Help with designing (portable) detailing kit [Archive] - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

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lindadong

02-07-2011, 01:04 PM

Hey guys!

I'm an industrial designer from Pittsburgh working on a project to design a portable detailing kit for classic cars. I'm sort of a detailing newbie so I was hoping to get some input on what types of supplies, techniques, or personal habits you guys have if you've ever taken your kit with you in your car. I've shadowed some professional detailers in their shops but I feel like transporting and detailing your car in an outside environment (say at a car show) is a different experience.

If you guys have some input, I'd love to learn more about:

1. What supplies and tools you bring with you.
2. How you carry all your stuff and where you put them in the car.
3. Annoyances or inconveniences with the outdoor detailing setup.
4. Any specific objects (like kneeling pads or headlights) that you don't use at home.
5. Anything you'd really want in a portable kit (hard case shell, wheels, work belt, etc.)

Thanks for any help you can give me! It's pretty tough locating hobbyist detailers (let alone classic car ones) in town.

Linda

Perfections

02-07-2011, 02:28 PM

For car shows a few things are a must, a spray detailer or waterless car wash, to keep the dust and finger prints off. Microfiber towels for application and removal of products. Other then that it really depends on the prep work the person put into their vehicle before coming to the show along with the method of transportation of getting their vehicle to the show. If they are driving it, they will probably need some sort of tire dressing to cover up wheel well dust gotten on the drive to the show and possibly the tires depending on the level of gloss they are looking for on day of show. Other then that it really comes down to what they did prior to the car show to their vehicle. As far as method of transport for the products just make sure whatever it is doesn't leak :) gl putting your kit together

C. Charles Hahn

02-07-2011, 03:07 PM

Well, I can give you this much; here are a few pics of the kit I made for myself to carry around in my backseat:

http://www.hahn-on-the.net/professional/detailing/kit1.JPG

http://www.hahn-on-the.net/professional/detailing/kit2.JPG

http://www.hahn-on-the.net/professional/detailing/kit3.JPG

Those are from a few years ago, but the contents of the kit is basically this:

Pinnacle foam applicators
Latex (now using nitrile rubber) surgical gloves
Microfiber towels
Red shop rags (for checking fluids, etc.)
Razor blade scraper (now carrying plastic blades instead)
Flat screwdriver (in case a trim piece has to be removed in a pinch)

Meguiar's M34 Final Inspection
Meguiar's APC+ General Purpose Cleaner
Eagle One 20/20 Glass Cleaner
QEW (now carrying ONR, but will be switching to OptiClean)
Meguiar's M66 Quick Detailer cleaner wax
Eagle One Wet Tire Shine (now carrying Optimum Opti-Bond)
Auto Magic Cherry air freshener
Zaino Z10 Leather Conditioner
Meguiar's M83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish
Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax
NuFinish (now carrying M105... don't ask me why I ever used NF!)
Meguiar's Natural Shine vinyl/trim dressing (now carring Meg's Ultimate Protectant)

I think that's about everything... just what I need to get me out of trouble in a pinch!

jwellsii

02-07-2011, 04:38 PM

:welcome: Linda

dad07

02-07-2011, 05:11 PM

:welcome: To AGO! There are a lot of guys and Gals who will be able to help you with your project.Glad to have you with us.

lindadong

02-08-2011, 02:25 PM

Well, I can give you this much; here are a few pics of the kit I made for myself to carry around in my backseat:

Those are from a few years ago, but the contents of the kit is basically this:

Pinnacle foam applicators
Latex (now using nitrile rubber) surgical gloves
Microfiber towels
Red shop rags (for checking fluids, etc.)
Razor blade scraper (now carrying plastic blades instead)
Flat screwdriver (in case a trim piece has to be removed in a pinch)

Meguiar's M34 Final Inspection
Meguiar's APC+ General Purpose Cleaner
Eagle One 20/20 Glass Cleaner
QEW (now carrying ONR, but will be switching to OptiClean)
Meguiar's M66 Quick Detailer cleaner wax
Eagle One Wet Tire Shine (now carrying Optimum Opti-Bond)
Auto Magic Cherry air freshener
Zaino Z10 Leather Conditioner
Meguiar's M83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish
Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax
NuFinish (now carrying M105... don't ask me why I ever used NF!)
Meguiar's Natural Shine vinyl/trim dressing (now carring Meg's Ultimate Protectant)

I think that's about everything... just what I need to get me out of trouble in a pinch!

Wow thanks for the input! Where exactly do you have room to put your kit in the backseat? Do you store it in your garage when you don't need it?

I've been noticing that a few people pour some of their supplies into smaller bottles for travel, but that seems kind of tedious. Did you buy those chemicals as is?

C. Charles Hahn

02-09-2011, 12:23 AM

Wow thanks for the input! Where exactly do you have room to put your kit in the backseat? Do you store it in your garage when you don't need it?

Yeah, it usually lives on the shelf in my garage if I'm not going anywhere that I'll be away from home for an extended period of time. Otherwise I just put the case on the back seat or under it (I drive an SUV and a Pickup, so no trunk to stow it away in -- otherwise it would be there full time).

I've been noticing that a few people pour some of their supplies into smaller bottles for travel, but that seems kind of tedious. Did you buy those chemicals as is?

Tedious, yes, but worth the effort when I look back at all the times it came in handy while on road trips for cleaning up spills, bird droppings, etc.

