How to Use Coarse Blue Foam Pads - [RUPES Replies Season 02 Episode 06]

[@eugeniopena8700]

I tried that pad yesterday for the first time brand new and primed it the best I could but god damn that pad cuts awesome!

[@RUPES]

That’s great. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@tpddetailscr]

One of the best video intros

[@RUPES]

Thank you! 😎

[@ScottishLad01]

These videos are brilliant. All of them. Don't stop answering questions this was as it allows so many more people to learn from people's questions.

[@RUPES]

Happy to hear you are enjoying the content! Thanks for commenting.

[@ScottishLad01]

@@RUPES yes it's a clear explanation and then good demonstration, that's all people need. Ammo NYC is also brilliant but talks too much 😂 I purchased two of your machines after watching the video comparing each of them, they arrive tomorrow and once I've made enough money back I'll be ordering the xl neck nano kit next.

[@ScottishLad01]

@@RUPES I have one suggestion for you guy's, a trade in option would be great! I can imagine a mk4 will one day be released and id love to have the option to trade in my mk3. 😁

[@RUPES]

Appreciate that. Thanks and enjoy your polishers!!

[@darkwhorse]

These video series has convinced me to switch everything to Rupes. Keep it up

[@RUPES]

Great to hear! Glad you like them!

[@GRH316]

Love these video’s boys, they make great training tools for beginners

[@RUPES]

Thanks!

[@bradhone9168]

Thanks, have always seemed to have issues with blue pads. Followed directions, now working well.

[@RUPES]

Sorry to hear that. Without details of what specifically the issue is it is difficult for us to assist. Send us a message directly and we'll get you in touch with a member of our team to help troubleshoot your issue www.rupes.com/contact-us

[@Alex15738]

Rupes is the best 🔥

[@c.a.l.e.b.s]

Thank you for Rupes Replies, such a great idea - Quesion: I added a full set of blue foam to my other Rupes offerings for my 75e lhr15/21on hand that I've used for a good while and am really impressed. I am priming as you have always suggested, reloading with the 2 dots, keeping the pads blown out when needed but I find the blue is just launching compound everywhere. Any tips? I really don't feel like I'm overloading the compound, I am a bit hesitant to press into the pad is that my issue just not enough surface contact? Thanks guys!!

[@wilfredgomez2632]

Thank you once again for these videos, help a lot.

[@RUPES]

Glad they're helpful. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@constantinosmichael7309]

Just today I was struggling with one blue pad. Thks for the info!

[@RUPES]

Glad we could help!

[@constantinosmichael7309]

@@RUPES you make some incredible products, I'm really happy with the results I'm seeing. Keep doing a great job for all of us! Thank you so much!

[@RUPES]

Thank you!

[@StreetStarEZA]

If you are using the wool pad, I know you prime by spreading with the a spreader tool, the bottle, or basically anyway to move around the compound to get a even clean prime. But, when its time to reload, do we reload with 2 pea side dots and spread it like we would with priming? Or would we reload with 2 pea size dots and start buffing like the foam pad. Thank you!

[@projectjustice2125]

You guys are awesome!!

[@RUPES]

Thank you!

[@XtremeproDetailers]

Great video

[@RUPES]

Thank you!

[@chrisrempel4009]

Just picked up a LHR15ES for at home and love it! I'm struggling with how to polish the black/dark grey moldings (along the bottom skirt, also rear bumpers) on some vehicles where there is clear gravel pitting from either gravel roads or just the highway. It's clean but always looks dirty as the paint on the plastic has chipped away. What would your advice be on how to address that and can it be achieved with the equipment I have?

[@RUPES]

First, thanks for choosing a RUPES polisher and commenting! As far as the surfaces you're describing, unfortunately if they're pitted and damaged from impacts there isn't anything that polishing can do to fix that. Falls into the category of "you can't fix what isn't there" and pitting is physical damage/removal of paint due to impact from objects on the road. Applying new paint to the part is the only fix, and protective film would be the only way to prevent it from happening again.

