Just a confirmation and quick question

[jayhkr]

Ok, so I finally got my box unpacked and am I stoked!! :dblthumb2:

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/jayhkr/Detailing/005-2.jpg

GG polisher
Megs 105/205/#21 Polish
Natty Blue's Wax
4 Cyan LC HydroTech
3 Tangerine LC HydroTech
2 Crimson LC HydroTech
Dodo's Yeti Mitt
Pad Brush

Now I will only have a few hours Monday to get going so I thought I would do my testing on the roof of my truck as that will be the "best" place for me to mess up. The process will be:

Wash with Megs Gold class
Dry
Claybar with Megs clay kit
Wipe down with IPA
Buff with M105/Cyan pads (18"x18")
Wipe down with IPA (repeat 105 if necessary)
Buff with M205 Tangerine pads (18"x18")
Wipe down with IPA (repeat 205 if necessary)
Apply Megs #21 sealant Crimson pad
Wait 12+ hours
Quick re-wash or wipe down with Megs QD
Apply Natty's Blue wax Crimson pad
Stand back, admire work and pray I didn't screw up
Take lots of pictures
Drive around town with wife and look special!

Like I said I'm hoping to be able to dial in on the combo a little better Monday morning before work on the roof. I figured get a good combo and then move on to the rest of the truck. I'll have most of the day Wednesday to finish the project before my wife and I take off for our vacation for a few days. Hence why I really want to get a good dial in Monday so I can jump straight into the polishing. Nothing is better than driving up to valet with a freshly polished car (used to be a valet and it always caught my eye).

Also inside the polisher box was this:
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/jayhkr/Detailing/010.jpg

I have no idea what it would before unless they are extra fuses of some sort. The instruction manual gave no notice of to what they are. Suggestions? I'm so ready for this, it's pathetic but I was even thinking of detatching my tailgate and taking it down to my workshop to practice on that since it has been raining on and off for 3 weeks now. That and it's nice a cool in my workshop as apposed to the 90+ degree weather with a heat index of over 100*.

Thanks for looking everyone!

[jayhkr]

Ok, I thought of another few questions. I've read where some people use a pad lubricant before product is applied. I have Megs quick detailer and water, which would be better or do I need either of them for the HydroTech pads?

Now for the most part I will be using the "clean on the fly" method however when I need to CLEAN the pads can I just use Dawn soap and a certain ratio to water in a bucket? I just read NOT to spin dry them, and I can understand that. But when do you know when your pad is 100% dry for the next use, or do they have to be totally dry before used again? As hot as it's been lately I though if I absolutely needed to reuse a "spent" pad I would let it soak in the bucket of dawn solution (x:x ratio?) for about 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much water and let it dry in the sun for a short time. All the while using my other pads. Suggestions on that part?

Ok, that is it for the time being. It's like freaking Christmas time around here. I can't sleep as I'm so excited in starting this project up! I bet a lot of you had the same feelings the first time too, huh?!!?

[feslope]

I have no idea what it would before unless they are extra fuses of some sort. The instruction manual gave no notice of to what they are. Thanks for looking everyone!Those are extra brushes for the motor part of your polisher. You don't need to worry about them for quite a while. When your unit starts spitting out sparks is a pretty good indication its time to change them.

[CEE DOG]

When you clean on the fly with the HT pads don't press too hard are run the polisher too fast or you will eat the pads up a bit.

Don't use the HT pads after you wash them untill they are completely dry again.

Edit: Oh yeah, Nice pic of some good products. Congrats and enjoy!

[jayhkr]

When you clean on the fly with the HT pads don't press too hard are run the polisher too fast or you will eat the pads up a bit.

Don't use the HT pads after you wash them untill they are completely dry again.

Edit: Oh yeah, Nice pic of some good products. Congrats and enjoy!

So how does one know when they are completely dry? In my experience with foam anything, there is always that little bit left deep inside the pours even after a few days. But I guess since I won't be doing this on a daily basis (at least not in the near future) I won't have to worry to much about it. My only thing was if I needed to reuse a "spent" pad before I was done with the vehicle. Guess I'll cross that bridge if I come to it. There's always the next day! Thanks for the feedback so far!

[A4 1.8tqm]

Ok, I thought of another few questions. I've read where some people use a pad lubricant before product is applied. I have Megs quick detailer and water, which would be better or do I need either of them for the HydroTech pads?

Personally, I give the pad a light mist with Pinnacle Pad Lube before starting, I don't like to use a totally dry pad. Then I use the lube to loosen spent polish before cleaning "on the fly", being sure to get as much moisture out of the pad as possible before continuing. Water will work, some use detail spray for lube, I don't. A light ONR mix works as well.


...when I need to CLEAN the pads can I just use Dawn soap and a certain ratio to water in a bucket?

I don't recommend using dish soap for anything detailing related, but lot's of people do it. It's just foam, clean it with soap and rinse well. It's up to you how "detail oriented" you want to get.


do they have to be totally dry before used again?

Yes!


As hot as it's been lately I thought if I absolutely needed to reuse a "spent" pad I would let it soak in the bucket of dawn solution (x:x ratio?) for about 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much water and let it dry in the sun for a short time. All the while using my other pads. Suggestions on that part?

NO! You have Hydro-tech pads and that is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN! Especially with the heat of the sun steaming the adhesive holding the backing on, do this and you'll be sorry. Also, if the backing plate gets hot, take a break, heat and moisture are mortal enemy's of H-T pads. Don't be scared, they are great pads, just do not use them wet or hot.


So how does one know when they are completely dry?

Touch it. If it feels pretty dry, leave it and check again tomorrow.


In my experience with foam anything, there is always that little bit left deep inside the pours even after a few days. But I guess since I won't be doing this on a daily basis (at least not in the near future) I won't have to worry to much about it.

I found that it is not too tough to get polish out of pads, just rinse under running water, squeeze under water, squeeze out all the water, repeat. Actually it get's pretty hard if you have lots of pads to clean. Hand washing sucks. Wax, on the other hand, is VERY difficult to completely clean from pads. I found that cleaning it as best as possible, letting it dry, and washing a second time to be the only way to get wax completely out. I use LC Snappy Clean, Pinnacle Pad Cleaner and Megs APC+ for pad cleaning.


Looks like you got some great stuff! I know the feeling... can't wait to get started on your first polishing attempt, but wait until you stand back and enjoy the results. You'll be walking backwards through parking lots staring at your car. :drool:

[Mike Phillips]

when I need to CLEAN the pads can I just use Dawn soap and a certain ratio to water in a bucket? I just read NOT to spin dry them, and I can understand that.


Most body shop approved compounds and polishes are water-soluble and easy to remove out of the inside of foam pads.

Waxes and paint sealants are not water soluble and if they were you and I wouldn't be very happy because that would mean they would wash off our car in the rain! :D For this reason they are harder to remove out of the inside of foam pads.

See my comments here,

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/26379-cleaning-pads.html







But when do you know when your pad is 100% dry for the next use, or do they have to be totally dry before used again?


Don't make detailing your car harder than it has to be, if you work on a car on Saturday, wash your pads when you're though, they will be dry and ready to use the next Saturday. If you're buffing with them the following day, then without help like a fan blowing over them in a clean, dry place, they probably won't be 100% dry but if that's all you have to buff on your car with then if it were me I would work on the car.

Be sure to wring any excess water out of your pads after your wash AND rinse them out. and then place them in a terry cloth towel and roll them up and wring and squish them again and much of the water will transfer into the towel via capillary action.

Here's a how-to article that shows how...

How to dry a foam pad after hand washing (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/26512-how-dry-foam-pad-after-hand-washing.html)




As hot as it's been lately I though if I absolutely needed to reuse a "spent" pad I would let it soak in the bucket of dawn solution (x:x ratio?) for about 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much water and let it dry in the sun for a short time. All the while using my other pads. Suggestions on that part?



One solution... get more pads...

:)

[CEE DOG]

You'll be walking backwards through parking lots staring at your car. :drool:
:laughing: :dblthumb2:

Oh Thank goodness! Now I know I'm not the only one.



One solution... get more pads...


Exactly!

[jayhkr]

Thanks guys, I fully intend on not only buying more pads, but the GG pad washer as well. I just came in from doing a test spot on my roof of my truck (more on that later) so I only used 3 pads, Cyan, Tang, and "red". Cleaning just those 3 was a pain IMO. I doused them with APC and then threw them in soapy water while I was using the other pads. I tried to get as much crud out of them as I could in the soapy water but it didn't seem like it was working. So I mixed up some Green Stuff APC in a bucket and soaked them in there ringing them out and redunking them. This got them much cleaner however I must have had the ratio to strong as it took FOREVER to get all the APC soap out.

Now on to my test spot, it was very overcast so I don't have any good pictures to show but I was having an issue with dry buffing. Seems I was only able to get 2.5-3 passes before it was dusty. This was on Megs cutting compound and the Cyan pad. I tried making my area smaller but that didn't help either. I even sprayed the paint with a little QD and that seemed to help a small amount but not much. Now the humidity was HORRIBLE, like 80+%. Could that have had an effect on it. I am only able to work on my truck outside so a garage is not an option before someone suggests that. :)

Also, I don't know what's up with my roof, but I clayed it 3 or 4 times and I could still feel bumps using the plastic bag method. I tried Megs clay and some clay that I bought years ago, both didn't get EVERY bump out. Is this normal? I don't remember feeling anything on the hood, but I can't tell you the last time the roof was clayed as noone ever see's or feels the roof of my truck.

Now after all was done M105/205/#21 sealant I could DEFINATELY feel the difference. It was a like a baby's behind. SO smooth and soft feeling. My only concern is the drying of the compound, so I'll have to work on something to get that corrected. I didn't see any marring or halo's so I must have decently hard clear coat, which just makes this massive job easier. I won't have a chance to get back to it till Wednesday, that is when I do the entire truck front to back. I'm giving myself 10hours to complete this so wish me luck! I figure a 6:30 am start will get me done by 4:30 which is about the time my wife and I leave for our vacation! There won't be anytime to apply Natty's wax, but I can tackle that Sunday when we come back!

Thank you to everyone who has helped me and others in their journey into this new world. I admit, you guys make it look easy. I just have to remember to put the cord over my shoulder.

[jayhkr]

Feed back please