First time using a DA today, and went well as far as I could tell.  

 

I primed the pads with 2-3 sprays of heavily diluted QD.  It was mainly water as it was literally only half an inch of QD left. I applied 3 pea sized dabs of polish onto the pad and pressed them in with my thumbs. Is that the right thing to do?

 

Also, when do you know when to add more polish, or should I say, how far do those 3 blobs last?

 

What should the pad look like mid process, and what are the signs of too much/too little polish?  The paint work didn't even get warm, so I think I've got the pressure and speed OK...

 

Thanks!

 

 

You can massage the polish into the pad, but I just apply the polish to the pad and then spread the polish around a 1 foot by 1 foot area. That's about how much you'll get, but some polishes, normally finishing polishes, can spread a little further.

The pads can compress a little after a while. I normally use 3 pads to do a car.

If you've got too much polish on your pad, it can clog upp and you'll get clumps of polish on the paint. When this happens, use a cheap toothbrush and pop it on the pad, bristles on the pad, and spin the pad on about speed 4. The excess should fly off, so don't do it towards the car. Its called spurring the pad.

Hope this helps pal.

You can massage the polish into the pad, but I just apply the polish to the pad and then spread the polish around a 1 foot by 1 foot area. That's about how much you'll get, but some polishes, normally finishing polishes, can spread a little further.

The pads can compress a little after a while. I normally use 3 pads to do a car.

If you've got too much polish on your pad, it can clog upp and you'll get clumps of polish on the paint. When this happens, use a cheap toothbrush and pop it on the pad, bristles on the pad, and spin the pad on about speed 4. The excess should fly off, so don't do it towards the car. Its called spurring the pad.

Hope this helps pal.

 

Thanks mate, much appreciated.  I wonder if I had too much perhaps, as I was worried I wouldn't have enough.  I never saw clogged polish on the paint, but it appeared to a bit on the pad.  When and how should I wash them?

I soak them in a bit of soapy water using fairy liquid as detergent. Then squeeze and agitate them until they start looking clean. Then rinse a few times until the water stays clear and then allow to dry naturally.