Detailing Questions-Answered

[Vbshelbygt]

 

[Vbshelbygt]

just a few more that I took

 

[bolivianpimp]

DKS your car looks amazing man. I have already purchased the porter cable buffer.

1) You recommend specific colors for each phase? (polish, wax, sealant)
2) When drying the car, what is the best way/product to dry it and not scratch it?
3) Any preferred website for the pads, sealant, drying products?

I have a black car and its soooo hard to keep it clean!

 

[DKS]

DKS your car looks amazing man. I have already purchased the porter cable buffer.

1) You recommend specific colors for each phase? (polish, wax, sealant)
2) When drying the car, what is the best way/product to dry it and not scratch it?
3) Any preferred website for the pads, sealant, drying products?

I have a black car and its soooo hard to keep it clean!

Thanks man.

LC Hydrotech pads are what I use.

Cyan for M105, Ultimate Compound, Swirl X, etc. Whichever you choose. Don't use the M105 unless your car is really really bad, it's like liquid wet sanding

Tangerine for M205

Crimson for applying sealants (or you can use a standard blue or black LC pad)

Hand apply paste wax.

Dry the car with a leaf blower, IMO it's the only way to fly on a black car. Any other color and I use MF drying towels.

I get most of my stuff from detailedimage.com if it's a big order (save shipping by ordering at one place.

But for single items I just look on Amazon first. I shop around for the best deal.

I'll PM you a discount code for DI now. 10%off

 

[Vbshelbygt]

Wish I had the code. Lol

 

[J.Cagle]

Crimson for applying sealants (or you can use a standard blue or black LC pad)

I was under the impression you applied sealer by hand the same as wax. How do you apply it with a buffer? Just spread it on the vehicle, buff the area, then hand wipe it off?

 

[Vbshelbygt]

So can I put more wax on at this point or sealer. Thanks

 

[NastyStang113]

I was under the impression you applied sealer by hand the same as wax. How do you apply it with a buffer? Just spread it on the vehicle, buff the area, then hand wipe it off?

Apply it to the pad just like any polish or wax than remove by hand.

 

[DKS]

So can I put more wax on at this point or sealer. Thanks

Since you've already waxed, just more wax. No more sealer, IMO

Wish I had the code. Lol

Oh, shit, should have asked me. You must have missed that post. My bad. PM'd. I gave it to so many people I lost track of who I did and didn't give it to.

 

[Vbshelbygt]

Thanks buddy!

 

[mds08]

I have the buffer if you need it. I got to order new pads.

 

[War Horse]

Thanks man.



I get most of my stuff from detailedimage.com if it's a big order (save shipping by ordering at one place.

But for single items I just look on Amazon first. I shop around for the best deal.

I'll PM you a discount code for DI now. 10%off

Any chance a new guy can get the discount code PM'd to me ?
Your car looks awesome and I would like to order the Natty's Blue and Black Fire for my Black GT/CS from Detailed Image. Thanks my man !

 

[DKS]

Any chance a new guy can get the discount code PM'd to me ?
Your car looks awesome and I would like to order the Natty's Blue and Black Fire for my Black GT/CS from Detailed Image. Thanks my man !

Not a problem, PM'd

 

[Tungsten06]

DKS, awesome thread. It has inspired me to go ahead and get an actual buffer and attempt to do this myself a few times a year. Is all this something that someone completely new to detailing can do? I certainly don't want to make the finish worse..lol.

I have a couple of questions. First, is there anything you can do to keep a convertible top looking good? Second, aside from having wax on the weather stripping, what can you do if it just looks rough? I believe the previous owner of my car might have let the car sit under a pine tree or something.

 

[DKS]

DKS, awesome thread. It has inspired me to go ahead and get an actual buffer and attempt to do this myself a few times a year. Is all this something that someone completely new to detailing can do? I certainly don't want to make the finish worse..lol.

I have a couple of questions. First, is there anything you can do to keep a convertible top looking good? Second, aside from having wax on the weather stripping, what can you do if it just looks rough? I believe the previous owner of my car might have let the car sit under a pine tree or something.

With a DA buffer you don't have much to worry about. Just pay attention to what you are doing. Keep your pads clean so you're not buffing with dirty pads that will scratch your paint.

I like to use Mother's back to black on trim. There are better things out there, but it serves it's purpose for me. My cars are kept inside so I don't have a lot of trim issues.

