Dellinger
New member
<u>The Preface-</u>
(If you are more interested in process than my thoughts and the story, skip on down to 'The Process' heading... some interesting events there along with products)
The title suggests I feel I lost this round and I indeed did. This exterior only detail was quite the challenge for me. Every surface and every material mastered me. I paid a little bit of my dues on this one.
The 'Click N Brag' posts are therapeutic for me though... they allow me to push past my deeply rooted introvert. Prior to my desire to be self-employed and work for my own customers, I was employed by one of the largest private energy/ chemical/ commodity companies in the U.S. The company culture was a 'Meritocracy'... you earned what you were worth. It was very competitive; you were always looking to do things better, faster, and help the bottom line. They had a management training course that I was invited to join where you were immersed in economics, philosophy, and political-economy. I can't seem to break from what it taught me... there were a lot of good things... but it makes you constantly evaluate your peers and your comparative advantage or marginal value versus theirs. Yet, the double-edge sword of metrics in the training lingers as well... and being an introvert, it's hard to go out, try something new knowing you have a good chance to fail.
While I welcome failure (as in a learning experience) I need to set realistic expectations for myself. That's the battle, for now. I've mentioned it the topic of 'expectations' loosely before in my prior posts and I'm bringing it up again. What is my measuring stick at this point in my feverishly short business venture? Skill wise? Profit wise? Vehicle condition wise? When I have no real frame of reference for what a vehicle should or should not look like after being worked... let's just say, my feedback is really limited to my customer. Maybe that's all that matters? I would only be kidding myself it it were and wouldn't be posting here.
But I am here. I am here trying to present my work in an honest fashion, displaying my faults, areas of trouble, and all the territory that comes with it. I'm here because the audience on these forums is my measuring stick and where I can gain frequent and honest feedback.
Please forgive my wax poetic, as I'll return to my thoughts on the job.
<u>The Story-</u>
A guy at church heard I was a 'detailer'. He came up to me about a month ago and said... "I heard you are a detailer..."
"No, I'm not," I answered, "...but I am opening a detailing business soon." I think the audience here can appreciate my honesty... I think the gentleman was somewhat confused by my statement.
So, he proceeded to ask me if I could remove over-spray. I asked what kind and made a hypothetical prognosis, i.e... painting something with a rattle can near a vehicle. He said..."Well yeah, that's pretty much it BUT I painted my vehicle with a rattle can..."
After a few days passed, he brought the truck by. He painted FLAT black with a rattle can, in places, on EVERY panel on the truck. On the hood, I could imagine why he did but obviously the selection of cures for the ill was not the best (even my wife knew better than rattle canning your ride! And that's saying something!) The clear coat was peeling off underneath the flat-black rattle can paint. I inquired about his ownership and he said he just purchased it used. Some glaring evidence about the truck's history appeared once I looked everything over and asked if he had a carfax report from the owner. He didn't and failed to pursue questions the seller regarding previous accidents. I eventually told him the entire truck needs a re-spray if all the places he 'touched up' were intended to hide peeling clear coat. (Later on you will see that the clear was not peeling under the rattle paint... so I'm not sure why he did it?)
So, two weeks later; he stops by unannounced. He got the hood re-sprayed by....(drum roll)... Maaco. So I tell him, let's wait 45 days, even if the hood had been baked (and he said it did.)
Thinking it was around the Christmas and usually people spend their excess capital on 'gifts' and things... I thought he wouldn't really show up... well, he did. He originally wanted Opti-Coat... and I was going to coat the truck but after seeing the beginning of clear coat failure everywhere... I just recommended an traditional sealant. Maybe that wasn't the right call but that's what we went with.
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Subject after decon: '01 Ford, F-150 Color: Black (Yes, that is the factory paint code name, lol.)
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">170K+ on the odomenter
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Some areas where you can really see the rattle paint... I think he tried to remove it with a Scotch Brite or sand paper... didn't really ask
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Not sure what the 'runs' are either... it wasn't the rattle paint... looks like it was something that dripped down the bedliner?
