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Lawn Mowing Professionals
14-01-2013, 08:05 PM
I use to be quite into detailing cars, usually 1 - 2 a week when i was right into it... I have detailed a few hundred different cars over the past 5 years as a hobby and getting quite good at paint correction which can take hours if not days to do.

Most basic details that i do take around 4 hours including paint correction and off course applying paint protection etc.

The equipment that i use is Flex and also Festool... for polishes, I mainly use menzerna and for paint protection i have around 40 different types to choose from depending on the car paint type, colour etc....


Makes me cringe when i see brand new cars come out of the detailership and usually already damaged from the dealership wash and/or polish... you see the holigrams, marring, scratches from incorrect washing techniques etc...

I have done a huge range of different cars but love doing the exotic sport cars :)

If i get enough interest... i will go indepth with the processes including pictures etc...

Who else has an interest in detailing cars and what equipment and supplies do you use?

I should also ask has anyone done it for an actual business?

Simmo.

AL73
16-01-2013, 10:53 AM
Hey Simmo,

Youve got my interest. I restored and had fully resprayed my 85 Porsche 928 about 3 years ago now. Only pull it out of the garage and drive/wash every now and then unfortunately. Would be interested in what you recommend for washing it and maintaining shine etc.
Feel free to go in depth and show pics - this stuff interests me, as for doing it as a business I'd be hopeless takes me hours a little OCD I think. There would be no room for profit.

Cheers

NLALM
16-01-2013, 06:39 PM
I saw a show once don't what it was but there was a story about this guy that detailed supercars no not the v8s He only done veyrons ferraris porches that type of thing it used to take him a couple of days to do one car if I remember right the price for the full detail was around 5000 pounds he was a pom. Awsome job he did , I suppose if you can afford a zonda you can afford to have it cleaned properly.
I think it is a bit like lawmowing looks easy from the outside but really is hard work to do it right.

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 08:11 PM
Hey Simmo,

Youve got my interest. I restored and had fully resprayed my 85 Porsche 928 about 3 years ago now. Only pull it out of the garage and drive/wash every now and then unfortunately. Would be interested in what you recommend for washing it and maintaining shine etc.
Feel free to go in depth and show pics - this stuff interests me, as for doing it as a business I'd be hopeless takes me hours a little OCD I think. There would be no room for profit.

Cheers

Hi Al,

How to wash a car.... 2 bucket method.


To use the two bucket method you simply use two buckets to wash the car ;) putting your car wash (I use a brand from chemical guy's -Citrus Wash & Gloss... Citrus Based Hyper-Concentrated Wash... the best!!!!) in one bucket and clean water in the other bucket.

First step is to pressure hose and give your car a rinse to loosen dirt and wet the paintwork. Note - i actually use a foam lance that connects to the pressure washer and foams the whole car with suds to loosen and "lift" the dirt prior to washing.

soak your wash mitt (i use a micro fibre mitt and not a yellow sponge!!!) in the soapy bucket and begin washing your car. I don't wash in a circle motion but instead left to right.

Then, before putting your mitt back into the soapy bucket simply rinse it out in the second bucket of clean water (i use a grit guard also). This will remove the dirt and grit from your mitt and makes sure that they don't make their way back to your mitt... this reduces the chances of creating swirling and light scratches. Now you use the first bucket of soapy water and dunk your "clean" wash mitt and continue washing... each time following the same process.

To dry the car, I use a micro fibre towel... these dry a whole car within a minute... they absorb all the water and leave a streak free finish.

For the windows, i use a window cleaner (Auto glym) and also a window micro fibre cloth for streak free windows everytime.

Tip: I apply tyre shine (not silicon spray on types that "fling" everywhere when you drive) prior to washing a car... I then also re-apply when i finish detailing... makes the tyres shine for longer and keeps the tyres cleaner for longer also.

clean inside the vehicle - not any tips really here except for using good branded cleaning products... I mainly use a product called 303 and use for the dash, rubbers, plastics etc... never use armoral (silicon based and will dry out plastic and crack, fade etc)

That is the basic car wash...

