First time detailing

[nooner]

Here is a screen capture (from a video) of my car. I can't belive how many swirls I have on a brand new car (6 months old). I guess that goes to show you how much damage you can do with an unproper car washes. Thanks to Junkman I know better now.

 

 

 

I couldn't get my camera to show any swirls at all, I wish my car was as nice as my camera made it look lol.

 

And I couldn't even get my bike swirls to show up even in a video form. I even tried using a 1 million candel power spotlight.

 

I got it all clayed today and tomorrow my PC arrives, so I will update with pics as I start to polish it.

 

EDIT

 

Keep the following in mind as you read my post and that I am trying to get my paint into 95% pristine condition.

 

 

This is a BLACK CAR so I know it will take way more time and effort than the avg car will to get it looking pristine. I know I could get a light colored car looking pristine with no problems, but as we know a black car shows minor swirls and scratches a bit better and therefor takes a slightly more skill to get it pristine. You could get it to look good or ever great pretty easily, but to get it looking pristine takes a slight bit of time and skill.

Edited September 29, 2009 by nooner

[Junkman2008]

That's what happens when you cake up the pad with product.

[nooner]

That's what happens when you cake up the pad with product.

 

Yea, I will have to chalk that up to a lessons learned. I need to go buy a new pad now..... and some more detail spray and some more SHR. I know Adam's customer service is great, but I doubt even they will replace my pad caused by my inexperience and screw-ups.

 

I think the imbalance caused it alot too, as the white pad is very clean with nothing caked on it, yet it dust a bit too. I might need a new white one.

 

 

I only worked on it for 1 hour today, but for some reason, it just seemed to click with me today. I was going over grids I did yesterday (which still look like crap) that I spent 20 mins on. I took 10 mins today and really knocked out those spots nice using MUCH MUCH less product. I all of a sudden know what working the product means and I was doing an awesome job on my car today. In part it was from all your help so thanks for that (especially MitsukiGT, that video he made just helped me see how to polish from another angle and I saw something I didn't see in Junkmans videos and that post from Junkman in the PC help/harm thread). But it is also from not giving up and doing a bunch of research too.

 

I learned something else. I think I heard you say it once now that I think about it. You are more about getting out the swirls thatn you are worried about scratches. I would rather have a scratch than no paint at all (from obsessing over sratches and going through the clear.

 

The PC can get the swirls out in a pass (one pass being about a 10min run over a grid) or two (if done correctly), but some scrathes can take 7-8 passes. Granted you probly have about 250 passes with SHR untill you start going through the 75% mark of the clear coat (the mark I have heard people say that is when your UV protections is gone and the sun will start to beat up on your paint).

 

From now on I am going to just get all the swirls out and after 1-3 years worth of detailing every 6-12 months and getting those swirls out, that scratch will in time be taken out, instead of wasting all of that clear coat just to revome a little scratch. The swirl removal process at least minimizes the scratch for the time being.

 

I also asked Junkman the stupid question about removing orange peel after I watched his videos when I first found out about detailing. Now I know it is way too expensive and not really worth it, especially on a daily driver. But I got to thinking, just like the scrathes...... in 10-15 years, all of that polishing will remove enough clear coat and the orange peel with it and my car will only look better with time! That is a reassuring thought.... though I might need a pro to second weather that is true or not.

 

Thank again for all of your help.

Edited September 27, 2009 by nooner

[MitsukiGT]

So why can't you still use that pad? It doesn't look that bad.

[nooner]

So why can't you still use that pad? It doesn't look that bad.

 

I think it is like an MF towel, once you break the structural integrity, it starts to unraval like a chain reaction, its pretty bad and only getting worse the more I try to use it. If it wore down evenly, that would be one thing, but since it is un even, I think it will just make things worse, now the polishing particles have something to grab on if that makes and sense.

[Junkman2008]

I think it is like an MF towel, once you break the structural integrity, it starts to unraval like a chain reaction, its pretty bad and only getting worse the more I try to use it. If it wore down evenly, that would be one thing, but since it is un even, I think it will just make things worse, now the polishing particles have something to grab on if that makes and sense.

 

No, there is nothing that would keep you from using that pad a bunch more times. The dust you see is not the pad disintegrating, it's SHR flaking all over the place. That's how I know you are using too much product. The pad coming apart will do so in chunks, not fine particles that are easily blown around. If you wet the pad with detail spray and use it without any product whatsoever, you will prove this to yourself. There will NOT be any dust.

