Lake Country 140 mm Hydro-Tech Pad Pick & Mix

Compounding, polishing and finishing intermediate and hard paint finishes using a dual action machine polisher requires a more aggressive approach in comparison to soft paint finishes, and pad selection is critical in this respect. All too often, emphasis is placed on the compounds and polishes to be used without much thought about the pads, and this is a mistake because quite often you can make any given polish work much harder simply by switching to a firmer, denser pad. Lake Country Hydro-Tech Pads offer a number of distinct advantages in this respect. Firstly, all of the pads in the line are non-reticulated with a closed cell structure, which not only increases the level of mechanical cut on offer, but also prevents water-based compounds and polishes from being absorbed into the pad. In a nutshell, this means that the product is held where it is needed, i.e. between the pad and the panel being polished, and as a result the available working time and thus amount of cut on offer is greatly extended. Accordingly, these pads have a lot to offer in intermediate and hard paint situations and come highly recommended.

General usage notes: (i) always select the least aggressive pad you think you will need to achieve the desired result, and step up one grade at a time if more cut is required (ii) always ensure that you centre each pad properly on the backing plate (this can take several attempts to get right, but is vital if the machine is to remain perfectly balanced during use); (iii) always use an appropriate sized pad for the backing plate you are using (the pad should always protrude past the edge of the backing plate, never the other way around); (iv) always ensure that excess polish residue on the face of the pad is brushed off regularly during use using a PB Utility Brush (failure to follow this advice can lead to micromarring of the finish, so don’t be lazy!); (v) after use, soak each pad in a bucket of Lake Country Snappy Pad Cleaner solution for 15 minutes and then rinse under fresh running water (using your fingertips to massage out any remaining polish residue) and allow to dry naturally, and; (vi) whilst not in use, store in a dry, dust-free environment (lidded plastic storage boxes are ideal in this respect).