Defining Details

iTrader: (1)

Hi Pat - great questions! Thanks for the good words.

Lighting - For general use, I use dual 500w Halogens; you can pick them up at Canadian tire for bout $50 including the stand. For final inspection I use LED lights, as they reveal some fine hologramming that Halogen doesn't.

As for breaking down the polish on a light colored car - I'll start with M105. 105 is the only polish on your list that uses non-diminishing abrasives, meaning the cutting agents (microbeads) do not break down as you work the polish. You keep polishing, they keep cutting. There is no 'break down' with this product, you simply work it until the defects are corrected to your satisfaction (of course re-priming the pad as the polish dries up)

All the other polishes you listed, I use as well (other than the Optimum Compound) - you can easily see the breakdown process under halogens, even on an eggshell white paint. You've got almost no chance seeing it without the lighting (I know LOL, I did the Mazda 6 above outdoors and even with the halogens, there was so much ambient light washing them out, I couldn't see a damn thing!)

I also suggest grabbing some M205 - it's great! It finishes out almost perfect after compounding, and then on the cars you REALLY want to pop the paint on, follow up with the Optimum Finishing Polish - unreal!

Hope that helps!

pricha00

Chris what 4 inch pads are you using the LC CCS? Why so small? To increase the working action or just having more control over the area being worked on? Don't you find that if you work those alot the centre can get really soft, almost like the foam has no more rigidity? I find that I can't work the M105 hardly at all with the purple pad that came with it, what pads are you working it with? Do you still find the working time really short compared to say any of the Optimum products?

Pat.

Defining Details

iTrader: (1)

Hi Pat - I have used the CCS pads and I don't really like them. Flat pads for me only now... I use 4" on the PC for correction / compounding - the PC just doesn't have enough power to do correction work using a larger pad; too much resistance for the motor. 4" + good products + good techniques can get the PC to handle just about anything.

PFW pads I have tried on the PC, however believe it or not I actually get better cut with Orange + 105 than I do PFW + 105. Yes, the 105 dries up much quicker than the Optimum products; the optimum products have a lot of oil in them to maintain lubricity, as it has a long working time. 105 has a short working time, so it does not need as much polishing oil in it (hence it dries out quicker).

I use 5.5" pads for the polising / refining steps (with 4" pads in tight spaces).

Spur your pads on the fly after every panel. Simply turn the polisher on at a medium speed and lightly run a toothbrush across the pad... or purchase and actual pad spur-er from E-shine.ca!

empire123

hey chris, how much do you charge for a just under the hood clean? Let me know. btw its for a 02 civic Thanks

cr8tive_leo

Natures polishing oil - Water.

If you find your wax drying to quickly, or want a really deep shine, get a spray bottle, with... water, and lube the surface with a light mist once in a while. (especially with 105)

pricha00

I hope you mean your polish is drying too quickly....105 is not a wax.

Pat.

Defining Details

iTrader: (1)

Sending you a PM!

Defining Details

iTrader: (1)

Sorry for the lack of updates, been busy lately! I am looking forward to meeting many of you at OptionJDM's huge BBQ on Sunday! Option will be giving away one of my Silver detailing packages, so be sure to stop by and hangout, shoot the sh*t and maybe win some cool prizes!


Mercury Milan V6

Background: Client bought this Mercury Milan a couple months ago. The previous owner had no interest in taking car of the car lol. This thing was a MESS, and was head to toe covered in swirls, marring, water etching and deep isolated scratches.

Time was limited to a single day with the car, so a FULL correction was not going to be possible with the condition it was in. I would say though that about a 85% correction was achieved; only thing remaining were a few serious isolated scratches which would have required wetsanding to remove. Not enough time for that, so here we go!

Due to time constraints, client opted to apply LSP himself so all pics are raw paint and clear.

Products Used:
Dawn Dishsoap
Meguiars clay
Optimum No Rinse
Meguiars M105
Optimum Polish II
LC Orange and White pads
Obsessive Detail Silk Shine interior dressing
Obsessive Detail Leather Conditioner

Random shots during the detail:

Driver Door Before:





Driver door after:





random befores





Test Spot



Test spot after:







Quarter panel finished / door not finished



Door



Trunk finished / spoiler not finished



Both finished!



Rear quarter



passenger door 50/50



Passenger door finished



Checking the work in the sun - so far so good!



Trunk reflections





Reflections! Reflections! Reflections!





Where does the glass end and the paint begin? Who knows!













Thanks for looking!

Astrosi

i have a question what kinda of claybar do you use >?

NorthernEG

hey man, question for you. Im usuing Mothers Carnuba wax on my car, the hard **** not liquid. If I end up doing more than one panel the **** gets super hard. Takes awhole lot of elbow grease to remove it and just doesnt work nice enough for me....would I need a power buffer at that point. I did try to do one panel at a time and mist it with water before I apply the wax. It comes off easy enough but not sure if im getting the best penetration.

31dev31

Hey, I think I saw you on Tuesday... at the gas station on Walkers and Dundas. I was driving the white rusted out EG hatch with the ricey muffler lol.

derrickk

Also spotted the defining details SI today on the 403 westbound, just west of Square One at 5pm rush hour

Defining Details

iTrader: (1)

The key is to use a VERY fine layer of wax / sealant. With most wax's, if you apply too much it is a pain in the *** to remove. So, just remember that when it comes to wax, less is more If you want extra protection, just add extra layers afterwards, but like I said, keep them very thin.

