10 things I've learned in 15 years of Detailing

C

charlesml3

New member
Gang,



I thought I'd put together a list of 10 things that I've learned ove the last 15 years of detailing. Feel free to add your own:



1) It's not about the wax, it's about the surface prep.



2) There are some defects you'll never be able to remove (without repainting which is another problem).



3) Acid rain pits can easily extend down to through the clear coat to the paint.



4) It's almost impossible to get a glossy shine without a machine.



5) There isn't much "voodoo magic" regarding polishes. One medium cut cleaner is pretty much the same as another.



6) Wash, Clay, Medium Cut, Wash, Swirl Mark Remover, Wash, Glaze, and then Wax will take you all weekend. The process cannot be rushed.



7) Detergent, Soap, and Shampoo are not the same thing.



8) Layering "5 coats of Carnuba wax" is only wishful thinking. Each new application is only taking the old one off.



9) There's no such thing as a "Cleaner/Wax" Either you're cleaning or you're waxing.



10) Detailing a black car is pretty much the graduate degree for detailing.



Cheers!



-Charles
 
1.The one thing I learned (and still have that last 98% to learn, mind you) way back then still holds true today âہ“ Itâ€â„¢s the surface preparation that makes the difference, not the productâ€Â�.



2.A paint film surface is a delicate thin coating, easily dulled and very easily scratched. Choose carefully any advice you listen to and more importantly act upon.



3.Try to learn from other people(see also #2 above) and keep an open mind on new ideas, new products and new techniques. It really does all come down to; 85% preparation, 5% product 7% application methodology and the balance is in the â€Ëœguyâ€â„¢ of the beholder.



4.A manufacturer is free to place any claim of excellence he wants on his product to make it sell.



5.After four decades of detailing vehicles what is left is experience, and experience unshared is knowledge wasted.



6.Of course the more I learn, the more I realize what I donâ€â„¢t know. Then at some point, I hope to have learned enough to realize, that I know nothing at all.



7.The aesthetics of a vehicles appearance is very subjective to say the least, only by trying different waxes or sealants on your vehicle will you be able to decide what looks best to you, as this is the only â€Ëœbest wax or sealant â€Ëœ that really matters.



8. Question evrything, find out the 'Why' as well as the 'How'.



9. A detailer combines chemicals, equipment as well as a knowledge of 'vehicle surfaces, â€Ëœchemicalsâ€â„¢, refers to the cleaning and protection products used, â€Ëœequipment,â€â„¢ refers to the tools used, for example, random orbital polishers, high-speed rotary polishers, extractors and power washers, to name a few. â€ËœVehicle Surfacesâ€â„¢, requires a basic understanding of chemistry and how to rejuvenate and protect each of the many and varied material surfaces, regardless of its specific surface composition making objectives observations based upon the results obtained, and adjusting the techniques used as necessary



10. Never stop learning (you're never too old to learn something new or to try something you never tried before)

JonM
 
i agree about acid rain pitting-if someone invents a product that permantetly fills acid rain pits it would be great-that's one reason that products with some fillers work well on daily drivers
 
wannafbody said:
i agree about acid rain pitting-if someone invents a product that permantetly fills acid rain pits it would be great-that's one reason that products with some fillers work well on daily drivers
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LOL, it's called "paint".



Just wanted to make a smartass remark; believe me I feel your pain. Here in NEPA, people burn coal for heat in the winter, and we have acid snow, which leaves contour lines in the paint.





Tom
 
i live 2 miles from a coal plant and under the lights at night my cars hood looks like crap from the pitting-maybe someday i'll get it recleared
 
One nasty truth: Eventually, when you have the ultimate gloss, depth ,reflectivity, -etc, every door ding, minor dent, even misaligned panels will be more evident ! Some cutomers will swear they were NOT there before! !:rofl
 
With 14 years of experience detailing everything under sun . . . the most valuable lesson Iâ€â„¢ve learned is that it will never be perfect . . . and thatâ€â„¢s ok :D



Not an easy statement coming from an extreme Type A, obsessive compulsive personality ;)
 
charlesml3 said:


10) Detailing a black car is pretty much the graduate degree for detailing.
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You couldn't have said it better! :xyxthumbs



charlesml3 said:


8) Layering "5 coats of Carnuba wax" is only wishful thinking. Each new application is only taking the old one off.
Click to expand...