[@dougrobinson8602]

I need to try the newer DA blue pads. I really struggle with the older blue pads on my Mille. I prime them just as Jason showed in the video. No doubt they cut well, but they don't seem to last well. The foam breaks down, even when I rotate them frequently. I'll order up some of the new pads and try them out.

[@RUPES]

Improved durability was one of the parts of development when we created the new D-A pads. The material is completely different now, still quite rigid, but a different foam all together and you should see better durability from this foam.

[@N.P.DETAILINGUK]

Awesome video I am mentoring a new detailier so its good to know I am doing things right! I have a video you could do? How do you know when the motor brushes are worn? and how to change them. Thanks again guys and please let me know when you guys are doing the training i would love to come over from the UK!

[@Tank4sale]

Great idea ! I would like to see that video too

[@RUPES]

Thank you! We appreciate the suggestion. Legal/liability reasons are somewhat of a road block on repair videos unfortunately. In some regions of the world we have been advised that providing instruction for 'self service' could have liability implications and as such we have avoided the topic.

[@wigos688]

mine broke apart also😢 What is the best combination for modern bmw’s. Blue wool> yellow foam?

[@depthofshine]

The problem i have is the machines to aggressive, only got a duetto and 75mm and spins to fast at no1 setting and if get contour will kick up dust, i know the rotation will speed up cutting but not much finesse. The i brid isnt powerful enough and bogs down even when mains attachment. The new pad and compound does finish down nice and not sure on new packaging as not sure if can recycle?

[@jackrichings781]

When you’ve been using one pad for a panel and you clean out your pad with a brush, do you have to prime the pad again??

[@RUPES]

No. You only need to prime on the first application of a new/fresh pad. Blowing out or brushing really only removes the residues that are stuck to the outer surface of the pad. Once you reload with a few drops the additional liquid helps to get the compound that's worked it's way just below the outer surface to start moving again. Thanks for posting your question. We hope that is helpful.

[@maorismurfnz]

Just starting in Detailing after being in the collision repair industry for 13 years. So I have used and seen Rupes evolve over the years and truly trust their products. Especially when the Bigfoot was first introduced and blew everyone away and I and never touched anything else. So I know about the machines. I just invested in the 15mm kit, the mini kit, the ibrid long kit and the Scorpio 3mm electric (which in my opinion is the best sander I have ever used) Also a bit of your detail range. So I would love for you guy's to maybe do a more indepth video about those products? My goal is to stick to one brand if I can and I was pleastly surprised to see you did detailing products. Great videos, kia Ora from New Zealand, I also purchased all Rupes products through Wyatt Machine Tools NZ, thanks Bevan 👍

[@RUPES]

Thanks for the kind words. We'll add your suggestion to our video "to do" list.

[@iamrobbyah]

How am I just now venturing onto Rupes’ channel?!? I came here after watching a vid from TRC with Levi and Jason. Thanks for clarifying the priming! I just used this pad for the first time last week and was a little concerned about the lack of even coverage. Once primed, would you use the dot method for every 24x24 section? Also, would you brush out the pad between each section? Or what would be the best method to clean them? I understand using 4-5 pads per car, but I’m unclear what to do with the pad to keep it from gumming up with product/byproduct. Cheers from the bay, NorCal.

[@RUPES]

Thanks for watching! Yes, a few drops to reload each time is recommended. You can learn more about our recommended process by watching the BigFoot 101 series. This and a lot of other topics are covered: kzbin.info/aero/PLkX3qMzwBy1EOnBML1roW5F_CDx3eblWy For pad cleaning "on the fly" we recommend compressed air as the most effective option. Check out this video for the full pad cleaning breakdown: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iX_HhJeYqbyXr80

[@iamrobbyah]

@@RUPES you guys are amazing!!! Thanks so much!

