Yeah, I know I ask alot of questions. Just want to do this right. I have ordered my machine, picked up my Mequiars "chemicals" (clay, cleaner,polish,NXT 2.0 paste and of course wash). The random orbital and Lake pads should arrive early next week. Ordered a good supply of pads but on the Mequiars site there is a thread which advises against using the orange "cutting" pad (with a machine) to remove surface imperfections such as swirls and light scratches!!

I thought the idea of this pad was to remove these prior to polish and wax??

According to the post use of such a pad especially on a black vehicle is not recommended. They imply you will make the finish hazy. Isnt this than addressed by using a polish and finer pad??
Are they concerned that a newbie like myself will see new swirls after using orange with orbital and panic??

 

If you're talking about the W7006, then no, you probably shouldn't use this.

I could be wrong, but I got bashed for saying it could be used with a DA...

 

do you mean Random Orbital or Dual Action (like the porter cable) two very different machines and the elders are going to want to make sure.

 

y and is quite similar to Porter Cable QUOTE=Jolly_Green_Giant]do you mean Random Orbital or Dual Action (like the porter cable) two very different machines and the elders are going to want to make sure.[/QUOTE]

I ordered the Meguiars dual action. According to them it is both random orbital and rotary. They say its similar to Porter Cable which is considered random orbital. Are you suggesting I can damage paint with dual same as I could with rotary buffer? Hope not because I was informed it was idiot proof prior to ordering

 

I have used the orange pads with my DA and did not have issues using Menzerna Intense Polish (MIP). I did follow with a white pad and less cut polish.

Kevin

 

DA's are pretty much idiot proof but not 100%. It is possible to damage paint with it but you have to work pretty hard at it. A LOT easier with a rotary. The damage that can be caused with a DA is more hazing from different things like; not breaking the polish down, too agressive a polish, too agressive a pad, etc...

A random orbital is like the machines you'd buy at walmart and the like. Random orbit is the only action they have and have that name attached to them. DA's also do the random orbit but also have a 2nd axis of spin which is why it's labeled Dual Action.
Porter Cable and G100 (meguiars) are the same machine with different labels.

the two terms might be synonomous elsewhere. It's just that here there's normally a difference applied to the two names.

 

If you manage to damage paint with a DA or an orbital, you're doing something wrong. I use the DA and Orbital over the rotary everyday, and have for 7 years and have never once damaged a paint job, hundreds if not over 1000 cars later

 

I helped a friend remove some scratches on his '08 black Lexus. I used a white pad with Optimum Compound. It left a slight haze. I finished with Optimum Polish and a white pad and the haze and the scratches were gone.

 

You don't need to use the cutting pad for "swirls and light scratches." A polishing pad will get out swirls and minor scratches pretty easily, just make sure your pad/polish work well together.

You can use a polish like Meguiars #80 with a polishing pad, and probably get out 90% of all the defects with a few passes IMO.