You'd think I'm a full-time detailer or something...

[Austin]

My Aunt's youngest son is learning to drive, go a head and conclude that he hit something. Pulled the passenger mirror over the front fender and hood while backing out of the driveway.

AUSTIN TO THE RESCUE!!

The whole process is something of 15 minutes.

1. Wash the surface
2. Clay bar
3. Meguiar's Heavy Cut Compound on foam pad (this step takes all of the scuffs and scratches out)
4. Meguiar's Fine Cut Compound on foam pad (this step cuts down the scratches of the first compound. Think of it as following up with a finer sand paper)
5. Meguiar's Ultimate Polish on foam polishing pad

 

[LEB Ben]

Damn Austin...your work and simplistic explanations of buffing truly inspire me.

 

[kiwi f150]

Looks Good Austin - silly question but i have never seen clay bar before - how does it work?

 

[taxreliever]

My Aunt's youngest son is learning to drive, go a head and conclude that he hit something. Pulled the passenger mirror over the front fender and hood while backing out of the driveway.

AUSTIN TO THE RESCUE!!

The whole process is something of 15 minutes.

1. Wash the surface
2. Clay bar
3. Meguiar's Heavy Cut Compound on foam pad (this step takes all of the scuffs and scratches out)
4. Meguiar's Fine Cut Compound on foam pad (this step cuts down the scratches of the first compound. Think of it as following up with a finer sand paper)
5. Meguiar's Ultimate Polish on foam polishing pad

Dang...that's amazing!

 

[Austin]

Thanks fellas!

Mark - essentially, a clay bar is used (with a pray lubricant) to pull contaminants out of the paint that washing just can't do. Using the clay bar prior to buffing allows a dirt free paint to perform the work on. If clay isn't used, specially on a daily driver like this car, the junk in the paint can reduce the quality of the final product.

It's also good to clay a vehicle every now and then to keep the paint smooth and clean, as well as before waxing.

http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g1016-smooth-surfacereg-clay-kit/

 

[polarbear]

Nice... very nice. If you worked for us at Hertz, we'd keep you busy full-time just with the airport returns.

 

[Austin]

Nice... very nice. If you worked for us at Hertz, we'd keep you busy full-time just with the airport returns.

I'm glad you said that. Is detailing/refurbishing something Hertz does in-house?

 

[DNFXDLI]

Nice job Austin, the guy I went to Montana with the other day brought back a pile of Meguiars products and a Porter Cable polisher, I am waiting on the results.

 

[Austin]

Thanks Duncers. I love the Meguiar's products; they work great for what I do without breaking the bank.

 

[Beach66Bum]

Again a great job with great results Austin!
Are you worn out at the end of the day ?
Seems silly to ask, but the very few times I waxed a vehicle, it's a lot of work!!

 

[Austin]

I can usually knock out 4 or 5 full details before calling it a day. Most of the work I do is performed by machine, so my arms might be a little sure at the end of a long day.

 

[Beach66Bum]

That's good, hey Austin, quick question, when you use an aggressive compound and you have the scratches, then you polish them, will they become visible again once the wax has weathered?

 

[Austin]

Pretty much what goes on is the severity of the scratches is decreased with each step, ending with the polish. From that point on, if the car is washed properly, you won't see any scratches.

 

[Beach66Bum]

Thanks So all this polishing is still not penetrating the clear coat?

 

[Austin]

It's still removing clear, so caution must be used in order to not burn through. Pros have meters that gauge paint depth.

 

[Beach66Bum]

No kidding, gauges, wow!
Guess when you have a custom paint job you don't want to permanently damage it. Well, I guess for any paint job

 

[Beach66Bum]

What's your take on water spots that have been left untreated, heard that they continue to eat into the paint?

 

[tedrow42]

Looks real good man

 

[taxreliever]

Thanks fellas!

Mark - essentially, a clay bar is used (with a pray lubricant) to pull contaminants out of the paint that washing just can't do. Using the clay bar prior to buffing allows a dirt free paint to perform the work on. If clay isn't used, specially on a daily driver like this car, the junk in the paint can reduce the quality of the final product.

It's also good to clay a vehicle every now and then to keep the paint smooth and clean, as well as before waxing.

http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g1016-smooth-surfacereg-clay-kit/

Would like to see this on your detailing thread.....

 

[smokey]

I have a paint gauge nothing but a little magent in a tube with a ruler. The thickens of the paint lessens the pull of the magnet showing the mills of the paint or putty.