detailing 101! lots of questions

[andy2485]

hey, thanks guys( members in general) this site has helped me a lot!!! in saying that I still have some questions that I hope you can help with.

Absorber no good? why? / what should i use to dry a car?

best soap?

best bang for the buck light swirl remover?
i.e. on a vehicle thats in good shape(no holograms, orange peel, etching, etc) just light to moderate swirls.

is pad conditioner worth it?

what buffing pads shoud i buy? does brand matter? LC, Megs, etc vs. car brite, ECM, 3M.

Honeycomb/waffle pads?

glazes? should i use them at all.

backing plate? i'm buying my first DA polisher soon and need backing plates, do i need to but LC or will "good" ones from my local store work?

Thank you!!! obvioulsy feel free to answer one or all of my questions. Please bear with me as I will proabably have more questions.

[CM8 6MT]

I'll chime in and answer a few.

I would not recommend the Absorber. I used one for a long time, they work great when new, then dont work anymore after a month or two. I recommend Mother's Drying Towel or the Cobra HD Guzzler, both are foam core towels that absorb water like crazy.

As far as pads are concerned, there are so many choices, its like asking whats the best wax to use. Pick a brand wether it be from LC, Meguiars, B&S, Optimum etc and if you like them keep using that line.

[andy2485]

thanks!

[akj]

+1 on the pads. I would like to know about pad conditioner.
I also agree about drying towel.
On shampoo get one that has a low mix rate like megs shampoo plus I think its a dilution of 1oz per gallon or so.
I can also tell u something about clay although u didn't ask.
I read in a few places all of them are exactly the same so don't over pay for a good brand just get the cheaper one

Sent from my SCH-L710 using AG Online

[akj]

Also I don't like 3m polishes and compounds simply because the few I've used were very hard to remove.

Sent from my SCH-L710 using AG Online

[CM8 6MT]

Pad conditioners are a must, they protect your investment when it comes to pads. I use WolfGang Pad Rejuvenator. Heres the link to the review I made a while back:

www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews/59765-review-wolfgang-polishing-pad-rejuvenator.html

[andy2485]

find a good clay? is there any in hobby stores that work?

[CM8 6MT]

find a good clay? is there any in hobby stores that work?

LoL what? You need Auto Detailing Clay, I dont think hobby clay would work for paint. OTC clay works just as good if not better than alot of the "premium" clay bars other brands sell.

Meguiar's clay & Clay Magic are two of my favorites. Opti-Eraser from Optimum is also a good clay alternative.

[andy2485]

ive heard of some finding hobby clay that works.. just seeing if you have tried it. if there is one that works then it would be awesome seeing as its cheaper.

[arjo.reich]

ive heard of some finding hobby clay that works.. just seeing if you have tried it. if there is one that works then it would be awesome seeing as its cheaper.

Having two friends that are potters that throw clay I can tell you this is a very+ bad idea. Potter's clay is very high in silicates that will scratch the living Jesus out of your finish. Both my friends have hands rough as my father's, a brick mason.

Detailing clay is either purely synthetic or refined to remove all silicates, or both.

Lucky Joe,
Wannabe Detailer

Sent from my HTC DNA

[CM8 6MT]

Having two friends that are potters that throw clay I can tell you this is a very+ bad idea. Potter's clay is very high in silicates that will scratch the living Jesus out of your finish. Both my friends have hands rough as my father's, a brick mason.

Detailing clay is either purely synthetic or refined to remove all silicates, or both.

Lucky Joe,
Wannabe Detailer

Sent from my HTC DNA

Very nice, thats what I figured. I wonder if Play-Doh will work (kidding)......I freaking LOVE how that stuff smells!

[spiralout462]

Very nice, thats what I figured. I wonder if Play-Doh will work (kidding)......I freaking LOVE how that stuff smells!

LoL. Iwas thinking the exact same thing about surfboard wax tonight. :)