Difference between: Compounding, Polishing, Finishing, Burnishing, Jeweling?

[David Fermani]

What I'd give to see what some people's 90%-95% "perfect" really is. I'd bet some leave out 10% of the effort in every category/step which could easily be 30% on a cumulative level. And that's not even considering product choice into the equation.

 

[imported_smprince1]

Here's a recent vehicle we did to the owner's satisfaction, with a unique finishing touch:woot:

I'm assuming you made her dress like that to eliminate the chance a rivet, zipper, or button would scratch the finish, right? :chuckle:



Now, if I can keep on topic I'm enjoying this discussion on finishing vs. jeweling vs. burnishing. Interesting.

 

[Flashtime]

This is 90% "perfect." 3 coats of Transtar Euro Classic. Nib sand and polish.

95% "perfect." 4 coats of the same clear. Sand 1000 -> 1500 -> 2000. 30 hours plus.

85% "perfect". 4 coats SPI Universal Clear. Sand 1000 -> 1500 -> 2000. LOTs of hours...

Super soft clear. Had to polish again a month and a half later. Now 92% "perfect."

Here's a 98% "perfect." 3 coats Transtar Euro Classic. Nib sand and polish.

 

[SiegeX]

If I get anything out of this thread its that my perfect seems to be your guys 85%. No way in hell I'm going to put 30+ hours into my daily driver for that extra 15%. I also don't do this for money and I have nobody to tarnish my reputation but myself. I'm glad I started this thread as it really gives me alot more insight into what you guys do.

 

[Hakko]

+1



My understanding of car care has increased by several orders of magnitude since I found Autopia, in part thanks to threads like this. Like SiegeX, I'm never going to go to 100% -- sorry, wetsanding just scares me -- but now I have the desire and ability to get to 85%.



:bow

 

[DownSouth]

If I get anything out of this thread its that my perfect seems to be your guys 85%. No way in hell I'm going to put 30+ hours into my daily driver for that extra 15%. I also don't do this for money and I have nobody to tarnish my reputation but myself. I'm glad I started this thread as it really gives me alot more insight into what you guys do.

I don't believe they are doing that last 10-15% on many Hondas. I imagine that is saved for clients who own Lambos and Ford GTs.

 

[Flashtime]

If I get anything out of this thread its that my perfect seems to be your guys 85%. No way in hell I'm going to put 30+ hours into my daily driver for that extra 15%. I also don't do this for money and I have nobody to tarnish my reputation but myself. I'm glad I started this thread as it really gives me alot more insight into what you guys do.

Percentages and pics don't mean much. And the hours spent depends on

what you start with and how far you want to go. I'm not a pro detailer (yet);

just a guy with a shop painting cars. There are no short cuts to the process.

Again, having working definitions for the steps involved is very helpfull in

many ways.

 

[danponjican]

+1



Remember, 98.741% of all statistics are made up on the spot. This seems to be an epidemic on this forum!

 

[Eisen Hulk]

I once made a car 87.45839% perfect sans jeweling.

 

[imported_weekendwarrior]

I once made a car 87.45839% perfect sans jeweling.

75.8396582% of the time you can do that.

 

[Eisen Hulk]

Touche.

75.8396582% of the time you can do that.

 

[danponjican]

:lol:lol

 

[Junebug]

Thank you Mr. Buffett, I have to say that the young lady next to that - what was it? oh yeah, some little red car, OK - God bless her parents!



Back on the subject, of detailing steps. If you pass on wet sanding, then I see you have compounding, polishing and finishing. Now, can some polish finish good enough to skip to the LSP? Where do you add a glaze? or do you add one? When is it "perfect" enough? These are all questions that I ask myself with each detail, and in the end, I have to set my bar a little higher than my customers and .....I just hit with Megs 151 and call it a day - LOL!

 

[Flashtime]

Now, can some polish finish good enough to skip to the LSP?

LSP's are a sacraficial layer(s) that has a side effect of making the panels shiny.

