Inspiration Part 2

**DogRescuer** · 06-27-2013, 05:52 AM

Hi Mike I have another question for you if you dont mind? How do you DA high or hard to reach spots on your cars or trucks, with your leg being an issue? Do you get on a ladder or platform? My disability leaves me with bad balance, its cerebellar damge, so I need too stay on "the ground" as much as I can. I went and bought the werner platform all the guys recomend and during a wash I attempted to clean a roof of a minivan and fell off the platform. Yes my shoes were wet, but I was very nervous using that platform, good thing a customer didnt see me, and I didnt break my neck. So is there a method that you can suggest. Mainly for using a DA on a roof. I might just have to turn down any jobs where there might be DANGER involved. Between you and I, there have been a couple more minivan roofs where I just did not wash any areas where I could not reach from standing up on the door openings. Mostlly the tail end of a minivan. Knowone has said anything yet, and theyre coming back. Please help.

Mike Phillips · 06-27-2013, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by ayankeeman1968

Hi Mike I have another question for you if you dont mind? How do you DA high or hard to reach spots on your cars or trucks, with your leg being an issue? Do you get on a ladder or platform?

Good question...

I use a Werner Platform like you see being used by able bodied people when we did the extreme makeover on my new truck....

1987 Chevy 4x4 Monster Truck "Before & After" Pictures

It's stable, lightweight, folds for easy storage, won't rust, easy to find at most big box stores and affordable.

Anyone detailing cars for money should have two, one for each side of the vehicle. When I had my brick and mortar detail shop back in the 1990's in Albany, Oregon I had two home-made benches for sitting, both about 8 feet long and I put these on each side of a tall vehicle and could walk back and forth to knock out things like the roofs of vans.

**erichaley** · 06-27-2013, 06:59 AM

+1 for the Werner platform! You can find these at the big box home improvement stores for about $50, and they sometimes go on sale for as low as $20!

I was at Sam's Club last week and they had a folding work platform / workbench with an integrated power strip, similar to the one Griot's Garage sells, for about $99. I may just have to pick one of these up...

**ken tuep** · 06-27-2013, 07:10 AM

He already has the Werner platform. He fell off due to his instability.

I would buy a long handled brush for washing, and since your personal safety is important maybe let the customers know up front that you wont be able to polish the roofs.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using AG Online

**BillE** · 06-27-2013, 07:57 AM

I'm just thinking out loud...but something like a scaffold setup. Something that is super stable and has guard rails.

Bill

Mike Phillips · 06-27-2013, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by ken tuep

He already has the Werner platform. He fell off due to his instability.

Dang, missed that.... that's what I get for scanning...

Just a tip for everyone reading this... don't type in huge blocks of text, you make it hard for the eyes to move from one line to the next line.

Instead, hit the old [ENTER] key once in a while and break chunks of texts into smaller paragraphs and not only will you make it easier for everyones eyes to read your text but you'll also get more people to read what you write.

As for the Werner not working, the next best thing would be some kind of safety scaffolding.

Here's the link to Werner Aluminum Scaffolding on National Ladder's website.

Werner Aluminum Scaffolding

Maybe do some digging around on this page and see if there's something that might work for you that will also fit into your budget.

Another option might be to simply turn down tall vehicles or explain your situation to your customers.

Another option would be to take on a helper that can stand on a Werner platform and reach the high parts.

This one, WITH two more bars going all the way across the width along the top to help keep you from falling off might work and you could put some foam pipe insulation around the pipes that would be close to the car to avoid any metal contact with the vehicle.

Place an extra tube for safety where I've placed the red line, do it to both sides and this should help keep you from tipping and falling over the rails.

Mike Phillips · 06-27-2013, 08:23 AM

Steve,

Writing is a learned skill and art and one I'm always working on. Reading text on a computer screen is more difficult on human eyes than reading text on paper.

Below is an example of how I would break up your original post to make it easier for everyone to read. The thing is, large blocks of text with no breaks between sentences that complete a set of thoughts, or stand alone questions, make it difficult for the human eye to move over the text and correctly drop down to the beginning of the next sentence.

By simply adding some white space, or breaks between a few sentences, you make it easy for the human eye to read text without a person losing their place in the writing.

To make a question stand out, make it a standalone paragraph. It's okay to have a one-sentence paragraph.

I'm not a great writer by any means but the above are a few tricks I've learned over the years to help my readers read all of what I write.

Originally Posted by ayankeeman1968

Hi Mike I have another question for you if you don't mind? How do you DA high or hard to reach spots on your cars or trucks, with your leg being an issue?

Do you get on a ladder or platform?

My disability leaves me with bad balance, its cerebellar damage, so I need too stay on "the ground" as much as I can.

I went and bought the Werner platform all the guys recommend and during a wash I attempted to clean a roof of a minivan and fell off the platform. Yes my shoes were wet, but I was very nervous using that platform, good thing a customer didn't see me, and I didn't break my neck.

So is there a method that you can suggest. Mainly for using a DA on a roof.

I might just have to turn down any jobs where there might be DANGER involved.

Between you and I, there have been a couple more minivan roofs where I just did not wash any areas where I could not reach from standing up on the door openings. Mostly the tail end of a minivan.

No one has said anything yet, and they're coming back.

Please help.

The above is just a helpful tip and not just for you but for anyone that realizes they type in large blocks of text.

**hernandez.art13** · 06-27-2013, 09:23 AM

Ayankeeman are you mobile or do you work from home?

Detailing IMO is a form of Physical/Mental therapy. I would try to avoid getting higher than you can reach. Any little slip that most could handle send us tumbling to the floor.

Look for someone to help you do the roofs of cars. And just talk to the customer. Once you tell people your situation they all completely understand and for those that don't. Simply just don't work for them. Any roof of any car/truck etc... Is not worth your health. Any.... But at the same time be honest of what you can or cant't do.

**Kyle_Elantra** · 06-27-2013, 10:24 AM

Wow. I didn't know Mike was the same guy from the Mini Cooper 2 bucket wash video I watched who knows how many years ago until just now.

I thought Mike Phillips was just another super helpful and informative guy...

Mike, you've been teaching me since before I even knew who you were! Your passion alone inspires me - "able bodied" or not nobody cares as much as you. They're just not "able minded" I guess.

Thank you for your help here on this forum as well as in the past when I didn't even know you were teaching me.

That video stuck with me for at least the past what, 4-5 years?
I thought I was ahead of the game coming here already knowing about Grit Guards and 2 bucket washes but that came from you. I'm amazed.

Mike Phillips · 06-27-2013, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Kyle_Elantra

Wow. I didn't know Mike was the same guy from the Mini Cooper 2 bucket wash video I watched who knows how many years ago until just now.

I thought Mike Phillips was just another super helpful and informative guy...

Mike, you've been teaching me since before I even knew who you were! Your passion alone inspires me - "able bodied" or not nobody cares as much as you. They're just not "able minded" I guess.

Thank you for your help here on this forum as well as in the past when I didn't even know you were teaching me.

That video stuck with me for at least the past what, 4-5 years?
I thought I was ahead of the game coming here already knowing about Grit Guards and 2 bucket washes but that came from you. I'm amazed.

Ha ha...

Yes, that was me in the "How to wash your car Show Car Style" video using Richard Lin's "Lil Octane" Mini Cooper back in 2006. I think the video is still on YouTube somewhere.

Hard to believe that was 7 years ago now...