Detailing and Caring for your ride.

[CERTAUTOG35]

Well im offering it for any one who wants to try it to me its very hard to burn the clear if you pay attention... ive never done it but i do know some who have if some want it ill put it up

[Picus]

I put up a wetsanding DIY a long time ago, I will re-post it if you guys think it's a good idea. For the most part it was well received but some guys thought it was a bad idea for the same reason redlude97 mentioned.

[wongsooiseng]

this is really excellent info.

[wongsooiseng]

What is a PC? Where can i get a good PC? how much should i spent?

Sooiseng

[PDT]

Here is where you can get one from:

http://www.detailedimage.com/store/i...hp?cPath=37_38

Info on Porter Cable:

http://autopia.org/forum/guide-detai...-polisher.html

[wongsooiseng]

Just brought it with Tool Plus for $106.5 including shipping, thanks man!

Sooiseng

[pullover20]

if you take your car to get detailed
will they polish and remove the swirl marks as well as apply a sealent or wax?
i need to do alot of work on the paint inlcuding a few touch up spots in the near future
I do not own a CP so I wont be able to do much
but i could clay the car and apply a sealent....which is why i wanted to know what 4* UPP or Acrylic Jett are?
thanks

[RBull]

Originally Posted by pullover20

if you take your car to get detailed
will they polish and remove the swirl marks as well as apply a sealent or wax?
i need to do alot of work on the paint inlcuding a few touch up spots in the near future
I do not own a CP so I wont be able to do much
but i could clay the car and apply a sealent....which is why i wanted to know what 4* UPP or Acrylic Jett are?
thanks

Yes a detailer can compound the car to remove the swirls but you will pay extra for this optional service. You will want to make sure they know what they're doing and you're dealing with someone you can trust.

[kernel]

Picus, great thread but I'm a still a newb so could you please clarify a few things for me....

Originally Posted by picus112

So let's start with a fairly mild combo, say, FPII (or SSR1 or 2) on a white pad....Turning clear is obvious, so is dust (dust literally forms and starts to come out of the pad), when you see the polish go clear or dust, you're done.

I've also got all Menzerna products (PG, FPII, IP, FMJ, Glaze)...when I applied my polish I mostly thought it was dusting, but if I really applied it it would eventually clear up, am I applying it too much, spending too much time??? Basically, should it dust or flash?

Originally Posted by picus112

Now, this first pass is kind of a test to see what combo you'll need. If you have achieved no results, or very little, you need to move up in abrasion (or you're doing something wrong). On most cases you will need a stronger combo to remove even moderate swirls, so lets try something stronger.

Try IP (ssr2.5) on an orange pad, same process. Some more important notes: As you start to use more aggressive combos you may notice *hazing*. Hazing is basically millions of smaller less deep scratches caused by the abrasives in more aggressive compounds. By removing more paint they leave the surface rugged; this is why we follow up with a finishing polish on a less aggressive pad. That's why you'll often see me list my process like this:

Meznerna IP, orange pad
Menzerna FPII, white pad.

IP on an orange (or ssr2.5/OHC) can leave hazing, so it is important to follow up with a less aggressive combo.

So you first mention starting w/ FPII on White then moving up to IP on Orange to remove more of the swirls but this can leave hazing so then use something less agressive....so should I be going FPII, IP, FPII again?

Originally Posted by picus112

Sealants do not like bonding over glazes (though some will).

Will FMJ bond over Final Touch Glaze? BTW I never really realized glazes are filling in imperfections, perhaps thats why my car looked so good after glazing it last time, but I also applied FMJ over it.

Also, another important fact I learned from your post was not too use too much shampoo, i've always used a ton (more expensive, but I figured more suds was better)...this is starting to explain why my wax was gone after a week (since I wash the car weekly).

Sorry for the long post and so many questions but after realizing there are literally NO good detaileres in within a 3 hour drive of where I live, I've really got to step up my own detailing and want to make sure I thoroughly understand everything because I've always believed its the details that truly make the differce.

Thanks!

[swolg35]

Great info! Could you please put together a section on engine detailing and some of the product you use? I would also like to hear about what the products you use to clean the interior of cars.

Again, thanks for the write-up(s) and I will be using your advice!

[G35Sask]

"Silver/White (metallic or non). Either 4* UPP or Acrylic Jett, period. Why? I don't know; both of these just look awesome on silver and white, so wet, so glossy - something about them just works on these two colors, IMO."

I found Acrylic Jett on google, but what is 4* UPP, i can't find it anywhere? Which of the two would be 1st choice on my car (bs in avatar) if it was yours?

[425skyline]

awesome info. I can't wait to detail my car w/ all the stuff i've accumulated recently, except it just keeps going back to the body shop for more re-painting lol.

[Glycerine]

Originally Posted by G35Sask

"Silver/White (metallic or non). Either 4* UPP or Acrylic Jett, period. Why? I don't know; both of these just look awesome on silver and white, so wet, so glossy - something about them just works on these two colors, IMO."

I found Acrylic Jett on google, but what is 4* UPP, i can't find it anywhere? Which of the two would be 1st choice on my car (bs in avatar) if it was yours?

Four Star Ultimate Paint Protector. I use it on my LP. Recently tried some Jet Seal 109. Final gloss looks better than plain 4*UPP (imo), but twice as expensive. Using DWG, 4*UPP, and Aquawax as LSP is my current favorite.

[lmulion03]

ok...so I am going to practice on some hoods that I will get off the junk yard...here is what I am going to do.

Start with a white pad using PO106ff. If that doesn't work, then bump up using an orange pad. If that doesn't work, then orange pad using SIP P083. I'm assuming after that combo, the marks will be gone. So, do I finish with a finsihing polish (PO106ff)? Is there something that I am missing or that anybody recommends? This will be using a PC!

[Picus]

That's a good process, remember paint varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, so what works on one may work differently on another. When you do use an orange pad you will want to follow up with a white pad pretty much regardless, since the orange pad will leave some pad marring behind.