<u>The Condition-</u>
Some before and afters... no LSP applied or trim dressing, just IPA wipe downs.
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Notice more rattle can below...
Camera picking up some funky glare... not sure what that is... does that mean autoshoot can't adjust properly? (LOL) Paging camera gods.
Crow's feet very apparent on this panel (and they were everywhere else as well... except the fiberglass bed sides, the new hood and blended door)
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Got lucky... the only sun that shown during the 2.5 days...grabbed the camera!
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">More funky glare... is dirt on my lens? Seriously?
I think you get the drift...
<u>The Process-</u>
I did not even remotely find a 'good' process to groove to. Really there wasn't a process. I was all over the map with pads and products... this was due to some variables- A.) the new paint on the hood B.) a resprayed driver door C.) fiberglass rear-quarter panels on the bed.
Compounds used (every one on my roster): HD Cut, HD Uno, M101,100, & UC
Polishes used (every one on my roster): HD Polish, M205
LSP: Megs UW
Pads: HD wool 5.1", B&S Yellow, Orange, Blue, Black, Red
Decon: CG Luber, Nanoskin fine Mitt & 6" fine pad.
Wash: Megs Shampoo Plus + Dawn, LC Blue Sponge
Tires/Wheels: Megs Non-Acid, Megs Wheel Brightener, Megs Super Degreaser (4:1) Iron-X, Megs All-Season- tires, Megs HD-wells, Megs APC
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Re-sprayed hood, 45+ days old... (horrible prep work, low spots in the primer and base, fish eye's, solvent popping,
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">pigtails from the little sanding they did)
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Owner couldn't believe this picture, close-in on the hood... I told him the evidence of a buffer wheel would be there once I stripped the remaining glaze.
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Hey, it's new paint right? How could there be swirls?
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Fixed... as best as I could get it
So, you can see why I couldn't find a method and execute it with efficiency as there were 3 different paint systems and the two different panel materials. I test spotted for probably 5 hours on all the paint systems on the truck! I couldn't get anything to wipe off the fiberglass panels. The newly painted hood was really a breeze. The sheet metal panels which had OEM paint and the door with a re-spray were also worlds apart in how they reacted to my combos.
Combos...
Hood: Orange/ M100 Black/ HD Polish
Rear-quarters: Wool/ M100 Orange/HD Uno Black/M205
Doors+Front-quarters: Wool/ M100 Yellow/ M101 Black/ HD Polish
Re-sprayed driver door: Wool/ M100 Blue/ HD Polish
Let me just say, I don't understand what was going on with the re-sprayed door... nothing would follow up the wool pad and M100. I was perplexed to say the least... but some how, after a lengthy process of elimination, a blue pad and HD Polish finished it down.
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">I thought this was a cool photo of driver door... no halogens needed on this 50/50! This was after two section passes with wool/ M100
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">After 2 steps...
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Notice the blend, the brownish- hue carrying to the 12 o'clock, running between the two halogen lamp's... also note the clear peeling majorly in a concentrated spot to the 2 o'clock
<u>Parting Shots-</u>
No sun, unfortunately...
I took my feedback from last post and utilized it- I taped fully this time. I treated the fender wells with Megs Hyper Dressing 3:1 and really hit the door handles hard to remove as many fingernail scratches as I could.
This exterior detail taught me A LOT about packages... let's just say a 'light bulb' came on!
First time out with M101... I'm not impressed so far. However, I've got a quart and the trucks I've been getting will surely allow me to use it again and again!
M100 continues to amaze me in every aspect... value, performance, work time, finish. Same for HD Polish.
Client didn't want the headlights revitalized... so it hurts the appearance. Trim was worse than the paint... I need some better trim products.
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Owner just arriving while I was taking the finals...
Thank you for reading and all comments, positive or negative, are welcomed!
