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The MOL Detailing Glossary Project 1.0
The MOL Detailing Glossary Project 1.0
This thread is meant to be an educational reference for any and every one using Meguiar's Online. It is also one way I'd like to say thank you to all of the helpful people on this forum. I am only one person and believe it or not, I do have other things to do in life so I cannot be the sole author of such a work. As such, I want you guys (especially you seasoned professionals) to feel free to add terms to this list. Due to forum software restrictions, I don't think you will be able to edit the post directly. In fact, I don't even think I will be able to because there's an edit time-limit. As a workaround, what you can do is simply follow my formatting and post a term and definition. As soon as the thread has collected a significant amount of additional terms, I will post up a version 2 of the same thread with the additional terms included (and edited for grammar, format, and spelling) unless the MOL staff would like to do it differently.
Either way though, if you are looking for a definition, simply press control + F on your keyboard, type the term in, and press enter. You will find it if it is on the page. This means that you can also use this technique to check other peope's replies onsubsequent pages too.
Notes:
So, without further ado:
ADS – www.autodetailingsolutions.com – A popular online detailing store.
Backing plate – A typically flexible plate that connects the polishing machine to the pad. They come in various sizes to accommodate different sized pads, and can also vary in terms of flexibility, mounting threads, and thickness.
Base coat – The base coat is the main or color coat of a car’s paint. Modern cars feature a clear coat over the top of a pigmented (colored) base coat of paint.
Body shop – A business that paints, re-paints, and repairs vehicle body damage. Also sometimes referred to as a "PBA shop," these shops often carry professional detailing products as well.
Body Shop safe – Certain products (waxes and sealants especially) cannot be used in a body shop because they interfere with the painting process. Products that do not interfere with this process are called body shop safe.
Carnauba Wax – A wax from palm leaves used as the main ingredient of many car waxes. This is the oldest form of automobile paint protectant.
Clear coat – Also known as “the clear,” “clear,” or simply “cc,” a clearcoat is a layer of clear paint. Most - but not all - modern vehicles contain a layer of clearcoat over the top of a base, color coat of paint. Clear coats offer UV and physical protection for the base coat and give the car its glossy look. If a car has a clear coat (unless it is a rare tinted clear coat), color will not transfer onto applicators, towels or pads when wet sanding, compounding or polishing the paint.
Clear coat failure – A paint condition in which the clear coat begins to peel off of a car. Clearcoat failure cannot be repaired by detailing and requires a repaint.
Color coat – The pigmented coat of paint on a car. The color coat is one of several coats on modern cars.
Compound – A compound is the most aggressive type of paint correcting product. Compounds remove significant amounts of paint to correct deep swirls, scratches, etchings, and other defects.
Cut – The amount of paint removing capability that a product has. A product with higher cut will remove more paint faster than a product with lower cut.
Cutting pad (machine) – An aggressive pad typically used in conjunction with compounds to remove more paint than other pads for the purpose of correcting more advanced paint problems. A cutting pad may leave its own minor marring that can be removed with a less aggressive pad.
Detailing clay - Clay designed to be rubbed on a vehicle's paint surface with a lubricant to pick up all above-surface bonded contaminants. Clay will pick up dirt that a car wash will not but cannot remove below-surface problems such as swirls and scratches.
Diminishing abrasives – Products that use diminishing abrasives can be worked into the paint for a limited amount of time before their correctional/cutting ability weakens to zero.
Dual-Action Polisher – DA – This machine is used to apply cleaners, polishes, compounds, waxes, and sealants to vehicle paint. Dual-action polishers feature a spinning and oscillating motion to apply the product and cannot burn through or do serious damage to paint nearly as easily as a rotary buffer because spinning slows and stops when pressure is applied to the DA.
Finishing pad (machine) – The least aggressive type of pad, a finishing pad is used to apply mild polishes, waxes, and cleaners to “finish” the paint either after other, more aggressive work or stand-alone.
Foam pad (hand) – Pad made of foam used to apply various detailing products by hand.
Foam pad (machine) – See above except the back of the pad contains equipment to be attached to a machine polisher such as a DA, rotary, etc…
Grit – Tiny pieces of dirt that when rubbed across the paint, usually cause swirls.
Grit Guard® – A device placed at the bottom of a wash bucket that features vanes and holes designed specifically to trap grit and dirt at the bottom of the bucket so that it does not get placed back onto the vehicle when washing. Grit Guard® is a registered trademark.
Holograms – Also referred to as “buffer swirls,” holograms are caused by poor rotary buffer technique. Unlike cobweb swirls, holograms do not appear to be thousands of tiny circular scratches but instead look like holograms in the paint when viewed from a distance. Holograms are often difficult to see from up close and directly after a detail.
