Detailing chat

Foxhole Norman

Flex make absolutely fantastic machines, use the VRG Direct Drive Orbital, PE14-2 and PE8, they're extremely well balanced and well made. I'd recommend Menzerna's range of polishes myself, work fantastic on German paint.

Ron Burgundy II

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Thanks! Nah, havn't went near anything. I want to watch a lot of YouTube first because I'm pretty sure I'll **** something up otherwise. That and I only have 3 pads and no polishes and no idea what to buy to use with it.

The Honda will have soft paint and correction will be relatively quick in comparison to the VW (hard paint).

I went to the scrap yard to pick up a door from a black mk4 golf to practice on (€10).

Great thing about a DA is the ease of use and knowing that you have to nearly use the backing plate without a pad to damage paint work*.

*Unless you have no clear coat, then that's a different matter or you run over body work creases too much.

As FN said the Menzernas range is very good, worth a look.

vectra

If you have had some degree of success with that old rotary, you will have the basics of what to do.
With a DA you are pretty much dead safe anyhow.
But as said above, Honda paint will be soft. Vag is hard.
But golden rule
start with the least cut and work up.

brembo26

Just done a few bits with my own car if anyone is interested in a look.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=103561196&postcount=4372

Could do with a good compound in the near future though.

vectra

brembo26 wrote: »

Just done a few bits with my own car if anyone is interested in a look.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=103561196&postcount=4372

Could do with a good compound in the near future though.

Looks great.

brembo26

Started raining but im not disappointed

slave1

When cleaning my windows the microfiber drags when buffing, I spray (Autoglym Quick Glass), wipe with cloth A but cloth B drags when buffing, where am I going wrong?

MetzgerMeister

Microfibres aren't really suited to sliding on glass. You can get glass cloths which are like microfibres but designed for use on glass. Personally I just use an old t-shirt that is "hard" to the touch rather than soft. Kind of hard to explain but it absorbs liquids and leaves a streak-free finish.

Soft cloths will leave streaks which are hugely visible when the sun shines through the glass.

PGE1970

Metzer,

Can you recommend a good glass cleaner?

Also, what about something like this for use on a car?

http://www.homestoreandmore.ie/detergents/hg-window-cleaner-05l/invt/900882

vectra

PGE1970 wrote: »

Metzer,

Can you recommend a good glass cleaner?

Also, what about something like this for use on a car?

http://www.homestoreandmore.ie/detergents/hg-window-cleaner-05l/invt/900882

Go to yuor local supermarket and buy a bottle Mr.Muscle window cleaner ( Green squirty stuff )
Try that with a suitable cloth.
My current window cleaner is W45 squirty stuff from Lidl.
I honestly can see no difference between it and dedicated car glass cleaners I have tried.

MetzgerMeister

PGE1970 wrote: »

Metzer,

Can you recommend a good glass cleaner?

Also, what about something like this for use on a car?

http://www.homestoreandmore.ie/detergents/hg-window-cleaner-05l/invt/900882

IMO glass cleaner is glass cleaner. The only difference I've ever found is the scent. I use Chemical Guys glass cleaner and it smells really nice. I hate the vinegary smell of glass cleaners

If you want to make cleaning glass a LOT easier, apply the likes of Gtechniq G1 or CarPro FlyBy Forte. As we all know I love Gtechniq and G1 is what I have on mine. I can't vouch for the CarPro as I never used it but Detailing Shed sell it.

Ardennes1944

Dont you just love seeing the kids having enough space and comfort in the car

leupold90

slave1 wrote: »

When cleaning my windows the microfiber drags when buffing, I spray (Autoglym Quick Glass), wipe with cloth A but cloth B drags when buffing, where am I going wrong?

AG glass cleaner is good stuff. I use it and Stoners Invisible Glass. Two things that have worked for me;

1. Wipe on with cloth A and straight away buff with cloth B. The longer the time gap between A & B the more likely there is to be grabbiness.
2. Sometimes I'll spray on glass cleaner with cloth A or kitchen roll or newspaper (instructions on Stoners mention newspaper) and I'll then use a squirt of QD for the final buff.