[nooner]

No, there is nothing that would keep you from using that pad a bunch more times. The dust you see is not the pad disintegrating, it's SHR flaking all over the place. That's how I know you are using too much product. The pad coming apart will do so in chunks, not fine particles that are easily blown around. If you wet the pad with detail spray and use it without any product whatsoever, you will prove this to yourself. There will NOT be any dust.

 

I gave that a try, a freshly washed and dried pad with only DS n it, and still dust. That explains those pics with so much foam missing from the hexagons. If it was product the pad would look more intact and less diseased.

Edited September 27, 2009 by nooner

[Junkman2008]

I gave that a try, a freshly washed and dried pad with only DS n it, and still dust. That explains those pics with so much foam missing from the hexagons. If it was product the pad would look more intact and less diseased.

 

With as many pads as I have used and went through, I have never had a pad make dust unless there was product on it. Obviously, your pad was not TOTALLY clean. That I have seen before. I can say for a fact that there is nothing wrong with that pad.

[nooner]

With as many pads as I have used and went through, I have never had a pad make dust unless there was product on it. Obviously, your pad was not TOTALLY clean. That I have seen before. I can say for a fact that there is nothing wrong with that pad.

 

You are also the man! lol What I am saying is that I think since I screwed up with too much product, that might have "cut" some off the pad in dust form and now that I have cleaned all the product off, it still dust, I think the dust now is form the pad, thought I don't mind this dust at all since it blows right off. The other dust was caused by caked on product and had some product on it and I couldn't blow it off or even wipe it off, I had to scratch it off with my fingernail (which takes forever if you have 100+ particles) or put on a white pad and some FMP and buff it off.

 

The pics don't do it justice, it is faded white instead of orange in the center and almost green looking, it looks diseased.

[MitsukiGT]

Just spray some APC on there, massage it in and use high pressure water to blast it clean. I've gotten my pads pretty dirty before and they come cleaner than the picture you posted.

 

One of my pads also looks similar to that, meaning the hexagons are slightly rounded. Those videos I posted were using that pad, as you can see it cut just fine.

[nooner]

I started MSW today and I was even getting gray pad dusting....

 

"after" pics soon to follow.

[Junkman2008]

I started MSW today and I was even getting gray pad dusting....

 

"after" pics soon to follow.

 

[Bill-V8V]

It's not a polish it is a wax, you just need to spread it not work it :hi:

[MitsukiGT]

I actually don't remember any dust from the grey pad. Also I did the whole car in less than 30 minutes, it went on really easy.

[nooner]

It's not a polish it is a wax, you just need to spread it not work it :hi:

 

Can you tell I have never waxed before either? lol

 

 

The bottle says use 3opm, whcih I did, and I didn't use any pressure (I assume that is what you mean by "working it") but I moved a bit faster than with the polish and as when I polish and went over the grid 2-3 times like a polish, and I didn't use any DS primer. Is that wrong?

Edited September 28, 2009 by nooner

[Bill-V8V]

Can you tell I have never waxed before either? lol

 

 

The bottle says use 3opm, whcih I did, and I didn't use any pressure (I assume that is what you mean by "wroking it" but I moved just as slow as when I polish and went over the grid 2-3 times like a polish, and I didn't use any DS primer. Is that wrong?

 

 

Yes, you are just using the PC to spread it thin. Do a panel at a time. Watch this

 

http://www.adamspolishes.com/t-Videos_DVD5_24.aspx

Edited September 28, 2009 by C6Bill

[nooner]

Yes, you are just using the PC to spread it thin. Do a panel at a time. I'm sure there is a video somewhere, I'll see if I casn find it.

 

 

I just saw Adam's video of it. He says waxing is just to get a shine so you just spread it and he moved slightly faster than I did, he used MUCH more than I did but, the video cut out, so I don't know how long he went over it.

 

I know wax is for shine, but I thought MSW is more of a sealer and it had to be worked over a bit as it is more for pretection and not shine.

[Bill-V8V]

Watch the video again, that is all there is to it.

 

You just spread it.

