How many pads per car?

[JQuenga]

How many pads should you use on a car, and how many times should you use them?

Before anyone says it, I know it depends on the condition of the car, etc, etc. But, on AVERAGE for a car that needs touching up and a car that needs some elbow grease, how many pads would you recommend for two cars? My dad is visiting and I'm going to try to convince him to resupply me...he likes to flaunt how much money he makes (compared to when we were kids anyway). I don't want to order too little and I don't want extra stuff hanging around.

Using a PC BTW and I prefer LC 5 1/2 inch pads. I mainly just use LC 5.25" orange and white pads. I have some 6.5 in black pads unopened and a blue one I've only used twice for waxing.

Thoughts?

[M0nK3y]

On average, I go through about 4-5 pads on cutting steps, and 2-3 on finishing steps.

I always love a fresh pad, and even with spurring the pad, it doesn't do it for me.

[JQuenga]

So, you wouldn't reuse a pad? Do you use the deburring brush (or whatever it is), or do you just go til it's clogged and you switch to a new pad?

I've never been able to get an entire car done at one time. Usually I use two orange pads and 1 or 2 white pads. Once they are clogged, I finish up with wax, clean the pads and let them dry until next time I have time. Then I move to another section with the reused pads.

Should I use that deburring brush or just switch pads (if you're semi on a budget). If I cleaned and reused the pads, how many times could I do that?

I want to fully correct my car, but for my wifes white car which I don't care about and neither does she...I'd just reuse pads.

I just don't want to order too many or too little.

[M0nK3y]

So, you wouldn't reuse a pad? Do you use the deburring brush (or whatever it is), or do you just go til it's clogged and you switch to a new pad?

I've never been able to get an entire car done at one time. Usually I use two orange pads and 1 or 2 white pads. Once they are clogged, I finish up with wax, clean the pads and let them dry until next time I have time. Then I move to another section with the reused pads.

Should I use that deburring brush or just switch pads (if you're semi on a budget). If I cleaned and reused the pads, how many times could I do that?

I want to fully correct my car, but for my wifes white car which I don't care about and neither does she...I'd just reuse pads.

I just don't want to order too many or too little.


I use pads and spur them with a flathead screw driver until they stop doing correction I want it to do.

Pads last a long time, you just gotta make sure you clean them properly. I only have about 6-8 Pads of each (PFW, Orange, White, Black, Blue) and have never needed to buy more.

Just Per car, I'll go through 5 Pads, wash them, and they will be ready to reuse again. It just gets to a point where that pads get's clogged up with too much polish, and becomes ineffective where you need to wash it

[JQuenga]

Okay, sounds good. Burring with a screwdriver? Hmm...I don't even know what burring does, but I guess I'm about to youtube it.

[e24mpwr]

I've got a Grit Guard padwasher.

http://www.padwasher.com/images/upw_cutaway.jpg

I agree w/ 4-5 per step per car.

[M0nK3y]

Okay, sounds good. Burring with a screwdriver? Hmm...I don't even know what burring does, but I guess I'm about to youtube it.

Run the PC on a 3 or 4. Take the screwdriver and hold it parallel to the pad. Just have the screwdriver brush the pad and it will remove the polish that is caked on.

BTW- It's spur, not bur

[e24mpwr]

Run the PC on a 3 or 4. Take the screwdriver and hold it parallel to the pad. Just have the screwdriver brush the pad and it will remove the polish that is caked on.

BTW- It's spur, not bur

I also use the little button on the padwasher as a spurring station. Handy.

[JQuenga]

hahaha, I don't know why I kept saying burr. Haha. Selective typing I guess, my brain doesn't always work right. I thought you were talking about the other guy at first, haha.


There's no way I'm buying that pad washer. $135 for something I could do in my sink. Once I reach baller status or start detailing my cars more than once a year.

[PuckMan]

I have a few old toothbrushes I use to clean my pads during a polish session. After a while they gunk up too much and I switch out to a new one. I have BUNCHES of pads and there's nothing better than changing out to a new or clean, fresh pad and pressing on.

I generally use anywhere from 2 to 5 pads per product for an entire vehicle. If it's a 2 step correction that's 4 to 10 pads, then 1 per LSP.

[JQuenga]

Well I found a place that sells 6 LC pads for only $29.99, so I think I might just get 6 orange, 6 white and a bunch of new m/f towels...and some new polishes. Maybe I can convince my dad to get my that pad washer? Haha...

edit, I almost forgot to ask my next question! Haha.

So, you use a toothbrush? Would any kind of bristle brush work? Does spurring just pretty much scrape the product off? I have a brush that I never used for anything and it looks just like a spurring brush you can buy. Maybe I'll give it a try.

[PuckMan]

Yeah, any kind of non metal bristled brush should work fine. Start at the center of the pad and move the toothbrush out towards the perimeter a few times. You'll see dust and product fly everywhere.

[alwaysbored786]

Well I found a place that sells 6 LC pads for only $29.99, so I think I might just get 6 orange, 6 white and a bunch of new m/f towels...and some new polishes. Maybe I can convince my dad to get my that pad washer? Haha...

edit, I almost forgot to ask my next question! Haha.

So, you use a toothbrush? Would any kind of bristle brush work? Does spurring just pretty much scrape the product off? I have a brush that I never used for anything and it looks just like a spurring brush you can buy. Maybe I'll give it a try.

do you have a link to the place that sells the pads?

[RyanFlemington]

I've stopped using the pad spur, because i find it chews up my pads a little bit, and doesn't clean enough product/paint/clear out of the pad. Once I'm finished with a pad, after a panel, or two, I soak it with pad cleaner, and put it in a pile for dirty pads. When/if I run out of pads, I take them to the sink, clean them out properly, and then just spin them inside a bucket(with my hand as resistance). Doesn't even take 5 minutes, and I have an arsenal of fresh pads.