Baggie Test Tip from Paul aka 2old2change

[Mike Phillips]

Baggie Test Tip from Paul aka 2old2change


Here's a tip from my buddy Paul aka 2old2change that I use all the time. That is, when doing the Baggie Test to inspect for above surface bonded contaminants, purchase and use thin sandwich baggies, not the thicker style common to premium styles like the zip-lock type of sandwich baggies.

The thinner plastic works better to reveal contaminants on the surface better than thicker plastic. A simple tip that really does make a big difference.


Paul even sent me a box of some very inexpensive, Plain-Jane sandwich baggies to use in the studio... thanks Paul!

These are Kroger brand regular sandwich bags




Use the right tool for the job and all that...


Sometimes the little things are the big things...

[Mike Phillips]

Just had a guy on my Facebook page ask me,


What's the process with this Mike?



I didn't even think that some people might not know what the "Baggie Test" is? So here you go...


The Baggie Test - How to inspect for above surface bonded contaminants


After washing and drying your car, the next thing you want to do is to inspect the paint for what we call,

Above Surface Bonded Contaminants

These contaminants can be,

• Tree Sap Mist
• Industrial Fallout
• Overspray Paint
• Air-borne Dirt and Dust
• Pollution
• Road Grime

You can check for above surface bonded contaminants by feeling the horizontal surfaces with your clean, bare hand using your sense of touch to detect what will feel like little bumps or surface texture on the finish. This type of inspection works well and is a good general indicator of above surface bonded contaminants.

The Baggie Test
If you really want to feel what's going on at the surface level of your car's paint or your customer's car's paint, then use "The Baggie Test" when inspecting the paint for above surface bonded contaminants.

Better yet, if you want to share with your customer one of the problems with their car's paint that you're going to correct, let them also do "The Baggie Test" with you. The average car owner doesn't know what detailing clay is, how to use it or the benefits of using detailing clay to clay automotive paint, let alone how to test for above surface bonded contaminants.

Sharing this little tidbit of knowledge with your customer will demonstrate to them that you really know your business and later, after you've finished the job, letting them feel the now smooth and slippery paint will solidify their trust in your expertise. This can help you to retain their business and potentially led to referrals via word-of-mouth advertising.

To do "The Baggie Test", simply use a clean sandwich baggie by placing your hand inside the baggie and then feeling the horizontal surfaces like the hood, roof and trunk lid. The film of plastic acts to intensify the surface texture created by contaminants bonded to the paint making it more dramatic to your sense of touch when you feel the paint through the baggie.


The Baggie Test







You can also inspect the vertical panels and if you detect above surface bonded contaminants on these areas then they should be clayed also. Generally speaking, air-borne contaminants will land and settle on the horizontal surfaces but drift past the vertical panels where they will land on the ground. The main exception to this rule is any air-borne contaminant that is sticky, like Tree Sap Mist or Overspray Paint.




Resources

The 2 primary benefits of using detailing clay to clay paint


Show Car Garage Videos

How detailing clay works and how to use detailing clay to remove above surface bonded contaminants

[SR99]

Just to help complete the baggie test story, you might wonder why retail packages of claybar don't include a baggie and instructions on how it amplifies your ability to feel above-surface contaminants. It seems like such an obvious sales tool where even the uninitaited can feel contaminants and how they are removed with the clay (and probably costs less than a penny to add to the package)

It turns out the baggie test was patented by the same entity which holds the basic claybar patent(s). However, it also turns out they let the patent expire (did not pay patent maintenance fees) back in 2010. So, retail clay packages could now include a baggie and instructions but maybe they are not aware the patent was expired. Link to thread:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...-patented.html

[Mike Phillips]

Just to help complete the baggie test story,

And as Paul Harvey would say...

And that's the rest of the story....

[Mike Phillips]

Thicker sandwich bags will work... but thin is in...


What's in the air? - Checking for surface contamination
Next up we wanted to inspect the paint for above surface bonded contaminants. Although new and always garage-kept, it's still possible to have some type of contaminants bonded to the paint. Whether or not your car's finish has what's called Above Surface Bonded Contaminants or not depends upon what's in the air over the car.

So we felt the paint with our hand and it felt clean as new glass. Next we tried The Baggie Test to see if by using a thin film of plastic if we could then feel and detect any surface contaminants.



Here's Chris the owner using the Baggie Test to inspect the paint...






Here's Ron doing the same.... Ron will be bringing in one of his toys in the near future for one of our Autogeek's Car of the Week projects.





2011 Camaro - Show Car Finish by Dodo Juice - Modeled by Amy

Chris's 2011 Synergy Green Camaro

[Hoytman]

I'm glad you reminded me of this tip as I had forgotten about. Paul (2oldt2change) had also shared the tip with me at the Evansville get together. I believe he also mentioned to me that the super-thin trashcan liners (the cheap-o bathroom type) work extremely well also. The idea being, "the thinner the better."

Thanks Paul for sharing this tip. Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Phillips.

[2old2change]

Thanks for the mention Mike. I have learned so much from guys like you and members of the detailing community. The least I can do is pass on any tips that may help someone step up their game. Looking to seeing you and the rest of the gang in a few days at SEMA. The first round is on you. hahaha.

[Mike Phillips]

Thanks for the mention Mike. I have learned so much from guys like you and members of the detailing community. The least I can do is pass on any tips that may help someone step up their game. Looking to seeing you and the rest of the gang in a few days at SEMA. The first round is on you. hahaha.

The baggie test, so simple but so effective...