Could you please elaborate on this one? :nixweiss
 
charlesml3 said:
4) It's almost impossible to get a glossy shine without a machine
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Disagree.



I brought back the dead many times by hand with MPPC and AIO in my pre PC days.



Scottwax posted hundreds of "legendary" details that he performed by hand.



It just takes a bit more work.



BTW, I agree with the rest of your list.



#2 is one of the hardest things for a newbie to learn.
 
Knockwurst said:
With 14 years of experience detailing everything under sun . . . the most valuable lesson Iâ€â„¢ve learned is that it will never be perfect . . . and thatâ€â„¢s ok :D



Not an easy statement coming from an extreme Type A, obsessive compulsive personality ;)
Click to expand...



I hear you there, my neighbors say I'm going to polish the paint right off the car and I'm the same type A person.



A Show car can be kept in meticulous condition. A daily driver or one that is driven more frequently than not is almost impossilbe to keep defect free or at the very least not have a Black paint job.



So I'm learning to live with some things. Up to a point anyway.
 
Originally by TOGWT--
1."The one thing I learned (and still have that last 98% to learn, mind you) way back then still holds true today âہ“ Itâ€â„¢s the surface preparation that makes the difference, not the productâ€Â�.
Click to expand...



I have a question, I am abit unclear to what exactly is a good & correct prep. can you please elaborate in detail of an example of excellent prep?:nixweiss



Thanx a mill, TOGWT. I alwatys learn alot from your detailed yet concise posts. Awesome.
 
JM19,



There are lots of posts here on layering. I'd recommend looking there. Basically, a pure Carnuba wax is VERY soft. If you try to layer it, you'll only take off the old coat as you go. The only layering that seems to work is a polymer with a carnuba on top of that.
 
Mystickid,



TOGWT and I are both saying that the best wax you can buy is not going to make a poorly prepared surface look good. Put it this way, it's not the wax that makes the car shine. The wax only helps preserve the existing shine. If you run the six step process outlined at the root of this thread, you'll have a surface that's ready for wax.



-Charles
 
I couldn't agree more....Wanna shine? you must "prep" the car like there's no tomorrow.

Defects,oxidation,etc its inevitable :mad:
 
In the years that I've owned automobiles (since I was 16) and detailed them, I've learned one thing: I most enjoy the process of detailing rather than its eventual outcome. I'll spend an entire day or two detailing my car, put it in the garage once I'm finished, and the next day before I even open the garage door I'll want to detail it all over again. I'm a drug addict. The waxes and polishers and cleaners are my heroine or cocaine and the car is my arm or nose.
 
charlesml3 said:
JM19,



There are lots of posts here on layering. I'd recommend looking there. Basically, a pure Carnuba wax is VERY soft. If you try to layer it, you'll only take off the old coat as you go. The only layering that seems to work is a polymer with a carnuba on top of that.
Click to expand...



Thank you, that was a very informative answer. I often get satisfaction out of layering three or four coats of wax over several weeks. I guess I am just wasting my time? :confused:
 
Hi Jeff,



Well, the satisfaction you get out of it alone may make it a worthwhile endeavor. I certainly don't want to drop in here and poo-poo your method.



Pure Carnuba wax is soft and has a low melting point. It gets very difficult to keep a coat of wax on a black auto in the summer. Panels right in the sun can get to 100 degrees even on a mild day.



I usually lean towards Polymer waxes for the daily drivers and use pure Carnubas for garage queens. Consider using a good Quick Detail spray to clean off the dust and add a coat of wax every six weeks or so. Again, black is the Graduate Degree in detailing!



-Charles
 
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