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dreamer7

New member
Well, I've been doing some off-and-on "quick" details as a business recently and am thinking about getting a little more serious about it. My maximum level of detail I offer is just a exterior wash with Meguiar's Cleaner Wax, and some interior clean, using off-the-shelf conditioning products. All hand done, no machines.



My main question for you guys, is how can I go about teaching myself to use a rotary polisher without ruining a bunch of paint jobs? I've done some work for a more prestigious detailer in the area, so I've been introduced to how he runs his established business. And I am also familiar with polishing and clay bars and glaze and sealant, but I haven't used them before.



My core thesis is this: How can I start to get to a more "professional" level of detailing than I am currently at? I don't mind doing the basic "just make it look shiny" jobs, but I'd like to do something a little more advanced, if only occasionally.



Also, being able to do it inexpensively would be great too.
 
There is no doubt that you will need a machine to take yourself to the next level. Most but not all will choose to start with a da before moving on to a rotary machine. Whichever way you decide to go I would recommend a visit to your local body repair shop. Most shops will have large assortment of panels (hoods,van side doors,trunks etc) that may not be repairable but have plenty of flat surface to practice on. Most likely these are available for little or no cost. You can practice with no fear of damage and try various products and techniques . This sure beats trying out a unknown product or process on a customers car or truck. When you do buy a da or rotary you might consider checking out the forums for members selling used equipment and forum sponsors offering good deals on new machines.Hope this points you in the direction you were looking for.
 
Another thing I would like to be able to do would be a deeper interior clean, possibly with steam, and shampoo carpets. What kind of equipment do you guys use for that?
 
dreamer7 said:
Another thing I would like to be able to do would be a deeper interior clean, possibly with steam, and shampoo carpets. What kind of equipment do you guys use for that?
Click to expand...



If you want to get started using steam, I would highly recommend this as an entry level steamer:



Steam Cleaner Kit



Very nice little unit for the price to get you started. If you have more $ to spend, look into the VX5000 steamer.



I rarely use my extractor since I started using steam. If I have something that needs to be extracted I will usually just use my shop-vac now as it's easier to set up and clean.
 
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