Least Aggressive Method – A detailing method that involves using the least aggressive products, techniques, and tools to cut paint, remove blemishes, and get the job done.
LT – Meguiar’s Last Touch – A spray detailer product in the Detailer professional line of products, LT can be used as a quick detailer or as a clay lubricant when diluted 1:1 with water.
Lubricity – Term used in detailing to refer to a product’s ability to lubricate a paint surface. A product that offers a higher level of lubricity will offer more protection against swirls when agitated by a wash mitt, towel, or pad.
M followed by a number such as M80 – Meguiar’s gives all of their Professional line products a specific number to make it easier for people to find and order their products. Some people refer to their products by their numbers as abbreviations. For example, “M80” or “#80” both refer to Meguiar’s Speed Glaze as 80 is its designated product number. If you are unsure of a number, the number can be typed into the search box at Meguiars.com to reveal the product.
Microfiber towel – A towel that uses thousands of tiny fibers to lift dust, dirt, and detailing product off of the paint efficiently.
MOL - Meguiar's Online - The forum that you're currently viewing!
ONR – Optimum No Rinse – A Product that can be used to wash a car, truck or SUV without a hose or other water source to rinse the vehicle. ONR can also be used as a quick detailer and clay lubricant, depending on how it is diluted.
Painter’s tape – Masking tape designed to be used on paint. Painter’s tape does not leave any damaging or hard to remove residue behind when it is pulled off. It is safe for all paint.
PC – Porter Cable – A company that manufactures power tools. In auto detailing, “PC” actually refers to the Porter Cable Random Orbit Polisher: a dual-action polisher.
Polish – A broad term used to define a product that improves the look of paint. Polishes usually contain ingredients that increase the gloss of a car’s finish and may contain ingredients that remove paint in order to correct minor defects.
Polishing Pad (machine) – A moderately aggressive pad used to remove defects from paint. Paint cleaners, polishes, and compounds are typically applied with this pad.
Pure polish – A product applied to paint exclusively to bring out shine. A pure polish contains no wax, sealant, or significant paint correcting ability.
QD – Quick Detailer – A specially formulated spray that both helps lift dirt off of the paint finish and lubricates the paint surface to reduce the amount of swirls caused by a towel rubbing against the surface.
Rotary buffer – Also called a “rotary sander,” “circular polisher,” or simply “rotary,” this tool is the most aggressive paint correcting tool available to a detailer. Unlike a DA or orbital buffer, a rotary’s motor is connected directly to the pad and will not slow down when pressure is applied to it. For this reason, it is capable of more advanced paint correction but is also capable of causing more damage to the paint in unskilled hands. Like other types of buffers and polishers, the rotary buffer can be used to apply various polishes, paint cleaners, and compounds.
SMAT – Super Micro Abrasive Technology – Tiny abrasives that can be worked into the paint as long as the detailer requires; abrasives do not diminish.
Streaking – When a product is applied to the paint and after being wiped off, leaves “streaks” on the paint. Streaking is usually not harmful, although it is visually displeasing.
Swirls – Swirls, also called “cobweb swirls” are numerous tiny scratches in the clear coat created by grit being rubbed against the paint. Swirls are typically not as deep as scratches and can look like cobwebs when looked at in the sun. Swirls can be difficult to see without direct sunlight or a swirl-finder light.
Swirl-finder light – A light that, when aimed at a car’s paint, displays swirls much like the sun. Some lights are designed specifically for this purpose while others, such as the popular Brinkmann Dual Xenon Maxfire, are not but use the ideal wavelength anyway.
Synthetic sealant – Also known as a “synthetic wax,” this is a man-made product applied to a finish to give it protection that is similar but not identical to the protection of classic carnauba wax.
Terry towel – A towel that uses small loops of cotton to lift dust, dirt, and detailing product off of the paint.
Test spot/section/area – An area of paint segregated to test a product before potentially applying it to the rest of the vehicle. Test spot’s can be more easily sectioned-off using painter’s tape.
Tinted clear coat - This is a fairly rare type of clear coat used on limited numbers of newer vehicles from the factory, and is slightly more common in custom paint jobs (aftermarket). These paints essentially combine a small amount of color and/or metallic elements into the clear coat, which will result in a minimal amount of color transfer when wet sanding, compounding or polishing the paint. *It is also fairly common for touch-up paint on metallic vehicles to use a similar paint, but with more color than clear.
