polish it.

if you try the pad and chemical combo you think will work and still see the original damage through the haze, even after several passes, you might need to step up to a more aggressive pad.

 

Thanks. I will start with the 5.5" orange and then polish and wax with a 6.5" since that is what I have. Next time I buy pads I will get more 5.5".

 

that's what i think would be the best bet. i know people use the bigger pads, but honestly i believe you'll find that the smaller pads get the job done quicker, and also allow you more precise control when it comes to coming near edges/corners and stuff.

esp on a DA.....

i actually LOVE using 4" pads the most with my DA. they create the most heat and really allow the aforementioned precise control.

one thing i forgot to mention is on newer hondas, the clear is SO soft that you can generally get away with using a white pad in the larger sizes and a nice polish to get rid of most if not all defects with a DA. then you can refine with a non-corrective pad and a nice all in one or the same polish as before (provided it's flexible)

the polish i absolutely love is optimum polish...it's SO f'n flexible!

good luck pimp, have fun!

 

Where do you guys buy all your pads and supplies from? Any good websites. Congrats on the purchase im about to purchase the same one.

 

i shop almost exclusively from autogeek. i buy a few things here and there from other places, but AG seems to have alot of what i need. they have awesome discounts, alot of special deals, and if you join their forum i believe you get free shipping...i forget as it's been a while ; )

alot of people will say it's best to use a rotary, why mess with a DA, etc, but man...there is no better learning tool than a DA! i own a Makita 9227c which is a BUFF rotary, and i still use my PC often on alot of finishes.

 

to add to builthatch, when orange is not doing the job, i jump to a wool pad and skip the yellow.

there is a new pc 7424 coming out if you want to hold off.

www.autogeekonline.net/forum

go there and you can find info and some pics of the new pc coming out.

 

I am planning on using an orange 5.5" LC pad with Malco Rapid cut. I dont know if you guys have heard of that. Then I am going to use a white or black 6.5" LC pad with Ardex 4212 Seal-B machine brightener for black cars. Next I will be using a blue 6.5" LC pad with some wax. You think that sounds about right?

I too bought my stuff from Autogeek. I think I will see what happens with the 6.5" pads but will probably use the 5.5" or 4" from now on.

 

4212, is that the gray stuff? where'd you get the ardex stuff? that is popular with the volume guys in my area since ardex is based my region.

well, see how it works for you with those chemicals and those pads. i'm very opinionated in that when i find a combo that works for me, i promote it but that isn't the end all and be all ; )

best of luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

yyttt

 

Yes 4212 is the gray stuff. I got it from a guy who sells to dealerships wholesale stuff. I have a gallon of it. Have you ever used the Malco rapid cut before. This is my first time with the DA and these chemicals so I will take some before and after pics and post them here. Hopefully I can get to it this weekend.

By Volume do you mean guys who do a lot of detailing?

 

yep...high volume detailers. dealer preps, 'wham bam' detail shops, etc.

i gotta tell you though that i think there are some products in the ardex line that are decent. that gray stuff is one of them. i've never used the rapid cut you speak of. sounds pretty aggressive so try it out with caution.

oh, one trick that i use with the DA is take a sharpie and put a black line on my backing plates on the top edge, so you can see it from the top. if that line stops moving, then you are applying too much pressure. you want to keep that thing spinning.

 

Ya i am going to be cautious with the rapid cut. However I doubt a DA will do much damage. I thought the DA oscilated rather than spun. Thanks, I will try the sharpie trick.

 

Can I treat the plastic the same as the metal i.e. the bumpers and mirrors?

 

yeah, just be sure to use the least aggresive combo possible. i usually use one step lower on the pastic panels. so if i use a orange pad on the metal panels, ill use a white pad on the plastic panels

 

sometimes you'll find that the paint on mirrors is single stage! that is the case with my mazdaspeed3....if i buff the mirrors, the pad comes up with silver on it...

i don't recall every having that happen with hondas.

 

The 4212 worked great. Took longer than I thought to finish the car. Probably because it was my first time. It rained the next day so that was dumb. Quick question, If I get polish flying everywhere off my pad is that because the pad has become over saturated?

 

yeah, was it dry polish or wet polish?

 

yeah, dust or liquid?

assuming you mean liquid spraying...you are using WAY too much polish.

for example....typically, on a 5.5" pad, i'll use 4 dots a little smaller than a dime each, placed in a diamond shape between the center and edge of the pad. then, i'll smear the polish about without any power, making sure i sweep it up toward the center of the pad during the swipes. i'll then spread the polish evenly with very low power, 1, 2 MAX. once the polish is evenly distributed on the surface, i then increase the speed and proceed to try to break it down during the course of the passes.

you want to make sure there is enough polish to cover the surface without having the pad DRY on the surface. it only takes a little bit to prevent that condition.

pad design can affect you too, like, if it's a CCS style with the circular dots, or if it's hi profile vs. low/flat, etc.

another tip is all in one products, like optimum poliseal, only need about 4 pea sized dots to be effective.

 

i use the same technique....maybe because you are the one who taught me along with dana on autogeek, haha. thank you once again.

 

Ya I sorta learned that as I went along. It was liquid polish. It only started to happen when I got to the end of the car with the rapid cut. Like on the last 1/4 of it. I kinda figured out the pad was too saturated and I switched pads. On the next step (4212) I used less polish and problem was solved. I guess it just comes with experience. I am interested to see how my car looks this weekend after I wash it since it rained for a few days this week and it looks like crap. I wonder if the shine will come back.

Also next time since I cut it down this time what do you recommend? Maybe just using a mid grade polish like the 4212 and a coat of wax?