[@seancolon9890]

Great video!! I actually just purchased the Yellow Rupes and the Blue coarse pad. I Am not a professional at all so Im wondering with the blue pad, can I pair it with say a mequiars compound? I only have a hand full of products at home and need to correct a Black 2015 mustang

[@RUPES]

Thanks for posting your question. We don't validate our products in combination with other brands, so we really cannot provide any guidance on other compounds used with our pads. Our tools, pads, and compounds are all developed as a system to work together. It doesn't mean that other components won't work, but it is up to the end user (you) to do any validation on their own if they choose to go that route.

[@qwikss4469]

Generally speaking, will the blue foam finish better than the yellow wool?

[@RUPES]

Hard to say because the variable of paint enters the equation and some paints respond better to wool than others, but in general foam will tend to have a higher potential finish ability than fiber. Our yellow wool on most paints though, is capable of delivering an incredibly high finish, so the difference would really start to show on softer paints where the fiber pads leave marring or a slight haze.

[@qwikss4469]

@@RUPES, thanks. yes, was curious more about softer paints. I wasn’t clear.

[@danlc95]

The new coarse pad reminds of the old grey UHS pad. I'm going to see how DA Fine works on that coarse blue.

[@RUPES]

The new D-A Coarse Blue Foam does share several attributes with the UHS gray pad. It is a unique, but very effective foam once you learn how to use it. Thanks for commenting!

[@branislavnikic4611]

Is there any other way to prome these pads as I did it today and it cut all the way trough the clear coat? Luckily I did priming on a scrap panel as this method really seemed aggressive.

[@RUPES]

You could prime on the glass or on a separate panel, however if you actually went though the clear coat in just the priming process (20-30 seconds) the clear coat was already so thin that a standard application would have done the same thing. It sounds like you are on a car that does not have enough material left to perform correction safely. I've linked a video below for you that covers the issue of clear coat thickness: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5ukg36qgJyLadE

[@Gamesplaytoday]

Are the trolley stands available for purchase?

[@RUPES]

The carts in this video are something we custom made for the US BigFoot Academy. They are not something we sell.

[@nathanbaker5772]

The yellow wool pad and yellow polish will not remove the swirls in my paint, will the blue pad and polish be the best for me to use?

[@RUPES]

Potentially. If the yellow combination is not cutting enough either the defects are too deep and/or the paint is hard. Going to a more aggressive combination is a possible solution.

[@199gamefreak]

What pad would you recommend to use for the quarz compound? I still have a lot of it and some green pads. But not for every one of my rupes polishers 😭

[@RUPES]

Any of them, just choose the pad for the level of cut you need or test with something in the mid-range and adjust up or down in aggressiveness depending on what you’re looking to accomplish.

[@199gamefreak]

@@RUPES thank you so much for you reply

[@williamgreen728]

I have a question regarding Finishing/Final polishing.Should i do my Finishing using the LHR21,or the LHR15.I have heard a lot of internet talk suggesting that you can't Finish properly with the longer stroke polisher.Which machine is better,and why.Thankyou for the excellent channel content.

[@RUPES]

Internet talk isn't always accurate. A lot of "experts" out there don't really understand the science of finishing and make assumptions. The paint will tell you what it likes if you perform a test spot, but a large stroke polisher (regardless of orbit size) has a very high potential for finishing on most paint systems. It is when you get into the extreme end of the softness scale (very very VERY soft paints or unde-rcured paints) that a reduction in orbit size MIGHT be beneficial to finishing. In some cases a smaller orbit might actually hinder finishing, on others, it might help. If you encounter a lot of very soft paint finishes (very haze prone, or easily marked by the towel when wiping) you may want to consider trying a smaller orbit on that type of paint to see how it responds. As suggested in the video, adding an LHR12E Duetto, with a 12mm orbit, is sometimes a good option to complement something like an LHR21 if you run into this scenario frequently. It may not always be the right solution for softer paint, but the only way to know is to perform a test spot and evaluate the result on that specific paint.

