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The highest quality metal
polishing and finishing pads on the planet!
These pads have been developed
over the last decade by Lake Country Manufacturing
for polishing and finishing bare metals, specifically aluminum. They are widely used in the general
aviation, aerospace, marine and RV industries at the OEM level. These pads are
made to three different levels of "cut" or abrasiveness for use with
specific polishes and for specific tasks.
Level One Pads - Designed for maximum cutting
power. Level 1 Pads will take weathered, chalky, white-stained and spotted
metals to a uniform satin finish. These pads should be used with heavy-cut metal
polishes such as BLACKFIRE Heavy Cut
Aluminum Compound. Level 1 Pads are not designed to create a gloss finish.
Level Two Pads - The most often used "metal
polishing" pad is a 50% cutting blend and a 50% finishing blend. These pads
are designed to be used with a medium or fine cut metal polish such as BLACKFIRE
Fine Cut Aluminum Polish. Level 2 Pads
will remove minor oxidation, haze and dullness and create a bright,
chrome-like finish. These pads will quickly brighten chrome and create a
"like-new" finish on stainless steel.
Level Three Pads - This is a 100% finishing blend
with minimal cutting power. These pads are designed for use with an ultra-fine,
finishing metal polish such as BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond
Aluminum Show Polish to take an already bright finish to a mirror-like finish.
These pads are typically used to create the ultimate shine for competition or
concours events.
Sealant Pads
- These are European, pre-polymer, foam pads with a 40 to 50% open cell
structure for applying a sealant such as
BLACKFIRE
Wet Diamond, All Metal Sealant. These pads allow you to work longer,
even in direct sunlight. Pre-polymer foam has a dense but supple
compression-load-deflection ratio. This is called the "bounce-back
factor" in the industry. This pad is firm for optimum surface contact,
conforms to uneven surfaces and complex curves yet reforms quickly when you lift
the pad.
Two different sizes are
available.
Within each level. we offer an
8-1/2 inch pad for use with circular machine polishers and a 6-1/2 inch pad for
dual-action machines like the Porter Cable 7424. DO NOT use 8-1/2 inch pads on
the Porter Cable 7424 (The 8-1/2 inch wool
pads are too heavy for the counterweight used in the 7424 and could result in
motor failure).
Circular machine polishers
will always do a faster and better job but dual-action machines like the Porter
Cable 7424 will do an acceptable job. They will certainly make the surface look
better but may not have the cutting power to remove deeper spots, stains and
blemishes.
WARNING: Do
not use these pads on plated or anodized metals or on painted or clear coated metals.
A Hook-and-Loop Backing Plate
is required.
All of these pads
have a VELCROŽ brand loop backing that require your machine be fitted with a
Hook and Loop Backing Plate. This plate may or may not have
come with your polisher.
Note: The
6-1/4 inch backing plate that comes on the Porter Cable 7428 will
work with our 8-1/2 inch pads as will the 6-1/2 inch backing plate
that comes on the Makita 9227 and Hitachi SP18VA.
| Backing
Plates - Our 8-1/2
inch pads for circular machine polishers require a 7 inch backing plate
with a 5/8-11 threaded insert. Our FBP-7C works perfectly with our 8-1/2
inch pads.
Our 6-1/2 inch pads for
dual-action polishers (like the Porter Cable 7424) require a 6 inch
backing plate with a 5/16 x 24 threaded shaft. Our FBP-6DA perfectly fits
our 6-1/2 inch pads.
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Hook and Loop Back-up Plate
allows
quick and easy pad changes. |
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Level One Pads - These are our most
aggressive cutting pads. They are 50% twisted wool and 50%, 60/40,
twisted, wool/acrylic blend. Twisting the fibers increases the pads
cutting power.
Use this pad with a
pre-polish or heavy cut polish such as BLACKFIRE Heavy Cut
Aluminum Compound to
take weathered, oxidized, white-stained and spotted metal to a uniform,
satin finish. |
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- BF-PPM85
is our 8-1/2 inch, Level One, pre-polishing pad for circular, machine
polishers. Set machine to 1500 rpm and polish using a firm pressure.