As far as vert tops go, I have no clue. I've never owned a vert and probably never will. I'm more of a hard top with the tinted windows rolled up kind of guy, lol

Maybe someone that knows some advice will chime in. TopBliss?? BeerHunter??

 

[LegendLives]

Question??? How do you clean the buffer pads when your done using them. I dont want to screw them up, not at almost $7 a pop!

 

[NastyStang113]

At the very least you should take a MF, place it on your hand against the pad, turn the buffer on and it will clean a lot of the residue out. The Yellow Bug Sponges also work great for cleaning the pads. I think a lot of people over clean their pads which only deteriorates the pads. If you're using the right amount of product you shouldn't have to clean them all of the time since the product is being worked and turns into dust.

 

[Seer]

Question??? How do you clean the buffer pads when your done using them. I dont want to screw them up, not at almost $7 a pop!

Buy snappy pad clean.

Mix it with water in a bucket, throw pads in the bucket, let them sit for awhile, then agitate them.

 

[DKS]

Buy snappy pad clean.

Mix it with water in a bucket, throw pads in the bucket, let them sit for awhile, then agitate them.

This is what I do. I use a pad brush during use sometimes, but when I'm finished I throw them in the snappy for about 10-30 minutes while I'm cleaning up. Then rub them and squeeze them out.

 

[DKS]

Ok, I keep getting more and more PM's about what someone needs to buy to get started. So, here's a list. It's not the end all be all list, but it's a good start. With the stuff listed here, you can make the paint look very nice if you know what you are doing.

#1 A real buffer. A Porter Cable 7424XP is what I use, but any GOOD DA is ok to start out with. With a DA you don't have to worry about hurting your paint like with a rotary. THEY DO NOT SELL REAL BUFFERS AT VATOZONE OR WALMART, PERIOD

#2 A backing plate for the DA. This allows you to use any of the standard pads. Probably a 5.5" is the best choice.

#3 Pads- I use Lake Country Hydrotech pads since they are more versatile and allow you to waste less product because they hold the product at the surface and do not let it soak in as much as other pads.

I use Cyan Pads for heavier cutting (like with M105, Ultimate Compound, Swirl-X)

I use Tangerine Pads for light cutting (for M205)

I use Crimson Pads for applying pure/non-abrasive polish, sealant, or liquid wax (which I don't really use)

If you don't want to use the Hydrotech pads you can use. . . . .

Yellow pads for M105, etc. (cutting)

Orange pads for M205, etc. (light cutting)

and Blue or Black finishing pads for application of non-abrasives, sealants, waxes.

#4 MF towels. There are many different kinds of them. You want to pay attention to what kind you use for which job.

Don't use a drying towel to remove wax, don't use a window towel to dry the car.

I keep the MF towels I use for product removal completely separate from all my
other towels, always. I don't want to risk using a MF that I polish my wheels with
on my paint, even if I wash it.
Get good MF towels that are purpose specific. Different towels have different
nap and different uses.

#5 Products- You can't go wrong with M105 and M205 for heavy and light polishing. These are all I use and have no reason to switch up to anything else.

BlackFire Wet Diamond is the shit when it comes to a sealant, period. Great on dark cars, too. Zanio products are also good sealants. I'll probably start buying their full line in the future when I run out of all the crap I have now, lol

Wax is completely up to the user, too many options out there to pick a favorite. For the price I like Natty's Blue or Natty's red. Not that it's the best wax by any means, but for the price, it's pretty damn good.


Spray Detailer- You need this, not just for a quick detail, but to go over your car to make sure all of the excess of the products you are using are removed. Also used for Claying the car.

If I'm inside I like either Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Detailer or Optimum Instant Detailer and Gloss enhancer. If I'm at a car show in the sun I only use Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Wax.

#6 Tape- Low tack Delicate Blue Painter's Tape is a life and time saver. Mask off the car before starting, much easier

#7 Clay Bar- Chemical Guys clay is good. Mother's is good for over the counter stuff. Meguiar's is also good.

#8 Wash- I use Chemical Guys Maxi-Suds for washing and for my foam gun.

I use Chemical Guys Citrus wash for stripping off wax for a full detail.

On my Other cars I use Meguiar's Gold Class Car wash

#9 Dressing- For a good all in one dressing that will work on tires and engine I love Meguiar's Hyper Dressing. Great Value since you dilute it down with water. And yes, it's water based, not silicone and it's much better for your rubber and your paint

If I've missed anything, ask away. This is a simple list, and there are a lot of options out there, but this is easy to find and a good balance between quality and cost efficiency.