How to create a high gloss finish

[Mike Phillips]

How to create a high gloss finish


To create a high gloss finish whether you're working on a Toyota Prius, a Ford Focus or a Dodge Ram Pickup, it all starts with a smooth surface.

So the first step is to remove any contaminants that are bonded to the paint using either detailing clay or a product like the Nanoskin Autoscrub Towel.


Above surface bonded contaminants will often times be invisible to your eyes but you can feel them with your sense of touch. Lightly feel the surface of your car's horizontal surfaces using your clean hand. A second way to inspect your car's paint is by using the Baggie Test, that's where you feel the paint using a clean sandwich baggie over your hand.

If you feel any type of bumps on the paint this means you need to remove these contaminants before polishing and waxing.

A lot of times your car's paint will look shiny but you can increase the shine and the gloss by claying. Here's an example....

To most people that look at this show car, it looks like it has a show car finish and there's simply no way there could be anything wrong with the paint. But take a look at the contaminants I removed after claying only the hood scoop and a small portion of the driver's side of the hood.








Even the paint on show cars needs to be clayed.... if the a paint on a show car needs to be clayed... how about your car?







Mechanical Decontamination
Here's the paint on this car after machine decontaminating using the Flex 3401 with a Medium Grade Nanoskin Autoscrub pad. Before any polishing or waxing we've already increased the gloss by removing the contaminants. You can do this same thing for your car.




This paint is now decontaminated and ready for machine polishing which will amp up the gloss and shine even more...






On Autogeek.net

Flex XC 3401 VRG Dual Action Orbital Polisher

Nanoskin Autoscrub Medium Grade Pad – 6 inch

Nanoskin Autoscrub Fine Grade Pad – 6 inch

Detailer's Universal Clay Lubricant





Here's the after shots for this project...







































And here's the original write-up for when I detailed this car.

How to use the Flex 3401 for Show Car Detailing


I also used this car for the cover photo of my FLEX how-to book.




On Autogeek.net

How to use the Flex XC 3401 VRG Dual Action Polisher
For both Production Detailing & Show Car Detailing

[Moldavite]

Thanks for sharing

[Mike Phillips]

Thanks for sharing

No problemo...

I've seen this 1941 Chrysler at numerous shows and most people walking by looking at it think it looks pretty good even though it's obvious from the gunk coming off on the clay there's a little room for improvement.







I only used the clay on the hood scoop and a small portion of the driver's side of the hood... that's a lot of dirty contaminants coming off such a small area.

I used the Nanoskin Autoscrub Pad on the rest of the car with the Flex 3401 which in my opinion obliterates all the above surface contaminants due to the power. This made the paint incredibly smooth and thus incredibly glossy and perfectly prepared the paint for machine polishing.

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Mike, I can't believe the amount of contamination pulled from the scoop alone! Dang!

[Dr Oldz]

I have used clay for years and it still amazes me how much junk it can pull off of automotive finishes.

I consider claying(or a similar sort of decontamination process) to be a CRITICAL step in detailing.

[Justin at Final Inspection]

Really looking forward to see the outcome of this one Mike! Any hints on what polishes you will be using?

[mills3]

I will not wax or polish a vehicle without claying it. Yes it may take a little while, but it's something I always do to ensure that there are not bonded surface contaminants.

Looks good Mike!

[Tato]

Awesome thread, thanks for stressing enough how important preparation and leaving a smooth surface is.

I'm getting some good results and feedback from my customers following your guidelines and working accordingly to your book, keep them coming, please!

Kind Regards.

[Mike Phillips]

We had this car here for a special project and over the time it's been here and pretty much everyone that walks out to our studio says something like, wow! what a cool car and the paint is so shiny!

And these types of comments were before I polished it.

If I'm around, I would have everyone feel the paint with their hand and then do the baggie test and the shock in their eyes is priceless.

Before I worked on this car I chemically stripped it 3 times,

• First time with Prep All
• Second time with a strong solution of Meguiar's APC
• Third time with Glass Cleaner (I'm out of IPA and glass cleaner is about 10% alcohol)

And when I wiped it down with all of these solvents I wiped her pretty hard. So anything LOOSE was wiped off, and probably some of the contaminants were chemically loosened and wiped off but the paint still felt like #40 grit sandpaper.


Just machine applied the wax.... in a few minutes I'll go out and wipe it off...

[Desertnate]

I'm always amazed at how much you gain from doing something as simple as the clay bar step.

I've done several light colored cars that had a noticeable change when I was done.