Needing some more tips on Technique

[Johnson]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

I had a LED flashlight with me. I still didnt find much It was more just little line scratches and chips.

I can try to get some pictures tomorrow!

[Murr1525]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

The UW&W, having some wax, could be hiding things.

You may want to look do a search for "The Swirlfinder"... see which model Brinksman flashlight it is. It is pretty cheap, and people indoors like it.

Can you get any pics for us?

[Johnson]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

Got started on detailing the car tonight after work. I am loving this garage. Awesome lighting and the heat works good! and my boss tells me times are tough..

I think I was going over the car more then needed with the clay bar it took me a hour and a half..

I have never buffed in a garage that had so much light. After washing it with ultimate wash and wax, it really looked good. Running your hand across it, very rough but with some claying it was looking good.

The question that I am needing help with, I had a hard time finding swirls. (I know thats the goal) I did see a few sctraches here and there and deeper sctratches that would need sanding down and repainting. I dont believe after not being touched for a year, it would look this good as it does. It seems like when the sun was out this summer, I seen all kinds of swirls and scratches. Is there a trick to find them in a good lighting shop?

Which brings me to my next question. I am using swirlX with the buffer. being that I claim it looks pretty good. Just the hood alone took me 45 mins to do. Is that a little to long? I need to see the pad speed and movment speed to see if I am moving like a old grandma, or if I can speed it up a little?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

after talking to my boss on using the company shop to detail my car. He decided that it would be best if I would just use his own personal shop at his house instead of having to deal with it on company property.

Wow, nice guy!!

It has been suggested to use swirlX this time because of the winter weather already here. Now that I am not pressed so much for time, I should do a test spot, but It hasn't been touched in over a year! Would it be better to maybe use ultimate compound? Will SwirlX eliminate most of the defects to get a solid coat of wax on it.

Without seeing the level of defects and without knowing how the paint responds to input, it's darn near impossible to tell you which product will do what for the finish. Time alone is no indicator of how bad the paint may be - how well did you maintain it in that year? Follow your gut on this and do a couple of test spots. That will answer your question definitively.

I have some #7 on the self. Will that help with any protection, or is that just for a gloss shine

M07 is a pure polish, so it's a gloss enhancer only and offers zero protection.

[Murr1525]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

A wax will adhere well as long as the surface is clean. Swirls wont hurt that.

SwirlX will be plenty to get the dirt off, and remove some swirls.

If you wanted to do swirl removal as well, then you would want to do a test spot with both.

[Johnson]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

after talking to my boss on using the company shop to detail my car. He decided that it would be best if I would just use his own personal shop at his house instead of having to deal with it on company property.

It has been suggested to use swirlX this time because of the winter weather already here. Now that I am not pressed so much for time, I should do a test spot, but It hasn't been touched in over a year! Would it be better to maybe use ultimate compound? Will SwirlX eliminate most of the defects to get a solid coat of wax on it.


I have some #7 on the self. Will that help with any protection, or is that just for a gloss shine

Hi John, I'm a little confused in your question. You first stated that you were wanting to wax your car, then you said something about compound. Can you clarify this?

Ultimate compound is a paint cleaner, used before waxing

[jstuni]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

Hi John, I'm a little confused in your question. You first stated that you were wanting to wax your car, then you said something about compound. Can you clarify this?

[jfelbab]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

The Work Environment doesnt seem to be that bad I guess. So that car cover is prolly a mus then.

If I were to keep the cover on and leave it out side during the day, Is the cold weather going to mess with the buffing process?

Pure Carbauba - would that be like #27 and #6?

Pure carnauba = #16 (now discontinued) or #26.

[Johnson]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

The Work Environment doesnt seem to be that bad I guess. So that car cover is prolly a mus then.

If I were to keep the cover on and leave it out side during the day, Is the cold weather going to mess with the buffing process?

Pure Carbauba - would that be like #27 and #6?

[jfelbab]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

Pure Carbauba - would that be like #27 and #6?

