Learn how to correct paint flaws, polish and wax your vehicle using the Porter Cable 7424 or FLEX XC3401 VRG Orbital Polisher and CCS Smart Pads™ by Lake Country. Our Lake Country Dual Action Polishing Guide details the process of swirl removal, polishing, and finishing using the most popular pads by Lake Country.
For the Porter Cable 7424, you will need a backing plate in order to attach the foam pads onto your polisher. The backing plate has a Velcro brand hook & loop fasteners on the bottom of it to hold foam pads in place as you polish. You will see it described simply as "hook & loop" on pads and backing plates with this feature.
Backing plates for the Porter Cable 7424 are available in two sizes:
Note: We recommend using a 5 inch backing plate with 6.5 inch pads to leave a larger margin of foam between the plate and the edge of the pad. This bigger margin of error protects the vehicle from unintentional impact with the backing plate.
CCS Smart Pads™ Features:
Easy on and off.
The hook and loop backing allows you to pull off a used pad and replace
it with a fresh pad in seconds. The hooks and loops provide a secure
connection combined with the ability to change the pad almost instantly.
Flat, full contact surface.
Lake Country's
6.5 inch pads are perfectly flat to provide maximum pad to paint
contact. They have enough give to go over a vehicle's curves but they do
encourage the operator to use the pads flat on the surface, as they are
intended.
CCS Technology.
CCS stands for closed cell
structures, which are the small pockets the dot the front of the pads. These pockets enable the
pads to absorb less product and keep it on the work surface. They act
like little reservoirs where excess product is stored until its needed
on the work surface. This improves operator control and lessens product
waste. The pockets also reduce surface tension so flat pads move more
easily across flat panels.
Many varieties to choose from:
Yellow Cutting - 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 pad and a fine polish and then a white pad to
refine the paint until it is smooth.
Orange Light Cutting - 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.
Coarse Green Cutting/Polishing - This foam is of medium density with
the ability to level very fine scratches and very light oxidation. Use
light swirl removers with this pad.Note: This
is a different green foam than the 6.5 inch green pad. This pad is
coarser.
White Polishing - 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 Polishing/Finishing - 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
Finishing - 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
Finessing - This blue foam pad has soft composition for applying glaze, finishing polish,
sealants, and liquid waxes. The soft pad has no cut, making it perfect for applying nonabrasive products evenly.
Red UltraSoft - 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.
So many choices! We'll narrow it
down for you. Most vehicles with moderate swirls will require these
items: an orange light cutting pad, a
white polishing pad, a
gray finishing pad, the a
Rotary Flexible Backing Plate and of course, your
circular polisher.
How do I polish out swirls and scratches?
The following is a general guide to polishing. It will
take you from compounding to polishing to finishing. If your paint problems
do not require compounding, skip to polishing. If you’re not sure, start
with polishing. Always take the least aggressive approach first! If
you don’t get the desired results from polishing, then use a swirl remover
and light cutting pad.
The pads pictured at
the beginning of each section indicate what pads can be used to perform the
job described.
Please note:If your fingernail catches
the scratch or swirl, it will require painting and must be repaired by a
professional. Attempting to remove deep blemishes like this could result in
cutting down to the primer, which would be an expensive repair.
I. Compounding & Swirl Removal
Compounding involves using the most aggressive type of swirl remover, called a compound. XMT Heavy Duty Swirl Remover 4 is a compound.
Apply a bead of swirl remover around the edge of
the pad. Some will say apply a quarter size amount. You can even apply it
directly to the paint. Ultimately you're going to spread it around so how
the swirl remover gets on the paint is up to you. Spread the swirl remover
over a small section (about 2 x 2 sq. ft.) with the polisher turned off to prevent sling.
Set the maximum speed on the polisher at 5. Turn the polisher on and work the swirl remover in a side to side, overlapping motion. Move slowly to give the abrasives time to work.
NOTE: The Porter Cable tells you if you're applying too much pressure. The pad will stop rotating. Lighten up on the machine and let it do the work for you.
When the swirl remover turns to a transparent film, the abrasives have broken down. Turn off the machine and lift it off the paint. Buff away the residue with a soft, Cobra Microfiber Towel and inspect your results. If you are not satisfied, repeat the process with the same product or a more aggressive compound (like XMT Heavy Duty Swirl Remover #4). If you still see no results, upgrade to the yellow cutting pad.
* If you used a compound, a light haze or dullness
is normal. The next step will restore the gloss.
If your vehicle did not require swirl removal and has no significant imperfections, you may opt to use Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion or XMT Carnauba Finishing Glaze instead of a true polish. This prewax cleaner will clean the paint and improve its luster.
Polishing Procedure:
Attach a gray or blue pad to your polisher. Apply the product to the paint or to the pad. Spread it
around the paint in a 2 x 2 sq. ft. section with the polisher turned off.
Set the maximum speed to about 4.5. You're not trying to cut. You're just trying to burnish the paint to a high gloss. Work in a side to side, overlapping motion until the polish turns clear.
Once you've achieved the optimum shine, follow up
with a wax or sealant to lock it in. A wax or sealant is only as good as the
finish underneath it. Pinnacle Liquid Souverän™ or XMT 360 are great choices for machine application, but the paste waxes can also be used. Application of any of these products will be
as follows:
Finishing Procedure:
Attach a gray or blue pad to your polisher. Apply the product to the paint or to the pad. Spread it
around the paint in a 2 x 2 sq. ft. section with the polisher turned off.
Set the maximum speed to 3 or 4. You do not need speed to apply nonabrasive products. Spread the product over the paint until its sufficiently covered. There are no abrasives to break down. You are just trying to get even coverage.
Buff off the product with a Cobra Microfiber Towel or slip a Microfiber Bonnet over an unused pad. The bonnet is like having a microfiber towel on your polisher. Just be sure to put the bonnet over a clean pad so no products will seep through the bonnet.
Detailing Tips:
The polisher will do the work for you. There's no need to apply pressure.
Pad and product selection is not an exact science. The severity of the imperfections, the cut of the pad, and the aggressiveness of the product all factor into the final results. Don't be afraid to experiment.
Start with the least aggressive method first. Go to a more aggressive pad or polish only if necessary.
Foam & Wool Pad Cleaning
The easiest way to clean your foam and wool pads is to drop them in pad cleaner while they are still wet with polish or wax. Dried products are more difficult to remove from the pads. To do this, mix up a bucket of water and Snappy Clean at the start of your detailing session. As you finish using each pad, drop it in the cleaning solution to soak. When you are finished with your detail, use the Foam Pad Conditioning Brush to agitate the pads. Then rinse the pads and lay out to dry.
Note: Dry pads with the hook and loop backing facing up so water drains away from it. Standing water on the backing material could eventually cause separation.
When your clean pads are dry, put them in a sealable plastic bag or container to keep them free of dust until their next use.
Apply a bead of swirl remover around the edge of
the pad. Some will say apply a quarter size amount. You can even apply it
directly to the paint. Ultimately you're going to spread it around so how
the swirl remover gets on the paint is up to you. Spread the swirl remover
over a small section (about 2 x 2 sq. ft.) with the polisher turned off to prevent sling. 
Set the maximum speed to 3 or 4. You do not need speed to apply nonabrasive products. Spread the product over the paint until its sufficiently covered. There are no abrasives to break down. You are just trying to get even coverage.
The easiest way to clean your foam and wool pads is to drop them in pad cleaner while they are still wet with polish or wax. Dried products are more difficult to remove from the pads. To do this, mix up a bucket of water and 