[@fozzie145]

Do you prime the same with yellow foam pad?

[@RUPES]

Essentially the same process, however a little easier to do because the foam is less rigid. With pads like the yellow foam, even if you don't prime, eventually the pad will "self prime" as it picks up compound. The blue foam is much more "priming dependent" and avoiding compound out to the edge is important with all the pads, but much more important with the blue foam. We have several videos on general pad priming recommendations I've linked below for you. This video was done to emphasis how imperative it is to properly prime the blue foam to avoid frustration and realize the benefits of the material. BigFoot 101: Pad Priming - kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3qpXq2Fm5qEaZY RUPES Replies: Priming Pads - kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqnLXqdsfteWibM Trial Kit Instructional Videos - Coarse - kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGixooKvicdgrdE Fine - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmnFeXeNlqlrfas Ultrafine - kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHqolnuoh617o5Y

[@fozzie145]

@@RUPES thanks for the info. Love all these videos

[@ABXPONCE]

Any seminar this week with a space for me?

[@RUPES]

Check with your local distributors about upcoming training opportunities and events. Because of COVID activities with seminars and training vary by region.

[@biskra84]

hello thank you for your great videos and product but i have questions i got the da coarse and the liquid of mine is blue but in the video look like white?

[@RUPES]

Thanks for watching. DA Coarse is a very light blue color. The contrast against the darker blue of the foam pad in the video only makes it appear whiteish.

[@RR-su9kb]

30 sec in one spot? This won’t do any damage or extra wear in that spot? I’m a beginner

[@verduzcoautodetailing3183]

Can you use this pad with a g9 griots polisher??

[@yvonst-pierre470]

What speed do you use on your DA to do the correction?

[@RUPES]

We recommend speed 2 for priming and speed 4 for most applications. We have a video that covers tool speed in more detail as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWTWZIaMnsljpZY

[@yvonst-pierre470]

@@RUPES Tk’s.

[@polverlinden2609]

Maybe it is possible to show the result after a ipa wipedown and with a swirl light ?

[@RUPES]

Not in this video, as the real purpose of the video was to provide proper instruction in its use. We can certainly add results videos to our projects - you can also see results shots in our instructional video for the D-A Coarse Trial Kit - kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGixooKvicdgrdE

[@polverlinden2609]

@@RUPES i saw those as well , result where whiteout a proper ipa wipe down or some form off degreaser

[@lucabilotta8673]

What would you use for the piano black trim?

[@RUPES]

On most modern vehicles that surface is actually a multi-layer laminated plastic, not paint. The choice of products would depend on the severity of the defect, but in general you want to stick to low levels of aggressiveness on that type of material.

[@jdisdetermined]

I have phenomenal results with Uno on soft PBT. Often a white finishing pad can handle it, but I'll bump up to yellow if need be. Normally, you step up your aggression to reduce polishing time and suit the defects, but I find on finnicky PBT, it's often preferable to sneak up on them and do multiple short cycles with a fine pad and polish, versus cut heavier initially and then try to refine from there. 👍✌

[@stevef2114]

Hey.. ive watched a number of these, and my first experience wasnt this and a little disappointing tbh. Ive watched the test spot video with the yellow foam pad and fine polish. It didnt distribute well and the pad had areas which were very dry. Once I reapplied with 2 dots and started polishing i found the product dusted alot. I was only working it in a 2x2 area for about 30 seconds. I also can't find any info on any video as to how many times to use before using a brush to clean the pad before reloading? I was finding i had to do this after i did 2 ..2x2 sections... i thought, as per this video that the polish lasted a long time??! For a newbie, i think even still these videos lack real world experience.