- BF-PPM65
is our 6-1/2 inch, Level One, pre-polishing pad for dual-action
polishers like the Porter Cable 7424. Set the 7424's speed dial
between 4-1/2 and 5.
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Level Two Pads - These are our most versatile,
metal polishing pads. They are 50%, 60/40, twisted wool/acrylic
blend and 50%, 60/40, untwisted, wool/acrylic blend. The wool fibers
provide cutting power while the acrylic fibers create a bright shine..
Use this pad with a
medium or fine cut metal polish such as BLACKFIRE Fine Cut
Aluminum Polish to
take already pre-polished metal to a bright, chrome-like finish. |
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These are also our recommended,
"one-step" metal polishing pads for
creating a bright shine on metals with minor oxidation, haze, dullness and
white staining.
- BF-POLM85
is our 8-1/2 inch, Level Two, polishing pad for circular, machine
polishers. Set machine to 1200 rpm and polish using a medium pressure.
- BF-POLM65
is our 6-1/2 inch, Level Two, polishing pad for dual-action
polishers like the Porter Cable 7424. Set the 7424's speed dial
between 4 and 4-1/2.
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Level Three Pads - These are specialty,
metal finishing pads. They are 50%, single-ply, untwisted, wool and
50%, 60/40, untwisted, wool/acrylic blend.
Use this pad with an
ultra-fine, finishing metal polish such as BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond
Aluminum Show Polish to take aluminum that has already been polished to a bright,
chrome-like shine to a show or competition level, mirror-like shine. |
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- BF-BUFM85 is
our 8-1/2 inch, Level Three, finishing pad for circular, machine
polishers. Set machine to 1000 rpm and polish using a light pressure.
- BF-BUFM65
is our 6-1/2 inch, Level Three, finishing pad for dual-action
polishers like the Porter Cable 7424. Set the 7424's speed dial
between 3-1/2 and 4.
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| Foam Sealing Pads - These pads are
designed to apply the final sealant to protect already polished metals.
Use this pad with an
acrylic sealant such as BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Metal Sealant to lock the shine
under a protective barrier, resist bug splatter build-up and make
future cleaning easier. |
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- CCS-75W
is our 7-1/2 inch, foam application pad for dual-action
polishers like the Porter Cable 7424. Set the 7424's speed dial
between 3-1/2 and 4.
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Tips & Tricks:
I apologize for these
long product descriptions and for repeating key steps but I want your project to
come out perfect and there are some tricks that will make the job easier. I also
want you to know ahead of time what you're getting into so you won't experience
any surprises.
1. Polishing aluminum is time
consuming and DIRTY work. The wool pads are designed to "lint".
The cast-off strands will cover everything. Always wear old clothes (I wear old
cloths and an apron),
eye protection (safety goggles)
and rubber gloves. I can't overstate the importance of eye protection. The
lint flying around during buffing is impregnated with polish residues and
metallic particles. You don't want to get this in your eyes or you'll spend the
next six hours in the emergency ward of your local hospital in a lot of pain.
2.
During the pre-polish and polishing steps, wool
pads will cake with black residues causing them to become ineffective. When
this happens, "fluff" the wool using a stainless steel
brush. Place
the machine on the floor (or ground) with the pad facing up. Set the speed
control to the lowest speed setting. Hold the machine down with your foot.
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Use one hand to turn the machine on and your other hand
to hold this stainless steel brush against the pad's surface. It only takes
a few seconds for the wool pad to fluff up so you can continue polishing.
Pads can usually be "fluffed" three or four times before they
become so black that they must be replaced with a fresh pad. |
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Before you start polishing, fill
a bucket with water and put in two, Snappy Clean, pad cleaning
packets. When you remove a blackened wool pad from your machine, immediately
put it in the bucket to soak. Never let blackened residues dry in the pad.
Do the same with your buffing cloths. When they become blackened with
residues, throw them in the bucket to soak.
4. Always apply polish to the
surface. Never apply polish directly to the wool pad. Always use a dry pad.
Never spray the pad with water or use a pad still damp from cleaning.
