Car finish detailing beginner

[twouvakind]

I find the search function a bit clunky here at BITOG. I have three cars, two Korean and one Japanese with varying finishes. I used Malms products by hand a couple years back and no matter how "speedy" a Kolinsky Speed Waxer is it is still by hand. I would like to get an entry level machine and some proven chemicals for a durable (not show worthy)finish. I am pretty sure this question has been asked here, so maybe a few links to get me started.

 

[doitmyself]

You are better off doing a Google search using your search term with site:bobistheoilguy.com

I.e., buffer site:bobistheoilguy.com gets these results: https://www.google.com/search?q=buffer+site%3Abobistheoilguy.com&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1


I'm a minimalist and have been very successfully using hand methods the past 3 decades, so I can offer no advice on your query.


EDIT: Thanks Quattro Pete!

 

[Quattro Pete]

https://www.google.com/search?client=fir.....0.Bn_8n_3PUAw

 

[twouvakind]

Thanks Quattro Pete, indeed!

 

[danez_yoda]

for 3 cars in detailing I would recommend the harbor freight dual action polisher.

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-57-amp-heavy-duty-dual-action-variable-speed-polisher-69924.html
You can apply the 20% off coupons found everywhere and get it for about $50.
It is very similar in performance to a Porter Cable unit. (I have a PC and i use my brothers HF with no complaints)

The HF pads are also good enough for the hobbyist. I use the orange (polish out haze and light scratches) and blue (shine).

For polishes I Meguiars products available at walmart. There are other good ones out there but I find Meguiars to be consistent and a good value for the money. Meguiars Ultimate polish is good with the orange pad for cars with obvious marring. It also works for plastic headlight restoring after a 1500 grit sandpaper wetsanding treatment.

Then Meguiars ultimate wax with the blue pad.

After the paint is corrected. Either Meguiars wax with the orange or blue or just a spritz with Meguiars ultimate spray wax.

Interesting enough I use megulars gold class car wash and prefer it over the ultimate.

 

[gofast182]

Check out our BITOG Top Picks sticky at the top of this forum for chemicals, you won't go wrong with anything on that list.

As for machines, without spending crazy money on a Rupes or Flex, most people seem to like the HF unit, PC 7424xp, or Griot's Garage unit.

 

[Ddub]

I've hand detailed my cars for a long time, but recently began using a Porter Cable 7346SP. Super easy to use and great results. On a newer car I clay barred it and applied Jescar Powerlock with the polisher.

For my older car, I clayed it, polished out some of the scratches with polishing compound and the polisher, applied Duragloss 105 to the entire car with the polisher and removed with microfiber towels, and then applied a coat of Jesscar Powerlock the next time I washed the car a few weeks later. I like the cleaning (and price) of the Duragloss, but like the protection and longevity of the Powerlock better.

For your requested purposes of keeping it simple, I would recommend the Porter Cable polisher, a few Lake County or chemical Guy foam pads, and Duragloss 105 or the Jescar all in one polish and wax. You'll get lots of different recommendations, but once you get to a certain level of quality, it's really all about preference. I've tried LOTS of different things, but find a clay bar every now and then with an all in one polish and wax, AND a wax or sealant with no cleaning properties is all I need.

 

[twouvakind]

Thanks all for the thoughts and experiences.

 

[SatinSilver]

If you want a little more cleaning power than the DG 105 then DG 501 has more cleaners in it. It's their Marine/RV sealant and one of the professional detailers on here uses it for some of his clients:

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub...501#Post3118894

 

[JFAllen]

One thing you can try (despite the haters telling you otherwise) is you use a 5" orbital sander with an appropriate foam pad.

The '[i[Throw[/i]' of an orbital sander is less than a polisher and their oscillations are faster. Sanders also only have 1-speed. So not ideal. But good results can be had.

On my single stage lacquer painted GTiR Pulsar, the faded yellow paint had spent close to 5 years in an open car lot taking all the Aussie sun could dish at it. It felt like chalk and was rather powdery.

12-14 hours later with the orbital sander and much learning along the way. A mirror finish was recovered.



The key takeaway here is TIME. To get a flawless finish simply takes time and patients. A thick single stage paint also helps as there is no clear coat to be afraid of. Through the possibility of burning though a single stage still exists.

Buy any orbital polisher (I've been using an Ali-Express 6" 21mm throw unit for the last 9 months and it's fantastic. decided to leave the sander for sanding

) Once you've applied wax by machine, there's simply no going back.

Regards
Jordan

 

[demarpaint]

^^ Nice job!^^

 

[NYSteve]

I very recent convert to the world of orbital buffers this is where I would start:

- Buffer: Griots HD, if out of budget Harbor Freight
- Clay Bar: Get a synthetic, off the shelf use mother's or check out Nanoskin Fine from somewhere like Autogeek
- Compound/Polish/Sealant: Unless you are going for a show car quality, utilize a new All-In-One formula such as Blackfire All-In-One. The best thing about the new AIOs is that there is virtually no way to remove too much as the abrasives are designed to breakdown quickly from compound to polish while using your buffer.
- Pads: Lake County White Polishing Pads for AIO. Non-cutting black or red for wax. Ideal is one pad per panel, if not, minimum of 4.
Wax/Sealant/LSP: You can get all sorts of crazy here. Would just go with Collinite. Don't over think it or else you'll be looking at $100 waxes etc. Collinite is great to build on the AIO as it straddles the sealant and wax category plus is affordable.

