Newbies Observation

[Brucesg08]

Winter was long, bought a new used truck, always cleaned and waxed by hand in the past. The more I read, the more I liked the idea of a polisher. Researched placed order including Mikes book and read up all winter. Too cold to work in the garage. Spring came got warm, other projects came first. But I finally broke down and spent a few days in the garage. WOW this is addicting. Detailed a black chevy pickup minor swirls so did a full detail with corrections.
My observations the first time around.
Rule # 1 Never forget this MIKE PHILLIPS is always right. You'll think you have a faster way. It won't be and in the end you do it twice and realize it was the way mike told you the first time. This is the most important.
#2 A 2X2 test panel will let you do the vehicle once and have results.
#3 You can't expand your working area with a buffer don't rush it, you'll be tempted to add more product to keep going you'll be sorry and end up with way to much product on the car.
#4 Listen to Mike, start at top work down, or your wiping the whole car of from dust/ residue repeatedly.
#5 You can't have too many lights in the garage.
#6 buy 2 pads for every purpose you think you will need. Sealant and wax can use the same pad. I only had one.
#7 Don't just read it, believe it. Start and stop with the pad on the car. I laughed when I read that one, commonsense!!! geeeze. I did it repeatedly, wasn't so funny then.
So the trucks all done: washed with dawn, swirl remover, polisher enhancer, finish glaze, sealant, and then wax. All wolfgard products. It looked smoking hot in the garage, looked liked liquid glass. THEN I PULLED IT OUT IN THE SUNLIGHT. Wasn't so hot then. Better then what it was, but not what I was expecting. So back in the garage started off following mikes suggestions, test paneled revealed I could go with a little aggressive pad. Portable light on tripod moves around and lights up nice. Got a little hot but you could see. Wow the second time around it looked better then a new vehicle.
Don't rush, if you don't enjoy it don't do it you'll just rush to get thru it. But I think once you start it its a personal challange to not stop untill you get it right
Next weekend is my wifes car. She didn't have any faith in me and wouldn't let me use her car as a guinnea pig. But she's begging now. hehehehe.
Thanks to all who posted the threads I pulled from and help give me the confindence to do this. All the neighbors are stopping going past, wanting there's done next. Be a long time before I take that on if at all. How do you tell a friend or neighbor you need $150 to wash and wax. And that isn't hardly making anything don't see it being worthwhile, except when its my ride.

[Spiney]

I did my first correction. I'm with you on all points. Except I never turned on the DA before spreading the product on the surface and making sure pad was on surface 1st.

One mistake I made several times till I caught it was forgetting to change to the correct speed when switching from Compounding to polishing.

Tough working when the thermometer is 95 outside. I did work in garage out of direct sunlight, and did have halogen to check work. Today I learned about the dust that some product leaves, that I've read so much about. Also learned there are a few more tools I want or need. Need: Brinkman light to check car condition. Want: White canopy to work outside but out of direct sunlight. Air compressor to clean pads on the fly. Currently using a Meg's pad brush. Another newbie to power correction. Spiney-Dave

[BobbyG]

Learning early in the game and being able to recognize what it takes to make some progress regardless of how small helps build that knowledge base I speak about.

Practice does make perfect!!