 

 

http://www.adamspolishes.com/t-Videos_DVD5_24.aspx

[nooner]

Well, apparently I will have to wax it again, but I had to take it out of my driveway and flip it around so I can start on the other side and do the door and fender. Its only fitting that I wax it twice since I polished the whole thing twice . I will just tell people the first time was for practice

 

 

Here are my 'after" pics from the side and top that I did.

 

I had to use my "cheaper" camera, as my camera with the focus and the macro settings is charging right now.

 

I think next time I will wait for noon as the sun is glared in some pics.

 

 

 

 

 

AHHHHH! look how dirty my windows are (especially the back). I forgot about those ^

 

 

 

you can see the swirls around the pin stripe if you look hard enough... not so much the swirls, but the distortion of light from them ^

 

 

 

I think I might enter with this one ^

 

 

Better make it clear that I didn't attempt to clean the windows with any Adams product yet.... ^

 

 

 

That is the hood ^

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What would you suggest as far as getting the swirls out around my pinstrip that goes the whole length of the car, tape is too wide (the stripe is only 2-3mm) and tape is about 2". Would it be bad for the pad if I went over the tape as I buffed? I just tried to eyeball and not get too close to it but when I was done I saw how I didn't touch any of the swirls, I might have to do it by hand. Or would you just suggest I leave it alone or maybe try to glaze them over? It is cool to see a before and after though, all I have to do is look at all the swirls near the stripe and how nice it looks under it!

 

I don't think I will make September's photo contest, but I will try to enter into October's.

 

Thanks again for all the help.

Edited September 29, 2009 by nooner

[nooner]

Is this what the wax should look like when you put it on? I followed exatly as Adam's video showed. I just never waxed before, so I don't know what to look for so I want to make sure I am doing it right now before I move on.

 

And then I just wait 20 mins and wipe it off? Can I use too much pressure and end up wiping off the wax?

 

 

Edited September 29, 2009 by nooner

[Junkman2008]

Why are you using pressure to apply wax? The only thing that you are doing is putting a product on the car that will protect the finish. You are not removing swirls or scratches, you're covering the paint with a protectant. There is no pressure involved. That's why the polisher is set at such a low speed. Wax protects paint, polish is what makes it shine.

 

If you looked at Adam's video, what is it that you don't understand about laying wax, regardless of if you've never done it before? All you do is duplicate what Adam did. What is so confusing about that?

[MitsukiGT]

I didn't really use any pressure at all when applying it. This was about the only step I did the first try without problems.

[Junkman2008]

I didn't really use any pressure at all when applying it. This was about the only step I did the first try without problems.

 

You and about 4 billion other Adam's users. I can teach a 5 year old to lay wax with a PC.

[nooner]

Why are you using pressure to apply wax?

because I never applied wax before, I didn't know what I was doing. I know that polishing shines it and waxing protects it, but I thought you might need to apply pressure to get the wax into the paint?

 

If you looked at Adam's video, what is it that you don't understand about laying wax, regardless of if you've never done it before? All you do is duplicate what Adam did. What is so confusing about that?

 

My problem there was I "waxed" it before I watched the video. Then I watched it and just wanted to make sure I was doing it right. Sorry for hassling you.

 

 

You and about 4 billion other Adam's users. I can teach a 5 year old to lay wax with a PC.

 

 

Ouch, obviously I am a noob, as the thread is clearly labeled "first time detailing" no need to make me feel stupider than a 5 year old or 4 billion people.

 

But you left out that its so easy you could teach a marine how to do it sorry, I had to get you back somehow.

Edited September 29, 2009 by nooner

[Junkman2008]

... Ouch, obviously I am a noob, as the thread is clearly labeled "first time detailing" no need to make me feel stupider than a 5 year old or 4 billion people...

 

But even as a noob, you're making it way more complicated than it is. I mean, you are having issues that I have never seen or heard of anyone having. Flaking MSW? I don't even have a clue how you could do that. I have never seen or heard of anyone being able to do that. It would be one thing if you didn't have anything to go by but you have videos by Adam AND I. All you have to do is watch, imitate and enjoy the results.

[nooner]

I mean, you are having issues that I have never seen or heard of anyone having. Flaking MSW?

 

The odd things happening are exactly why I am asking all the questions. I must be doing something different, and I am trying to find out what by all the post, and it has also made me slightly cautious, and obviously annoyed you, sorry that is not my intent. But I am pretty much done now, so I won't be bugging you anymore. Thanks again for the help.

Edited September 29, 2009 by nooner