The 8 normal steps to perform before buffing out a car

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The 8 normal steps to perform before buffing out a car


2006_SLK_350_031.jpg


Below are a list of steps to do and the order in which to do them no matter what tool your using or even if you’re working by hand.

These are the normal steps to do whether you’re doing a multiple step process, (show car detailing), or a one step process, (production detailing).



Step 1: Wash and dry vehicle - Or wash and chemically and mechanically decontaminate vehicle and then dry. (See Steps 2 & 3)

Step 2: Chemically decontaminate the paint to remove iron particles (optional step).

Step 3: Inspect paint for above surface bonded contaminants. Use the baggie test. If a rough or textured surface is discovered, mechanically decontaminate the paint using detailing clay or some other product like Nanoskin towels, mitts and/or pads.

Step 4: Inspect the car for below surface defects, things like swirls, scratches, water spot etchings.

Step 5: Move the car to a cool, shaded area out of direct sunlight.

Step 6: Do a Test Spot. Dial-in your process by testing the products you intend to use over the entire vehicle to just one small section of paint. Once you prove your system works to one small section then duplicate this process over the rest of the vehicle.



Diagnosing the results from your Test Spot
Once you have determined the paint can be fixed and have confirmed your system, that is the pads, products, tools & technique will work to correct the paint issues, then do these two next steps.



Step 7: Remove any chrome, aluminum or stainless steel trim or components if possible and feasible.

Step 8: Tape-off and/or cover up any rubber, plastic or vinyl trim or other easily stained surfaces. Wiper arm assemblies, the plastic surrounding the wiper arms just behind the back of the hood, plastic covered running boards, convertible tops if the top is up, interiors if the top is down, etc.


While in most cases you can successfully undo the damage and neglect done to a car by buffing it out, it's a good practice to do your testing first and once confirming that you can indeed fix the paint, then do the taping off and removing of any components.



:)
 
Great info, Mike.

Obviously, a test spot is crucial. However, I do a test spot per panel and don't rely on one test spot to tackle the whole car. Panels are frequently repainted and can react a lot different to the initial test spot.
 
FivePoint.0 said:
Great info, Mike.

Obviously, a test spot is crucial. However, I do a test spot per panel and don't rely on one test spot to tackle the whole car. Panels are frequently repainted and can react a lot different to the initial test spot.
Click to expand...


What I do is focus on the task at hand and that way if there is a repainted panel AND a problem shows up then take a moment to modify the process.

Doing a test spot on each body panel would be kind of time consuming to me but see why some guys would make it a part of their process. The good news is if you're already using quality products, pads, tools and techniques even if the paint changes from one panel to the next, the results are usually still good.

But it's always important to focus on the task at hand...


:xyxthumbs:
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
What I do is focus on the task at hand and that way if there is a repainted panel AND a problem shows up then take a moment to modify the process.

Doing a test spot on each body panel would be kind of time consuming to me but see why some guys would make it a part of their process. The good news is if you're already using quality products, pads, tools and techniques even if the paint changes from one panel to the next, the results are usually still good.

But it's always important to focus on the task at hand...


:xyxthumbs:
Click to expand...
To be more clear, I will tackle the next panel with the same product as the initial test spot, but make sure to check my work before completing the panel. Basically, I put my Rupes pen light to good use.
 
I have dropped the drying step from my process. I wash and pull into the garage, most water has run off. From there I go right to my lube and nana skin towel. The only thing I have noticed from this is i save time. Anything wrong here?
 
parttimer said:
I have dropped the drying step from my process. I wash and pull into the garage, most water has run off. From there I go right to my lube and nana skin towel. The only thing I have noticed from this is i save time. Anything wrong here?
Click to expand...

To expound on that thought....
Some, (including Larry @ AmmoNYC) will clay whilst soap is on the panel, using the added lubrication of the soapy film as a "clay lube". ;)
 
parttimer said:
I have dropped the drying step from my process. I wash and pull into the garage, most water has run off. From there I go right to my lube and nana skin towel. The only thing I have noticed from this is i save time. Anything wrong here?
Click to expand...

I never dry the car before claying.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
parttimer said:
I have dropped the drying step from my process. I wash and pull into the garage, most water has run off. From there I go right to my lube and nana skin towel. The only thing I have noticed from this is i save time. Anything wrong here?
Click to expand...

I do the same. Some even clay as they wash using the car wash soap as lubricant. I tried that and didn't seem to have as good of results, so I went back to rinsing, then pulling in to clay with regular lube.
 
When I worked on my sister's car yesterday, I hit it with the foam cannon, let the shampoo dwell, went over it with a mitt, rinsed, then hit it with the cannon again, using the foam as the lube while I went over it with a clay towel.
 
parttimer said:
I have dropped the drying step from my process. I wash and pull into the garage, most water has run off. From there I go right to my lube and nana skin towel. The only thing I have noticed from this is i save time. Anything wrong here?
Click to expand...

Nope, nothing wrong at all. What I wrote was a basic outline but everyone can and will tweak it to fit their routine.

The order is completely up to each person. The bigger point is you do all the steps before you bring a spinning buffing pad down on the paint.

And these are steps you do whether you're doing a one-step to car, a two-step or three step. These are the basics.



cardaddy said:
To expound on that thought....
Some, (including Larry @ AmmoNYC) will clay whilst soap is on the panel, using the added lubrication of the soapy film as a "clay lube". ;)
Click to expand...