Two-bucket method – A method of washing a vehicle made popular by Mike Phillips, when using the 2-bucket method, the detailer fills one bucket with plain water and another with soapy water. After the wash mitt is run over the surface of the vehicle, it is dipped, swirled, and agitated in the plain-water bucket before being reintroduced to the soapy water. This is done to limit the amount of grit and dirt that is released into the soapy water, reducing the amount of grit being rubbed onto the vehicle’s paint when the mitt is in use.
UC – Ultimate Compound – Meguiar’s most aggressive consumer paint correcting product. UC has a high level of cut and can be applied by DA or by hand. The product should not be applied with a rotary buffer.
UQD – Meguiar’s Ultimate Quick Detailer – A quick detailer that also features what Meguiar’s calls “Hydrophobic Polymer Technology” which sheets away water that comes into contact with the paint after the product has been applied for a limited period of time.
UQW – Meguiar’s Ultimate Quik Wax – Like UQD, this product is a mist on, wipe off product that offers a higher level of protection than UQD but not as long-lasting of a protection as a full wax such as NXT Tech Wax 2.0.
Waffle-weave microfiber towel – A microfiber towel that features tiny waffle/honeycomb-like weaves to improve water absorption. These towels are typically used to dry vehicles after a car wash.
Wash mitt – A mitt that is worn or held and used to wash a vehicle. Typically, wash mitts are made of microfiber or wool.
Water spots – When impure water dries on paint, water spots are left behind in the shape that the water dried. Water spots are not actually water – they are the minerals that were in the water. Pure distilled water will leave no marks. Harder water means more severe water spots. Water spots can also be etched into the paint itself if not removed fast enough.
Wet Sanding – Often abbreviated into one word, wet sanding is a process in which a detailer rubs very fine grit sandpaper on the vehicle's paint surface using water or some other solution as lubricant. Wet sanding is often used to remove more severe paint conditions in conjunction with rotary buffing. Wet sanding creates fine scratches in the paint that can be referred to as "haze" or "matte" that can be removed with a rotary buffer and compound.
This thread is meant to be an educational reference for any and every one using Meguiar's Online. It is also one way I'd like to say thank you to all of the helpful people on this forum. I am only one person and believe it or not, I do have other things to do in life so I cannot be the sole author of such a work. As such, I want you guys (especially you seasoned professionals) to feel free to add terms to this list. Due to forum software restrictions, I don't think you will be able to edit the post directly. In fact, I don't even think I will be able to because there's an edit time-limit. As a workaround, what you can do is simply follow my formatting and post a term and definition. As soon as the thread has collected a significant amount of additional terms, I will post up a version 2 of the same thread with the additional terms included (and edited for grammar, format, and spelling) unless the MOL staff would like to do it differently.
Either way though, if you are looking for a definition, simply press control + F on your keyboard, type the term in, and press enter. You will find it if it is on the page. This means that you can also use this technique to check other peope's replies onsubsequent pages too.
Notes:
- Remember, this glossary is intended to serve as a reference for all MOL users, but is geared towards beginners. I am fully aware that many veterans know all of this information and then some.
- Please do not use this as an acronym dictionary because one already exists here.
- The acronyms that I did include were included because they are used extremely frequently and correspond with a definition. Notice that I also included the syntax for the different product numbers. This means, no other product numbers need be defined.
- Some items are actually listed by their acronym because I've found that these items are referenced more by their acronym than their full name here on MOL.
- This was also not meant to be a big collection of product descriptions. The included products are brought up very commonly on MOL. Commonly brought-up products are fine to go here.
- We all make mistakes, moderators, if one of the definitions is off, please feel free to correct it.
- Note that this is in alphabetical order.
- If you support this project, please put a link in your signature.
- Enjoy and feel free to jump in!
So, without further ado:
Definitions
ADS – www.autodetailingsolutions.com – A popular online detailing store.
Backing plate – A typically flexible plate that connects the polishing machine to the pad. They come in various sizes to accommodate different sized pads, and can also vary in terms of flexibility, mounting threads, and thickness.
Base coat – The base coat is the main or color coat of a car’s paint. Modern cars feature a clear coat over the top of a pigmented (colored) base coat of paint.
Body shop – A business that paints, re-paints, and repairs vehicle body damage. Also sometimes referred to as a "PBA shop," these shops often carry professional detailing products as well.
Body Shop safe – Certain products (waxes and sealants especially) cannot be used in a body shop because they interfere with the painting process. Products that do not interfere with this process are called body shop safe.
Carnauba Wax – A wax from palm leaves used as the main ingredient of many car waxes. This is the oldest form of automobile paint protectant.
