A little help

J

johnatrotta

New member
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hello Mike,

Since I stumbled on the AG site about 2/3 weeks ago I hve placed 2 orders for products to include the Porter Cable DA Polisher. I constantly frequent the site for ideas and hints on detailing. I have had several cars that I kept in beautiful condition. My producct of choice has always ben Meguiars Products until visiting Autogeek.

Recently I was approached by several people to detail their car based upon how I keep my car. I must admit that I would love to do this as a side line to earn some extra cash. So far I did one car with two more cars scheduled. My problem is that the car I did took way to long...7 hours. I did a bumber-bumber deatil that included cleaning the engine compartment, full interior, wash-polish-wax. My fee was $150 the car was a gold Lexus.

At the time I did not have your DVD (How to create a Show Car finish with the PC 7424). Now I see the time it takes to just polish and buff in sections...should I have spent more time???

The car looked great, I don't think it ever had a hard coat of wa until my application yet if I want to do this on the side what are some basic time frames and fees to be fair to me and the customers I take on.

I do live in N.E. Ohio and I do not have access to a heated garage so I will not be doing cars in the Winter...at least not this Winter. The art of detailing is confusing and I have an air compressor for blowing out water, (2) wet/dry vacs, (3) orbitals, (2) direct buffers, and the 7424 along with a small carpet cleaning machine for light duty. Couple this with a multitude of pads, microfiber clothes, sponges, drying towels and products out the ying-yang...I think I'm ready.


Now I need the know-how.

1. How often to you use a buffing pad? A towel? in a single detail?

2. What pad is what? They came with Porter Cable package but no instructions.

3. How do you clean them?

4. Do you use sponges to wash?

5. I bought Wolfgang's shampoo and wax but I would like to use the Meguiars Swirl X with it. Is this good?

6. What about sealers? Should you remove existing wax?

7. Then re-wax after sealing?

8. What is the best product...cost is a factor when trying to do this as a side business.
​

Any advise on the multitude of questions I have will be greatly appreciated and I promise to patronize your products in the process.

Thanks so much,

John Trotta
 
Hi John,

Thanks for taking this to the forum... hang tight, I've sliced up your questions to make it easier to read and follow questions vs answers and now I'll do my best to answer your questions.


johnatrotta said:
Now I need the know-how.

1. How often to you use a buffing pad? A towel? in a single detail?
Click to expand...
No hard answer. One thing for sure, don't make detailing cars Rocket Science. Keep things simple and use common sense. If a microfiber has been used to wipe polish off half a car it's probably done for the day and time to move on to a clean microfiber.

When it comes to detailing cars by machine, more pads is better, otherwise you use what you have to the best of your ability. You could theoretically buff out an entire car for one process, say the swirl removal process, with one pad as long as you clean the pad often. Cleaning often means cleaning the pad after each application of product. For me I would use the "Clean your pad on the fly" technique, or a Pad Wash if it was available.

johnatrotta said:
2. What pad is what? They came with Porter Cable package but no instructions.
Click to expand...
You must have bought a Kit? The PC by itself comes with a white polishing pad that has a fixed backing plate.

Tell me what you have, as in the color and type and myself or someone will tell you what they are. I also wrote an article yesterday as it relates to Lake Country foam "formulas". I'll include the link in my next post.

johnatrotta said:
3. How do you clean them?
Click to expand...

I'll include the link in my next post. Attending one of our classes would teach you all of this in a single day.

johnatrotta said:
4. Do you use sponges to wash?
Click to expand...

I don't like to always share my specific preferences because it can pigeon hole me in a place I don't want to be in when I represent about 500 companies. Make sense? Our other forum members have great reputations and are always willing to share what they like and why... Everything Autogeek.net sells is high in quality, so there are not bad products, it's just personal preference and there's a lot of difference between people and their preferences.

johnatrotta said:
5. I bought Wolfgang's shampoo and wax but I would like to use the Meguiar's Swirl X with it. Is this good?
Click to expand...

Yes, you can mix and match products and get great results. I'm a "Systems Guy", so my brain works in a way that I like to stay inside a system for Synergistic Chemical Compatibility. That means if I'm using Wolfgang, I will tend to use all Wolfgang products. If I'm using Mothers, I'll use the Mother's "system". That's because the chemist that creates the First Step Products also formulates the Second and Third Step Products and thus there is a Synergistic Chemical Compatibility. That's just me, a lot of detailers are a lot more free-wheeling and mix and match products with great results all the time.

johnatrotta said:
6. What about sealers? Should you remove existing wax?
Click to expand...

