The MF kit does come with a specific backing plate. I forgot to change it out for the OE backing plate on my PC once and it did mess up the velcro on the pad a bit.

I'm not saying the HB one is good or bad, but I've used the megs DA and it is pretty good. Very similar to my Porter Cable 7424XP, but the XP has a bit more grunt compared to the meg's one I used (I heard the regular PC was the same as the Meg's DA somewhere).

If you have the budget, get the whole kit and then you can build off of it using whatever pads you want and start off with a decent polisher.

I have a 7" Mastercraft Maximum rotary (heavy SOB), A Rupes Bigfoot 15 (Awesome polisher, but $$$) and a Porter Cable 7424XP. I use the Rupes the most, but for smaller pads (3-4") I use the PC all the time and being like the Meg's DA, it can get a lot of work done with the MF kit in a reasonable amount of time.

 

The backing plate that came with my kit ( when they 1st came out ) was the standard Megs SnBP backing plate. Mine was a 6" model, so it is a S6BP.

Megs finally woke up and changed to the more flexible W67DA backing plate with the kit.

The DA pads have a standard 5/16-24 stud on it. Any DA with this thread pattern it can mount to.
- You would have to check if the HF has this thread pattern.

I used the Megs MF pad set on my Flex with Optimum Poly Tech Hyper compound and Hyper Polish.

You can use any compound on the MF cutting pad and any polish on the MF finishing pad.

The cutting pad is more like an aggressive polishing pad.
It is not as aggressive as the OPT MF Cutting pad, but that is by design. The kit is made for people ( like the OP ) stepping up from hand application to machine application. As long as the Megs cutting MF pad is not set in sand or gravel and tape the trigger back and hold it in place, it should not make a mess out of the paint.

You can get the MF kit stand alone, as a DMCKIT5 ( amazon other detailing supply sites, etc ).
You would need to get a DA and if you are machine applying the LSP, a pad for that.

I would skip the kit with the G110v2. The G110 was junk. My antique PC did a better job. I never bothered to try the v2 to see if they got it right that time.

Amazon has the DMCKIT5 kit for 75.00 shipped on prime. ( ASIN : B00CJ69F2W )
This leaves $210 to get the DA and a finishing pad if you want to apply the LSP by machine.
Amazon has the PC 7424XP for 118.00 shipped on prime. ( ASIN : B002654I46 ) Balance ~ 95.00

Chemical Guys 5.5" Hex logic finishing pad, 8.00 on Amazon Prime. ( ASIN : B0042TTIYO ) This is a black pad. Balance ~ 87.00
- I use Lake Country pads, but there is nothing obvious wrong with CG pads.

To clean the MF pads, use a brush and air compressor.
I use the Chemical Guys Foam Pad Cleaning Brush, 8.00 Amazon Prime ( ASIN : B00BCH4ZJC ) Balance ~ 79.00
- I Amazon subscribe 7 save them for 6.71 each, I toss them after some time of use when they get loaded up.

This does not have the BF pad cleaner and conditioner, but I would not use those on the MF pads. I clean them dry with the brush and compressed air.

Clean them each panel, before applying more product and starting on the next. Point them away from the truck when you clean them.

This is a fully usable kit ( including LSP pad ) for 79.00 less.
Autogeek is listing the items in the DMCKIT5 individually.

 

Not trying to hijack the thread here but figured I'd post here before making a new thread.

I'm jumping into the polishing world here and just picked up one of these:


It's variable speed and random orbital. I see a lot of people recommend the Griots or Meguires kits but anything bad about the Porter Cable? I had some Lowes gift cards to use and they had a cheap-o Black and Decker and the Porter Cable, so I went with the better brand.

As far as pads go it came with a standard foam polishing pad. A guy at work said to use an egg crate pad (no idea what that is or been able to find one). I'll probably need a couple pads to get going but does anyone know which ones will fit or have a recommendation?

 

What exact Porter Cable model is that?

 

I think the ones at Lowes are lower amperage than the PC everyone uses, which means less power. I have looked at the ones there and also wondered if they wood work very well.

 

It's a 7346SP and says it's 4.5 amps

 

Don't know much about that one but I do know most people use the 7424.
I had one and loved it. Now I have a flex.

 

The one that many of us (myself included) started with is the model 7424. It's been replaced with the more powerful 7424XP - which I also have in addition to my original 7424, plus a Flex and a DeWalt rotary.

I don't know how the 7346 compares in the real world, but I'd bet that for an entry level machine, it's far better than trying to polish by hand. Enjoy your new machine!

 

The 7346 is just a random orbital, not a DA.

 

What's the difference?

 

Never mind, google it. Anyway back to my original question, what kind of pad should be used for waxing and polishing?