Clear coat – Also known as “the clear,” “clear,” or simply “cc,” a clearcoat is a layer of clear paint. Most - but not all - modern vehicles contain a layer of clearcoat over the top of a base, color coat of paint. Clear coats offer UV and physical protection for the base coat and give the car its glossy look. If a car has a clear coat (unless it is a rare tinted clear coat), color will not transfer onto applicators, towels or pads when wet sanding, compounding or polishing the paint.
Clear coat failure – A paint condition in which the clear coat begins to peel off of a car. Clearcoat failure cannot be repaired by detailing and requires a repaint.
Color coat – The pigmented coat of paint on a car. The color coat is one of several coats on modern cars.
Compound – A compound is the most aggressive type of paint correcting product. Compounds remove significant amounts of paint to correct deep swirls, scratches, etchings, and other defects.
Cut – The amount of paint removing capability that a product has. A product with higher cut will remove more paint faster than a product with lower cut.
Cutting pad (machine) – An aggressive pad typically used in conjunction with compounds to remove more paint than other pads for the purpose of correcting more advanced paint problems. A cutting pad may leave its own minor marring that can be removed with a less aggressive pad.
Detailing clay - Clay designed to be rubbed on a vehicle's paint surface with a lubricant to pick up all above-surface bonded contaminants. Clay will pick up dirt that a car wash will not but cannot remove below-surface problems such as swirls and scratches.
Diminishing abrasives – Products that use diminishing abrasives can be worked into the paint for a limited amount of time before their correctional/cutting ability weakens to zero.
Dual-Action Polisher – DA – This machine is used to apply cleaners, polishes, compounds, waxes, and sealants to vehicle paint. Dual-action polishers feature a spinning and oscillating motion to apply the product and cannot burn through or do serious damage to paint nearly as easily as a rotary buffer because spinning slows and stops when pressure is applied to the DA.
Finishing pad (machine) – The least aggressive type of pad, a finishing pad is used to apply mild polishes, waxes, and cleaners to “finish” the paint either after other, more aggressive work or stand-alone.
Foam pad (hand) – Pad made of foam used to apply various detailing products by hand.
Foam pad (machine) – See above except the back of the pad contains equipment to be attached to a machine polisher such as a DA, rotary, etc…
Grit – Tiny pieces of dirt that when rubbed across the paint, usually cause swirls.
Grit Guard® – A device placed at the bottom of a wash bucket that features vanes and holes designed specifically to trap grit and dirt at the bottom of the bucket so that it does not get placed back onto the vehicle when washing. Grit Guard® is a registered trademark.
Holograms – Also referred to as “buffer swirls,” holograms are caused by poor rotary buffer technique. Unlike cobweb swirls, holograms do not appear to be thousands of tiny circular scratches but instead look like holograms in the paint when viewed from a distance. Holograms are often difficult to see from up close and directly after a detail.
Least Aggressive Method – A detailing method that involves using the least aggressive products, techniques, and tools to cut paint, remove blemishes, and get the job done.
LT – Meguiar’s Last Touch – A spray detailer product in the Detailer professional line of products, LT can be used as a quick detailer or as a clay lubricant when diluted 1:1 with water.
Lubricity – Term used in detailing to refer to a product’s ability to lubricate a paint surface. A product that offers a higher level of lubricity will offer more protection against swirls when agitated by a wash mitt, towel, or pad.
M followed by a number such as M80 – Meguiar’s gives all of their Professional line products a specific number to make it easier for people to find and order their products. Some people refer to their products by their numbers as abbreviations. For example, “M80” or “#80” both refer to Meguiar’s Speed Glaze as 80 is its designated product number. If you are unsure of a number, the number can be typed into the search box at Meguiars.com to reveal the product.
Microfiber towel – A towel that uses thousands of tiny fibers to lift dust, dirt, and detailing product off of the paint efficiently.
MOL - Meguiar's Online - The forum that you're currently viewing!
ONR – Optimum No Rinse – A Product that can be used to wash a car, truck or SUV without a hose or other water source to rinse the vehicle. ONR can also be used as a quick detailer and clay lubricant, depending on how it is diluted.
Painter’s tape – Masking tape designed to be used on paint. Painter’s tape does not leave any damaging or hard to remove residue behind when it is pulled off. It is safe for all paint.
PC – Porter Cable – A company that manufactures power tools. In auto detailing, “PC” actually refers to the Porter Cable Random Orbit Polisher: a dual-action polisher.
Polish – A broad term used to define a product that improves the look of paint. Polishes usually contain ingredients that increase the gloss of a car’s finish and may contain ingredients that remove paint in order to correct minor defects.
