Kevin Brown Method: Cleaning your pad and how wetting agents help
Written by: Vinnie van Rooij
Keeping your pad clean is very important, because the paint residue on/in your pad can cause scouring onto the paint surface. If the pad has become clogged, we can’t get a perfect finish.
How to clean your pad?
Cleaning your pad with compressed air is the best way of cleaning your pad. It loosens contaminations in the pad and will separate the fibers or clean the pores. You can also rub your pad with a clean towel on a running machine. Another way is water spritzing, below we describe the advantages of water spritzing.
The advantages of water spritzing
Cutting power decreases a lot when the pad is packed with paint residue and abrasive particles. Another result of a pad packed with paint residue and abrasive particles is that the polish disappears from the paint surface. To get your polishing session back on track you can use a wetting agent. A wetting agent can extend the length of your buffing cycle and is one method to keep your pad clean.
The best moment to use a wetting agent is when you have no cutting power left. A wetting agent helps the pad to pick up the polish and abrasives that lie upon the paint surface while polishing. One of the benefits is that wetting agents can be used in combination with all type of pads. Water spritzing onto the paint will help to:
- Clean the pad
- Prolong the buffing cycle by 200-300%
- Increase pad rotation when using a random orbital machine
- Improve cutting ability by 30-50%
- Use less compound
Supplemental wetting agents are there to control the connection between the abrasive grains and the buffing pad. Purified water is the best wetting agent, because it doesn’t influence the polishing performance. Most wetting agents fling or splatter, but evaporate quickly. A wetting agent is used to keep cutting power at the highest level.
Clean your pad
Cleaning your pad is very important. The Kevin Brown Method emphasizes how important a clean pad is. First of all, a clean pad reduces the negative effects of the paint residue accumulation that can be formed within the pad. Second, a dirty pad can cause scratches and other defects on the paint. Off course you don’t want those negative effects otherwise your work has been in vain.
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