NEXT STEP... MAGIC CLAY BARS!!!!

The next step to getting clean paint work is to use a clay bar... a clay bar is the safest and most effective way to clean car paint and to remove any contaminants (and there are thousands of different contaminents ;).

The Clay bar is the most effective and safe way to thoroughly clean paint and remove these unwanted contaminates. Detailing clay bars clean paint below the surface. Run your hand along the car's paint. Is it completely smooth or a bit rough? If it's rough, the paint has contaminants that are either attached to the paint, or have penetrated the clear coat. Clay bars safely remove these contaminants from the paint and leaves your vehicle feeling slick, smooth and ready for any paint correction that is required or straight to a wax or sealant.

TIP - get a plastic shopping bag and with your hand in it run it over the paintwork!!!! You will be amazed what you feel!!!


Swirls, holograms, marring can be removed through paint correction (machine polishing) and can remove light scratches also. This can be a very long process depending on the colour of the paint, paint type, condition of the paint etc...

If you need any specifics here ask and i will let you know.


The final stage is applying a wax, sealant and possibly glazes... which protects the paintwork.

Way to many to chhose from here... Personal favourites for the right paint work...

Jetseal 109 which is a sealant and gives awsome protection and mirror like shine

Swissvax Concorso - expensive ($350) but awesome wax that last and cheaper than the $1500 wax above it :frightene

Duragloss

Dodojuice


I hope that helps Al... any specific questions fire away.... I thought there would be heaps of car enthusiast on here :i dunno:


And now for some pictures.... i did have heaps of pics at one stage but didn't back up my iphone and my iphone stopped working last year... lost all those pictures.

Simmo.

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 08:12 PM
double post.... but i will chuck a pic in that i put in the weather section also ;)


5897


Simmo.

Fred's mowing
16-01-2013, 08:18 PM
Spray on CT18, down 2 stubbies, pressure wash off.:cool:
Cheers Fred.

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 08:19 PM
5898


Simmo. .

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 08:22 PM
2001 toyota corolla

very happy with the results....

5899


Simmo.

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 08:27 PM
2002 magna

reflection shot...

Simmo.

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 08:39 PM
well i stuffed that last one up!!!

5905



Simmo.

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 08:41 PM
Last one for the night ;)

5903

Simmo.

AL73
16-01-2013, 08:47 PM
Nice work Simmo. Thanks for the in depth reply. Thankfully I have mostly been doing what you have recommended.
Do you use a clay bar on older paint you are trying to restore colour/shine to? Or do you use it on new paintwork also to remove contaminants etc?
I will try and add a pic of my car, never added pics on here before so not sure how it will go.

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 09:00 PM
I saw a show once don't what it was but there was a story about this guy that detailed supercars no not the v8s He only done veyrons ferraris porches that type of thing it used to take him a couple of days to do one car if I remember right the price for the full detail was around 5000 pounds he was a pom. Awsome job he did , I suppose if you can afford a zonda you can afford to have it cleaned properly.
I think it is a bit like lawmowing looks easy from the outside but really is hard work to do it right.

It is very time consuming... and not easy to do at all... there are so many different variables such as paint thickness, paint type, weather conditions etc.

I'm confident enough to do any car now... (except nissan GTR R35... self correcting paint!) I got into it originally when i owned a BMW 330i (sedan) and Mercedes ML350 (4wd)... these were my test cars at the time and both were metalic black.

I have done a corvette, ferrari, lamborghini, porsche cayenne (4wd)... they are ok to do but wouldn't want to do them everyday (had the opportunity though at one stage). I perfer to do hsv or FPV's as it usually gets better results.... European cars are very time consuming and require speciality products usually... Honda are the worst for detailing and i have done plenty Honda Accords (around 8 i think) they come up great but you look at them and they scratch

I know alot of top end detailers around the country and spend days doing a car (charge a few thousand dollars for a full detail with paint correction)... some of the work is amazing and better than a repray!

