How to break up the whole process?

[imported_jayhkr]

Ok, so I'm going to be ordering my gear in the next week or so but wanted to get a few tips first. I have a large '06 Dodge Ram 4x4 with LOTS of paint to polish. I was thinking of breaking the whole process up into a 2 day thing. Day 1) Wheels, tires, wheelwells, engine, wash, clay, dry, windows, and interior. Day 2) M105/205 polishing, Naty Blues Wax. What, if anything, would I need to due to make sure that day 2 gets a proper polish since it won't be followed IMMEDIATELY after the wash and clay? I had heard a quick dusting with the california duster and a wipe down with quick detailer. Anything else? Thanks!

 

[carsnbeer4life]

Definately a good idea. As a hobbyist, im not on the clock, so it is more enjoyable to take my time. On my SUV, I break it into a week and get everything perfect.



Ime i'd stay away from qd or duster since it has the wax on it. Personally i like a really clean surface free of silicones and waxes before compounding /polishing. The surface will be really clean after clay, why not just re-rinse it or quick ipa wipe down?

 

[Accumulator]

jayhkr- What about doing the washing and other cleaning (as in, processes likely to cause a mess)/correction/LSPing the first day and the other stuff the second?



Otherwise, what you'll need to do before polishing will depend on what happens to it overnight. If you're doing significant correction anyhow, I'd expect you could just do a QDing or a (very quick, cursory) mini-wash. Or even use that CCD (can't believe I typed that ), the wax/etc. won't matter once you've done your first pass with the polish.



FWIW, doing a big vehicle in only two days might be quite a challenge. I myself would somehow split it up into more sessions over a longer period, even if that meant doing small tasks over a series of weekends.

 

[imported_jayhkr]

You raise a good point Accumulator! I've always done wheels, tires, engine etc first but doing them last, for this circumstance may be a good way. This will be its first correction detail so I'm excited, nervous, and anxious all at the same time. Any particular reason you don't like the duster?

 

[Accumulator]

I've always done wheels, tires, engine etc first but doing them last, for this circumstance may be a good way...

I'd do the "dirty" part of wheels/tires/engine first so you don't get nasty [stuff] all over the vehicle later, but as far as doing the final sprucing up of those areas(which can take a while), yeah...I wouldn't want to spend forever on that and then run short of time for the correction.



First, wash/clean everything. Rinse and dry. Yeah, you can clay while you do the washing.

This will be its first correction detail so I'm excited, nervous, and anxious all at the same time...

Understandable! IMO you oughta try to distill things down to the bare minimum and plan to spend a lot longer than expected on the correction.



BE SURE TO DO A TEST SPOT AND INSPECT IT IN ALL KINDS OF LIGHTING!!



Sorry to shout at ya, but people do the whole vehicle before realizing they got something a little wrong, and then they have a big mess on their hands with no time left to fix it. No, that's not some "you're likely to mess up!" warning, just better safe than sorry.



So pick a good, representative spot (some marring to correct, an easy area to work and inspect) and do the M105 until the marring/etc. is corrected to your satisfaction. Then do the M205. Then inspect (including in bright sunlight). Make sure things look OK. Check for pseudo-holograms from a) M105 micromarring and/or b) M205 oils. Be *100% certain* that things are OK.



If things are *NOT* OK for some reason, stop and get advice if the seemingly obvious fixes which come to mind don't solve the problem.



Then M105 the rest of the vehicle (as needed, I'm assuming that it needs it). I'd work pretty small areas. Be careful when buffing off (still abrasive) M105 residue. Keep your pads clean and don't let dried product build up on them.



Don't spread M105 around before you start working it.



Then do the M205. Then more inspecting (remember to look for oily pseudo-holograms). THEN wax.



Hope you don't mind the preceding rehashing of what to do, just want to make sure nothing gets overlooked.

Any particular reason you don't like the duster?

I've never been able to use one without instilling *some* degree of marring :nixweiss Other people seem happy with *their* results though...

 

[imported_jayhkr]

Thanks for the feedback. I was going to try the 205 with a tangerine pad first just to see if I could get by with a little less abbrassiveness. Ideally wouldn't I want to do: 205 -> tangerine (if no go with that) -> Cyan (if no go with that) 105 -> tangerine (if no go with that) -> cyan? Or would that just to much work to find "what works". I can guarantee this truck has never seen a light of a polisher since it left the factory. I appreciate you helping me, as with ANY first-timer on a project like this, things WILL get messed up. I just am hoping to keep those mess ups to a minimum and learn from them. After the 205 is completely done, then I apply Natty's Blue, THEN Megs #21 sealant? The last two steps can be applied with the crimson pad right? Poor Matt, he's going to have to take a vacation after I'm done talking his ear off and asking him all the typicall N00B questions. (I was going to go with #20, but 21 said better things about darker vehicles) I can see why this could be a long task

 

[Accumulator]

Thanks for the feedback. I was going to try the 205 with a tangerine pad first just to see if I could get by with a little less abbrassiveness. Ideally wouldn't I want to do: 205 -> tangerine (if no go with that) -> Cyan (if no go with that) 105 -> tangerine (if no go with that) -> cyan? Or would that just to much work to find "what works". I can guarantee this truck has never seen a light of a polisher since it left the factory.

I think I'd go right from M205/tangerine (which probably *will* be too gentle) straight to M105/cyan, skipping that try with M105/tangerine. But that's just me and I'm used to hard clear.



And, generally speaking, I bet you oughta try for "much better" instead of "Autopian Perfection"

After the 205 is completely done, then I apply Natty's Blue, THEN Megs #21 sealant?

I think you oughta do the M21 sealant *first* and then add the Natty's if you really think it needs it (and you have the time/energy to do it at that point).

The last two steps can be applied with the crimson pad right?

Yeah, that oughta work fine.