Polishing "light" to use + questions about washing towels.

**LS2GOAT** · 04-24-2008, 04:32 PM

When people polish their cars, they shine a certain light on it to show the before and after effect. What light is this, is it just a halogen on a stand? What`s the cheapest place to get one?

Also, I need to wash my microfiber towels. Can I just use regular detergent (no bleach, no fabric softener), or should I use dawn dish soap? Plus...I dropped my absorber on the ground..can I wash this with my microfiber towels?

Thanks!

**imported_themightytimmah** · 04-24-2008, 04:41 PM

Usually it`s just a Home Depot or Sears halogen. I bought 2 1000w halogens for 20 bucks on sale a while back. Some folks like the Brinkmann dual xenon hand held light, they`re like 30 bucks at a boat store. Perfectionists in bad climate areas usually get the 3M Sun Guns, those are closer to 3-400.

**Accumulator** · 04-26-2008, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by LS2GOAT

When people polish their cars, they shine a certain light on it to show the before and after effect. What light is this, is it just a halogen on a stand? What`s the cheapest place to get one?

Halogens are OK for general illumination when polishing, but I see marring (especially *light* marring on metallics) a lot better under incandescent light. Whatever light you`re using for this will work best in an otherwise dark environment.

Also, I need to wash my microfiber towels. Can I just use regular detergent (no bleach, no fabric softener), or should I use dawn dish soap? Plus...I dropped my absorber on the ground..can I wash this with my microfiber towels?

I`ve washed Absorbers with cotton towels and with MFs, no problems either way. While some of us (myself included) get the best results with "MF specific detergents", regular detergents work OK too and some people say they`re all you need. I don`t wash my MFs enough with Dawn to really have an opinion about that, wouldn`t bother doing it unless you have a really good specific reason.

**BigAl3** · 04-26-2008, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by LS2GOAT

When people polish their cars, they shine a certain light on it to show the before and after effect. What light is this, is it just a halogen on a stand? What`s the cheapest place to get one?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_10...&gobutton.y=16

Originally Posted by LS2GOAT

Also, I need to wash my microfiber towels. Can I just use regular detergent (no bleach, no fabric softener), or should I use dawn dish soap? Plus...I dropped my absorber on the ground..can I wash this with my microfiber towels?

i use liquid tide in warm water (the key is not to use too much detergent), with 4-5oz`s of vinegar on the last rinse cycle. then off to the dryer on the lowest heat setting with NO fabric softener/dryer sheet...

**itb76** · 04-27-2008, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by LS2GOAT

...Can I just use regular detergent (no bleach, no fabric softener), or should I use dawn dish soap?

If you have a high efficiency front loading washing machine, the Dawn will foam too much. It will probably work in a regular top loader.

Originally Posted by BigAl3

...NO fabric softener/dryer sheet...

This is absolutely key!

**Accumulator** · 04-27-2008, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by itb76

..{Dawn].. will probably work in a regular top loader.

Yeah, it does, though it can foam in a

sort of way. Can take a *LOT* of rinses too, even with the vinegar. For that matter, you can use APC/Simple Green in a top loader. Yeah, I know, it`s sure not recommended, but my garage washer is going on 20 years old and it`s digested a lot of stuff you "shouldn`t use" over the years with no problems at all

**dsms** · 04-27-2008, 04:50 PM

I find my brinkmann on metallics does very little for swirl finding, Im getting the CM5300

**SVR** · 04-27-2008, 06:26 PM

Mostly halogens but they are nowhere near as good as the sodium vapours I`ve got all over the ceiling of my warehouse/workshop

They show everything and you know when the paint is perfect when not one single mark shows up under those lights

**Accumulator** · 04-28-2008, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by SVR

Mostly halogens but they are nowhere near as good as the sodium vapours I`ve got all over the ceiling of my warehouse/workshop...

Heh heh, every time you post about those I

for not having my shop`s ceiling lights set up that way

My incandescents are sorta a half-@$$ed version when it comes to inspecting...but what I`d *really* like to have is all *three* types of ceiling lights- sodium, incandescent, and fluorescent.

**SVR** · 04-30-2008, 03:30 AM

nice one accumulator, they are superb lights and I highly recommend them

**Accumulator** · 04-30-2008, 10:05 AM

SVR- Sigh...the way my shop was built makes it pretty unlikely that I`ll be adding any more ceiling lights

I had my electrical contractor over and he came right out and said that he didn`t want the job...too much tearing everything apart. I`d have to get my builder involved and, well, the whole thing just isn`t feasible.

Coulda/woulda/shoulda...

**Eisen Hulk** · 04-30-2008, 11:52 AM

BigAl3,

You are the man. I`ve been wanting to upgrade my halogen. I just ordered that set up online, and I`m picking it up after work. :xyxthumbs

Originally Posted by BigAl3

Sears.com

i use liquid tide in warm water (the key is not to use too much detergent), with 4-5oz`s of vinegar on the last rinse cycle. then off to the dryer on the lowest heat setting with NO fabric softener/dryer sheet...