 

[imported_Jakerooni]

Oh don't get me wrong at all. Todd is absoultly dead on with his definaition of the process he does. His work speaks for itself without any question. Even if his attitude sometimes comes off as demeaning to others (god knows mine does too) The thing really comes down to where and how you do your business. Todd and others live in the south where it's nice and sunny 360 days of the year.. Others live in the snowbelt where we're lucky to see 3 good months of weather out of the year. Our customers demand different things. My customers would be beyond pi**ed at me if I spent 30+ hours on their paint. Todd's would be if he didn't. In my neck of the woods it comes down to how great can that interior my kids destoryed get? In other areas they not only want to see their own refelction but the relfection of their neighbors less than "jeweled" cars in their paint. It's not that one detailer is more or less skilled than the other..... It's simply the fact that our choosen customers demand different results than the others.. You as a detailer must choose who you want to work for.

 

[Todd@RUPES]

I was thinking about this (and discussing it with a forum member) and here is the other side as well...



I think it is funny that some people think having 3 different names is just right, 4 is too much, etc because playing devil's advocate...



It is all just machine polishing with different pads and abrasives...



From now on



"First I machine polished the paint to remove the defects for a couple passes, followed by more machine polishing to remove the defects that I instilled by removing defects the first time in my first machine polishing step. After that was done (and checked VIA Solvent wipe down (SWD) I machine polished the paint again, this time refaining the marks from the previous machine polishing that was made when those marks cleaned up my first machine polishing application. The paint looked great, and was ready for the final machine polishing. I worked the machine a little slower, making sure the surface was perfect."

 

[Jean-Claude]

Screw caring about what folks call what. If you' re giving the customer what they ask for, quality-wise, and they're happy with the results. You've succeeded.



TH0001, I've seen quite a number of your posts. I've never felt like you thought you're superior than anyone else at detailing/business(even if you are. lol!).

 

[Junebug]

Quote - If you' re giving the customer what they ask for, quality-wise, and they're happy with the results. You've succeeded.



I'd add that if you've exceeded their expectations - then you've got a customer that will likely stick with you and reccomend you to their friends.



The other point by Jake is dead on. You have guys that want and expect their cars to look like they're going to a car magazine photo-shoot, then you have the daily drivers that the owners are just happy to get a clean, shiney car. Would they want, care, or pay for extra hours of polishing? heck no! When I started detailing I worked my fat redneck butt off trying to polish the 5-10 year old turds that people drove in, could they see the difference or appreciate (pay) for my time - no, they could give a rat's tail if there was a few light scratches or a stray swirl mark, they just wanted a clean - shiney car. I have only done a couple of details where "perfection" was required and money was no object. But most are not!



Anybody thinking about detailing for cash - learning the customer is just as important as detailing the car.

 

[imported_rydawg1]

I was thinking about this (and discussing it with a forum member) and here is the other side as well...



I think it is funny that some people think having 3 different names is just right, 4 is too much, etc because playing devil's advocate...



It is all just machine polishing with different pads and abrasives...



From now on



"First I machine polished the paint to remove the defects for a couple passes, followed by more machine polishing to remove the defects that I instilled by removing defects the first time in my first machine polishing step. After that was done (and checked VIA Solvent wipe down (SWD) I machine polished the paint again, this time refaining the marks from the previous machine polishing that was made when those marks cleaned up my first machine polishing application. The paint looked great, and was ready for the final machine polishing. I worked the machine a little slower, making sure the surface was perfect."

:bestwish:lol

 

[GTFreddy]

This is 90% "perfect." 3 coats of Transtar Euro Classic. Nib sand and polish.

95% "perfect." 4 coats of the same clear. Sand 1000 -> 1500 -> 2000. 30 hours plus.

85% "perfect". 4 coats SPI Universal Clear. Sand 1000 -> 1500 -> 2000. LOTs of hours...

Super soft clear. Had to polish again a month and a half later. Now 92% "perfect."

Here's a 98% "perfect." 3 coats Transtar Euro Classic. Nib sand and polish.

Why is one of the cars 95% "perfect" and the other 98% "perfect" how did you measure that 3% difference? Did you count swirls and defects? The difference between the two in numeral terms seems very subjective, so I want to know what objective measure you used to identify that 3 percent difference. To be honest, it seems like you just randomly put those numbers up.