I talked to my boss a little more today about it. He was really open to whatever I wanted to do. A few draw backs tho,

I work at a Laser Plant, We have machines that cut steel, so there is fork lifts and people grinding and all that junk, sand blasting you name it. When I would be working on the car, they wouldent be there but During the day when they are there is when I need a place to park the car so its out of the way and doesnt get anything on it. So I have a couple idea's..

Go Buy a car cover put it in the best place where it wouldn't need to be moved in the shop somewhere where there wouldent be much stuff floating around the air
or
Go buy a car cover anyway and just park it outside for the day and move it in when Im ready to get after it again? Is the cold going to affect anything?

My boss thinkin I could do it saturday in a 8 hour overtime shift for the lasers. He looked at me and said, you cant get that buffed in 8 hours? I feel the same way.. but it always seems to take me that plus a few hours to get it all done.

I'd personally use #16 but #26 is another pure carnauba. #6 is a cleaner wax and wouldn't work.

I spent some time at a large metallurgy plant doing a Y2K conversion a few years back. They did a lot of work with steel; cutting, stamping, grinding and the like. The air in and around the place was not great for paint (or prolonged breathing). IMHO, you will need to be extra careful with whatever you do. The smallest grain of abrasive or sliver of metal could kill your paint. A car cover might help but there is the potential for grave damage. Be overly cautious.

If your place is anything like the plant I worked at, I wouldn't take my car near this environment but I'm anal about my paint.

Best of luck.

[Johnson]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

It's great that you have a place to deal with winter weather.

I'd wash, and clay then follow with a sealant and a top coat of a pure carnauba. This would give you a decent amount of winter protection until the weather warms and you can do a full detail.

If you do this quick and clean up the place well, maybe your boss would allow you to use the facility to wash and apply UQW a few times through the winter season too? UQW is fast, usually less than 15-20 minutes.

Pure Carbauba - would that be like #27 and #6?


I talked to my boss a little more today about it. He was really open to whatever I wanted to do. A few draw backs tho,

I work at a Laser Plant, We have machines that cut steel, so there is fork lifts and people grinding and all that junk, sand blasting you name it. When I would be working on the car, they wouldent be there but During the day when they are there is when I need a place to park the car so its out of the way and doesnt get anything on it. So I have a couple idea's..

Go Buy a car cover put it in the best place where it wouldn't need to be moved in the shop somewhere where there wouldent be much stuff floating around the air
or
Go buy a car cover anyway and just park it outside for the day and move it in when Im ready to get after it again? Is the cold going to affect anything?

My boss thinkin I could do it saturday in a 8 hour overtime shift for the lasers. He looked at me and said, you cant get that buffed in 8 hours? I feel the same way.. but it always seems to take me that plus a few hours to get it all done.

[Murr1525]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

Try the SwirlX, make sure a milder product isnt what you need.

Generally would be best to clean it up some and protect it, then do a good detailing in the spring.

[Johnson]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

I am not sure that I really have a time limit I guess, but I dont want to drag it out over a week and not be able to do it again because of the time it took the first time. As you can see, I am still in the rookie stage so, it is still taking me more time then a normal pro would take.

I was cleaning out my closet with all my car stuff. I have alot of random stuff that I would like to use up.

Paint Cleaner, Cleaner wax, swirl X, Scratch X, ultimate compound and a few different polishes

What would you recommend using?

I will feel my boss out some more and see how much time I am allowed and go from there I guess. I have some other rock chips that need to be fixed too.

[jfelbab]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

It's great that you have a place to deal with winter weather.

I'd wash, and clay then follow with a sealant and a top coat of a pure carnauba. This would give you a decent amount of winter protection until the weather warms and you can do a full detail.

If you do this quick and clean up the place well, maybe your boss would allow you to use the facility to wash and apply UQW a few times through the winter season too? UQW is fast, usually less than 15-20 minutes.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Needing some more tips on Technique

We're with Bill on this one. You don't need to detail the car to perfection 10 minutes before winter hits, so a decent cleaner wax should suffice for now. M20 is going to be the longest lasting of the bunch and it will help with some light paint cleaning in the process.

It sounds as though your boss is being accommodating, but maybe a little grudgingly so. Do the gracious thing and get in and out quickly, but spend what little time you have doing the most beneficial thing for the car.