-Gabe
(If you are more interested in process than my thoughts and the story, skip on down to 'The Process' heading... some interesting events there along with products)
The title suggests I feel I lost this round and I indeed did. This exterior only detail was quite the challenge for me. Every surface and every material mastered me. I paid a little bit of my dues on this one.
The 'Click N Brag' posts are therapeutic for me though... they allow me to push past my deeply rooted introvert. Prior to my desire to be self-employed and work for my own customers, I was employed by one of the largest private energy/ chemical/ commodity companies in the U.S. The company culture was a 'Meritocracy'... you earned what you were worth. It was very competitive; you were always looking to do things better, faster, and help the bottom line. They had a management training course that I was invited to join where you were immersed in economics, philosophy, and political-economy. I can't seem to break from what it taught me... there were a lot of good things... but it makes you constantly evaluate your peers and your comparative advantage or marginal value versus theirs. Yet, the double-edge sword of metrics in the training lingers as well... and being an introvert, it's hard to go out, try something new knowing you have a good chance to fail.
While I welcome failure (as in a learning experience) I need to set realistic expectations for myself. That's the battle, for now. I've mentioned it the topic of 'expectations' loosely before in my prior posts and I'm bringing it up again. What is my measuring stick at this point in my feverishly short business venture? Skill wise? Profit wise? Vehicle condition wise? When I have no real frame of reference for what a vehicle should or should not look like after being worked... let's just say, my feedback is really limited to my customer. Maybe that's all that matters? I would only be kidding myself it it were and wouldn't be posting here.
But I am here. I am here trying to present my work in an honest fashion, displaying my faults, areas of trouble, and all the territory that comes with it. I'm here because the audience on these forums is my measuring stick and where I can gain frequent and honest feedback.
Please forgive my wax poetic, as I'll return to my thoughts on the job.
<u>The Story-</u>
A guy at church heard I was a 'detailer'. He came up to me about a month ago and said... "I heard you are a detailer..."
"No, I'm not," I answered, "...but I am opening a detailing business soon." I think the audience here can appreciate my honesty... I think the gentleman was somewhat confused by my statement.
So, he proceeded to ask me if I could remove over-spray. I asked what kind and made a hypothetical prognosis, i.e... painting something with a rattle can near a vehicle. He said..."Well yeah, that's pretty much it BUT I painted my vehicle with a rattle can..."
After a few days passed, he brought the truck by. He painted FLAT black with a rattle can, in places, on EVERY panel on the truck. On the hood, I could imagine why he did but obviously the selection of cures for the ill was not the best (even my wife knew better than rattle canning your ride! And that's saying something!) The clear coat was peeling off underneath the flat-black rattle can paint. I inquired about his ownership and he said he just purchased it used. Some glaring evidence about the truck's history appeared once I looked everything over and asked if he had a carfax report from the owner. He didn't and failed to pursue questions the seller regarding previous accidents. I eventually told him the entire truck needs a re-spray if all the places he 'touched up' were intended to hide peeling clear coat. (Later on you will see that the clear was not peeling under the rattle paint... so I'm not sure why he did it?)
So, two weeks later; he stops by unannounced. He got the hood re-sprayed by....(drum roll)... Maaco. So I tell him, let's wait 45 days, even if the hood had been baked (and he said it did.)
Thinking it was around the Christmas and usually people spend their excess capital on 'gifts' and things... I thought he wouldn't really show up... well, he did. He originally wanted Opti-Coat... and I was going to coat the truck but after seeing the beginning of clear coat failure everywhere... I just recommended an traditional sealant. Maybe that wasn't the right call but that's what we went with.
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Subject after decon: '01 Ford, F-150 Color: Black (Yes, that is the factory paint code name, lol.)
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">170K+ on the odomenter
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Some areas where you can really see the rattle paint... I think he tried to remove it with a Scotch Brite or sand paper... didn't really ask
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Not sure what the 'runs' are either... it wasn't the rattle paint... looks like it was something that dripped down the bedliner?
