Re: The minimum amount of drying needed for no watermarks at all?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Accumulator
Eh, sure wish it worked out that way for me!
I blow things off with the AirWand, go over it with the compressor, and still spend forever drying it. Use more than one MF too, but then I`m pretty generous with the Drying Aid unless reLSPing. Even then I`ll spend longer on that "final drying" step that many here do on the whole wash. Simply don`t know how people do stuff so quickly/easily...
That might be the difference. I literally mist, like super fine mist the panel, and TBH, I probably don`t use as much as I should. We are on different planes when it comes to swirl avoidance though. I just don`t want to see them where you don`t want to cause any at all.
Re: The minimum amount of drying needed for no watermarks at all?
Dan- Heh heh, even here at Autopia I`m "on a different plane" :o But yeah...and also, our vehicles just happen to be ones that *really* retain water in various places, maybe because I get stuff so wet washing the way I do. From the back sides of the wiper arms to the sideview mirrors, not to mention the huge panel gaps, there are all sorts of places that need blown out more than once...more than twice too...no matter how well I think I`m doing it.
Re: The minimum amount of drying needed for no watermarks at all?
Side view mirrors are the devil. I`ve lost count of the times I`ve had everything dried and looking good on my black car, yet when I go back out hours later, there is a line of water spots on the door running from the mirror to the rocker panel.
Another one that drives me nuts are the internal hidden water channels which drain water somewhere else on the vehicles. SUV`s and hatchbacks are notorious. My VW has very tight gaps on the rear hatch, but water from the roof drains into a gap between the upper hatch and roof. From there, it runs inside the car and then drains out where the hatch meets the bumper. Typically not enough to run out very far, so I have to open the hatch to get the water...which then seems to release another cascade of water elsewhere in those channels. At that point I start looking for a tool like an RPG or LAW launcher to end the madness for good.
Re: The minimum amount of drying needed for no watermarks at all?
Desertnate- Heh heh, yeah...same experiences here, although that lengthy drying process will usually get it all if I go through it.
What really bugs me about the sideviews is the initial new-to-me vehicle detail, where I try to smooth the paint inside those using long swabs/etc., which takes [freakin`] forever. Fortunately, the LSP lasts a long time in there and that helps keep dirt from building up so much and IMO also helps the water get out easier.
You have a compressor? Even a little cheapie from Harbor Freight (~$40) might be sufficient for this.
Re: The minimum amount of drying needed for no watermarks at all?
Electric leaf blower start from the top down. The last thing I do is under carriage, Then go back and make sure I hit the panel seams, front grill, wheel wells, rims, suspension, brakes. I open the hood, doors and trunk. While I`m drying under the hood everything else is drip drying. After I`m done under the hood, go back and do all the door jambs. I can dry the rest of the entire car with two 16x24 waffle weave towels but I use 4. I have two for the top half of the car and two for the bottom half. Once the dry is done they are barely damp. I either do a once over with IUDJ if it does not need another coat of LSP.
Re: The minimum amount of drying needed for no watermarks at all?
0inDetail0- Yeah, same here...that`s about what I do and how I do it, except that I seem to spend forever REdoing each step as that drippage just keeps on coming.
How`re you liking the IUDJ for your Drying Aid? I still can`t get over how much I love it....what dilution are you using for that?
Re: The minimum amount of drying needed for no watermarks at all?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Accumulator
0inDetail0- Yeah, same here...that`s about what I do and how I do it, except that I seem to spend forever REdoing each step as that drippage just keeps on coming.
How`re you liking the IUDJ for your Drying Aid? I still can`t get over how much I love it....what dilution are you using for that?
I really never use it as a drying aid. I go over the car using it as a QD/Glass cleaner. I mix 2.5 ounces to 1 gallon of distilled water for everything. For rinseless wash 1/4 ounce per gallon of water. It`s really my most used product I have. I use it for interior QD, rinseless, glass cleaner, clay lube, exterior QD. Right now it`s my favorite "does everything product really well." I have BF rinseless that I`m testing out. It leaves a slick surface but is insanely expensive when compared to IUDJ when you consider dilution ratios. If you use it as a glass cleaner as a test it`s protection does not hold up as long as IUDJ. I think I might try UWW+ next, It`s cheaper overall then IUDJ per dilution ratio.
Re: The minimum amount of drying needed for no watermarks at all?
0inDetail- Heh heh, it sounds like you use IUDJ for everything *except* as a Drying Aid! I mix mine up at 2oz/gallon for everything, overkill for some stuff and a bit weak for a QD, but it seems to work OK. I still don`t like it for my Clay Lube or on glass though, eh..I don`t like *anything* for glass except Glass Cleaners, and I`m kinda picky about those too.
People seem to like the Ultima WW+, bet you will too. I`m just sticking with the IUDJ for various reasons..