semi pro/hobby detailer

alright GUYZ- I appreciate the info on the Klasse stuff which I will use on the older Stangs but- I haven't aquired them yet- but its in the process.

However, I think you'll all- well almost all of yall be proud of me stepping into a larger work[[[lol -I just picked up some DG- yes Duragloss. I grabbed some 101 cleaner/polish/sealant, 111 polish sealant, 104 hand wax and 221 leather conditioner. How's that yall? Okay here's the plan, I got 2 cars to do plus 1 to finish from last weekend- here goes

1) 08 sliver Toy 4Runner silver with 20k and (2) 06 Lexus GS300 AWD- opelescant paint 50k.

wash/dry

clay

clean off all excess clay with some good QD - probably Ice or some Eagle 1 nano wax QD- is this step cool? I call it good anyways- lol

Duragloss 101- CLEANER, Polish Sealer

let dry 24 hours

put 1 or 2 top coats of the duragloss 104 paste wax= freak out from the outcome- can hardly wait




for the 08 Roush Mustang=dark candy apple tricoat 1800mi- basially new

Last week I washed/dryed, clayed and 1 coat waxed with megs NXT 2.0 liquid wax- looked great. Just waxed and pulled it in the garage.

This weekend (since I haven't driven it since then) wipe off any hazish stuff,
use the DGloss 111 since it is JUST Polish/Sealant= don't wanna clean off lat weekends work?

. 24 hours later put on 2 coats of DG 104 paste wax.

If this needs to be changed- let me know. I think I'll be okay puting the 111 over the NXT because its been on there almost a week by the time I get to it. Is that cool????????????Thanks everyone.

remember- I don't have all the goodies you all have- I still have NXT. Ice QD, Eagle One QD nano, killer glass cleaner and my NEW Duragloss goodies. plus wheel- stuff which is NA here.

All comments are much appreciated- NO machines at this point. Thanks TPAK
 
Hope you have strong arms, regardless of how new the cars are (you've pointed that out in a few threads now, we got it!)

You have a lot of hand work to do
 
Yes - alot of hand work to do is right- but I've always done it that way and I get a lot of satisfaction from my work and the finished product. Do you think my plan of attack is the way to go? Do you think the DG will smoke the OTC stuff in beauty? Thanks
 
It is all in the eye of the beholder... After all the work you are about to do, I will sure hope it looks better than typical stuff off the shelf. I would really recommend investing the hundred bucks or so on a Porter Cable 7424. You are dealing with a lot of money worth of cars and the couple hundred bucks to invest in the right tools for the job won't even be a fraction of the car payments. Regardless of what the cars are worth, you are really dealing with an area where you need a machine to get the best results.
 
Well, I'll think it over- I just don't see the need for a machine to polish up and wax up a car to extreme luster. After washing/drying and claying- hey- the prep work is good. adding some polish and wax is not hard or very time consuming- I'll post some pictures in a week or two. I appreciate your comments as always- I'm just to set in my antiquated ways to listen- you know- just been doing it old school forever- hard to change today. I'll check it out- no problem. Like I said before- the paint on these is extremely good and not a train wreck like alot of older cars that need paint correction and spider webbing etc............cross your fingers- 2 days till D DAY----lol
 
trakpak, one thing I'll reiterate is Troy's mention that we are full of opinions. That is what most of this stuff is, opinions. Your job is to sort out all of this information and try to pick the products that you like, not what someone else tells you is the best they've ever tried and there is nothing better, because that rarely plays out to be true. I can think of a number of latest and greatest highly forum hyped products. There are a couple of things that are generally accepted as fact by a fair majority...1) The results are mostly acheived by process/preparation and not product and 2) pick products you like and use them often (you'll find that in a signature of one of the members).

I think you'll find the Duragloss products to meet your expectations. As far as the Klasse twins go, if you do some searching, you'll find a fair number of fans of the KAIO product, but not so much the KSG sealant glaze. It is finicky to apply and remove and has a habit of reappearing, and the final appearance isn't highly favored. Those products were forum favorites over five years ago. In today's world, there is no need to choose a product that isn't a breeze to work with because there are so many. As for the appearance, well that is a subjective matter. Also DG has it's own version of an AIO.

Getting some sort of DA buffer is going to help you in the long run. Especially if you are going to be polishing. It can also be used to apply your wax or sealant, which btw doesn't have to be applied in any certain direction as the PC definitely doesn't apply linearly. The key of course is complete coverage.

Enjoy your time spent.
 
Your wisdom again is much appreciated. I'll get started friday evening and finish Sunday. Looking forward to using the DG. Thanks TPAK
 
Keep in mind a machine like a PC is not only a defect correction tool, it can also be used to apply wax and sealant. Saves a lot of time if you choose to use it that way. Occasionally I still apply LSP's by hand, but not as much as I used to. It's up to you, most certainly, but sometimes having more efficient tools to do a task is nice.
 
I talked to a buddy last night and he's a detailing MF- a good dude too- but he only uses a buffer with a clean white pad to buff out his exsisting dressings on his everyday driver with 117K and it looks showroom new- he never uses wax- only polish/ stuff like megs/mothrs etc....he says the buffer just glosses it up good for big shows- and yes, it is a show car- a Mustang no less! However, I might add- he's not looking for durability because he works on that car a ton....but its darn interesting isn't it? Gotta see how the DG works out- and will pick up a PC over Xmas at Home Depot on a big sale- I'm thinking about a 6.5" buffer- but gotta find some older apint to gets suome reps............Thanks much
 
It's not surprising that someone using a polsih only has a great looking paint. Reality is, the work is in the process (i.e. polishing, etc). Waxes and sealants are only the "icing on the cake" so to speak. Sure, most of them give a different look or warmness to the paint. It's just that you do all the work to get it looking good in the cleaning/polishing steps.
 
I worry to much on the look after its done- My prep work is excellent- so once I get the top together- we're all good.
 
TRAKPAK said:
I talked to a buddy last night and he's a detailing MF- a good dude too- but he only uses a buffer with a clean white pad to buff out his exsisting dressings on his everyday driver with 117K and it looks showroom new- he never uses wax- only polish/ stuff like megs/mothrs etc....he says the buffer just glosses it up good for big shows- and yes, it is a show car- a Mustang no less! However, I might add- he's not looking for durability because he works on that car a ton....but its darn interesting isn't it? Gotta see how the DG works out- and will pick up a PC over Xmas at Home Depot on a big sale- I'm thinking about a 6.5" buffer- but gotta find some older apint to gets suome reps............Thanks much
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All I can say is that some people just have no idea what they are missing... You might be completely satisfied eating at Olive Garden until you go to Italy and have REAL Italian cooking. Then you'll never look at Olive Garden the same way again. The same holds true for detailing. No offense intended towards your friend, but you have professional veterans of the detailing industry telling you that certain products and tools are necessary for restoration or the ultimate shine. If your friend is polishing by hand and greasing up the car with glazes that hide the swirls, then I guarantee you I could improve the looks of his car ten fold with a couple hours and my tools.

Don't go cheap on your buffer. Those $50 el cheapo buffers with plastic gears are no match to a Porter Cable. You can pick one up for about a hundred bucks on the web and I've never seen them on sale for less anywhere else. Even on sale. Check out Ebay or coastaltool.com and see what you can find. They aren't that much money and they really are one of the best investments in tools that you can get for your car.
 
I don't disagree but a PCable in the hands of a novice ain't worth a damn is it? really? You Pro's have learned the trade- either through a friend, a company or tyhe school of hard knocks-or some of each right? well, even though you could- doesn't make me feel the least bit comfortable with zero experience-really? Think how your 1st buff job went - umpteen years ago and look what you can do NOW!!!!!!!!!- if you ain't laughing- you maybe crying- experience - experience - experience period. I will get a PC- but I gotta start eeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssyyyyyyyyyy dude. Alright-get me started- I'm pretty set on using DG 101-111-104 basically- is that at least in the right direction????????
 
That is the nice thing about the PC 7424. It is idiot proof. The only way you are going to hurt the car is if you drop the machine on it or are absolutely stupid and run it across a thin edge of paint at speed 6 or something like that. Believe me, you would have to try and damage the paint with this machine. Novice or pro matters not. The machine will perform better than anything else you will find in that price range and will definitely be better than anything below it in cost.

My first detail with the PC7424 was just as easy as my last detail with it. There is a very short learning curve with it and you'll have the tool figured out before you are done with half the car. Like I said, it is an idiot proof tool. My 6 year old knows how to use it. I'm dead serious about that. I can show you videos of him polishing the tank of my motorcycle with it. Don't avoid this machine because you think it is going to be difficult to use. That would be a rotary you are thinking of. Those require a little more practice to get right. The DA polishers like the PC are fool proof and definitely a product you should have.
 