<u>The Condition-</u>
Some before and afters... no LSP applied or trim dressing, just IPA wipe downs.
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Notice more rattle can below...
Camera picking up some funky glare... not sure what that is... does that mean autoshoot can't adjust properly? (LOL) Paging camera gods.
Crow's feet very apparent on this panel (and they were everywhere else as well... except the fiberglass bed sides, the new hood and blended door)
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Got lucky... the only sun that shown during the 2.5 days...grabbed the camera!
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">More funky glare... is dirt on my lens? Seriously?
I think you get the drift...
<u>The Process-</u>
I did not even remotely find a 'good' process to groove to. Really there wasn't a process. I was all over the map with pads and products... this was due to some variables- A.) the new paint on the hood B.) a resprayed driver door C.) fiberglass rear-quarter panels on the bed.
Compounds used (every one on my roster): HD Cut, HD Uno, M101,100, & UC
Polishes used (every one on my roster): HD Polish, M205
LSP: Megs UW
Pads: HD wool 5.1", B&S Yellow, Orange, Blue, Black, Red
Decon: CG Luber, Nanoskin fine Mitt & 6" fine pad.
Wash: Megs Shampoo Plus + Dawn, LC Blue Sponge
Tires/Wheels: Megs Non-Acid, Megs Wheel Brightener, Megs Super Degreaser (4:1) Iron-X, Megs All-Season- tires, Megs HD-wells, Megs APC
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Re-sprayed hood, 45+ days old... (horrible prep work, low spots in the primer and base, fish eye's, solvent popping,
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">pigtails from the little sanding they did)
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Owner couldn't believe this picture, close-in on the hood... I told him the evidence of a buffer wheel would be there once I stripped the remaining glaze.
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Hey, it's new paint right? How could there be swirls?
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Fixed... as best as I could get it
So, you can see why I couldn't find a method and execute it with efficiency as there were 3 different paint systems and the two different panel materials. I test spotted for probably 5 hours on all the paint systems on the truck! I couldn't get anything to wipe off the fiberglass panels. The newly painted hood was really a breeze. The sheet metal panels which had OEM paint and the door with a re-spray were also worlds apart in how they reacted to my combos.
Combos...
Hood: Orange/ M100 Black/ HD Polish
Rear-quarters: Wool/ M100 Orange/HD Uno Black/M205
Doors+Front-quarters: Wool/ M100 Yellow/ M101 Black/ HD Polish
Re-sprayed driver door: Wool/ M100 Blue/ HD Polish
Let me just say, I don't understand what was going on with the re-sprayed door... nothing would follow up the wool pad and M100. I was perplexed to say the least... but some how, after a lengthy process of elimination, a blue pad and HD Polish finished it down.
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">I thought this was a cool photo of driver door... no halogens needed on this 50/50! This was after two section passes with wool/ M100
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">After 2 steps...
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Notice the blend, the brownish- hue carrying to the 12 o'clock, running between the two halogen lamp's... also note the clear peeling majorly in a concentrated spot to the 2 o'clock
<u>Parting Shots-</u>
No sun, unfortunately...
I took my feedback from last post and utilized it- I taped fully this time. I treated the fender wells with Megs Hyper Dressing 3:1 and really hit the door handles hard to remove as many fingernail scratches as I could.
This exterior detail taught me A LOT about packages... let's just say a 'light bulb' came on!
First time out with M101... I'm not impressed so far. However, I've got a quart and the trucks I've been getting will surely allow me to use it again and again!
M100 continues to amaze me in every aspect... value, performance, work time, finish. Same for HD Polish.
Client didn't want the headlights revitalized... so it hurts the appearance. Trim was worse than the paint... I need some better trim products.
<span style="font-family:georgia, serif;">Owner just arriving while I was taking the finals...
Thank you for reading and all comments, positive or negative, are welcomed!
-Gabe
