NXT Metal Polysh in the cold

[Jeff Smith]

Brrrrr.

Just got done polishing up my Chrome Rims with NXT Generation All Metal Polysh. I have been looking for an alternative to hand polishing and decided to give the PowerBall a shot.

My wheels were already clean so I simply used NEW NXT Generation Speed Detailer to knock the dust off and went to work. I used an Even Coat Applicator to remove the product from the can and apply it to the surface of the wheel. I mainly did this because I had some recesses that I had my doubts that the PowerBall would get into well enough to suit me. So I used the ECA to work the product in these recesses and also used it to apply a decent amount of product at various intervals on the wheel so the PowerBall could work with it. I used the PowerBall with my Dewalt cordless drill on high. Worked like a champ. I did go through 2 batteries though. 1 battery for each 2 wheels roughly. Once done the polishing I wiped off the residual NXT/MP with a Supreme Shine Microfiber.

This is only the 2nd time I have ever polished my rims. Working from memory, I think it took me about 1/2 hour per rim to apply & remove the polish last time, by hand using an ECA & SSMF. By using the PowerBall and this technique it took me about 10-15 minutes per rim. So definately worth the time saving there.

It is still dark so I did not bother with any pics. My wheels were in prety good shape from the start so I doubt there will be any big difference as compared to the the last time I hand polished and posted pics. But from appearance purposes, I am happy with the results.

On the negative side I see 2 things I don't care for that need attention next time. :
1. I'll have to figure out a way to clean this PowerBall. At least when working by hand it's much easier to start off with a clean applicator and even switch to another clean one if need be. If anybody has managed to come up with a method of cleaning the PowerBall that works, I'd love to hear any commentary. I guess I could always just stick it in a pot of warm, soapy water and spin the drill on low speed and work it with my hand a little bit.

2. I think it would be pretty easy with this thing to accidently get in behind a spoke and grab some unseen dirt or brake dust and bring it around to the front of the spoke. So I would recommend anyone using this thing to make sure to clean their rims well and pay particular attention behind the spokes.

Overall it was a good experience and I am pleased. I do want to get a couple coats of NXT on them today when the sun comes up. Somethng else worth noting, I did all this in 19 degree (F) temps with a windchill of 9 degrees in the dead of night here form 1AM to 3 AM, so Brrrr. But the process as well as the product seemed to work very well.

I probably looked like a nut out there. I had on Thermal Underwear, Insulated Coveralls and a Military issue Severe Arctic Weather Parka on over that and wore a ski mask.

Tim (aka: 2hotford) probably would have just worn a t-shirt and shorts.

[tgfhatch]

Jeff, are you INSANE!!????? It's cold as heck out there!! I leave for work every day to come down to MD from PA and its always like 12 degrees, 10 degrees, and you were out there polishing your rims! CRAZY!

I hope your rims still aren't on your truck?? The road salt is going to eat them alive!

How much did the powerball run you? I was debating on getting one of those also to use at the car shows I go to. I need a easy and quick way to clean / polish rims at the show. I usually hit them with the QD to get the dust / road dirt off. Do you think the powerball could be of use to me at shows?? Sounds like it might be. Give me some input on what you think!

[Tim Lingor]

Hey Jeff,

You are definitely addicted to detailing!! Don't worry, in no time, people where you work will think you are nuts!! Ask me how I know!

I too have a Powerball. I found the same things you did, plus one must be careful around the valve stem as the foam fingers tend to really hook it! The only other thing I can suggest while using it, is to start the drill slowly until the polish has been applied and then turn up the speed. I used #20 with the Powerball and kind of turned the drill on too fast. I now have a sweatshirt with #20 splatter on it! Oops!

Oh..and Jeff...I would need more than just a T-shirt and shorts....I would need some shoes as well!

Tim

[Jeff Smith]

Originally posted by tgfhatch
Jeff, are you INSANE!!????? It's cold as heck out there!! I leave for work every day to come down to MD from PA and its always like 12 degrees, 10 degrees, and you were out there polishing your rims! CRAZY!