I also recommend giving that mothers stuff to your buddy or something... If you're shopping at Canadian Tire / Walmart, do yourself a favour and just pick up the NXT 2.0 Tech wax. It is by far the best stuff you can buy over the counter. While your at it, just stick with Meguiars products in general when buying over the counter... Hope this helps!


As for spotting the DD Si - that's me every morning at the Esso Tim Hortons, 5 and walkers, getting an XL black coffee lol...Cant start the day without it! I am also on 403 all the time, so that was no doubt me as well! Sorry of the car wasn't pristine, I get a little lazy when it comes time to keep my own stuff looking top notch...

Defining Details

iTrader: (1)

I use blackfire - mild. I buy it in bulk - that's the only reason... I have no real preference to clay; from what I understand, there is only like 1 or 2 clay manufacturer anyways, and most companies get their clay from them so a lot of the time you're getting the same thing, regardless of logo plastered on the box...

Defining Details

iTrader: (1)

Been very busy with no time to make updates! Let's get this going again

2007 F150

Products Used:

Blackfire clay
Optimum no rinse
Chemical Guys rim cleaner
Megs 105
Optimum Polish II
Bissell Carpet clean solution
Obsessive Details Silk Shine dressing
VRP Dressing
OD All purpose cleaner, diluted 4:1 and 8:1 for heavy and light cleaning
OD Wet Wax
Stoners Invisible Glass

Equipment Used:
PC 7424
Orange and white pads
Toothbrush
Lots of MF towels
Little Green Cleaning Machine
Wet/Dry vac
Tire scrub brush

Process. Washed truck with ONR followed by claybar using ONR diluted to lube. Wheels were then tackled using 1.5:1 rim cleaner solution as the brake dust was BAD. Spent 2 hours cleaning the chrome wheels with a toothbrush.

Washed the car with ONR again, then tackled the interior. Scrubbed the entire interior with 8:1 APC, followed by an application of Silk Shine dressing. Vacuumed out all the loose debris, followed by applying spraying down the carpets / upholstery with bissell solution, extracted using LGCM. Sprayed down again with pure water, extracted again, and repeated with water 1 more time. Cleaned windows with Stoners Invisible.

Once the interior was completed, I moved to polishing the paint. Truck was spot-compounded with M105/orange in places that needed it (not enough time to 2-step the entire truck). Once the spot compounding was completed, moved on to polishing entire truck using Optimum Polish II on a 4" white pad. I tried M205 first, but it just didnt have enough bite on a white pad to remove the surface marring and swirls entirely. OPII did a great job and finished out fantastic for a 1-step.

Once the polishing was complete, washed the truck again, applied OD Wet Wax and VRP dressing to all the black exterior trim. Polished chrome bumpers and step rails using M205 on a 4" orange pad.

Client then took the truck to show off to his buddies at baseball (where the parking lot is gravel / dirt). LOL.

Before:






















After:
Left polished, right pillar not.

Defining Details

iTrader: (1)

This car belongs to the wife of a good client of mine; the agreement was a single-step polish exterior, with full interior. The expectations were for some minor swirls and imperfections to be bettered or corrected.

My prep process was... well, my process was the same as all my other cars that I have spent stupid hours writing up, so yah, there was a process, I promise.

My first combo against my taped off test area was M205/Orange via PC; I've done a lot of Mustang's before, but this was my first time only doing a single-step polish on one. Hot diggity damn, the 205/orange was on fire tonight!









The 205/Orange was a homerun on this particular car, knocking out more than I ever could have hoped for with a single-step, and finishing out just perfect.

The sun peeked out for about 5 minutes right when I had finished the drivers side; I pulled it out for a quick inspection in the sun.






Next up was the rear bumper; beauty. Tip of the day: make sure they're unconscious before you go stuffing them in the trunk :2thumbs:



This was the only spot on the car that I compounded; 105/orange x 2 passes, followed up with M205/orange - better than I expected! Less evidence that you stuffed someone in your trunk against their will:



Now you see it:



Now you pretty much don't




Tail lights had some swirling going on; combo of the day took care of them no problem as well! Before:



After:




Now onto the part that I was just so excited to get to... nothing gets me in a great mood like a perfectly maintained interior:





(End sarcasm here)


2 hours later:








And to end the day, some cloudy reflections with a layer of CG Butter Wax:






And the shots of the day:






Thank you for watching :2thumbs: And for the record, I don't condone stuffing people into the trunk of your car.

Persia

Amazing work man!

bron

Absolutely amazing work! How does someone "get started" in detailing?

If you were to recommend a starting kit for a novice, what would be in it? I'm looking to try and correct years of carwash damage on my 01 LX. There is nothing too bad on it, just all over light swirling and hairline scratches.

What's the best way to try and learn about this dark art!? If I had the money and lived closer I would totally be getting a quote right now

David2010

Absolutely amazing, will make sure to give you a call for sure once i get my car repainted...most likely white

Mugenn.civic.09

iTrader: (1)

holy shyt.. i was just looking at the pretty pictures cuz i dont kno squat about wax or clay bars or any of that.. but wow man, ur friggen amazing... i might come to you mid-summer or right before school sets in so i can show off even more lol...