 

[HYUNDAIFAN0001]

Originally Posted by Ddub
I've hand detailed my cars for a long time, but recently began using a Porter Cable 7346SP. Super easy to use and great results. On a newer car I clay barred it and applied Jescar Powerlock with the polisher.

For my older car, I clayed it, polished out some of the scratches with polishing compound and the polisher, applied Duragloss 105 to the entire car with the polisher and removed with microfiber towels, and then applied a coat of Jesscar Powerlock the next time I washed the car a few weeks later. I like the cleaning (and price) of the Duragloss, but like the protection and longevity of the Powerlock better.

For your requested purposes of keeping it simple, I would recommend the Porter Cable polisher, a few Lake County or chemical Guy foam pads, and Duragloss 105 or the Jescar all in one polish and wax. You'll get lots of different recommendations, but once you get to a certain level of quality, it's really all about preference. I've tried LOTS of different things, but find a clay bar every now and then with an all in one polish and wax, AND a wax or sealant with no cleaning properties is all I need.

Nice!

Yes...a dual action polisher is hands down superior to any orbital buffer on multiple fronts, especially with the various shape anomalies on car exteriors these days.

 

[twouvakind]

Liking the reply from NY Steve, thanks bud. I am doing DD's and am not looking for concours finishes.

 

[slomo]

Harbor freight 6" DA polisher with #00 grade grease upgrade, not #2 NLGI wheel bearing grease that doesn't flow like the factory grease.

Americana Global Exact Fit pads.

Compounds are heavy cutting Ardex Hard At It, medium cut Turtle Wax Rubbing compound then a polish I use Turtle Wax Polishing compound. You will get a glass finish with those three products easily. Then apply the world standard Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell For $3.87 at Chinamart. Triple the ingredients at triple the price, Turtle Wax ICE Paste wax.

Wash soap - Purple Power Vehicle and Boat Wash.

Towels - 600 thread count Egyptian cotton hand towels. Puts ANY microfiber to shame which are made of plastic threads that do NOT absorb water or anything else. They tend to push water rather than absorb.

Grease and tar like roam grime removal - Diesel fuel on a red shop rag

Window cleaner - Turtle Wax non ammonia formula.

slomo

 

[jimbrewer]

I have an expensive Flex DA gathering dust. If you keep your car up, you won't use it too much. Even if I did decide to get a DA again, I would go for cheap—-it's not a precision machine.

Claybaring your car is worthwhile and no big deal. Not something that you do very often.

I get plenty of durability with Collinite 476 paste. ( I felt like I had to get my money's worth out of the Flex.) these days, any decent sealant will give you four months, and the better ones 6 months to a year. Collinite counts as a sealant despite its name.

I do rinseless washes (using the Garry Dean method). Here I go for lots and lots of cheap Microfiber towels I get at Sams. It's not particularly fast, but it is convenient, since you can wash in the garage in inclement weather, or at night. I use 1 oz. of Optimum rinseless to the gallon.

Occasionally I spritz with spray wax. The line between spray wax and sealant is beginning to blur. Optimum spray wax seems more like a spray sealant given its durability. I'm not ready to junk the application of sealants for spray wax only—-not yet.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted by slomo
Towels - 600 thread count Egyptian cotton hand towels. Puts ANY microfiber to shame which are made of plastic threads that do NOT absorb water or anything else. They tend to push water rather than absorb.


False. If this has been your results using MF towels, then you must have some cheap ones. The ones I use will completely dry my wife's Toyota Sienna (which is huge), and it only takes two of them to do it. They absolutely absorb...

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by grampi
Originally Posted by slomo
Towels - 600 thread count Egyptian cotton hand towels. Puts ANY microfiber to shame which are made of plastic threads that do NOT absorb water or anything else. They tend to push water rather than absorb.


False. If this has been your results using MF towels, then you must have some cheap ones. The ones I use will completely dry my wife's Toyota Sienna (which is huge), and it only takes two of them to do it. They absolutely absorb...





I agree. Quality microfiber is the way to go. The towels made specifically for drying are great. You can drape the towel over the body and pull. The surface will be dry.

 

[Touring5]

Originally Posted by danez_yoda
for 3 cars in detailing I would recommend the harbor freight dual action polisher.

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-57-amp-heavy-duty-dual-action-variable-speed-polisher-69924.html
You can apply the 20% off coupons found everywhere and get it for about $50.
It is very similar in performance to a Porter Cable unit. (I have a PC and i use my brothers HF with no complaints)
.....




In one of the most recent catalogs I received from HF, there is a coupon for that unit for $49.xx - which would be about $5 or $6 dollars cheaper than the 20% off coupon. That coupon expires in November sometime.

 

[RTexasF]

Originally Posted by NYSteve
I very recent convert to the world of orbital buffers this is where I would start:

- Buffer: Griots HD, if out of budget Harbor Freight
- Clay Bar: Get a synthetic, off the shelf use mother's or check out Nanoskin Fine from somewhere like Autogeek
- Compound/Polish/Sealant: Unless you are going for a show car quality, utilize a new All-In-One formula such as Blackfire All-In-One. The best thing about the new AIOs is that there is virtually no way to remove too much as the abrasives are designed to breakdown quickly from compound to polish while using your buffer.
- Pads: Lake County White Polishing Pads for AIO. Non-cutting black or red for wax. Ideal is one pad per panel, if not, minimum of 4.
Wax/Sealant/LSP: You can get all sorts of crazy here. Would just go with Collinite. Don't over think it or else you'll be looking at $100 waxes etc. Collinite is great to build on the AIO as it straddles the sealant and wax category plus is affordable.


THIS is the best advice given here......follow it!