Simmo.

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 09:11 PM
Nice work Simmo. Thanks for the in depth reply. Thankfully I have mostly been doing what you have recommended.
Do you use a clay bar on older paint you are trying to restore colour/shine to? Or do you use it on new paintwork also to remove contaminants etc?
I will try and add a pic of my car, never added pics on here before so not sure how it will go.

I use a clay bar anytime before I use polish... it removes the crap on the car's paintwork... it doesn't make it shiny, but allows you to work on a clean surface (i hope that makes sense) to make the paintwork shine.

I have heaps of different polishes that can enhance shine and give the wet look that are a prewax enhancer... with polishes there are so many different types that do different things that sometimes i could polish the car 3 or 4 times to get rid of holograms, scratches, faded paintwork etc.

every stage is important to get the clear coat the cleanest and brightest it can be!

What products do you currently use?

Simmo.

Greenie
16-01-2013, 09:55 PM
Self correcting paint??
Simmo what u talking about?? I been a panel beater for 10 years never heard of it :)
You know we never stuff around in a panel shop with all this chemicals:) all we do is wet n dry ( cut back ) an buff:) if u know what ur doing It will tun out mirror finish:)

Chris B
16-01-2013, 10:09 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQIsEa4p5mk

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 10:35 PM
Self correcting paint??
Simmo what u talking about?? I been a panel beater for 10 years never heard of it :)
You know we never stuff around in a panel shop with all this chemicals:) all we do is wet n dry ( cut back ) an buff:) if u know what ur doing It will tun out mirror finish:)

There isn't many panel beaters that can produce a mirror finnish without hollograms or marring... even new cars are usually ruined once the dealership gives it a "quick" wipeover...

What do you do if there is water marks etched into black paintwork? Wet and dry wouldn't work!

i've only put some basic pictures so far (mostly 10 year + cars.

I agree with you though, most panel beaters do a job that 95% of people would be happy with until i point things out and look at the different angles.

"Self healing" paint it's called sorry... it is actually a new clear coat that repairs light scratches (only nissan use it so far) it needs heaps of sunlight though for the clear to heal... and the clear is very soft... therefore makes it very hard to even wash besides paint correction, applying wax etc... it marrs instantly when the buff hits it... as the heat of the buff is too hot... and when u touch it with a cloth all hell breaks loose...

My theory is they use a double clear coat for it to work...

The average joe wouldn't even notice what im taking about with detailing... it's the top end scale of perfect paintwork.

here is a youtube clip for a Nissan infinity deliberately scratched! Self healing paint...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQIsEa4p5mk&feature=player_embedded

It's a detailers nightmare this soft clear coat... but can be done.. just not this black duck ;)


Simmo.

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 10:38 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQIsEa4p5mk

I missed your post ;)

Simmo.

Chris B
16-01-2013, 10:44 PM
You must have a nice shiny trailer / ute / truck! and mowers !

Lawn Mowing Professionals
16-01-2013, 10:49 PM
You must have a nice shiny trailer / ute / truck! and mowers !

lol... nope, to much dust and grass clippings for that.

However, I should detail the Red Rover before it starts to fade ;)

Simmo.

Greenie
17-01-2013, 12:47 PM
There isn't many panel beaters that can produce a mirror finnish without hollograms or marring... even new cars are usually ruined once the dealership gives it a "quick" wipeover...

What do you do if there is water marks etched into black paintwork? Wet and dry wouldn't work!

i've only put some basic pictures so far (mostly 10 year + cars.

I agree with you though, most panel beaters do a job that 95% of people would be happy with until i point things out and look at the different angles.

