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Accumulator · 06-19-04, 04:41

Macgirl- Yeah, I thought about GW, but I don't want to recommend anything that I haven't tried. Hence my request for more opinions. I thought some people found GW hard to use because of the "put it on thin" bit, I wasn't sure it would be newbie-proof. Heh heh, I oughta just try it, huh?

NozeBleedSpeed - yeah, I know where you're coming from

And that thread *is* a good example.

We're not really on opposite sides of this one, I think I'm just used to a different sort of newbie, and/or maybe expecting that the ones we're talking about will have already done some research. Way back when I started doing this (about the same time you did, as I recall), I read what little was available, gave it a *LOT* of thought before starting, and actually, even my very first details turned out rather well. I was maintaining black ss lacquer, and I kept it pretty nice, even by today's Autopian standards. I gave a lot of the credit to the products I was using (mostly Meg's and Pro brand stuff), and I don't think I could've done as well with "consumer grade" stuff.

It seems *everybody* wants to know how to get rid of "swirls", and yeah, they're gonna learn by doing.

Your Mother's 3-step suggestion might indeed be a good starting point. I was just thinking that something more aggressive is needed to get rid of marring.

A friend's husband is a good example of what I mean. I taught him the basics at my place and he got it right away. But he kept getting crappy results when he "waxed" their cars at home- no wonder, with TW rubbing compound :scared and a SMR and NuFinish! I helped him Cyclo/PC his marring down to where it was livable, then I gave him some MFs, some #80, and some #16 (and explained how to use them). Problem solved; their cars look much better than average with what they consider reasonable effort. He was just using the wrong stuff.

I'm not at all saying we oughta start neglecting the big emphasis on process and experience, just kicking around ideas about what stuff is likely to give good results in the hands of a beginner. Well, make that a thoughtful, well-read beginner

[Edit:] Accumulatorette points out that my version of a "newbie" is skewed because everyone I grew up with was into detailing more than the average person. Even the (literal) "old maids" in my family had cool cars and kept even their doorjambs spotless and waxed. I grew up hearing how hard to use the original Simonize was...

06-19-04, 04:41	#6 (permalink)
Accumulator Practical Perfectionist Accumulator is offline Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 20,795	Macgirl- Yeah, I thought about GW, but I don't want to recommend anything that I haven't tried. Hence my request for more opinions. I thought some people found GW hard to use because of the "put it on thin" bit, I wasn't sure it would be newbie-proof. Heh heh, I oughta just try it, huh? NozeBleedSpeed - yeah, I know where you're coming from And that thread is a good example. We're not really on opposite sides of this one, I think I'm just used to a different sort of newbie, and/or maybe expecting that the ones we're talking about will have already done some research. Way back when I started doing this (about the same time you did, as I recall), I read what little was available, gave it a LOT of thought before starting, and actually, even my very first details turned out rather well. I was maintaining black ss lacquer, and I kept it pretty nice, even by today's Autopian standards. I gave a lot of the credit to the products I was using (mostly Meg's and Pro brand stuff), and I don't think I could've done as well with "consumer grade" stuff. It seems everybody wants to know how to get rid of "swirls", and yeah, they're gonna learn by doing. Your Mother's 3-step suggestion might indeed be a good starting point. I was just thinking that something more aggressive is needed to get rid of marring. A friend's husband is a good example of what I mean. I taught him the basics at my place and he got it right away. But he kept getting crappy results when he "waxed" their cars at home- no wonder, with TW rubbing compound :scared and a SMR and NuFinish! I helped him Cyclo/PC his marring down to where it was livable, then I gave him some MFs, some #80, and some #16 (and explained how to use them). Problem solved; their cars look much better than average with what they consider reasonable effort. He was just using the wrong stuff. I'm not at all saying we oughta start neglecting the big emphasis on process and experience, just kicking around ideas about what stuff is likely to give good results in the hands of a beginner. Well, make that a thoughtful, well-read beginner [Edit:] Accumulatorette points out that my version of a "newbie" is skewed because everyone I grew up with was into detailing more than the average person. Even the (literal) "old maids" in my family had cool cars and kept even their doorjambs spotless and waxed. I grew up hearing how hard to use the original Simonize was...