Tackling my first detail project, follow along...

[Withoutink]

4 cars and full details on all of them? Man do you have your work cut out for you. Don't get discouraged though THIS is the hard part, upkeep is usually pretty easy.



PS: Teach you young'uns how to open a car door, took me a while with mine :laughing: They're in their 20s now and I still have to remind them once in a while.

I'm not sure I'll be at the level most people here obtain, but I'll do my best with what I have. For example, I don't really have much in the line of interior products. The cool thing with the jeep though, is that i have all my carpet boxed up in like new condition.... So after I clean the rhino liner I can pop the carpets back in and they are essentially new! Then just have to clean the seats and plastic. I used the clay bar on the arm rest, wow that stuff cleaned it right up!


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[Don M]

I'm not sure I'll be at the level most people here obtain, but I'll do my best with what I have...

Don't doubt yourself too early, you'll get better with practice and common sense, it just takes a little time.

 

[Withoutink]

Don't doubt yourself too early, you'll get better with practice and common sense, it just takes a little time.

With time, most things get better. I am sure I will be happy with my results. However, I am certain they will pale in comparison to others, I am ok with that though.

Practicing will improve skills, and the pride in doing it all is a satisfying driving motivator to success. =)

 

[Don M]

With time, most things get better. I am sure I will be happy with my results. However, I am certain they will pale in comparison to others, I am ok with that though.

Practicing will improve skills, and the pride in doing it all is a satisfying driving motivator to success. =)

... be careful you don't develop the OCD that most of us have :laughing:

 

[Withoutink]

Ok starting to polish with a tangerine LC flat and Meguiars UC and I found some of these.

What are these? I have a few of them on the hood.

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[Don M]

It almost looks like a patch sewn into place ... I'm trying to figure out what would cause that in such a square pattern, early cc failure?

 

[AnthonyGXP]

Ok starting to polish with a tangerine LC flat and Meguiars UC and I found some of these.

What are these? I have a few of them on the hood.

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Bird poop etching in clear coat.

It's extremely acidic and if not removed ASAP will result in this.........maybe tree sap if not a bird bomb.

I don't know at what experience level you are at, but you could definitely reduce the appearance if not completely remove by wet sanding prior to compounding.

 

[Withoutink]

Bird poop etching in clear coat.

It's extremely acidic and if not removed ASAP will result in this.........maybe tree sap if not a bird bomb.

I don't know at what experience level you are at, but you could definitely reduce the appearance if not completely remove by wet sanding prior to compounding.

I'm pretty much a total newbie. But I have some high grit wet sandpaper. If you give me an idea of what to do, I'd give it a go.


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[AnthonyGXP]

I'm pretty much a total newbie. But I have some high grit wet sandpaper. If you give me an idea of what to do, I'd give it a go.


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Make sure you always use a sanding block if you have no access to machine for sanding and let sandpaper soak in water for a bit prior to use.

Always use PLENTY of water from a spray bottle during the sanding process.

Always start with the least aggressive method to get the job done.

I would personally start with 3000 grit/Trizact and see if that will level the suface. If not then 2500, 2000, 1500 grit may be needed to achieve perfection.

I wouldn't imagine that you would need anything more aggressive than these.

Always use low even pressure as needed, continuously wiping dry checking results to see if surface has been corrected.

Remember clear coat is only about the thickness of plastic/cellophane wrap on a pack of cigarettes!

 

[Withoutink]

Make sure you always use a sanding block if you have no access to machine for sanding and let sandpaper soak in water for a bit prior to use.

Always use PLENTY of water from a spray bottle during the sanding process.

Always start with the least aggressive method to get the job done.

I would personally start with 3000 grit/Trizact and see if that will level the suface. If not then 2500, 2000, 1500 grit may be needed to achieve perfection.

I wouldn't imagine that you would need anything more aggressive than these.

Always use low even pressure as needed, continuously wiping dry checking results to see if surface has been corrected.

Remember clear coat is only about the thickness of plastic/cellophane wrap on a pack of cigarettes!

Thank you! I'll stop by the auto parts store and see if they have a thin rubber sanding block. The only one I have is the ridged kind. I'll also check what levels of paper I have.

Thanks for the tips.


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[Don M]

Just to restate it because it is so important, you CANNOT use too much water when wetsanding. You need to keep the surface and the sandpaper washed free of debris and clear coat residue to prevent scratching. Too, you really can't check your work too much ... every few strokes of the sandpaper to check your progress so you know exactly when to stop.

 

[Withoutink]

Just to restate it because it is so important, you CANNOT use too much water when wetsanding. You need to keep the surface and the sandpaper washed free of debris and clear coat residue to prevent scratching. Too, you really can't check your work too much ... every few strokes of the sandpaper to check your progress so you know exactly when to stop.

Awesome, thanks guys y'all are amazing help.


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[WRAPT C5Z06]

I'm pretty much a total newbie. But I have some high grit wet sandpaper. If you give me an idea of what to do, I'd give it a go.


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Be very careful when wetsanding as a noob. You can go through the clear very quickly!

 

[Don M]

Be very careful when wetsanding as a noob. You can go through the clear very quickly!

All you're trying to do is "knock down" the high spots in the area of the defect, basically, just lightly sand until the shiny is gone. In your case, I wouldn't try to take out all the marks, just remove the shiny from the paint in the area and once buffed out the marks should be diminished.

 

[Withoutink]

Ok so the auto parts store only had those big curved rigid blocks. Should I fashion something myself. I have an old smooth backed iPhone case that is slightly rubberized and thought that might work in a pinch. Or I could cut and sand a small block of wood ?


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[Withoutink]

Well I took it too far. On the first spot. Ugh.


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[Withoutink]

Ugh.

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[manateemark]

Did you test it in the most inconspicuous spot there was? Also a paint gauge helps in determining what's left.

 

[Withoutink]

No gauges. I was gtg, but literally 2-3 more strokes and it was over. Guess ill be gettings some touch up paint.

 

[AnthonyGXP]

Ugh.

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That actually look like the beginning stage of clear coat failure on some cars. It's probably just where the acidic bird bomb ate away at the clear and the paint. Probably nothing you could have done to prevent this. Just be a little more delicate around these areas.