Stephan@FamouslyHot
10-08-2014, 02:48 PM
Hello all,
I wanted to share my experience performing my first two step polish and wax process on a customers car, and have a few questions regarding my technique?
The car detailed was a 2007 Mercedes e550 in black, overall condition was pretty dirty on the wheels, tire spray on sides of doors, moderate swirling on the whole vehicle, a few deeper scratches here and there, water spots on the hood and door panels.
The reason I am not posting this in Show n Shine is because I have more questions than displaying my results. I definitely need to get better at picture taking
Steps and products used:
Tires: Amazing Roll Off
Wheels: Meguiars DUB wheel cleaner
Wash: Meguiars Gold Class via grout sponge
Dry: Cobra waffle weave
Tar removal: DP Auto Cleanse
Decontaminate: Nanoskin Speedy sponge with ONR
Exhaust tips: CG Metal Polish + Protection. used #00 steel wool to remove stubborn areas
Tape off areas of concern
Polish: Meguiars 205 with White, then orange CCS pads, removed with yellow Cobra MF
Cleaned polish with Griots Paint Prep
Rinse Car with water, dry with waffle weave
Wax: Collinite 845, removed with yellow Cobra MF
Tire dressing: Optimum tire bond gel
My DA polisher is a Harbor Freight DA, I performed about 4-5 section passes on each section, using a speed of 4-5 for M205 and speed of 2 for collinite 845
This whole project took me 9.5 hours. I was exhausted and dog tired at the end, took me a heck of a lot longer than expected.
Questions:
1) Does it normaly take this long for a two step process?
2) I performed the service complimentary for picture taking and word of mouth start up reasons, there was a miscommunication - he thought I was also going to clean the inside and headlights. Said "usually a detail is in and out and everything else". When I inspected the exterior with him, he was kind of short, said "I trust you, don't really understand what you're explaining, but yea make her look good!". So he asked me to clean the inside of the windows while I as there. Has anyone had a client like this? Suggestions?
3) When I performed the test spot on the hood, the white LC beveled pad worked fantastic removing water spots and swirls with M205. Later throughout the detail, the swirls on the trunk and rear side panel behind the passenger door was not coming out as nice. I switched to a orange CCS pad with 205, and the results were much better. Has anyone switched pads half way through a detail? Should I have used the orange pad side by side the white pad on the hood test spot? If you all decide to change pads half way through the detail, do you go over what you previously did with the pad that didnt work as well?
4) The blue painters tape I used was the home depot brand HDX tape. It sucks ridiculously hard core sucks. It will lift up and not stick, and come off after a little bit. Does anyone have any suggestions on tape they use?
5) After polishing the vehicle, I used Griots paint prep to remove any oils left behind. The instructions said wipe immediately and do not let dry on paint. It was sunny and about 75F and I didn't have any shade so I tried to work a small section at a time. But I found out the hard way about "do not let dry" as it made streaks after I wiped with a yellow cobra MF. My technique for applying the paint prep was spraying it onto the paint, and then having a very difficult time having the towel remove all of the solution, as it caused streaking and the towel didnt absorb it so well. After going over the whole car, and rinsing with fresh water, and then drying with a cobra waffle weave towel, there were some very faint streaks on the hood and the trunk. Does anyone know how to remove those streaks? Any tips on how I should apply the paint prep for wax?
6) Do any home grown personal type business detailers who don't have a dedicated vehicle and operate as a side job carry around a personal garden hose in their car? I know some day I will probably have a customer with a crappy hose that will burst and affect the process. I do carry my own 100' extension cord and hose nozzle, but am wondering if I should carry a hose in a plastic bin.
7) My lower back was pretty darn stiff and was super sore the following day. I am hoping this was a technique issue, as I really enjoy detailing and don't want this to be a physical hinderance. I am a 27 yo male whos 165 and pretty athletic, Work all day on my feet and hardly ever sitting down. I used a little tri fold stool to perform work on the door panels and fenders. Anyone else have any lower back issues?
I think those are all my questions, on to some observations:
After reading Mike's article about applying wax by machine instead of hand, I decided to try this technique for the first time. and WOWWOWOWOW!! OMG it's SO much faster to apply wax by machine. especially with 845!
He did tip me 100$ which was very satisfying to earn that 100$ after this service. According to the service price I've set for myself is about 50$/hr. Should have been about 450$.
I noticed how helpful a 3" DA polisher might be. Onto trying to save for a rupes 75E.
The customer really liked the vehicle. I don't think he understands the process of what I did, even thought I tried to explain it. He was stoked, but not like, overly jazzed or anything.. Its hard not to think "I probably could have performed an All In One and he would be just as jazzed".
I will try to post some before and after photos after work. Thank you all for reading my book and helping me sort out my beginning business and detailing endeavors.
