How to use the Flex 3401 to detail faster and maximize profits!

[Mike Phillips]

How to use the Flex 3401 to detail faster and maximize profits! (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/77488-how-use-flex-3401-detail-faster-maximize-profits.html)






Did you know the Flex 3401 is built for one thing and one thing only?


Polishing Paint





This class starts at 9:00 AM on Sunday

You must reserve your seat by calling Andre at 1-800-869-3011 x244


Class covers,



The benefits and features of the Flex 3401 Forced Rotation Dual Action Polisher.


How to decontaminate paint using your Flex 3401 instead of detailing clay.


Versatile Pad Choices: Hybrid, Hydro-Tech, CCS, Open Cell Flat, Purple & Blue Foamed Wool pads.


Production Detailing while maintaining quality.


The SECRET to production detailing


The SECRET to Show Car Detailing while reducing time.


The Lake Country Backing Plate Adapter System.


The benefit to a 4" backing plate and 5" pads.


How to clean pads the right way when using the Flex 3401.


How to hold the Flex 3401 for smooth buffing.


How large an area to buff at one time.


How fast to move the polisher over the paint.


How much downward pressure to use for compounding, polishing and waxing.


Which speed settings for compounds, polishes, waxes and cleaner/waxes.




Here's my demo car for this class.


Note: These picture were taken months ago and since then something has happened to the paint, it's now filled with swirls and scratches. Were going to go over how to remove the paint defects and then jewel the paint to perfection using a rotary buffer.

1941 Chrysler Business Coupe

Paint and flames by Mike Lavallee of KillerPaint.com (http://www.killerpaint.com/)

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2292/1941_Chrysler_Coupe_Detailed_by_Mike_Phillips_005. jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2292/1941_Chrysler_Coupe_Detailed_by_Mike_Phillips_007. jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2292/1941_Chrysler_Coupe_Detailed_by_Mike_Phillips_009. jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2292/1941_Chrysler_Coupe_Detailed_by_Mike_Phillips_010. jpg


See you here!


http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Mike Phillips]

Buffing out the fender skirt for a 1957 Chevy Belair...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1635/1957_Belair_Mike_Phillips_019.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1635/1957_Belair_Mike_Phillips_020.jpg



Lake Country 4" Backing Plate

In this class I'll be going over the 4" backing plates from Lake Country and how they are purposefully designed and matched to the 5" Hybrid pads from Lake Country.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/804/NewFlexBackingPlates03.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/804/NewFlexBackingPlates04.jpg


The protruding tabs lock into the slots on the interface plate and then both are bolted to the spindle.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/804/NewFlexBackingPlates05.jpg


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/804/NewFlexBackingPlates06.jpg

5" Hybrid Pads for the 4" backing plate on the Flex 3401

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1153/1965Plymouth009.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1153/1965Plymouth010.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1153/1965Plymouth011.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1153/1965Plymouth012.jpg

[Mike Phillips]

Using 6.5" Hybrid Pads to knock out large flat panels fast...


Forced Rotation = Working faster and more effectively
With the Flex 3401 Forced Rotation Dual Action Polisher you can tackler larger sections than you could with a PC style tool and thus do a better job faster.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1635/1957_Belair_Mike_Phillips_015.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1635/1957_Belair_Mike_Phillips_016.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1635/1957_Belair_Mike_Phillips_012.jpg

:buffing:

[Mike Phillips]

How to use a one-step cleaner/wax to maximize profits (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/58359-how-use-one-step-cleaner-wax-maximize-profits.html)


Below is an example of reducing your steps to a minimum while still creating dramatic improvement that will blow your customer away with the simple approach of using a one-step cleaner/wax.


Process

Step 1: Machine polish all exterior glass to remove road film and water spots.

Step 2: Clean and dress tires.

Step 3: Wipe vinyl top down and apply dressing.

Step 4: Wipe paint clean using clay lube.

Step 5: Clay paint.

Step 6: Clean, polish and protect paint using a one-step, cleaner/wax applied by machine.

Step 7: Machine clean and polish chrome at end of paint polishing process using same pad and one-step cleaner/wax.

Step 8: Wipe down door, hood and trunk jambs with a little cleaner/wax on a microfiber towel.
Done.
Less than 4 hours and I didn't rush. I didn't work slow but instead worked methodically through the above steps with each step building and/or adding to the forward progress of the previous step.


