TheWolf Posted March 19, 2016 Author Share Posted March 19, 2016 Took the labels off the empty containers and added them to the front of my current ones. Just took a little heat and they came right off, and re-stuck fine. SgtLip, mc2hill and stripesace 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirahnah3 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 great idea....wonder if it will work with other bottles... TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripesace Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Took the labels off the empty containers and added them to the front of my current ones. Just took a little heat and they came right off, and re-stuck fine. I've thought about using a 16oz bottle label for this purpose. TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blcksilv08 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 That cluster looks awesome, I have really been meaning to get after mine. TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFairbanks Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I think we all have a little bit of this, but Dan is our fearless leader. H20burycharger, mc2hill and TheWolf 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gremlin85 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 (edited) GAUGE CLUSTER POLISHING Not really sure why I waited so long to fix the scratches on the gauge cluster cover. Most of them were there when the truck was new, and a few were added when I made the mistake of vacuuming the sand off with a less-than-soft brush attachment. 01.jpg Tools for the task: Paint Finishing Polish, Brilliant Glaze, Single Soft Towels, blue painter’s tape. 02.jpg Started by taping off the adjacent plastic, to keep the polish from getting on it. Taping was easy since you can slide the tape behind the edge of the plastic, then wrap it around the front. 03.jpg Put a small amount of Paint Finishing Polish on the Single Soft Towel. 04.jpg Then polished by hand with just the portion of the towel that has polish on it. I wrapped the rest of the towel around my hand to keep it from catching on the tape. 05.jpg After polishing for about 15 minutes, I wiped the residue off with a clean portion of the towel, then checked with a strong light to make sure all the major scratches were gone. 06.jpg I did see some minor scratches on the back of the cluster cover, but they are not that noticeable. Next up was some Brilliant Glaze applied with a clean Single Soft Towel. The Brilliant Glaze contains fillers, so it will help hide any scratches that did not come out with the hand polishing. 07.jpg 08.jpg After the glaze hazed up, wiped the residue with a clean portion of the towel. A significant improvement! 09.jpg This is PURE GOLD. I can't tell you how many times I've avoided my plastic cluster cover due to the fact that it is so easily scratched. I thought I'd never be able to safely remove those scratches, but this proves me wrong! I'm so happy you shared this. I cannot wait to try this out on my own cluster! Edited March 24, 2016 by Gremlin85 TheWolf and SgtLip 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWolf Posted April 30, 2016 Author Share Posted April 30, 2016 WAX RE-MELT My tub of Americana Paste Wax was about half used up, and had really broken up. This wax is not the new version, but about 2 years old. To re-melt it, I used a double-boiler, adding just enough water to the level that the wax container, without the lid, just started to float. With the heat on medium, I watched the wax to see when the smallest specs just started to melt, then reduced the heat to low. On low heat, it took about 20 minutes for the wax to completely melt. It is important to melt the wax VERY slowly, with just enough heat to get it right over the melting temperature. Using higher heat to melt faster can degrade the wax. Do not leave unattended on the stove, watch for melting and adjust the heat as low as possible. Note that if you have just a few cracks in the wax, you can still get it onto an applicator, so I would not re-melt for that. But if it is broken into chunks like this one, then the only way to get it onto an applicator is to rub a chunk onto the face of the foam. In short, only re-melt if really needed. Once melted, I carefully removed it and let it cool off and solidify. Also, be very, very careful with melted wax. At 180+ degrees it can cause severe burns and will stick to the skin, causing even more damage. Take special care, and do not leave unattended on the stove where a child could get hurt. One last tip, this is best done when the lady of the house is out. You don't want to get in trouble for using her cookware for detailing stuff, and you certainly don't want to let her know that you can actually run the stove by yourself. mc2hill, James__, shmedley and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkj4243 Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 Thanks for sharing the process for the wax! TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schell21 Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 WAX RE-MELT My tub of Americana Paste Wax was about half used up, and had really broken up. This wax is not the new version, but about 2 years old. To re-melt it, I used a double-boiler, adding just enough water to the level that the wax container, without the lid, just started to float. 20160319_113115.jpg With the heat on medium, I watched the wax to see when the smallest specs just started to melt, then reduced the heat to low. 20160319_115832.jpg 20160319_120154.jpg On low heat, it took about 20 minutes for the wax to completely melt. It is important to melt the wax VERY slowly, with just enough heat to get it right over the melting temperature. Using higher heat to melt faster can degrade the wax. Do not leave unattended on the stove, watch for melting and adjust the heat as low as possible. 20160319_121359.jpg Note that if you have just a few cracks in the wax, you can still get it onto an applicator, so I would not re-melt for that. But if it is broken into chunks like this one, then the only way to get it onto an applicator is to rub a chunk onto the face of the foam. In short, only re-melt if really needed. Once melted, I carefully removed it and let it cool off and solidify. 