[@RUPES]

Sorry to hear that Steve. There are many variables that can impact individual experiences so it is hard to know what exactly caused your particular issue. If you can, send us an email via the website, include the batch code from your bottle as well - we can check for any issues in our sample to eliminate a product issue and help you sort the solution. www.rupes.com/contact-us

[@brothermanreviews2012]

I agree, I tried this pad for the first time yesterday. At first glance I was surprised by its firmness. I primed it as stated in the video and tried a test 2x2 section. Lots of sling, debris, and overall not good in my opinion. I immediately switched to a Meguiers wool cutting disc. Sad thing is I bought 4 of these.

[@MT0070]

I’d like to buy the rupes 15 mkiii but worried the mkiv is around the corner. Should I wait?

[@MT0070]

I guess no answer is my answer lol 😆

[@RUPES]

Sorry. We do not comment publicly on product development.

[@MT0070]

@@RUPES fair enough. Thank you for your reply.

[@kirilltristan694]

Thanks for doing this great Q&A series. Long story short, 1st time correcting paint + using an entry level DA (GG G9). The paint may be soft and got a lot of everything (oxidation, hard water sport, deep scratches). My plan for removing a good amount of imperfections is using DA Coarse with blue pad + DA Fine with yellow pad. Questions: 1. Sounds like a plan? 2. Would UNO Pure with white pad be needed? 3. How many pads would I need? 4. Can I omit the use of the yellow wool pad? 5. Regarding the video, would priming the pad take a considerable or negligible amount of clearcoat? Greetings from Panama. Kirill

[@kirilltristan694]

@@dougrobinson8602 Thanks for the reply. The car is a 1999 Toyota Hilux (basically a Toyota Pickup in the US). I read that japanese cars are on the softer side.

[@dougrobinson8602]

@@kirilltristan694 Very soft. See if you can get away without an ultra fine polish. You might be happy with the results from the yellow.

[@RUPES]

Thank you for your compliment and posting a comment! Answers to your questions: 1) Potentially. There is no way of knowing what combination would be the best option for sure until you perform your test spot. We highly recommend watching the BigFoot 101 series for information on the test spot, and adjusting your combinations for best results: kzbin.info/aero/PLkX3qMzwBy1EOnBML1roW5F_CDx3eblWy 2) Again, the test spot would tell you, but it would be rare that you would use all 3 grades of product in one correction. If you are cutting with blue then the transition would be to yellow OR white depending on the remaining level of defect, not both. 3) We recommend at a minimum 4 pads. This way you can swap to a fresh pad after each 25% of the vehicle is completed. This will reduce heat load, keep results consistent, and all your pads will last much longer. 4) Test spot again - what pads will be needed or not needed are completely dictated by the test spot and how the paint responds. 5) Negligible, but if it concerns you then simply treat the priming area with fewer passes when you do your full application.

[@RUPES]

Also, do not fall into the trap of assuming paint hardness based on make/model/year. Factories change suppliers frequently, and many times in the middle of production model years. There is also the reality of collision repair that may or maynot be known. While you can use experience to make an educated guess for hardness, do not assume anything until the test spot is complete. That will tell you for sure what sort of paint you're on.

[@kirilltristan694]

@@RUPES Thanks for replying. Now I know the best route for a successful paint correction.

[@YasserAlaska]

I get splashed allover whenever I use blue foam and blue compound It still performs great but the splashing is annoying I’m not reaching the borders of the pad when priming or reloading Any suggestions ?

[@RUPES]

If you're experiencing sling, reduce the amount of compound being used, reduce priming speed (2) and increase pressure until it is properly primed.

[@YasserAlaska]

@@RUPES thanks… you guys are the best

[@MRUGK]

Looking to see why my blue pad pretty much incinerated on me halfway through my buff last night, They are so expensive and I dont want to buy a new one till I know what would cause that.

