a) Base pad / product (least abrasive pad / product) if this combination does not provide the desired results,
increase the aggressiveness of the technique or product selection.
b) Step-up
1
- using the same pad with a more abrasive product
c) Step-up
II
– use a less abrasive pad and the same product as
used in step-up I
d) Step-up
III- using the same pad with a more abrasive product
As can been ascertained from the above
the total abrasive ability of a polish / foam pad combination is subject to
many variables, the polishes abrasive ability is just the starting point.
If you need to be more aggressive, step
up from a foam pad to a Foam / Wool hybrid and then Wool then Microfiber, if
that doesn't work, go to a SurBuf pad and after that you’ll need to switch your
polish or compounds.
Factors that increase abrasion ability
• Increased speed (Velocity)
• Increased pressure (Pad compression)
• Use smaller pad (Reduced surface Area)
• Using a firmer pad (Increases surface resistance and
kinetic energy (heat transfer)
• Using a slower panel transition speed
(Increased surface contact
time)
• Reduce the working area
The key to the polishing process is to
know how the paint will react with each pad / polish combination you consider
using. You must know your product and what its capabilities are before using
it. This is why a ‘test’ spot is so important.
The factors that affect the outcome are speed, friction (kinetic energy) applied pressure, foam pad actual surface contact area, pad grit number
(abrasive ability) amount of surface lubrication available, the surface
area and heat conductivity of material
All pads have a performance cycle,
meaning you will get the desired results only to a certain point on that curve.
The point of declining performance is typically reached by polish / compound
pad being overloaded with product; you should always be able to see the
individual cells or texture of the pad, with proper, regular cleaning pad
overload can be avoided.
Clean
(or replace) you pads frequently: pads are
easy to clean; the slotted pad face actually makes it easy to clean. Do not use
the same pad to apply differing products as cross contamination will reduce the
effectiveness or completely negate their purpose altogether. A new or freshly
cleaned pad must be used with each type of car care product.
A polishing pad, even if it’s been
primed correctly, will become dry due to paint debris loading up the pad
surface (paint oxidation) this can be eliminated if you use a ‘blast’ of
compressed air or run the pad (foam or microfiber) against a damp towel and
then apply more compound and continue.
Removal of Oxidized Paint
As an alternative, use the first pad to
remove paint oxidation and give a light polish and then change to a clean
primed pad and continue. This will ensure that the second polishing is actually
removing paint surface defects
Use a chemical paint cleaner before you
apply a paint protection product. Swissvax Cleaner Fluid
Regular is a non-abrasive cleaner used on lightly
oxidized paint or Swissvax Cleaner Fluid Professional Finish a nano-polishing compound contains abrasive micro
granules.
Applied evenly using strong pressure
with a machine polisher. The friction applied by this application technique
causes the innovative micro granules contained in its formula to wear away
against one another diminishing for a progressively finer abrasive polish
allowing you to remove any oxidation or irregularities on your vehicles
paintwork while only abrading the minimum required of its sensitive surface
General Rules
1. With a random orbital polisher; the
limiting factor to pad size is the actual power of the machine. Using larger
pads on these machines actually reduces the amount of polishing power due to
the surface resistance of the pad, which will cause the motor to slow down or
stall. Conversely using a smaller pad will increase the power available by
reducing the surface resistance by concentrating motor power on a smaller area.
2. With smaller pads you gain increased
control and manoeuvrability. Smaller pads generate more kinetic friction (and
subsequently, increased heat) with a PC, which breaks down polishes by
generating energy (and applied pressure) over a concentrated area. The random orbiting motion of
the PC generates the most power in the centre of the pad (i.e. area of a 6.5 –
inch pad is 33 – square inches compared to the area of a 4 – inch pad, which is
12.5 – square inches) This additional pressure / cutting power will facilitate
the removal of deeper imperfections
3. The opposite is true with rotary buffers.
The speed of the outer edge of a smaller (radius) pad is slower than that of a
larger (radius) pad. This helps reduce the amount of friction generated, which
makes polishing tighter areas much safer.
4. Do not use the same pad to apply
differing products as cross contamination will reduce the effectiveness or
completely negate their purpose altogether. A new or freshly cleaned pad must
be used with each type of car care product.
5. Water will increase the abrasiveness
of a polish; but unlike wool, a foam pad has no fibres to twist, bend, and
reshape, therefore helping to loosen the abrasive, so water tends to cause
abrasive-clumping, which is detrimental to its performance, it can also cause
the pad / abrasive to aquaplane, negating the abrasive
6. There is no recognizable standard
between manufacturers that use colour as an identification of the abrasiveness
of a foam
7. Apply pressure to the foam; if it
springs back the pad is fine. If it stays compressed the foam core is damaged
and it’s time to replace the pad.
Copyright
© 2012 TOGWT® (Established 1980) all rights reserved
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