20160319_121543.jpg 20160319_123625.jpg Also, be very, very careful with melted wax. At 180+ degrees it can cause severe burns and will stick to the skin, causing even more damage. Take special care, and do not leave unattended on the stove where a child could get hurt. One last tip, this is best done when the lady of the house is out. You don't want to get in trouble for using her cookware for detailing stuff, and you certainly don't want to let her know that you can actually run the stove by yourself. great info. it makes me want to throw a wick in that container and burn it in my house TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWolf Posted May 1, 2016 Author Share Posted May 1, 2016 The Raptor is now going to have to share my attention with this new 2016 Ford Explorer Sport. Its the wife's DD, we ordered in mid-Fed and took delivery last Sunday. Didn't get home until mid afternoon, so it got a quick detail. Thorough wash and sealed with HGG. The inside got vacuumed, wiped down with damp towels, and treated to Leather Conditioner on everything. Once I find a couple days of free time, it will get a full detail including 2-step paint correction. And I know what you're thinking, that I'm a slacker for not getting black, but the lady-boss didn't like the non-metallic Shadow Black. It looked a bit plain compared to the Tuxedo Black Metallic on the truck. I have to say, the Magnetic Metallic does look sharp, just not quite the level of depth as my truck. mc2hill and Schell21 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripesace Posted May 2, 2016 Share Posted May 2, 2016 Thats an awesome color. Makes me miss my '13 explorer! TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneck08sierra Posted May 2, 2016 Share Posted May 2, 2016 One last tip, this is best done when the lady of the house is out. You don't want to get in trouble for using her cookware for detailing stuff, and you certainly don't want to let her know that you can actually run the stove by yourself. Best tip of the year, lifetime, ever!!!! TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrippinF150 Posted May 2, 2016 Share Posted May 2, 2016 Truly amazed by this thread! Just spent about an hour reading thru this and finally realized why it has been so popular! Going to start paying more attention to this thread now! Awesome work! TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lower90xcab Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 Took the labels off the empty containers and added them to the front of my current ones. Just took a little heat and they came right off, and re-stuck fine. 20160319_130650.jpg dan..where did you find the pumps for your gallon containers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWolf Posted May 3, 2016 Author Share Posted May 3, 2016 dan..where did you find the pumps for your gallon containers? You can find the gallon pumps here: http://adamspolishes.com/shop/accessories/empty-bottles-sprayers/adam-s-gallon-pump-dispenser.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWolf Posted May 8, 2016 Author Share Posted May 8, 2016 Fixed some scratches in a couple areas from the last trip to the sand dunes. Here's a before photo: Used the Cyclo Polisher and Correcting Polish on the Orange Foam Pad to remove the scratches, then used Finishing Polish on the White Foam Pad to get all the shine back on! After cleaning up with some Waterless Wash, applied a coat of Paint Sealant to the polished areas. zapdon, LFairbanks, SgtLip and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripesace Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 I think Ford loves Orange Peel more than Toyota does... TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James__ Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 (edited) I think Ford loves Orange Peel more than Toyota does... Chrysler is pretty bad too... It's hard to get a close up reflection in my truck that isn't very blurred from the orange peel. Nice work on the Raptor, Dan! Edited May 8, 2016 by James__ TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07r/t Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Wow Dan, I just read through the whole thread. Very well written. I do have a question for you. At the beginning you used Paste wax. When you used the guard and gloss towards the end of the thread, what is your opinion on each one? Do you mix them and let them build up or, paste when it's nice, g&g during the winter? TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWolf Posted May 8, 2016 Author Share Posted May 8, 2016 I think Ford loves Orange Peel more than Toyota does... Orange peel is great for making creepy face reflection shots! Wow Dan, I just read through the whole thread. Very well written. I do have a question for you. At the beginning you used Paste wax. When you used the guard and gloss towards the end of the thread, what is your opinion on each one? Do you mix them and let them build up or, paste when it's nice, g&g during the winter? Thanks Ryan! Once the HGG was released, it quickly became part of my regular, year-round maintenance routine, applied on top of PS. The great thing about this product is it also provides protection to the plastics, vinyl, and glass, where a paste wax only adds protection to the paint. I still use paste wax, but only during the summer and mainly to provide a little more gloss, and often just to enjoy some detailing time. I have not seen any build-up yet with a base of PS, HGG every 4-6 weeks, and paste wax a couple time every summer. It does all get stripped and/or polished off during my spring and fall details. Ricky Bobby 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWolf Posted May 20, 2016 Author Share Posted May 20, 2016 Happy Friday to me! mc2hill, James__, Schell21 and 10 others 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07r/t Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Very happy Friday indeed. I have the same two units. They work very well together. Please post your review. TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc2hill Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 I think you will love the LHR15II, what a great machine! TheWolf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWolf Posted May 22, 2016 Author Share Posted May 22, 2016 Very happy Friday indeed. I have the same two units. They work very well together. Please post your review. Will do. I am narrowing down the list of which of my friends or family members is going to get a full polish so I can put these machines to work. Selection criteria so far is 1) hammered paint, but fixable, 2) cool car that would be worth all the effort, 3) once it looks better than new, the least likely person to run it through an automatic car wash. mc2hill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWolf Posted May 22, 2016 Author Share Posted May 22, 2016 Converted yet another garage cabinet over to this detailing madness. Fresh coat of paint, plus some shelf liner. H20burycharger, James__ and zapdon 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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