I hope your rims still aren't on your truck?? The road salt is going to eat them alive!

How much did the powerball run you? I was debating on getting one of those also to use at the car shows I go to. I need a easy and quick way to clean / polish rims at the show. I usually hit them with the QD to get the dust / road dirt off. Do you think the powerball could be of use to me at shows?? Sounds like it might be. Give me some input on what you think!

Trust me I was warm as heck. Had no issues with the cold. The rims are still on and I hope to put the OEms back on this week or next. The PowerBall was $23 at the local AutoZone.

As far as using it at a show, I am no car show person but my feel would be to Powerball it up prior to leaving the house for a show and a quick QD at the show itself. I don't see any benefit of actually doing this at a show. The wheels will still have to be wiped down anyway so I would just hit them at home then QD at the show.

[Jeff Smith]

Originally posted by 2hotford
Hey Jeff,

You are definitely addicted to detailing!! Don't worry, in no time, people where you work will think you are nuts!! Ask me how I know!

I too have a Powerball. I found the same things you did, plus one must be careful around the valve stem as the foam fingers tend to really hook it! The only other thing I can suggest while using it, is to start the drill slowly until the polish has been applied and then turn up the speed. I used #20 with the Powerball and kind of turned the drill on too fast. I now have a sweatshirt with #20 splatter on it! Oops!

Oh..and Jeff...I would need more than just a T-shirt and shorts....I would need some shoes as well!

Tim

Too late on the co-workers thinking I am nuts. I get that all the time. I get a kick out of it. When others are in a crowd, they all jump on the bandwagon and tell me how crazy I am and that it's not worth it. Then later 1 of them will approach me with nobody else around and start asking questions on how I do things.

Thanks for the tips. I might buy a few more of them. I would not want to apply wax with the same Powerball I polish with. Understand all on the valve stem thing. One thing I did find was that if you hit the valve stem from the wrong direction it will catch the valve stem cap and spin it off. If one is not careful this could get caught up in the Powerball and risk causing untold damage. I actually spun one of mine off and it flew through the wheel and ended up under the truck. So for the rest of them, I just removed the caps prior to polishing.

Have you come up with a decent method for cleaning these things? Will be good to know.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey Jeff,

No I have not figured out an easy way of cleaning it. I have washed it by leaving sit in a bowl of water and Dawn Soap. The problem was rinsing the soap out of it!!

Tim

[Jeff Smith]

Originally posted by 2hotford
Hey Jeff,

No I have not figured out an easy way of cleaning it. I have washed it by leaving sit in a bowl of water and Dawn Soap. The problem was rinsing the soap out of it!!

Tim

Understand. Will have to think up something. I tend to clean all applicators and pads after using a polish.

I would say a person could just about do up a gentle wash by having a soap/water sollution in one side of the kitchen sink with a rinse water in the other. Leave the do-dad on the drill and run it at a slow spped in both them possibly under the faucet for a final.

I have a few minutes now I'll take a stab at that. It should not hurt anything.

Just did it. Worked like a champ.

I did a little pre-rinse for the heck of it. Just ran it under the hot water faucet. Then I ran one side of the sink deep enough with hot water to immerse the do-dad. Added Dawn. Left do-dad on drill and immersed as far as possible without soaking drill chuck. Then I just turned on the drill at a lower speed and ran it increasingly up to a high enough speed until I got to a point I felt I was at risk of making a mess. Stopped and restarted doing this several times and got in there with my hand and worked the foam around a bit. Then I immersed in the other sink in clean water and basically did the same. After this switched back to a final rinse under the faucet. The foam still has a little blackness to it but overall I now feel safe there are no major contaminates to sweat. Had I soaked it for a long period prior to doing this the blackness might have diminished as well. I did put the thing back down in the empty sink and ran it up on high to sling the water out of it. It all stayed in the sink, just hitting the sides. I then took it off the drill and place the shank down in a coffee cup to air dry. Looks like a little flower arrangement.