I just went to a beauty shop supply store and bought the little bottles, filled them out of the larger containers, and slapped address labels on them I made in MS Word with the contents listed. Now all I have to do is refill the containers as needed.

Remember, the chances are your target customer for a portable detailing kit will be obsessive enthusiasts, to whom nothing is too tedious when it's for the sake of keeping their vehicle(s) in top shape while on the road or at a show (regardless of what most "normal" people might think about putting forth the same effort).

:props:

Bates Detailing

02-09-2011, 12:27 AM

Kristopher1129

02-09-2011, 12:34 AM

Well, I can give you this much; here are a few pics of the kit I made for myself to carry around in my backseat:

Those are from a few years ago, but the contents of the kit is basically this:

Pinnacle foam applicators
Latex (now using nitrile rubber) surgical gloves
Microfiber towels
Red shop rags (for checking fluids, etc.)
Razor blade scraper (now carrying plastic blades instead)
Flat screwdriver (in case a trim piece has to be removed in a pinch)

Meguiar's M34 Final Inspection
Meguiar's APC+ General Purpose Cleaner
Eagle One 20/20 Glass Cleaner
QEW (now carrying ONR, but will be switching to OptiClean)
Meguiar's M66 Quick Detailer cleaner wax
Eagle One Wet Tire Shine (now carrying Optimum Opti-Bond)
Auto Magic Cherry air freshener
Zaino Z10 Leather Conditioner
Meguiar's M83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish
Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax
NuFinish (now carrying M105... don't ask me why I ever used NF!)
Meguiar's Natural Shine vinyl/trim dressing (now carring Meg's Ultimate Protectant)

I think that's about everything... just what I need to get me out of trouble in a pinch!

Man, that looks like a hassle to keep stocked and organized, ha. Props to you if you can keep that system going. I consider myself organized...but that's a whole notha level!

You don't find it annoying for all your bottles to have those little push button sprayers??

C. Charles Hahn

02-09-2011, 12:55 AM

Man, that looks like a hassle to keep stocked and organized, ha. Props to you if you can keep that system going. I consider myself organized...but that's a whole notha level!

You don't find it annoying for all your bottles to have those little push button sprayers??

Since I don't use it to do full details out of or anything (it's just for touch-ups or to clean messes and prevent stains/etc. from setting) it really isn't that bad to keep stocked up. And the sprayers on the bottles are fine for what I use them for, I just use my thumb instead of my index finger to work them.

Thanks guys :dblthumb2:

Crazy Amos

02-09-2011, 08:49 AM

Where did you get the case? I really like the idea.

C. Charles Hahn

02-09-2011, 11:45 AM

Harbor Freight, if I remember right. Could've been ebay though....

ShaunD

02-09-2011, 01:00 PM

:welcome: lindadong. Is this a school project(Ai) or are you into your career? Are you just focusing on things that can go into a small portable kit? Or are you also interested in things that would be used to transport a vehicle on a trailer or in an enclosed hauler? If so, then you can look into adding temporary protection for the doors and bumpers to your kit; stuff that would be used to protect the exterior while in transit. There are products out there that are compact enough for a kit or even protectant film that can be used. You can even design something yourself. Also, you might want to add a machine polisher to your kit. If someone's finish gets marred/scratched on the way to a show they will want to correct the problem, and somethings can't be done by hand; at least not as easily as w/ a machine. You can check out the dual action polishers @ the Autogeek store for ideas.:buffing: That being said, an all-in-one polish would probably be a good add to the kit. Something like Pinnacles XMT 360. Also, adding a glaze to the kit would be wise considering that someone showing a car may have fresh paint on it. (That is a whole other discussion in itself though.) Depending on the person's preference on how glossy that want their plastic/trim/vinyl/rubber, Aerospace Protectant 303 would be a good choice considering it is not greasy, leaves a better than/like new look, and is a multi-use product so that is less you have to add to your kit. A quick detailer, spray wax, and waterless wash are a must in an on-the-go show car kit. There are products available that are basically all the listed things in one. Detailers Pride has a great one, which I have used.
Feel like I am rambling so I will shut up for now. But, have fun with your project, and remember to stay open minded and think like someone that is OCD about their vehicle when designing your kit.

lindadong

02-10-2011, 02:40 PM

Remember, the chances are your target customer for a portable detailing kit will be obsessive enthusiasts, to whom nothing is too tedious when it's for the sake of keeping their vehicle(s) in top shape while on the road or at a show (regardless of what most "normal" people might think about putting forth the same effort).

That's some really great advice. As I'm talking to the detailers in my local area it seems like this is the common thread amongst all of them.

Along those lines, I've been hearing a lot about these waterless wash sprays that bypass the need for buckets of water (and having to dispose of waste water on the go). Does anyone use them to clean their cars at home? One of my friends said he can't bring himself to use them because they don't evoke that traditional sense of detailing.

I'm also really interested in how you guys manage bending over or kneeling for longs periods of time. Do you ever use stools or kneeling pads?

Thanks for the great feedback! This is really helping me out

Perfections

02-10-2011, 03:43 PM

I have a rolling stool with a tray on the bottom to keep the products I'm using with me while working around the vehicle, works great for wheel cleaning, tar removal on side panels, lower section cleaning, or polishing, intense bug removal on front bumpers, tons of uses, and when your working all day it not only saves your knees but you'll use less energy. A must for someone serious about detailing for any length of time. As far as waterless washes, there's plenty of good ones and if your doing car shows or just wanting to keep something in your car for bugs or bird bombs it's great to have.