Ill give you pro detailers credit

[sas71]

i did my first detail today..took me 6hrs or a little longer and i didnt even do the windows or the interior.



washed

clayed

washed

polished x2

sealed x1



gonna wash again tomorrow and apply 1 more coat of sealant. everything was done by hand and it was a 08 mazda 3. if it had been any bigger i would have had been up at the crack of dawn to have finished what i did lol



ill give you guys credit who do it every single day for a living. :buffing:



since youre here..how do you guys do the door jambs? i hit them with a little PBs S/W and toweled it off. im thinking tomorrow about putting some polish on them and sealant or is that even necessary for the jambs if i keep them clean?

[JonP]

For the jambs, I just use some diluted all purpose cleaner or soapy water and wipe them down if they are a little dirty. For the really greasy jambs, APC but let soak and use a very soft brush to clean in between everything and wipe off and apply some wax. A little practice and you will detail a whole car while it`s still daylight. Also, keep the hinges greased.

[Accumulator]

..how do you guys do the door jambs? i hit them with a little PBs S/W and toweled it off. im thinking tomorrow about putting some polish on them and sealant or is that even necessary for the jambs if i keep them clean?

I treat `em just like the paint on the hood. Since yours are already clean, polish them and seal. Then they`ll a) shed dirt and moisture better, thus staying nice longer, b) clean up better/easier, and c) look better (I get lots of compliments on them). Once they`re all polished/sealed you can clean them with either shampoo mix or maybe with just some QD (I use the former and spray QD on before drying).



Note that such areas aren`t always clearcoated on Mazdas (and/or other cars). The paint is pretty thin there so don`t go nuts polishing and don`t if/when you get paint transfer onto your polishing media.



Oh, and at six hours I think you`re doing things nice and quick I`ve been doing this stuff since forever and it still takes me a long, long time. You`ll cut some time off that with more experience, so don`t worry about how long it takes while you`re getting the hang of it.

[abbeysdad]

I built my house but I`m not a carpenter, plumber, electrician, dry walller, or painter.

I grow lots of food organically but I`m not a farmer.

I`m a very good cook and have cooked for thousands, but I`m not a chef.

I write software for a living but never went to school for it.

I detail autos pretty well, but I`m not a detailer!

(OMG - I`m nobody. lol)



It does take a long time to do a true detail, paying attention to all the details. Full interior vaccum, `shampoo`/extraction, dash `n vinyl cleaning, exterior wash, clay, polish, LSP and glass in & out can easily span 6 hours. Faster may simply mean it was in good shape before the detail. Some would say they do it much quicker, but it`s relative. A good procedure with good products can save time - so can a ride in good shape already - a messy challenge or bad paint can take much longer.



Okay, so I`m not a detailer, but I`m in a DG phase, so I hit the jams with DG AW and they pop. (note to self: next detail, steam clean door hinges and relube with white lithium grease).

I think any spray on / wipe off `wax` would be very efficient and hold up well for clean frames, jams `n threshholds.

[haper]

.

its an oddly nice feeling when you become <insert your child`s name>`s dad.



and from your post we are very similar, except i`ve never cooked for thousands - although it feels like it when my son has his teenage friends over for dinner.

[abbeysdad]

its an oddly nice feeling when you become <insert your child`s name>`s dad.

and from your post we are very similar, except i`ve never cooked for thousands - although it feels like it when my son has his teenage friends over for dinner.

It may be the most important thing I do in this lifetime...and I keep hoping I won`t mess up too bad. She`s 10 goin on 21 and there are days...well, there are days.

:furious: