First Detailing

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Swimmer

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This was my first car I've ever polished/waxed with a machine polisher - specifically my new Flex 3401 polisher. Admittedly it is only a partial - hood and roof of my son's car - as the rest of the car is shedding after 14 years in the sun. (The car really needs a paint job.) Anyway, I needed something to practice on so what better than a 14 year honda accord wagon.

Pictures posted are before and after. Hood and roof had been painted 10 and 5 years ago respectively. They were both heavily oxidized and had water spots. I used 6-1/2" CCS pads: Orange with WG polish, White with WG glaze, and Blue with WG sealant.

HoodBefore.jpg
HoodAfter3.jpg


I did it all in my garage with halogen lighting. However, what looked good in the garage did not look as good in outdoor lighting as I could see some additinal oxidation I missed. That was my 1st leason learned - better lighting and/or pull the car out into the sunlight to check before finishing a step.

All in all, I was satisfied and when my son brings the car back, I'll probably work on it some more. Then I plan to tackle my wife's grey 2003 honda accord. Paint is in excellent condition so I expect much better results. Plan is to not go as aggressive.

As for the Flex, I must admit I was a bit intimidated when I first picked it up, but after running it for a while I got where I couldn't put it down. It was really fun to use. I practiced applying the product and played with the speeds to find the best setting for the application. On another post, I have since learned how to prime the pad.

Again, any advice would be greatly appreciated, especially before I tackle my wife's car! (Note I'm saving mine for last.)
 
Last edited:
form the pics I see seems like you did a pretty good job "the pics are small" depending on the paint if its in excellent condition (03 accord) I would maybe stick to the white pad and follow that with the sealant. good luck
 
Hi John,

I see you've uploaded your photos to the gallery, so you don't need to "attach" these pictures, what you want to do is insert them.

Locate the thumbnail in your gallery and CLICK ON IT and it will pull up a 600 pixel wide version. If you have a larger version, click on the 600 pixel side version and it will then pull up the largest version and in your case these are 800 pixels wide.

Perfect.

Here's your photos, I did just as I typed above...

Before
HoodBefore.jpg


After
HoodAfter3.jpg



Excellent work!

Amazing Extreme Transformation


:dblthumb2:
 
Thanks Mike for your tip, but I’m still not sure how making the pictures larger fits into how I inserted them into my thread.

Here is the process I went through:

1 – Started new thread and submitted thread.
2 – Selected Upload Photos tab.
3 – Selected My Photos tab.
4 – Selected photo and copied “url” as instructed.
5 – Selected thread again and selected Edit tab.
6 – Placed cursor where I wanted photo inserted.
7 – Selected Insert Image, pasted “url” copied previously, and selected ok.
8 – Selected Save.
8 – Repeated the above steps each time until all photos were inserted.

This sounds too complicated and obviously time consuming. How can I streamline the above process where I only submit the thread one time? Note each time I leave the thread, my work gets erased unless I save and edit.

And how does making the pictures larger fit into my process above?

Mike, I certainly appreciate your help and I know you go through this more than once with all the new guys joining. This fact alone makes me appreciate your efforts all the more. This forum has been great, as I’ve learned a lot in a very short period of time!!!
 
Hey John,

What a difference in the before and after shots!! :props:

I'm glad you found the Flex 3401 as easy and friendly to use as it was. This is "the" very reason I suggest new users or beginners not be afraid or intimidated by this machine.

The Flex 3401 is a built like a tank and will outlast most of us. It's powerful, rugged, well balanced, and a pleasure to use.

Regarding input before starting on your wife's car.... Other than starting off with a less aggressive approach I think all you need to do is practice.

Go through the basics.

  • Wash
  • Clay
  • Polish
  • Sealant
  • Wax
What products do you plan on using on your wife's car?
 
Swimmer said:
I did it all in my garage with halogen lighting. However, what looked good in the garage did not look as good in outdoor lighting as I could see some additinal oxidation I missed. That was my 1st leason learned - better lighting and/or pull the car out into the sunlight to check before finishing a step.

All in all, I was satisfied and when my son brings the car back, I'll probably work on it some more. Then I plan to tackle my wife's grey 2003 honda accord. Paint is in excellent condition so I expect much better results. Plan is to not go as aggressive.

As for the Flex, I must admit I was a bit intimidated when I first picked it up, but after running it for a while I got where I couldn't put it down. It was really fun to use. I practiced applying the product and played with the speeds to find the best setting for the application. On another post, I have since learned how to prime the pad.

Again, any advice would be greatly appreciated, especially before I tackle my wife's car! (Note I'm saving mine for last.)
Click to expand...

It is a lot easier than a lot of folks make it out to be. I can't give any more advice than I've already given, which is to read all of Mike P's articles and view his videos along with reading and following the mfg's instructions. If you've done that, you're ready. The results you got on that beat finish certainly says you are.:dblthumb2:
 
HeavyMetal said:
It is a lot easier than a lot of folks make it out to be. I can't give any more advice than I've already given, which is to read all of Mike P's articles and view his videos along with reading and following the mfg's instructions. If you've done that, you're ready. The results you got on that beat finish certainly says you are.:dblthumb2:
Click to expand...

Craig's hit this one square on the head, well put!! :props:

Detailing can become overwhelming "if" you try to over analyze it. This is once of those hobbies / professions that "can" be as simple or as complected as you make it..
 
BobbyG said:
Detailing can become overwhelming "if" you try to over analyze it. This is once of those hobbies / professions that "can" be as simple or as complected as you make it..
Click to expand...

Bingo. The only other thing I can toss out there is that detailing, especially the polishing, is a process. Process have 3 major components - tools, materials and techniques. If you want a successful process, pick the proper tools, materials and techniques and paticularly pick those which will reduce the number of variables and their influences. It is far easier to reduce the variables than it is to control them.
 
Incredible. Even if you stop now the machine will have paid for itself. Nice work :props:
 
Swimmer said:
Thanks Mike for your tip, but I’m still not sure how making the pictures larger fits into how I inserted them into my thread.
Click to expand...

There is a reason, it's because the URL address points to a specific place or address on the Internet, just like you have a specific house address.

Thumbnails have a different URL Addess than the large photo and a browser will display the picture that the URL Address points to...


Here's the thumbnail addresses
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/thumbs/HoodAfter3.jpg

Here's the 600 pixel wide address
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/HoodAfter3.jpg

Here's the 800 pixel wide address
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/HoodAfter3.jpg



:)
 
What products do you plan on using on your wife's car?
Click to expand...

BobbyG - When I purchased my Flex 3401, I purchaed it with the WG Concours Polishing Kit. I also purchased their paintwork polish enhancer (PPE). So I'm going to wash, then clay (Pinnacle) the car first followed by:

WG PPE
WG Finishing Glaze (maybe - see how PPE does)
WG Sealant
Collinite liquid wax #845 (got that BOGO)

If I need to be more aggressive, I'll use the WG Total Swirl Removal polish.

I'll use the Flex on all the big surface areas (80-90% of the car) and then hand polish/wax smaller areas utilizing hand applicators.
 
Swimmer said:
BobbyG - When I purchased my Flex 3401, I purchaed it with the WG Concours Polishing Kit. I also purchased their paintwork polish enhancer (PPE). So I'm going to wash, then clay (Pinnacle) the car first followed by:

WG PPE
WG Finishing Glaze (maybe - see how PPE does)
WG Sealant
Collinite liquid wax #845 (got that BOGO)

If I need to be more aggressive, I'll use the WG Total Swirl Removal polish.

I'll use the Flex on all the big surface areas (80-90% of the car) and then hand polish/wax smaller areas utilizing hand applicators.
Click to expand...

Flip the PPE and FG steps. PPE is a pure polishing oil/water emulsion with no abrasives and a light filler. Bobby suggested I try it after FG and it did bring the gloss up a good bit.

Edited to add: Have you used the WG Detail spray yet? I'm interested in how glossy and slick that is. I'm looking for something better than Adams.
 
How can I streamline the above process where I only submit the thread one time? Note each time I leave the thread, my work gets erased unless I save and edit.
Click to expand...

Mike - I get it now concerning how to make the pictures larger! :dblthumb2:

Thanks, but is there any way to streamline my photo insertion process? Again, I was having to make the thread and then edit the thread each time I inserted a photo.

(Guess I should have taken this thread into another forum topic vs Detailing 101.)
 
Flip the PPE and FG steps. PPE is a pure polishing oil/water emulsion with no abrasives and a light filler. Bobby suggested I try it after FG and it did bring the gloss up a good bit.

Edited to add: Have you used the WG Detail spray yet? I'm interested in how glossy and slick that is. I'm looking for something better than Adams.
Click to expand...

I'll try switching them. Have only used the FG so far. I believe you were the one to put me on to WG products. I've been impressed so far, but then I'm easily impressed at this stage.

As for the Detail spray, I have it, but am still back at the beginner's level trying to get the car initially polished and waxed. I will let you know how it goes when I get there.
 
Swimmer said:
Thanks, but is there any way to streamline my photo insertion process?
Click to expand...


Call me when you're behind your computer and have a few minutes and I'll walk you through it... I can probably help you speed up the process...

Once you get the hang of it, you can post a lot of pictures quickly like this thread shows...

Over 200 pictures, file names changed, pictures were all cropped, resized to 800 pixels wide, uploaded and inserted into a thread...


Here's my office number

1-800-869-3011 x206

:xyxthumbs:
 
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