A little downward pressure when first starting might even do a little polishing to the bottom of the kitchen sink.

One trick is to make sure to fill the sink up, add soap then immerse do-dad prior to turning on the drill. It did have a tendancy to make lots of foam fast. Hmm, might be a neat trick for those of use who like to wash with lots of suds.

Also might be wise to add a drop of oil to the screw in the shaft of the do-dad and also maybe hit the drill chuck wih a squirt of WD-40:

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

Originally posted by 2hotford
Hey Jeff,

No I have not figured out an easy way of cleaning it. I have washed it by leaving sit in a bowl of water and Dawn Soap. The problem was rinsing the soap out of it!!

Tim

you're talking about the valvestem caps, right? At 99-cents for 4, I just replace them every couple months. And the chrome ones I use on my truck are only $3 a piece, too.

I have yet another possible alternative to the powerball, too... which I think gives much better control.





I bought a cheap rotary tool (dremel knockoff, 4-speed) for $20 at Harbor Freight (another handy Chicago Electric tool) and grabbed a couple mini sewn buffs made by dremel ($3 each at Home Depot). Those, in conjunction with the NXT Polysh paste, work great. Just apply a thin layer of the paste to your surface, use the machine to "work it in," and wipe the black **** off with a walmart or sam's MF towel.

I just polished out the original lacquer finish on my 1968 Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone today using both the NXT on worn spots, as well as M82 on the rest of the lacquer. Looks almost like new!

[Jeff Smith]

Originally posted by Shiny Lil Detlr
you're talking about the valvestem caps, right? At 99-cents for 4, I just replace them every couple months. And the chrome ones I use on my truck are only $3 a piece, too.

I have yet another possible alternative to the powerball, too... which I think gives much better control.





I bought a cheap rotary tool (dremel knockoff, 4-speed) for $20 at Harbor Freight (another handy Chicago Electric tool) and grabbed a couple mini sewn buffs made by dremel ($3 each at Home Depot). Those, in conjunction with the NXT Polysh paste, work great. Just apply a thin layer of the paste to your surface, use the machine to "work it in," and wipe the black **** off with a walmart or sam's MF towel.

I just polished out the original lacquer finish on my 1968 Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone today using both the NXT on worn spots, as well as M82 on the rest of the lacquer. Looks almost like new!

Hmm. I like, I like. Already have a couple of dremels. One Corded and one battery op. I have not looked around for anything like you have found. Will have to do that. I had pretty good control of the powerball. But when I bought my rims I really looked hard for something for lots of surface area with smooth curves and not alot of details. I could see where on a wheel with alot of detail that controlling the thing could be a monster.

My Valve Stem caps are Chrome so I'll just take then off prior to polishing. Likely won;t hurt to plish the valve stem threads lightly every so aften anyway.

I'll pick up some of those wheels and use those in the corner where my spokes meets my rims. The picture below is not current but you can see my rims are not intracate. The only spot where I felt the Powerball would not do well was where each spoke meets the rim so I did those areas by hand. As well as around the valve stem. I think your suggestion will work very well along with the PowerBall for my rims. Thank you very much for the suggestion.

[Jeff Smith]

Well, it's 2:30 in the morning and I just managed to get a coat of wax on it. Much warmer tonight. I balmy 25 degrees (F). I applied NXT Paste with a High Tech Applicator. I waxed all four rims then cleaned the inside of the windows then removed the wax with an Ultimate wipe. The rims are cleaned, polished and protected above and beyond the intial protection the NXT Metal Polysh already provides. So all is good.

I think we need to call Meguiar's and explain to them how terribly important it is that Mike gets some cross training in cold weather detailing. Maybe have him sent up to do Tim's truck in Canada.

[tgfhatch]

Jeff, I agree. Anybody in favor of having Mike venture to the East cCoast during winter, say I? I!!!

He's spoiled having his home to detailing in Cali where they can detail year round and not have to worry about wearing upteen amount of layers!