5. You will always use more
pre-polish than finishing polishes. A one pound can should do a 16 ft
Airstream trailer but if the finish is excessively dull or spotted, get a
second can of pre-polish. You can not "spot polish" aluminum like
you can paint. The polished area will always have a different gloss. Once
you start with a pre-polish, you must continue polishing the entire area.
6. Have extra
pads on hand. You typically can not stop, wash a wool pad and wait for it to dry. If
you're good, you might do a 16 ft Airstream with three pads, but you are
more likely to require 5 pads. Beginners typically apply too much polish
which requires you to change pads more often.
7. After polishing in a left
to right and up and down pattern, you need to wipe off residues with a cloth
and inspect the finish. One trick I've learned is to wipe the finish with a
Mineral Spirit (available at any paint store or Home Depot). This removes
the residues quicker and you can wipe more area before the towel must be
replaced with a clean towel. You can do this with BLACKFIRE Heavy Cut Metal
Polish and Fine Cut Metal Polish. DO NOT use a mineral spirit to wipe
BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Metal Polish.
8.
If polishing trim on a vehicle, mask off adjacent paintwork.
Polishing with a
dual-action machine polisher.
Circular machine polishers
will always do a faster and better job but dual-action machines like the Porter
Cable 7424 will do an acceptable job. They will certainly make the surface look
better but may not have the cutting power to remove deeper spots, stains and
blemishes.
After Polishing:
Polishing will create a uniform, bright, chrome-like, shine. You now have
three options:
- Do nothing. If you're working on a
show vehicle, most enthusiasts do not use any sealants so they can
touch-up the shine, as needed, using Fine Cut Metal Polish or Wet
Diamond Finishing Polish and a
Microfiber Cloth.
- Apply a sealant. If the vehicle or
trailer is used on the highway, we recommend sealing the polished
metal with BLACKFIRE All Metal
Sealant. This locks the shine
under a protective barrier, resists bug splatter build-up and makes
future cleaning easier.
Pad Care & Clean-up:
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Allow pad to soak for
5-15 minutes, fluff
pad using your fingers, and rinse. |
Spin dry at a
high speed and allow to
air dry, preferably in the sun. |
Dirty pads should have been
soaking in a bucket of water with two packets of Snappy Clean Pad Cleaner for 5 to 15 minutes. Fluff up pad with your fingers then
hand squeeze out excess water. Spin dry by putting pad back on machine,
hold machine upright, away from your body, set the machine to the highest
speed setting and turn the machine on. When water has spun out, remove pad
and allow to air dry, preferably in the sun. Do not polish metal with a damp or wet pad.
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|  Flexible Backing Plate for Circular Polishers
| |  Flexible Backing Plate for Dual-Action Polishers
| | |  Level 1, 8-1/2 inch Pre-polishing Wool Pad
| | Pkg/3, 8-1/2 inch, Pre-polishing Wool Pads
(three pads)
| | |  Level 1, 6-1/2 inch Pre-polishing Wool Pad
| | Pkg/3, 6-1/2 inch, Pre-polishing Wool Pads
(three pads)
| | |  Level 2, 8-1/2 inch, Metal Polishing Wool Pad
| | Pkg/3, 8-1/2 inch, Metal Polishing Wool Pads
(three pads)
| | |  Level 2, 6-1/2 inch, Metal Polishing Wool Pad
| | Pkg/3, 6-1/2 inch, Metal Polishing Wool Pads
(three pads)
| | |  Level 3, 8-1/2 inch, Metal Finishing Wool Pad
| | Pkg/3, 8-1/2 inch, Metal Finishing Wool Pads
(three pads)
| | |  Level 3, 6-1/2 inch, Metal Finishing Wool Pad
| | Pkg/3, 6-1/2 inch, Metal Finishing Wool Pads
(three pads)
| | |  8-1/2 inch, Foam Sealing Pad
| | Pkg/3, 8-1/2 inch, Foam Sealing Pads
(three pads)
| | |  7.5 inch, CCS White Foam Pad
This pad requires your machine polisher be fitted with a 6 inch Hook and Loop Backing Plate.
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