Jngrbrdman said:
That is the nice thing about the PC 7424. It is idiot proof. The only way you are going to hurt the car is if you drop the machine on it or are absolutely stupid and run it across a thin edge of paint at speed 6 or something like that. Believe me, you would have to try and damage the paint with this machine. Novice or pro matters not. The machine will perform better than anything else you will find in that price range and will definitely be better than anything below it in cost.

My first detail with the PC7424 was just as easy as my last detail with it. There is a very short learning curve with it and you'll have the tool figured out before you are done with half the car. Like I said, it is an idiot proof tool. My 6 year old knows how to use it. I'm dead serious about that. I can show you videos of him polishing the tank of my motorcycle with it. Don't avoid this machine because you think it is going to be difficult to use. That would be a rotary you are thinking of. Those require a little more practice to get right. The DA polishers like the PC are fool proof and definitely a product you should have.
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I will back this up, I taught my 13 year old to use it, while he was 9.

The plus is that you can turn some great results on it with a lot less effort than by hand:D
 
cool- I'll pick one up but am determined to go with my old school methods of doing things by hand- in Febuary, I'm putting 1 car in the world of wheels so I may take the plunge BUT- I have yet to be disappointed with my own work- even compaing it to other people with pro experience- I also have the luxury of not being on a schedule of the people picking up their car when pros are getting $$$ for their work. I do it when I think it needs it. But usually in truth- well before it needs it so it actually rarely needs it- does that even make sense? lol
 
okay- hold the presses- new formula- after reading non stop for the past two weeks in preperation for this weeks detailing madness- all by hand I might add.
decided to change my a few things. THink I will NOT use DG Polish before waxing and after claying the 06 Lexus and 08 4Runner- I'm going to wash/dry of course, clay both- use some QD to make sure they are cyrstal clean and will use Megs #7 Glaze and THEN- and only THEN WAX with DG 104 paste carnuba.

Just DG 104 over the MEGS NXT liquid on the Mustang and its already been washed/dryed,clayed and NXT'd- so a coatish or 2 of 104 will finish it off nicely.

More importantly just using the MEGS #7 Glaze instead of Polish as the abrassives- which are only mild but totally unecassary for a 4 and 2 year old vehicles (toyota/ Lexus) with 50K garaged and 20K garaged and near pristine cond...- the polish will do more harm than good- the glaze will be the Hula baby------------owwwwwwwwww.

I ain't mad but must confess am a little distressed someone didn't kinda suggest that to me on this forum- but detailing is so personal- its scary!!!!!!!!Thanks for all the good comments- glaze is the wayzzzzzz baby
 
Trakpak, I'm going to leave you to your own devices. Sometimes lessons are best learned the hard way. Check back in after you're done and let us know your impressions of what you did and how it turned out for you.
 
TRAKPAK said:
Polish as the abrassives- which are only mild but totally unecassary for a 4 and 2 year old vehicles (toyota/ Lexus) with 50K garaged and 20K garaged and near pristine cond...- the polish will do more harm than good-
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I totally disagree with that statement and will go so far as to say I've never seen a car with 50K & 20K that didn't need some sort of polishing at least once. EVER. I know Toyota paint, and I know Southeast Toyota and their pre-delivery finish prep. If you got either of those Toyotas from them, I'd bank money they need at least a light polish (and most likely need some wetsanding spots removed). However, I digress... What I see in my eyes and what you see in yours are probably totally different. Your opinion of flawless and mine are probably different.

Polish used correctly will not "harm" the vehicle finish. Not 100% sure where you're getting that sort of information, but it's dead wrong.

Not knocking you - just stating what I know to be fact in my detailing experience. There's room for improvement in every car/finish.
 
points well taken- and yes- what i see and what you see is going to be different- probably very much different- I'll give it a a try and see- but no- I have midwest weather where I live- you know - the freeze thaw thing going on.

Alright i will take it under advisement on the polish vs glaze= but tommorrow its on- I'll let you know. I clayed part of the Lexus tonite and its like nite and day where I did it and where i didn't clay- its almost sickening to have that much diffenece but not see it- but side by side- the body panels- the difference is unreal- not to mention I haven't done anything else wax wise yet- however- the glaze is cool thing too- you can't really say anything negative-meg 7 - according to most , it is killer- never read anything that it wasn't excellent about it

Okay- SHould I go with the DG 101 cleaner/polish or 111 just polish after the claying but before the wax-I'm listening- I mean- I'm trying to use better chemicals yall- gimme a holler- and again- thank you all for your comments- it is greatly appreciated- you all truely are kind enough to share your expertice with hardheads like me...lol thanks fellas
 
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