# What am i doing wrong?



## Tuffy (Dec 11, 2008)

I all. Ive machine polished my M3 and MK5 Golf Gti using menzena polish and pads on a DA. The problem i'm having is the pads seem to fall apart all to quick, ie the foam comes away from the velcro and put tiny fragments of pad everywhere! Where i'am a going wrong guys ?


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## stangalang (Nov 27, 2009)

Are they menzerna pads?


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## james walker (Apr 18, 2010)

menz pads are known to be tough and fall to bits, how old are they? try menz polish on 3m pads, or lake country pads.


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## Tuffy (Dec 11, 2008)

stangalang said:


> Are they menzerna pads?


Yes mate they are


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## Tuffy (Dec 11, 2008)

james walker said:


> menz pads are known to be tough and fall to bits, how old are they? try menz polish on 3m pads, or lake country pads.


New pads out of the packet, by the time i'd finished my M3 it had had it!


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## G style (Nov 14, 2007)

Are you spraying a little bit of water on them first and then polishing if not may be your pad is getting to warm/hot. Just a thought mate.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Lots of things could be causing this, but a couple of likely culprits are: too much polish; too much pressure on the pads. The DA, gentle though it is in paint, is very aggressive to its pads because of the pretty violent oscillating motion. The Menzerna pads are also not the best on the market when it comes to longevity. But they should last more than a car... If you are using more than a couple of pea sized beads of polish on the pad after the initial set where the pad is primed, then the likely culprit is too much polish being used. If you are pushing down on the pads with very heavy pressure and using the maximum speed on the DA, then I would suggest too much pressure is the issue.


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

could be if the pads were designed for rotary..

some people have problems with DA and 3m pads.. same problem seperates the velcro backing.


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Heat is what separates the backing... Although the paint isn't getting hot, take the pad off the backing plate after a long DA set and feel the velcro and if you are using a lot of pressure and the pad is "bogged" with too much polish, you will feel the velcor backing is hot. Get that hot, and it will happily delaminate. Polish "leaking" through the pad making the velcro backing feel damp or wet is a sure sign that you've got way too much polish in that pad.


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## G style (Nov 14, 2007)

CraigQQ said:


> could be if the pads were designed for rotary..
> 
> some people have problems with DA and 3m pads.. same problem seperates the velcro backing.


I have just bought a set of 3m pads and find out now....Just my bloody luck.:wall:


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## G style (Nov 14, 2007)

Dave KG said:


> Heat is what separates the backing... Although the paint isn't getting hot, take the pad off the backing plate after a long DA set and feel the velcro and if you are using a lot of pressure and the pad is "bogged" with too much polish, you will feel the velcor backing is hot. Get that hot, and it will happily delaminate. Polish "leaking" through the pad making the velcro backing feel damp or wet is a sure sign that you've got way too much polish in that pad.


Glad i have just read this. Top advice Dave thanks.:thumb:


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## Tuffy (Dec 11, 2008)

Thats pretty much whats its doing the pad is coming away from the velcro, I'm sure i'm not putting too much pressure on the pad as i'm worried about damaging the paint, But i think i may be using too much polish... Five pea sized spots is probably too much!


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Tuffy said:


> Thats pretty much whats its doing the pad is coming away from the velcro, I'm sure i'm not putting too much pressure on the pad as i'm worried about damaging the paint, But i think i may be using too much polish... Five pea sized spots is probably too much!


Way too much. Two pea sized spots is plenty


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## GrahamKendall (Sep 8, 2009)

Dave is back!!:thumb:


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

GrahamKendall said:


> Dave is back!!:thumb:


Where?  :wave:


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## rdig1984 (Feb 28, 2011)

I had this problem and now I know! Helpfull post


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## nappy (Oct 3, 2006)

Have you put a big thick black line on your DA backing plate to ensure the plate is rotating. I gave my mate a shot of mine and he exploded two of these pads, as he was using far to much pressure. Having the line allows you to view the pad is turning at a constant speed


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## JBirchy (Oct 9, 2010)

Very helpful advice there Dave! Nice one


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## beko1987 (Jul 25, 2010)

Glad I read this thread, as my Menz pads are falling apart (rotary) and I realised I'm putting waaay too much polish onto the pad. Will invest in some pad primer/spritzer and cut down on the old polish!


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## BAXRY (Aug 11, 2009)

Not sure about the velcro but the little bits coming off I think is down to dry buffing and if I'm right your lucky you haven't damaged any paint yet.

Try using a bit more polish,
Priming the pad,
Spraying the pad with a little water or QD between sections

:thumb:


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

Not sure it necessarily is down to dry buffing - lots of things can cause pads to shed little bits, including too much polish causing clotting ang collapse of the foam structure, catching the pad on sharp edges such as badges (why we tape them up)...

Pad faces should always look clean, and feel non-slimy at the end of a polishing set if you are using a suitably low amount of polish and working it for long enough


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## beko1987 (Jul 25, 2010)

Well you have confirmed my fears that I am using WAAAAAY too much product  Pad generally is clagged up, and running a nylon brush over it causes the bits to flick up!

Will try spritzing with water over the weekend when I use it next, and using less polish etc and have a play.

It's nice to be told what should and shouldn't be in simple laymens terms!


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