Both of the above methods work well for me but YMMV.

beer enigma

Anyone recommend something to improve scratches on a 2001 E46 metallic blue BMW. Its very low mileage but has suffered from too many airport car park visits.

Obviously its value is low, but it needs some love - don't want to spend a fortune, but wondering is there a product that would help. Mainly superficial scratches, nothing too deep.

vectra

Unless you want to get a machine correction the only other real option would be a deep clean along with a clay.
Then a couple of coats of a decent Glaze which would fill/hide minor swirling etc. topped with a wax or sealant.

Curran

Vectra has hit the nail on the head - a good decontamination - wash, de-tar, de-iron, claybar, and perhaps a hand polish to try add some depth to the paint. Then a glaze to mask some of the damage, and then a wax or sealant to lock in the glaze and give you a few months of looking well. If it needs another boost in a few months, can do another coat of glaze and wax / sealant.

MaceFace

Three hours to wash, detar, decontaminate, and clay.
Tomorrow - wash, polish, eraser and wax.

Curran

Three hours very well spent so.....it's all in the prep!

MetzgerMeister

Gtechniq stocked up for another while

MaceFace

So, I'm going to machine polish my car for the first time.
I have a cutting compound and finishing wax. Not sure the purpose of the finishing wax - does this replace the normal wax I would typically use?

I was planning on polishing then using eraser and then wash again and then my normal wax. Where does the finishing wax come in here?

Curran

Not sure what 'finishing wax' is - have you a picture or name of the exact product.

Cutting compound sometimes needs a finishing polish, but it wouldnt or at least shouldnt be called a wax. Perhaps its a finishing polish with protection factored in?

Anyways; yes, polish, then eraser, wash, dry, eraser again (IMO) and apply your two coats of wax.

Curran

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Thats the worst PA lance Ive seen - Ebay?? :pac: :P

MaceFace

The finishing wax is Meguiars D301 Finishibg Wax
Thanks Curran

vectra

MaceFace wrote: »

The finishing wax is Meguiars D301 Finishibg Wax
Thanks Curran

After you use your cutting stage.
This is as Curran said a finishing polish with protection built in.
I have no experience of this but it looks interesting.
Use a soft finishing pad for this stage.

I am curious to see how this works out for you.
Possibly take some stage photos?
Pre cut photos
After cut photos
and after finish wax photos.

MaceFace

vectra wrote: »

After you use your cutting stage.
This is as Curran said a finishing polish with protection built in.
I have no experience of this but it looks interesting.
Use a soft finishing pad for this stage.

I am curious to see how this works out for you.
Possibly take some stage photos?
Pre cut photos
After cut photos
and after finish wax photos.

In the end I decided to skip the finishing wax and go straight with the regular ODK Glamour I normally use. I was under time pressures on Saturday and didn't take stage photos.

I am very pleased with the results.

vectra

MaceFace wrote: »

In the end I decided to skip the finishing wax and go straight with the regular ODK Glamour I normally use. I was under time pressures on Saturday and didn't take stage photos.

I am very pleased with the results.

Pics or it didn't happen

MetzgerMeister

Curran, how did the opening of your new unit go yesterday?

xabi

Is it necessary to de-iron my wheels with every wash or should it be limited to every other wash? What do others do?

vectra

xabi wrote: »

Is it necessary to de-iron my wheels with every wash or should it be limited to every other wash? What do others do?

I only do mine a couple of times a year.
Then again, I have mine sealed with Carpro Dlux, which is probably dying off now.

ronnie3585

xabi wrote: »

Is it necessary to de-iron my wheels with every wash or should it be limited to every other wash? What do others do?

Definitely not. Like Vectra, I only de-iron mine a few times a year (two or three). I find anything over that is unnecessary.