Stephan
I wanted to share my experience performing my first two step polish and wax process on a customers car, and have a few questions regarding my technique?
The car detailed was a 2007 Mercedes e550 in black, overall condition was pretty dirty on the wheels, tire spray on sides of doors, moderate swirling on the whole vehicle, a few deeper scratches here and there, water spots on the hood and door panels.
The reason I am not posting this in Show n Shine is because I have more questions than displaying my results. I definitely need to get better at picture taking
Steps and products used:
Tires: Amazing Roll Off
Wheels: Meguiars DUB wheel cleaner
Wash: Meguiars Gold Class via grout sponge
Dry: Cobra waffle weave
Tar removal: DP Auto Cleanse
Decontaminate: Nanoskin Speedy sponge with ONR
Exhaust tips: CG Metal Polish + Protection. used #00 steel wool to remove stubborn areas
Tape off areas of concern
Polish: Meguiars 205 with White, then orange CCS pads, removed with yellow Cobra MF
Cleaned polish with Griots Paint Prep
Rinse Car with water, dry with waffle weave
Wax: Collinite 845, removed with yellow Cobra MF
Tire dressing: Optimum tire bond gel
My DA polisher is a Harbor Freight DA, I performed about 4-5 section passes on each section, using a speed of 4-5 for M205 and speed of 2 for collinite 845
This whole project took me 9.5 hours. I was exhausted and dog tired at the end, took me a heck of a lot longer than expected.
Questions:
1) Does it normaly take this long for a two step process?
2) I performed the service complimentary for picture taking and word of mouth start up reasons, there was a miscommunication - he thought I was also going to clean the inside and headlights. Said "usually a detail is in and out and everything else". When I inspected the exterior with him, he was kind of short, said "I trust you, don't really understand what you're explaining, but yea make her look good!". So he asked me to clean the inside of the windows while I as there. Has anyone had a client like this? Suggestions?
3) When I performed the test spot on the hood, the white LC beveled pad worked fantastic removing water spots and swirls with M205. Later throughout the detail, the swirls on the trunk and rear side panel behind the passenger door was not coming out as nice. I switched to a orange CCS pad with 205, and the results were much better. Has anyone switched pads half way through a detail? Should I have used the orange pad side by side the white pad on the hood test spot? If you all decide to change pads half way through the detail, do you go over what you previously did with the pad that didnt work as well?
4) The blue painters tape I used was the home depot brand HDX tape. It sucks ridiculously hard core sucks. It will lift up and not stick, and come off after a little bit. Does anyone have any suggestions on tape they use?
5) After polishing the vehicle, I used Griots paint prep to remove any oils left behind. The instructions said wipe immediately and do not let dry on paint. It was sunny and about 75F and I didn't have any shade so I tried to work a small section at a time. But I found out the hard way about "do not let dry" as it made streaks after I wiped with a yellow cobra MF. My technique for applying the paint prep was spraying it onto the paint, and then having a very difficult time having the towel remove all of the solution, as it caused streaking and the towel didnt absorb it so well. After going over the whole car, and rinsing with fresh water, and then drying with a cobra waffle weave towel, there were some very faint streaks on the hood and the trunk. Does anyone know how to remove those streaks? Any tips on how I should apply the paint prep for wax?
6) Do any home grown personal type business detailers who don't have a dedicated vehicle and operate as a side job carry around a personal garden hose in their car? I know some day I will probably have a customer with a crappy hose that will burst and affect the process. I do carry my own 100' extension cord and hose nozzle, but am wondering if I should carry a hose in a plastic bin.
7) My lower back was pretty darn stiff and was super sore the following day. I am hoping this was a technique issue, as I really enjoy detailing and don't want this to be a physical hinderance. I am a 27 yo male whos 165 and pretty athletic, Work all day on my feet and hardly ever sitting down. I used a little tri fold stool to perform work on the door panels and fenders. Anyone else have any lower back issues?
I think those are all my questions, on to some observations:
After reading Mike's article about applying wax by machine instead of hand, I decided to try this technique for the first time. and WOWWOWOWOW!! OMG it's SO much faster to apply wax by machine. especially with 845!
He did tip me 100$ which was very satisfying to earn that 100$ after this service. According to the service price I've set for myself is about 50$/hr. Should have been about 450$.
I noticed how helpful a 3" DA polisher might be. Onto trying to save for a rupes 75E.
The customer really liked the vehicle. I don't think he understands the process of what I did, even thought I tried to explain it. He was stoked, but not like, overly jazzed or anything.. Its hard not to think "I probably could have performed an All In One and he would be just as jazzed".
I will try to post some before and after photos after work. Thank you all for reading my book and helping me sort out my beginning business and detailing endeavors.
Stephan