In my how-to book and on this forum and in my classes, what I practice and teach is that if they want to do the mechanical decontamination step while the car is still wet during the washing process then,

  • First wash the car with some type of wash media to loosen the dirt on the surface.
  • Next RINSE the dirt you have loosened off the car.
  • NOW do the mechanical decontamination step.



It's the rinsing step to remove all the loose particles BEFORE using method of mechanical decontamination that is they key. Otherwise you could be rubbing the loosened dirt over the paint instilling swirls and scratches needlessly.

Make sense?

I'm not sure what Larry's process but as long as he's rinsing the car AFTER loosening the dirt I'm sure his process works for him. If he's claying paint with loose dirt on the car then my personal opinion is this is a bad idea especially since it's pretty easy to hose a car off.

For what it's worth back when I called on detail shops in Oregon, Washington and Idaho it was a common practice for production detailers to keep their clay in their bucket of car wash soap and clay the car while washing it. It's not a new technique as this goes back to when clay was first introduced to the U.S.

Whether "production detailers" rinse before using the clay in their bucket of soapy water is another question.



wdmaccord said:
I do the same. Some even clay as they wash using the car wash soap as lubricant.

I tried that and didn't seem to have as good of results,

so I went back to rinsing, then pulling in to clay with regular lube.
Click to expand...


For you and parttimer, this probably works for you and your garage. That is moving a wet car into your garage or shop.

For me I try to get the cars mostly dry before I pull them into our garage due to the Racedeck TuffShield tile floor. I just don't want piles of water on the floor. I do run a mop around the cars becaue they all drip a littel water but I try to get them dry before moving them inside.

That said, I also use the Nanoskin wash mitts and towels after washing and rinsing and then rinse again the then dry and then pull into garage. But this is in keeping with trying to keep most of the water outside, not inside.



Good comments guys....



:)
 
trekkeruss said:
When I worked on my sister's car yesterday, I hit it with the foam cannon, let the shampoo dwell, went over it with a mitt, rinsed,

then hit it with the cannon again, using the foam as the lube while I went over it with a clay towel.
Click to expand...

Perfect technique. This is what I do to, that is use the foam gun to foam a car and then use the Nanoskin towels or mitts to decontaminate the paint then rinse again.

The key is to wash and rinse first so you don't risk rubbing dirt into paint.

This approach reduces step while getting the job done. It's actually the procedure I show in my detailing boot camp class for doing production detailing.



:xyxthumbs:
 
Question: regarding steps 7 & 8, at what point do you treat those surfaces, such as treating black plastic trim pieces with something like Back to Black? I find that when I am applying those kinds of dressings, I always end up getting a little bit on the paint.. I am never sure if I should do it before washing, after washing, or after wax?

Will washing remove any product put on the trim pieces? Will tape stick if I do it after washing but before clay? Will the residue left behind look messy if I do it after wax?


Thanks for this article, it's very helpful to a beginner like myself
 
Thanks, I don't have the fancy race deck, that stuff sure gets slick when it is wet. I am moving soon so I might be doing some type of flooring. My only concern is flooring along with a creeper to stool on wheels might make moving difficult.
 
Lints said:
Question: regarding steps 7 & 8, at what point do you treat those surfaces, such as treating black plastic trim pieces with something like Back to Black? I find that when I am applying those kinds of dressings, I always end up getting a little bit on the paint.. I am never sure if I should do it before washing, after washing, or after wax?
Click to expand...

That's a tough one... another reason why I prefer to work on classics with chrome and stainless steel trim instead of new cars.

Here's the dealio....

IF you apply dressing to anything that you have to tape-off you're shooting yourself in the foot because now the tape won't stick.

So I wait to tread exterior black plastic, rubber and vinyl trim after I've finished the paint and all tape is removed. Then just be careful and wipe any product off paint and glass with a clean microfiber towel.



Lints said:
Will washing remove any product put on the trim pieces?
Click to expand...

Depends on the dressing.



Lints said:
Will tape stick if I do it after washing but before clay? Will the residue left behind look messy if I do it after wax?
Click to expand...

That's a lot of questions.... I think you'll have the best luck to tape off anything you don't want to stain with painter's tape. Then dress the trim after the paint polishing and waxing.


See this article,

How to tape-off a car before machine polishing




Lints said:
Thanks for this article, it's very helpful to a beginner like myself
Click to expand...


No problemo.... remember where you get this kind of information first....


:laughing:
 
parttimer said:
Thanks, I don't have the fancy race deck, that stuff sure gets slick when it is wet. I am moving soon so I might be doing some type of flooring. My only concern is flooring along with a creeper to stool on wheels might make moving difficult.
Click to expand...

The Racedeck TuffShield tiles are not really all that slick when they get wet, I just don't like working in a puddle of water nor taking the time to remove the water.

Most people would be shocked but after I wash a car I'm getting ready to detail I jet blast it around the block to sling as much water out of the wheels and tires and possible.

This is after hand drying with a Guzzler Waffle Weave.

Once into the garage I hit the car with the Metro-Vac Sidekick.

All done very quickly. Did ALL of this last week to a 1987 Ferrari and a 2014 BMW.


:xyxthumbs:
 
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