[@RUPES]

Thanks for posting your question, and sorry to hear about the pad issue. Assuming you mean disintegrated (as in fell apart) and not incinerated (destroyed by fire/burning) it could be any number of issues. We would need to understand which foam pad you were using on which tool (rotary or D-A foam, what polisher movement). In general a pad falling apart can be caused by over cycling, excessive pressure, insufficient pad cleaning, over loading the pad, or just general abuse. The video linked below has some helpful information on pad life: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o16zeneLr658iLs

[@MRUGK]

@@RUPES Hey team at Rupes, I definitely appreciate the reply back, I just read my own comment and it seemed like I was coming off as rude and I totally didn't want to come off like that. Ive been watching and researching your videos and decided to buy a LHR15 MKlll and it came with your guy's D-A brand of pads and compounds. I am new to this line of product but have been buffing with other equipment and never had an issue. Soon as I got my package I instantly started cutting and polishing my personal vehicle because I was so excited to use my new tool! I washed the vehicle, full Clay bar and IPA wiped it down and began my process, I started by priming my pad on the roof and began my buff. Running the tool at 3500RPM I didn't use any pressure just enough to have control of the tool little to no down pressure on the pad. Sometimes I did use the pad in a uneven state to remove some swirls in a bend (I do this with other pads and it works fine) I stopped every 2nd panel or so and blew off the pad but did only use one pad ( I seen you guys dont recommend this due to heating of the pad) every panel I would apply 4 pea sized drops and begin my cut. I got around the whole car and soon as I got to the hood my pad blew apart on me. I used your coarse blue wool pad to finish the job but that too ended up separating from the backing plate and I ruined that one as well. After I got my cut finished I used my Yellow polishing pad brand new out the bag and polished out all the defects from my cut and it finished perfect and was super happy with the result. Ive since went back and watched videos on pad maintenance and how its recommend usage was but I do feel like a pad should have been more durable than one time. I am going to order more and practice on my technique because I love the products, the machine and what the pads do, 0 issues with my yellow polishing pad just no luck with the coarse pads. Again thank you for the reply Love the products!

[@tombarnes3961]

What if you don’t have a test good to run in one place.

[@Julepils1]

I have to say though, it really doesnt impress that much unless you show it up close with some proper light on. The finish I mean. 😅 Could be alot of scratches left and/or milky haze. "Looks good far away, but far away from good." And im curious about after you blow out the pad after a section, doesnt that "remove" the priming?

[@RUPES]

Thanks for your comment. The results were not really the core reason for the video. It was more to explain the specific application process and give a basic understanding of the capabilities. We have other videos to show more detailed results from the pad. As far as cleaning, no. Compressed air will remove material from the outermost layer of the pad, but it does not "un-prime" the pad. You will add a few drops of compound before the next application anyways.

[@Julepils1]

I was just yanking your chain a little. 😅 Its my issue, I am having some trouble buffing out my car and im always interested in seeing closeups. I went ahead and got myself a lhr21 mk3 and a nano long neck with lots of pads etc full rupes gear. But my car has been a little nightmare for me. Mostly because im rather new to alot of this still. I repainted my car, put alot of clear on it, and went ahead with wet sanding to remove orange peel and get that flat mirror look. I didnt know I should have gone to buffing soon after, so my paint has cured over months now. Im hitting it with the blue wool and blue compound and its taking forever to get a scratch free surface. The blue foam actually seemed more scratchy and hazy when i tried it. Its been a steep learning curve. I also experience alot of sling still probably because of technique and to much product, annoying cleaning compound off the rest of the car often. 🙈 And sometimes with the wool I find it harder to clean up after. Some of the microfibers I clean up with seem to make micro scratches as well. Oh and the paint is of course black. 😅

[@marioescobar5027]

👌✌🏽

[@RUPES]

Thank you for watching!

[@sk8ordie4691]

If you were polishing a full vehicle would it be smart to just prime your pads on the glass so you’re not polishing that one spot in the paint more than the rest, then just polish all the glass at the end since you’re not really removing anything on glass just cleaning it.

[@RUPES]

The priming area can be on another surface if you prefer, or just treat the priming area a little lighter (or if the priming process fixed it, avoid it) on subsequent applications.

[@marioescobar5027]

👌✌🏽

[@RUPES]

Thank you!