CLAIMS We claim:

1.

A method of making a surface finishing pad comprising the steps of: (1) providing a continuous strip of polymeric foam material having planar top and bottom surfaces extending between narrower opposite lateral edges; (2) partially cutting the continuous strip inwardly from the lateral edges to provide a longitudinally extending row of laterally elongate foam members, each of the members having opposite end tips between an uncut attachment portion; (3) separating individual elongate foam members from the strip; and, (4) pushing the attachment portion of each foam member through a support member having a front face and a rear face such that the attachment portion extends from the rear face and the foam member is divided into two fingers extending from the front face, with the end tips defining a pad finishing face.

2.	The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the additional steps of: (1) cutting the strip of foam horizontally along both lateral edges between the top and bottom surfaces; and, (2) cutting each end tip on the strip vertical; whereby each of the fingers includes four end tips.

3.	The method as set forth in claim 1 including the steps of: (1) displacing the fingers from the planes of the respective top and bottom surfaces of the foam strip to expose the end tips; and, (2) applying a mixture of abrasive particles and liquid adhesives to the exposed end tips.

4.	The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the steps of applying comprises spraying.

5.	The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of applying comprises dipping the end tips in a bath.

6.	The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cutting step comprises slitting the strip inwardly from both lateral edges and leaving a narrow center connecting portion.

7.	The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the separating step comprises serially cutting the connection portion of the finger member from the strip.

8.

A method of manufacturing a surface finishing pad comprising the steps of: (1) providing a continuous strip of polymeric foam having parallel planar top and bottom surfaces extending between narrower opposite lateral edges; (2) separating individual elongate foam members successively from a leading end of the strip, each of the members having opposite end tips; (3) providing a supporting substrate having generally planar front and rear faces and a selected pattern of openings formed therethrough; (4) folding each of the foam members to form an attachment portion between the end tips and to divide the member into first and second foam fingers; and, (5) pushing the attachment portion of each foam member through an opening in the substrate such that the attachment portion extends from the rear face of the substrate and the first and second foam fingers extend from the front face of the substrate with the end tips defining a pad finishing face.

9.	The method as set forth in claim 8 including before, the separating, the step of applying a mixture of abrasive particles and a liquid adhesive to the end tips.

10.

A method of manufacturing a surface finishing pad comprising the steps of: providing a support substrate having a front face and a back face; separating individual foam members from a strip of polymeric foam material, each foam member having a first outer tip and a second outer tip; folding each of the foam members to form an attachment portion between the first and second outer ends, such that each foam member defines a first foam finger extending from the attachment portion to the first outer tip and a second foam finger extending from the attachment portion to the second outer tip; and, pushing the attachment portions of a plurality of said foam members through the support substrate such that the attachment portion of each foam member extends from the back face of the support surface, wherein the foam fingers extend in an array from the front face of the support substrate such that the outer tips define a pad finishing surface.

11.	The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of forming a plurality of openings in the support substrate, each opening receiving the attachment portion of one of the foam members.

12.	The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of slitting the outer tip of each foam finger such that the outer tip of each foam finger includes a plurality of contact tips.

13.	The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of attaching abrasive particles to the outer tips of each foam member.

14.

A surface finishing pad comprising: a support substrate having a front face and a back face; a plurality of individual fingers of polymeric foam material disposed on the support substrate, each finger having an attachment portion extending through the support substrate and an opposed outer tip extending from the front face, such that the outer tips of the plurality of fingers define a pad finishing surface.

15.	The surface finishing pad of claim 14 wherein the support substrate includes a plurality of openings extending between the front face and the back face, each opening receiving one of the fingers.

16.	The surface finishing pad of claim 15 wherein the plurality of openings are spaced over the substrate to define a dense array of fingers.

17.

A method of manufacturing a surface finishing pad comprising the steps of: providing a support substrate having a front face and a back face; forming a plurality of individual foam members each having a first outer tip and a second outer tip; folding each of the foam members to form an attachment portion between the first and second outer ends, such that each foam member defines a first foam finger extending from the attachment portion of the first outer tip a second foam finger extending from the attachment portion to the second outer tip; and, pushing the attachment portion of each foam member through the support substrate such that the attachment portion of each foam member extends from the back face of the support surface, wherein each of the foam fingers extends from the front face of the support substrate such that the outer tips define a pad finishing surface.

18.	The method of claim 17 including the step of arranging the foam members in a dense array along the support substrate.

19.	The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of forming a plurality of openings in the support substrate, each opening receiving the attachment portion of one of the foam members.

20.

A method of manufacturing a surface finishing pad comprising the steps of: providing a support substrate having a front face and a back face; forming a plurality of individual foam fingers each having an outer tip; and, pushing an attachment portion of each foam finger through the support substrate such that the attachment portion of each foam finger extends from the back face of the support surface, wherein the outer tips of the foam fingers extend from the front face of the support substrate to define a pad finishing surface.

21.	The method of claim 20 further comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of holes in the support substrate between the front face and the back face; and pushing one of the foam fingers into each of the holes formed in the support substrate.

22.	The method of claim 2 including the step of arranging the foam fingers in a dense array along the support substrate.

23.

A method of manufacturing a surface finishing pad comprising the steps of: (1) providing a circular supporting substrate; (2) forming a strip of polymeric foam material with an elongate body and a plurality of laterally extending fingers; and, (3) attaching the strip to the substrate with a substantially continuous spiral seam.

24.	The method as set forth in claim 23 wherein said attaching step comprising sewing.

25.	The method as set forth in claim 24 wherein said attaching step comprises gluing.

26.	The method as set forth in claim 24 wherein said attaching step comprises fusing.