Polishing Pad (machine) – A moderately aggressive pad used to remove defects from paint. Paint cleaners, polishes, and compounds are typically applied with this pad.
Pure polish – A product applied to paint exclusively to bring out shine. A pure polish contains no wax, sealant, or significant paint correcting ability.
QD – Quick Detailer – A specially formulated spray that both helps lift dirt off of the paint finish and lubricates the paint surface to reduce the amount of swirls caused by a towel rubbing against the surface.
Rotary buffer – Also called a “rotary sander,” “circular polisher,” or simply “rotary,” this tool is the most aggressive paint correcting tool available to a detailer. Unlike a DA or orbital buffer, a rotary’s motor is connected directly to the pad and will not slow down when pressure is applied to it. For this reason, it is capable of more advanced paint correction but is also capable of causing more damage to the paint in unskilled hands. Like other types of buffers and polishers, the rotary buffer can be used to apply various polishes, paint cleaners, and compounds.
SMAT – Super Micro Abrasive Technology – Tiny abrasives that can be worked into the paint as long as the detailer requires; abrasives do not diminish.
Streaking – When a product is applied to the paint and after being wiped off, leaves “streaks” on the paint. Streaking is usually not harmful, although it is visually displeasing.
Swirls – Swirls, also called “cobweb swirls” are numerous tiny scratches in the clear coat created by grit being rubbed against the paint. Swirls are typically not as deep as scratches and can look like cobwebs when looked at in the sun. Swirls can be difficult to see without direct sunlight or a swirl-finder light.
Swirl-finder light – A light that, when aimed at a car’s paint, displays swirls much like the sun. Some lights are designed specifically for this purpose while others, such as the popular Brinkmann Dual Xenon Maxfire, are not but use the ideal wavelength anyway.
Synthetic sealant – Also known as a “synthetic wax,” this is a man-made product applied to a finish to give it protection that is similar but not identical to the protection of classic carnauba wax.
Terry towel – A towel that uses small loops of cotton to lift dust, dirt, and detailing product off of the paint.
Test spot/section/area – An area of paint segregated to test a product before potentially applying it to the rest of the vehicle. Test spot’s can be more easily sectioned-off using painter’s tape.
Tinted clear coat - This is a fairly rare type of clear coat used on limited numbers of newer vehicles from the factory, and is slightly more common in custom paint jobs (aftermarket). These paints essentially combine a small amount of color and/or metallic elements into the clear coat, which will result in a minimal amount of color transfer when wet sanding, compounding or polishing the paint. *It is also fairly common for touch-up paint on metallic vehicles to use a similar paint, but with more color than clear.
Two-bucket method – A method of washing a vehicle made popular by Mike Phillips, when using the 2-bucket method, the detailer fills one bucket with plain water and another with soapy water. After the wash mitt is run over the surface of the vehicle, it is dipped, swirled, and agitated in the plain-water bucket before being reintroduced to the soapy water. This is done to limit the amount of grit and dirt that is released into the soapy water, reducing the amount of grit being rubbed onto the vehicle’s paint when the mitt is in use.
UC – Ultimate Compound – Meguiar’s most aggressive consumer paint correcting product. UC has a high level of cut and can be applied by DA or by hand. The product should not be applied with a rotary buffer.
UQD – Meguiar’s Ultimate Quick Detailer – A quick detailer that also features what Meguiar’s calls “Hydrophobic Polymer Technology” which sheets away water that comes into contact with the paint after the product has been applied for a limited period of time.
UQW – Meguiar’s Ultimate Quik Wax – Like UQD, this product is a mist on, wipe off product that offers a higher level of protection than UQD but not as long-lasting of a protection as a full wax such as NXT Tech Wax 2.0.
Waffle-weave microfiber towel – A microfiber towel that features tiny waffle/honeycomb-like weaves to improve water absorption. These towels are typically used to dry vehicles after a car wash.
Wash mitt – A mitt that is worn or held and used to wash a vehicle. Typically, wash mitts are made of microfiber or wool.
Water spots – When impure water dries on paint, water spots are left behind in the shape that the water dried. Water spots are not actually water – they are the minerals that were in the water. Pure distilled water will leave no marks. Harder water means more severe water spots. Water spots can also be etched into the paint itself if not removed fast enough.
Wet Sanding – Often abbreviated into one word, wet sanding is a process in which a detailer rubs very fine grit sandpaper on the vehicle's paint surface using water or some other solution as lubricant. Wet sanding is often used to remove more severe paint conditions in conjunction with rotary buffing. Wet sanding creates fine scratches in the paint that can be referred to as "haze" or "matte" that can be removed with a rotary buffer and compound.
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