Car: 1970 Oldsmobile 442 Convertible W30


Before
This car is in good condition but the paint was oxidized and thus dull and lifeless. It was rough to the feel with contamination as was the exterior glass. A greasy tire dressing was used and it smeared over the white letters staining them black and brown. The chrome was stained with some type of film causing them to look dull instead of bright and shiny.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/722/Oldsmobile_442_W30_001.jpg




After

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/1970_442_by_Mike_Phillips.008.jpg

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/1970_442_by_Mike_Phillips.010.jpg

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/1970_442_by_Mike_Phillips.011.jpg

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/1970_442_by_Mike_Phillips.012.jpg

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/1970_442_by_Mike_Phillips.013.jpg

:buffing:

[Mike Phillips]

How to do show car work faster due to forced rotation and forced oscillation


2008 Rolls Royce Phantom detailed by Mike Phillips

Here's the car after I wiped it down.

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.001. jpg


I teach people to do a "Test Spot" and I practice this myself, that is to test the least aggressive pad and polish that is required to remove the swirls so that you remove as little clear paint as possible to restore a show car finish.

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.025. jpg

The entire exterior was filled with swirls and scratches...
http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.026. jpg


This tape-line is for my test spot, it's to make it easier to gauge the results from my testing.

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.027. jpg


Before shots to establish there are swirls on both sides of the tape-line

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.028. jpg

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.029. jpg

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.030. jpg



Finished

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.052. jpg

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.048. jpg

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.049. jpg

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.050. jpg

http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery/files/1/Rolls_Royce_Phantom_detailed_by_Mike_Phillips.051. jpg



Process


Two machine polishing steps
One machine waxing step



:)

[Mike Phillips]

I spoke with Marius at Wayne Carini's shop F40.com (http://www.f40.com/) last week. He's the guy I taught how to use the Flex 3401 to polish all the cars that go through Wayne's shop.


Here's Marius using the Flex 3401 on a Ferrari F430

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1844/Buffing_Waynes_Ferrari_F430_005.jpg


Here's the results...

Looking right at home in front of Wayne's F40.com store...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1844/Buffing_Waynes_Ferrari_F430_008.jpg



Here's the results...
Here's the full overhead sun shot out in front of the F40.com store...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1844/Buffing_Waynes_Ferrari_F430_004.jpg


You can see how the paint on this Ferrari looked before we buffed it out in this video...


Mike Phillips and Wayne Carini on "Chasing Classic Cars" - YouTube


Anyway, I talked to Marius last week and he's still using the Flex 3401 with both the 4" backing plates and 5.5" backing plate and Hybrid pads.


A lot of the cars that go through Wayne's shop sale for hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars. This is a great tool and on Sunday, if you're in my class I'll show you how to get the best results when using it.


:)

[Mike Phillips]

Pretty confident I've lined up my demo car for this class...

Completely worthy of the show car garage... soon as I've confirmed it I'll post a picture.


:xyxthumbs:

[arisking]

Blah, living in Manitoba sucks! I wish I could be there. Is this all covered in your books Mike? I do own the e-version of both.

[Mike Phillips]

Blah, living in Manitoba sucks! I wish I could be there. Is this all covered in your books Mike? I do own the e-version of both.




Sorry to say not everything I'm showing is in the first or second edition of my current how-to book.

I am happy to say I have finished two more books and as soon as we come out the other side of Detail Fest they can be finalized and be published.


Remember the 10th Annual Detail Fest is next year and being a "10th" annual or a decade of Detail Fests it's for sure going to be a big deal.

So make plans to be here!


:)

[arisking]

Yeah, I will definitely try to make it out there for next year for sure!

Thanks for the response, I look forward to purchasing the next two books!!!


Sorry to say not everything I'm showing is in the first or second edition of my current how-to book.

I am happy to say I have finished two more books and as soon as we come out the other side of Detail Fest they can be finalized and be published.


Remember the 10th Annual Detail Fest is next year and being a "10th" annual or a decade of Detail Fests it's for sure going to be a big deal.

So make plans to be here!


:)

[Angler]

Man, I would love to be there for this event. I wish Florida were a lot closer. :(

[Mike Phillips]

Just posted some pictures of my demo car in the first post of this thread.


It used to look like this...


http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/2292/1941_Chrysler_Coupe_Detailed_by_Mike_Phillips_003. jpg



:xyxthumbs:

[Mike Phillips]

It's class time!


Well it's class time in 2 hours! It's 10 till 7:00am as I type this and the first class of the day starts at 9:00am sharp!

I'll have Bob Eichelberg the President of Flex Tools North America along with Suby Siegfried, an Engineer from Flex Tools Germany joining me.

Wayne Carini will also be join us for this class.


See you when you get here!


:buffing:

[Angler]

Great class, Mike! Thank you. Looking forward to Yancy's youtube version.