e.pie's all encompassing detail thread v.askmedetailingstuff

[e.pie]

Here is my basic process for detailing a car, my buffer is a DeWalt 849.


Here are the pads I use and will reference in this post.

http://www.autogeek.net/lc-ccs-7inch-pads.html

The first steps are to wash and clay the car, I like optimum no rinse because I don't have to drag out the hose, and I can wash in any weather without freezing on cold days or having to race water spots on hot sunny days. ONR can also be used as a claybar lubricant.

http://www.autogeek.net/no-rinse-wash.html

Pick whatever clay bar you want to use the brand doesn't really matter, they are all the same as they are licensed from the same patent.

To start out I generally use Optimum Hyper Compound with an orange Lake Country pad depending on how bad the paint was, if it wasn't that bad I would just start out on the next buffing step.

http://www.autogeek.net/opt-hyper-compound-spray.html

You could use a more agressive pad/compound combo if you really want to, but the object is to do as little buffing as possible to get the paint looking good.

Also the first step of buffing will take the longest because you'll be taking your time getting out all of the major imperfections.


After that use either the hyper polish or the polish II with an LC white pad.

http://www.autogeek.net/opt400.html

http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-hyper-polish-spray.html


Then followed with 3M 06068 Ultrafine Machine polish with either a gray or blue pad.

http://www.autogeek.net/3m-ultra-fine-polish.html


Then top with Opti-Seal

http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-opti-seal.html



And then the wax of your choice, I like Poorboys Natty Red or Blue and AutoGlym HD wax

http://www.autogeek.net/poorboys-nattys-red-wax.html

http://www.autogeek.net/nattys-blue.html

http://www.amazon.com/Autoglym-HDWAXUS-High-Definition-Wax/dp/B001FEISS6



Also a little tip,

To test and see if what you are doing will be enough to correct the paint, put a line of tape down a section where you can get a good side by side comparison. Run through of the buffing steps real quick, then pull off the tape and compare against the untouched area, if there are still some deep swirls you may need to use a more agressive buffing compound with the orange pad. I would use Optimum Compound II in place of the Hyper Compound in that case. http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-compound.html


For fairly heavy correction use the Compound II with the yellow pad, but that will take off material pretty fast (especially with a rotary buffer) so only use that on the really bad spots.


In all the dozens of cars I've detailed I've only run in to one car that had scratches bad enough to need a yellow pad.

 

[e.pie]

As far as the cheapest bare bones kit I would recommend to a beginner I would get this kit.

http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-porter-cable-kit.html

DA buffers are a lot more forgiving for someone just starting out, they will take a little more time to correct swirls but will make up for that by not burning through the paint too fast.

That kit should give you a good start to doing medium to light paint correction. If you're following along with the steps in the above post, just replace the 3M machine polish with the Poli-Seal

 

[e.pie]

On to the pics.


IS300


Before

After

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After

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

 

[e.pie]

G35

 

[e.pie]

Junkyard Del Sol roof that I did as kind of a joke for $5 just to see what I could do with it.


This was by far the nastiest thing I've ever clay bared, the clay sounded like sand paper it was scraping off so much crap.

 

[e.pie]

S2000

 

[e.pie]

03 Cobra, this car was by far in the worst shape of any cars I've done, the paint was really well beyond help, but I did what I could and it did end up looking a lot better, but it was still pretty rough.

 

[e.pie]

Insight

 

[BATMANs]

Have you used Zaino for your buffing needs?

http://nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128468

 

[e.pie]

Yeah, I don't really care for Zaino.

 

[BATMANs]

Yeah, I don't really care for Zaino.

Why not?

It seems that it makes sense with regards to cutting down time so you can spend time doing either more cars or other things......

 

[e.pie]

Optimum compounds don't dry or dust, they have a pretty much infinite work time, so you can use less product and don't have to keep reapplying just because the pad dried out.


Also don't use Dawn (or any dish soap) to wash your car, it dries out the paint and rubber seals/trim.

 

[BATMANs]

Optimum compounds don't dry or dust, they have a pretty much infinite work time, so you can use less product and don't have to keep reapplying just because the pad dried out.


Also don't use Dawn (or any dish soap) to wash your car, it dries out the paint and rubber seals/trim.

I find that the ZPC is much like a fire and forget system since it breaks down to the smaller polishing molecules.

Dawn is really used just the one time to remove pre-existing waxes/polish of other brands so that Zaino is not mixed with those coatings.

 

[arista5]

Topic Thread has "OT" written all over it :biggrin:

 

[LowFlyin']

w00t for e.pie detailed S2000s!

 

[e.pie]

Topic Thread has "OT" written all over it :biggrin:

Pretty much has Scottwax written all over it as well. :tongue:

 

[e.pie]

This stuff is flat out amazing.

Between this and Optimum No Rinse, I can wash *AND* wax my car in under 30 minutes.

Racing the clock I was able to do my Insight in 15 minutes, lol.

The depth of the shine it gives is absolutely ridiculous.

http://www.autogeek.net/opnoriwash12.html
http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-spray-wax.html

 

[Nefarious]

Paging Scottwax....oops, wrong forum.

Car's are looking good. You do good work man.

 

[e.pie]

Paging Scottwax....oops, wrong forum.

Car's are looking good. You do good work man.

Thanks. :smile: