Buffer Pad/ Buffer Trail Question

2 quick questions I had a hard time finding in the forum. What's the best way to clean buffer pads and what exactly causes "buffer trails"?

Thanks,
Alex

 

when I polish i have a bucket of APC and water, I toss them in there and let them soak over night, next day I rinse with hot water........
as for what causes buffer trails it can be a bunch of things. Correct me if Im wrong, but overloaded pads is one reason I was told.

 

I clean my pads by spraying them liberally with APC, let soak for about 5 minutes and massage under warm running water. Squeeze excess water out and place velcro side up on a wire shelf to dry. Buffer trails are caused by a multitude of things from dirty pads ( clogged with polish ), not working polish until its broken down, working polish way past the point that its broken down, allowing pad to dry out, etc.

 

Thanks for the answers guys. How do you know when you need to buy new pads and the old pads are trash?

 

if they tear i replace them, but they actually last me awhile......

 

They should last awhile unless you run them into something and tear them. I have some that are a couple years old.

 

buffer trails or holograming can be from a few things.

The pad is to dry, the pad and polish combo will scribe the paint surface. IE not enough product on pad, for the size of area worked.

To much product on pad. If you goop it you simply can not break down all of the product. so in this case the product scribes the work area.

the pad is caked with old, dusty nasty sharp product. And it scribes the work area

The pad its self is to harsh for the product you are using and scribes the work area. IE po85rd on a foam yellow cut pad.

You simply need one more step. You have 3-2 stepped it now you need to finish the paint off by one final polishing step.

Running a machine at two high an rpm with to much pressure building to much heat on the pannel will cause holograming

Looking at the paint sideways, while breating in through your left nostrial and out your right ear will cause holograming.

How do you wash pads? Simple you throw them in a front load washing maching. on hot and wash with detergent on high hot/sanitary and super fast spin mode. then lay them on a rack to dry.

 

I try to keep my pads as clean as possible while polishing by frequently spurring them with a damp microfiber. When I am done I was mine in the laundry as stated above. However with the new water based polishes it is very easy to keep a pad clean with some APC and a rinse.

 

I will try to breathe through both nostrils next time. That is great advice I wasnt aware of.

 

I found that one of the most time consuming and messy jobs at cleanup was cleaning the pads
.
I recently purchased a Grit Guard universal pad washer. I will say IMHO it's kinda expensive.
I will also say that it has made clean, quick, & easy work out of cleaning the pads when done.
I can clean eight to ten foam pads including the Meguiar's DA MF pads in under five minutes.
To dry..I put 'em face down on a Sham-Wow (it's good for something) and just let them air dry.