I am ordering a Porter Cable Dual Action Polisher and of course some pads. How do people clean their pads? And, do you clean them after each use?

Thanks

 

I use high power compressed air. Just spin the pad on the buffer and shoot the compressed air on it. You dont want the pad wet, and this is the best way to do it.

 

If you're talking about the foam pads like Griot's Garage sells, I rinse mine out after each use. I have a few pads so I've got others to use while I wait for the wet one to dry out thoroughly.

 

Rinse the pad thoroughly in a bucket or in the sink with warm soapy water and let air dry. It's important that you get all the leftover material out of the pad. If the foam cells get coked up it will affect the performance. Been doing this for over 10 years.

Here's some info from Lake Country Mfg who make most of the pads sold for the PC and Rotary.

 

I use Dawn in warm water in my kitchen sink... Then lots of rinsing. Press 'em dry between paper towels and leave to air dry.

 

If these are Meguiar's pads like the W8006, they don't recommend (machine) washing them out of fear that the velcro backing part will come unglued. The traditional way to clean them is by mounting them on a rotary buffer and using a toothbrush, but not everyone owns a rotary buffer--although HF sells them for between $20-$50....

Another solution I've used that works well is carpet cleaning solution. You can buy these for fairly cheap, it suds up, just pour some into a bucket, fill with warm water, put your pads in there, let them soak, then wring them out, and dip them until the water is clear. You might have to repeat this process several times. Then let them air dry.

The carpet cleaning solution I'm referring to is the kind that goes inside like a Dirt Devil Carpet and Rug Shampoo---comes in a big red bottle.

 

This might be to late, but I spotted a PC 7336SP at Lowes for $109. This model has both the sanding and buffing heads and already has the 6 inch counterweight.

 

To not confuse people, the counterweight won't make a difference when used for polishing cars. For high speed sanding of wood, it's a different matter, but the counterweight is a non issue.

Also you will still need a velcro backed backing plate so you can attach the foam pads too--regardless of the brand.

While $109 seems like a good price, add on a $20 backing plate, a $12 foam pad and compare that to the Meguiar's G100 for $149 which comes with all that and includes a no questions asked lifetime warranty,

 

Coastaltool.com, autogeek.net, and pinnaclewax.com all mention the 6" counterweight, but that it should be used only with a 6" backing plate. Coastal also has a good explaination of the different Porter-Cable Sander/Polisher systems. Sounds like the weights can be easily changed depending on model purchased and intended use.

Meguiarsonline.com has the G100 for $225.95, but a Google search found the G100 with plate, pad, and warranty for $149.95 at autodetailingsolutions.com. What's the deal? Are they part of Meguairs? Good place to order?

 

Sure they mention it, but if you talk to actual users, you will find that the 5" or 6" counterweight doesn't matter.

Since you mentioned those other URL's, why not check MeguiarsOnline.com?

The Dual Action Counterweight 'Controversy'
http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...&threadid=3330

But you're right you can swap the counterweights. If you use the PC with a polishing pad on speeds 3 to 5, you can't tell the difference--no matter what "official website tells you". Feel free to prove me wrong.

AutoDetailingSolutions looks like they are a part of Meguiar's, but nope, they are an online reseller, and Rick has an excellent reputation for providing excellent service. FWIW, Meguiars was also selling the G100 for $149 during Xmas--which they tend to do every year for promotion.

Richard

 

I wash mine with dawn.I put them in the kitchen sink and squirt some dawn in there.Fill it up with warm water.Now I work the soap through and into the pad to release the polish.Once they are clean I rinse and squeeze the water out and let them air dry before storing in a zip lock bag.

 

Living in the Pacific NW we have the ability to visit Griots and get detailing sessions and tips from them. Also, they are now carrying their own brand of buffer that looks like the Porter Cable but is cheaper. Griots has been making polishes and waxes for high end cars for a long time and have a great product line. www.griots.com

They even have a free pdf of their detailers handbook.... http://www.griotsgarage.com/pdfs/DetailersHB_BW.pdf
lots of good info about detailing.

 

Autopia has pretty good pricing on detailing supplies including parts and pads for the PC. And, they have some good "how-to" tips. http://www.autopia-carcare.com