Least to most means NEVER start with the most aggressive pad/polish ... best to start with the least agressive to see if it will do the job even with a couple passes then if not step up a level. There is a point ho where if you have to use agressive then your going to have to polish out the hazing caused by the aggressive polish /pad combo.

Here is some info on pads.

Erasure Pads from Exceldetail, and manufactured by Lake Country. They come in 6.5", 5.5" and 4".
 ExcelErasure Orange is a medium cutting for use with compounds and more aggresive polishes. Will need to follow with a less aggressive pad and product.
 ExcelErasure Yellow is a light cut pad for removal of light to medium swirls and just a great all around pad.
 ExcelErasure White is a light polishing pad for removing spiderwebs and can be used with a finishing polish to remove hazing and micromarring.
 ExcelErasure Black is a "maintenance pad" and can be used to apply AIO products, chemical cleaners and glazes.
 ExcelErasure Red is a finishing pad used to apply LSP's.
Note: When first introduced, I seem to remember a Green or Blue pad which was then replaced by the Black pad. I'm sure Patrick will make the necessary correction.

Collapsed Cell Structure (CCS) Smart Pads from Lake Country can be purchased through online sites like Autogeek, Detail City, Superior Car Care and Proper Auto Care. They are available in 6.5 inch, 7.5 inch, and 8.5 inch.
Note: In addition to the OEM type pad, Proper Auto Care also carries a different version of these pads. CCS Pads.

 Yellow - Use this pad to apply compounds or polishes to remove severe oxidation, swirls, and scratches. It is the most aggressive and should only be used on oxidized and older finishes. Always follow this pad with an orange or white pad and a fine polish to refine the paint until it is smooth.
 Orange - Firm, high density foam for scratch and defect removal. Use this pad with polishes and swirl removers. It’s an all around pad that will work on most light to moderate imperfections.
 White - Less dense foam formula for the application of waxes, micro-fine polishes and sealants. This pad has very light cutting power so its perfect for pre-wax cleaners.
 Green - Use this foam to apply one-step cleaner waxes. It is a balance of polishing and finishing that is perfect for all-in-one product application.
 Gray - Composition is firm enough to withstand added pressure during final finishing to remove buffer swirls. It has no cut and will apply thin, even coats of waxes, sealants, and glazes.
 Blue - Flat pad has soft composition for applying glaze, finishing polish, sealants, and liquid waxes. Flat pad provides full contact with paint surface to minimize the pressure applied by the user.
 Red - This soft, imported foam is ideal for applying the final coat of wax or sealant. The foam works especially well when applying liquid waxes or sealants because it is firm enough to keep the majority of the product on the paint, rather than soaking it up. The red foam has no cut or cleaning ability. Note: Some pads are exclusively made for certain detail sites hence the variations.


Edge 2000 6" Wave Pads are double sided pads. The surface of each pad looks and feels like egg crate bedding. As the pad rotates on the polisher, the high points maintain constant contact with the paint surface to blend away imperfections. The valleys in the foam provide excellent venting to reduce the risk of burning the paint.The Edge 2000 is also a double sided pad with rounded edges. Instead of a velcro BP, Edge utilizes a patented adapter for easy removal/installation and centering.

 Yellow - aggressive and will cut through deep surface marks and swirls. The yellow pads work well on heavy oxidation and pitted finishes, and will remove wet sand scratches without causing burning.
 Green - useful for light oxidation and moderate to severe swirls and imperfections. This pad will yield amazing results on older vehicles, and should be used on vehicles with moderate swirls and imperfections. Add a compound or pre-wax cleaner for a flawless finish.
 Orange - highly versatile, as it can be used on cars with light to moderate swirls and imperfections. We recommend you begin with this pad if you are unsure how deep swirls are, moving up to a Green Medium Cut Pad if necessary. Safe on clear coats.
 Blue - great for regular use. It will leave surface areas scratch-free and smooth while still removing light swirls and imperfections. Use with wax and polish to apply a fine gloss. Safe on clear coats.
 White - ultra smooth and ultra soft. The white pad leaves a bold, crystalline gloss on new and just-detailed vehicles. Apply waxes, sealants, and glazes with the white pad.
 Red LSP Finishing Pad Autogeek exclusive! - is softer than the white pad, which makes it perfect for new car finishes. Apply last step products, like waxes, sealants and glazes without fear of abrasion. The red pad also makes layering products easier.

