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imported_doug

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If you're like me, drying isn't your favorite task. I have tried all sorts of short cuts. Today I found a combination I really liked.



1) Calif Water Blade - removes about 90-95% of the water



CAVEATS: You can easily scratch your finish with one of these. If you trap a piece of grit and drag it, you will get a nice long one. However I have learned that, as long as you did a good wash job, it does a great "coarse" job without scratching. What I mean by this is - only one swipe per area. If you leave some water behind, LEAVE it. A lot of water is needed to properly lubricate the blade. Of course you can go over glass multiple times, and it works great for this.



2) In one hand, Terry towel - BLOT, do not rub - drops you left behind in step 1. Feel free to rub where you care less - door mouldings, way below the beltline. Thanks to step 1, one medium sized towel is sufficient for the whole car.



3) In the other hand, MF drying towel. I do all the wiping with this, which is the only thing I will rub on dry paint. This gets rid of ALL the remaining water, but stays dry enough to do the entire car without wringing.



I was able to completely dry the car with no scratching, a good shine (I didn't even need to QD it, though I will tomorrow anyway). I never had to swap towels, and didn't end up with a big wet pile.



/GH
 
that CWB scares me...from what ive read....but the way you described how u use it sounds really good....say for instance...after you wipe a section ...do myou then wipe the blade with a MF or something...or do u just keep going and dont have to wipe the edge of the blade til your done....
 
I don't wipe the balade between passes, although that would provide an extra degree of insurance. It wouldn't take much time if you just swiped it on your pants......



The main key is that with sufficient water it glides with very little drag. With only a few drops it drags badly, and is much more likely to scratch.



I am willing to make small trade-offs in exchange for speed with this task. SO - I DO have a slightly higher risk of scratching - but in my experience as long as I obey these rules I'm not seeing any adverse effects.
 
I Like using the water blade, but I can see why many might be scared of scratching with them.

It is fast, just as you say, in a coarse dry way, to be toweled off after.

In many ways, I think it is safer to use than the absorber (*depending on your technique with it*)
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by FLONI [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>or are they pretty much the same product from 2 different companies........just curious. [/b]</blockquote>I've only used the Cali Blade and the P21S towel myself, but from all I've heard, the Absorber and the Water Bandit are different products, with the Water Bandit reportedly being the better of the two
 
To put it in VERY general descriptions, the Water Bandit is pretty different from the Absorber. The Absorber is textured more like the P21S and they both "grab" onto your paint more so than the WB. The WB feels more porous, maybe slightly softer and doesn't have a "smooth" texture like the P21S and the Absorber. All three work well but I think the P21S is a bit small.



Carguy, great drying regimen.
 
carguy, I was just rereading you post for the first time ;) and I've come to the realization that I don't have 3 hands as you seem too :D



I pull and wring mt #1 around the whole car and then follow up with an MT and some QD in the final wipe.
 
and some MF's....but...the absorber picked up some "crap'...from near the wheel well last wk...so i really dont want to use it anywhere that i care about...so i ordered 2 WaterBandits today......im still a big mammas boy when it comes to the water blade...but i watch football...and play sports....so...im not worried yet....:D
 
I WB the Maxima to get the bulk of the water off. Then I dry the rest with a chamois.



I do try to clean the blade before, during and after use for insurance. :D
 
i too will be brave enough for the water blade....til then i will scowl in the darkness...hanging my head low....or just buy one and try it on a neighbors car:D.............



what kind of chamois Prinz...i know they have like a bizzillion types...
 
I gotta admit i've heard horror stories about the WB. I use an absorber and finish off with a MT and QD and it works great....but then again to each his own, and if it aint broke don't fix it!
 
Without being completely silly, a air compressor is fantastic for trim panels that otherwise will hold water and leave drips and streaks later. On my Eagle Talon some of the trim holds water and I can be completely finished with the car and a few minutes later will have large water streams from certain areas.

Lightly spraying down a car with compressed air from a safe distance from the paint is one of the fastest ways of removing water and without any abrastive posibilities.



Just my 2 cents.



Joseph Kuster

90 Talon Tsi
 
This is not my tip but I read it from someone else. After you are done washing the car, take any kinds of sprayer off the end of your hose and rinse your whole car with just the water coming out of the end of the hose while pushing the water off with the water stream. It rolls off and leaves only small spots of water. Then use whatever towel you like to get the rest off. Saves a lot of drying time too.:up
 
I have a water blade and I am convinced it has scratched both of my cars, I stopped using it. I use the absorber in one hand and a micro fiber towel in the other hand.
 
In my final spray (if you don't have a valve) you can cinch the hose off by bending it, then take the nozzle off, so you won't have to go to the faucet to turn it off.
 
I have tried every thing. I even thought the WB was OK the first few times I used it, but it mared my finish a couple times, I picked up a few mild scratchs and it scared me to death.

I am with Waxman. I think nothing compares to the blower. The blower is fast, thorough, and very kind to your paint. AND, it heads off those annoying "post-drying, trim drip" problems that lead to water stains. And, it has the added benefit of making you look like a real fanatic!

Here are threads on the subject:

http://216.147.22.29/forum/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=2390&highlight=blower

http://216.147.22.29/forum/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=2514&highlight=blower

http://216.147.22.29/forum/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=2527&perpage=15&pagenumber=2

http://216.147.22.29/forum/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=2469&highlight=blower
 
I fully agree there is risk in the WB - the steps I outlined minimize the risk, but they do not eliminate it. I have been planning to try the leaf blower too. It is safer, although it is also more clumsy - you have to be careful not to let the tip ever touch the car.
 
I have an 8 gallon Shop Vac with a blower feature. I haven't tried it yet but I think that would be strong enough...it's 4.5 hp.



H
 
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