"Self healing" paint it's called sorry... it is actually a new clear coat that repairs light scratches (only nissan use it so far) it needs heaps of sunlight though for the clear to heal... and the clear is very soft... therefore makes it very hard to even wash besides paint correction, applying wax etc... it marrs instantly when the buff hits it... as the heat of the buff is too hot... and when u touch it with a cloth all hell breaks loose...

My theory is they use a double clear coat for it to work...

The average joe wouldn't even notice what im taking about with detailing... it's the top end scale of perfect paintwork.

here is a youtube clip for a Nissan infinity deliberately scratched! Self healing paint...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQIsEa4p5mk&feature=player_embedded

It's a detailers nightmare this soft clear coat... but can be done.. just not this black duck ;)


Simmo.

Your right!! because a panel beaters job is to fix the panels:) and we leave this upto the painters who have to go to tafe for 4 years and learn how the paint system works!! Pigmentation ( Google it ) is something u may need to learn:)
But YES mirror finish Everytime With NO Swirl marks! After we use a special compound to get rid of all the "Maring" and holograms, Its funny these arnt terms we use in the panel shop:) i been in about 6 different shops in my 10 year panel beating career, and never have any of the 40 Year old patrons ( Painters )who have used the terms "Marring" and Holograms", i would think these painters Are the real deal:) and there is more to Detailing than most think:) Detailers pretty much only play with 1mm of the Clear coat If matellic because Simmo know that solid cars dont have a clear coat:) ( But they could ) :)

p.s i took offense to your last post!! because u have no idea what panel beaters do and spray painters!!How do u know they cant produce mirror finish???this is my trade, i have Years of experience and very passionate about it,
Have u got a trade license?? how many years of u had in a shop?

Lawn Mowing Professionals
17-01-2013, 06:22 PM
Sorry Greenie if you took offense... It wasn't my intention. I have never worked in the industry but have friends that own panel shops and i've seen enough examples on the roads every single day. Infact, I have had enough of my own vehicles (my wife somehow attracts bad drivers) and friends cars in repair shops and when they come back are just average results, so i have to fix them.

As you said it isn't a panel beaters role to get the clear coat perfect to give these results. Infact - I personally class professional detailing as a seperate trade from a panel shop anyways... it is the final stage which takes alot of experience and time. Again, detailers go for the top 5% of shine which most people wouldn't even notice unless up against a car that is the same colour or before after pics.

I'm not saying that you are unable to get the results, what i am saying it takes alot of time and product combined with experience to get top end results with paint correction. Most panel shops would go broke if they spent the time to do it as a top end detailer... and almost always a panel shop would choose a respray over extreme paint correction.... I don't blame them... they are running a business.

Even car manufacturer's are producing crap work in my opinion recently... There are many reasons for this... people except it and know no different, manufacturer's like bmw usually have alot of orange peel which helps cover up imperfections in the paint, honda and nissan have soft clear coats that mark easily and holden and ford use clear coats that fade quicker than most etc

I'm aware of what pigment is... In my past life I was a printer and photocopier technican - which uses the same princibles for paint and inks etc. I could learn alot more for paintwork but have never need to so far.

There is alot that goes into detailing... (paint work is just one part of it and that is what i am mainly interested in) It is a highly specialist field, I would assume there would only be around 100 top notch detailers in australia that get the amazing WOW factor... i am far from that level! however everyone opens up a carwash and offers full detailing lol Even detail shops are usually crap as most work is done for car yards etc who will only pay $100 - $150 for a full car detail... I also have seen a few paint shops sending cars to these same detailer for the final touch...

As i said previously... 95% of people are happy with these results... people won't pay $500 - $2000, when they can get it done for $100 - $200.

Just out of interest, i have a few questions...

what paint protection did you use after buffing with polish in your panel shops?
did you ever use clay bars? if so, how often, and for what purpose?
from your experience, what is the main reason why some spray jobs are only $2000 and can go up to $20,000 for a custom job?


Simmo.