Edge 2000 Custom 6” Pad integrating two pads of different textures as one pad.
 Orange/Green - The orange foam is a light cutting, closed cell foam with a small pore size. It removes light to moderate swirls and imperfections using a swirl remover or light compound. The green foam has larger pores than the orange and works well to remove moderate swirls and oxidation using a light to medium cut compound.
 Blue/White - The white side is the ultrafine polishing foam, a very soft foam that is ideal for the application of waxes and sealants. The blue side is a finishing foam that removes very light swirls and imperfections. Apply waxes or fine polishes with the blue foam to enhance the paint’s gloss.


Sonus SFX Pads are 6" are and very dense. They have a small, uniform cell structure that efficiently transmits energy to the polish, allowing it create a finer paint finish.
 Yellow - fast-action, swirl-free machine polishing pad for trouble-free repair of damaged, weathered and neglected paint. Designed to remove 1200 grit sanding marks.
 White - A gloss-enhancing, swirl-reducing polishing pad for the regular care of paint with minor imperfections.
 Red - An advanced pad for applying fine polishes, glazes and waxes. New pre-polymer foam technology allows the pad to be used at higher speeds to achieve outstanding final gloss with low polish or wax residue (thin film).


UDM DAS Pads feature the innovative “Polishing Pocket”. The Polishing Pocket cut in the face of the pad prevents polish splatter and allows more polish to be applied for better polishing results. As you apply pressure to the pad, polish in the Polishing Pocket is applied to the surface.
 SwirlBuster (Orange) - Use with your favorite SMR, cuts like a light compounding pad, yet polishes out to a flawless finish. Depending on the cut of the polish you use, it can aggressively remove swirls and other minor imperfections.
 ScratchBuster (White) - Use with your favorite fine-cut compound to remove paint scratches (scratches in the clear coat), water spots, bird and insect damage, heavy oxidation and other forms of minor paint damage.
 Polishing Pad (Green) - works with your favorite pre-wax cleaner polish, finishing polish, cleaner/wax or one-step product.
 Finishing Pad (Blue) - apply your favorite liquid waxes and paint sealants. The ultra soft foam lays down an even coat of all last step products.




Meguiar’s Soft Buff Pads 6.5"
 W-7006, Burgundy Cutting Pad - most aggressive with moderate cutting power. It will remove moderate swirls, scratches, and oxidation without creating swirl marks like wool pads. Use with a swirl remover or paint cleaner.
 W-8006, Yellow Polishing Pad - has mild cutting action and should be used to apply polishes to newer vehicles. It removes minor surface imperfections and restores an attractive luster to your paint. Use with a mild swirl remover or fine polish.
 W-9006, Beige Finishing Pad - has no cutting or cleaning power and is used to apply the final coat of protective wax or sealant. This soft foam is gentle on paint and clear coats, and creates a high gloss shine without swirl marks.


Lake Country 6.5" Flat Polishing Pads - These pads are designed for ultimate surface contact. Since the CCS pads were introduced only a few sites carry these. Top of the Line, Detailed Image and Danase. For more info contact Lake Country and possibly order directly.
 Yellow (Cutting) - Use with a compound or heavy cutting polish for deeper scratches and swirls. Hazing and micromarring is to be expected and can be removed with lighter pads and polishing combinations.
 Orange (Light Cut) - medium cutting polishes and compounds that reduce and eliminate swirls and fine scratches. A great way to begin a detail and create the most dramatic results.
 White (Light Polishing) - apply abrasive polishes, chemical polishes, paint cleansers, glazes, waxes, sealants and more. One of the best all around pads on the market and gets fantastic results each time.
 Black (Finishing) - used with chemical polishes, sealants, waxes and most commonly with glazes. Very soft and can evenly distribute the exact right amount of product needed for an amazing gloss and shine.
 Blue (Fine Finishing) - use for applying sealants and waxes. Ultra soft texture delicately and uniformly coats your paint for flawless coverage.



Tired of reading yet?

 

geeeeeeeez Dale! LOL........
Theres a sticky eh folks? EXCEPT on th Erasure line, you have the verbage on the yellow and Orange mixed up.....
Yellow will require additional follow up.

 

Man...this thread gets better and better! Thanks for all the info!

 

Sorry for the confusion. The one I plan to buy comes with the pads, Link here. I'm going to make a new thread once I purchase the UDM and ready for some detailing! Payday is next week and hopefully they aren't late.

 

Correct the verbage and see if they will make it a stickie

I'll let ya steal it ..

 

So I just got pay today. Here's what I have in my cart:

-DWG (havent use sample yet, but figure might as well buy it now to save on shipping)
- Erase White & Orange pad 6.5"
-Eurow Pro Kit
- Black WoW
- SC Maximum metal polish (my exhaust is less than 1 yr old, do I really need this?)
- UDM Model 1000 w/6.5 Erasure Orange/White/Red polishing kit, 6 Supreme MF's

I already have these at home:
- Optimum Compound
- Optimum Polish
- FS UPP
- DWG sample
- Duragloss Trio


Am I missing anything? Cant believe I'm spending so much money on detailing.

 

Just consider additional polishing pads. Sometimes when detailing (as when I did the Black Cayenne over the weekend) I ended up going through 3 products before I settled on one. If I only had one white pad, I would have had to have washed out the chemical, each time I challenged the affectiveness of a product. Just something to consider.

 

WOW. I learned some new things.

 

what happen to the white 6.5" and orange 6.5"? I only see the 5.5".

 

Patrick mentioned recently that 6.5 was going to be the standard size, with rounded edges- based on consumer request
May be info still getting updated or corrected on the new website

 

you can spend $250 letting someone else do a decent detail on your car, 1 time-
or you can invest that same money in the UDM - extra pads- and various products to do your car to show car perfection-
and make a little $ cleaning up neighbors cars~

 

The 5.5's are going through a design transition. They are being converted to the 6.5'' design as low inventory permits. This has been requested by a lot of folks since last summer or so. So as inventory is depleted, new designs are being ordered and stocked.
Exceldetail is fully stocked with 6.5" pads.......Yellow/Orange/White/Grey/Red.

 

I dont get it? Before I had the individual yellow, orange, or white in my cart. Now I cant find them at all? I see a bundle with orange, yellow and red. I want to finalize everything so I can order and get it soon.

 

Still has it Supa!!

 

weird...I did a search for "erasure 6.5" and even "erasure" and none of the 6.5" came up....I selected the category "Erasure polishing pad" and it was there!

 

Do I need the Optimum PoliSeal? I already have the dwg sample and upp.

 

Maybe I'm dumb...but why cant I order more than 1 of something? How do you add quantity to the item in your cart?

 

What is it your trying to order? I will have to check the buttons maybe?

 

I wanted to get another empty sample bottle. I dont think you had any buttons to change quantity.

 

As in 4oz Flip Top bottle? Theres no qty limits.......

 

But the problem is that I cant buy two of anything. I tried to put in 2 in the Quantity/Selection, but at checkout, it only show 1. Wait.....I just try it again and apparently it work :-/ I would suggest a button on your shopping cart saying "Update Quantity". Anyway you can edit my order and put in that 4oz flip top bottle?

 

i have a question about the dg trio. my ride is nbp and i have a lot of swirls and light scratches. i plan on detailing by hand and i am wondering if the #671 smr is enough to do the job? is prepping with the #101 or #105 polish better? just confused about the three types and which one works best. thanks.

 

oh and sorry for thread jacking.. but what about the pink buffing gel? sounds more heavy duty so i don't know about that.

 

The SMR is for light swirl removal, and always best attained with a UDM or PC, same with the Ping Buffing Gel, although a little more aggressive then the SMR.
The 101 and 105 are cleaner/protectants, 105 having more cleaning ability then 101. Non abrasive in nature.

 

Patrick, how many cars can the Optimum Compound and Optimum Polish 4oz do? By the way, the OC is more aggressive than the OP right? After detailing over the weekend, I notice that the OC and orange pad still have minor swirls. How do I get rid of the swirls? Yellow pad? Use something better than OC? Faster speed on UDM?

 

The 4oz bottles should easily be able to get 2, maybe 3 cars, depending on size and corrections needed.
Abrasives:
HC most
OC
OP least.
As for your swirls, you may just need a little more time/passes with the PC or UDM. Try little higher speed, little slower arm movement. No doubt Yellow would be more aggressive then Orange, but the Orange and OC would be the safest. Next step would be Yellow/OC, then Orange HC. Yellow HC would be the most abrasive combo attainable..

 

Optimum Poliseal is advertise as an all in one solution. Does that mean you dont need to apply UPP? What are people thoughts on PoliSeal?

 

how do you clean the pads after polishing? I already threw the MF and WW in the washer and hung them.

 

Its a wonderful product on a vehicle already in decent condition. "Good" protective values, but better when its topped. One of the easiest one steppers you would come across though. Jesstzn has it mastered. Wheres he at anyway? Long time no see............

 

Yeah, you don't really have to apply anything else. However, you'd definitely benefit by layering OPS with FS UPP. Poli-Seal in itself is a great one-stepper if you're in a hurry or just simply want to save some time but it would be time well spent to layer it with a true LSP such as a sealant or wax.

I used to hand wash my pads after polishing using Dawn and some water. Now I always use my Grit Guard Universal Pad Washer and pads get cleaned in 15 to 20 seconds. IMO, it was one of my better detailing investments.