Any paint polishing process is going to obliterate any previously applied wax or paint sealant public available. In other words, if you wash and dry a car, then clay it and then polish it with SwirlX, after you wipe off the SwirlX residue, the previously applied wax or paint sealant will have been completely removed.

If a polish is aggressive enough to remove swirls, that means it's removing some paint, the wax or paint sealant will be obliterated in the process.

johnatrotta said:
7. Then re-wax after sealing?
Click to expand...

Waxes and Paint Sealants are in the same category called "Paint Protection" you would use one or the other but you don't have to use both. The important thing is to apply one or the other to seal and protect the paint you just polished.

johnatrotta said:
8. What is the best product...cost is a factor when trying to do this as a side business.
Click to expand...

You need to decide if you're going to do show car detailing or production type work detailing "Daily Drivers". If you're detailing daily drivers then you want to be using a one-step cleaner/wax or you will have so much time into the project because you're doing multiple steps that you won't make a profit and you'll burn out.

Great questions for your first post, just to note it's usually best to start out with 2-3 questions as you'll get...

  • More replies
  • Better replies


Asking lots of questions can make it hard for "most" forum members to answer because it's overwhelming and easier to "not" reply. I have an article on this that I first wrote on Meguiar's Online here.

I'll post some links to topics you brought up, note that all of these are in my lists of articles that are in my Signature Line in every post I make. You can click to and peruse the topics that interest you most or touch on topics you have questions about.


:)
 
Here's some articles that relate to your questions above...

First, read through this one...

A few tips on starting a part-time detailing business

How to clean your foam pad on the fly

The different types of foam formulas in the CCS Smart Foam Pad Line

Factors that affect how aggressive or non-aggressive a product is...

The benefits of a light paint cleaner, cleansing lotion or pre-wax cleaner

The Benefits of using a Car Wax or Paint Sealant

"Use the least aggressive product to get the job done"

Expose yourself for more business...

How To Choose The Right Wax or Paint Sealant for your Detailing Project

The Definitive How-To Article for Removing Swirls, Scratches and Water Spots Using a Porter Cable 7424XP, G110v2 or Griot's Garage Polisher - Includes Videos



More on these two pages...

How-To Articles
Articles by Mike Phillips 2


:)
 
Great follow up reply Mike! As much I read and search on this forum I am always learning something new.
 
Mike,

Thanks so much for your reply. You answered all my questions.
Sorry for the number of questions at once.
One final question.
I'm in Ohio do you have DVD or on-line classes?

Regards,

John
 
How often to you use a buffing pad? A towel? in a single detail?
In a single detail I can go through 6 or more MF towels just working on the exterior. When you consider the work you're doing; it's best to use a single MF towel for each process to lessen chances of any product transfer where you dint want it.

How do you clean them?
I typically remove ALL tags from each towel, throw them in the washer (DON'T use fabric softener) and dry on low. Be sure that if you have inspected them for foreign particles before reusing them. You don't want to unintentionally inflict any new scratches etc, right?

Do you use sponges to wash?
It depends on what part of the vehicle is being washed. For paint that is in noticeably good condition I typically use a lambs wool mitt. Vehicles that are in rougher shape or receiving a clay bar service will see a MF wash mitt for washing. I know some who prefer a grout sponge for all washes ...... it's going to be a matter of your learning what best suits your needs & preferences. Bug or tar removal will have me using something with a little more "bite".

What about sealers? Should you remove existing wax?
Always.
For sealant to have the best bond to a painted surface; the painted surface must be free of any pre existing waxes or sealant protections.

Then re-wax after sealing?
Another matter of opinion here.
I typically use a wide range of sealants depending on color & condition of the vehicle. I typically use carnauba/wax on the bright and/or darker colors to give the the extra depth & pop to the color. Wax is usually short lived & requires regular applications whereas sealant will usually give a protection of 5 months or more depending on the vehicle's care regimen.

The best product is going to be whatever you feel benefits your hard work the most. The best product is going to be whatever is most rewarding to you not inky in the results you achieve with, but also (as a small business owner) whatever is going to enable you to continue turning out your best work at a doable cost as opposed to becoming a larger expense for the same results.
 
As long as it took for me to type all of the above from the Ipad ...... I wasn't going to delete it. ;)
 
Shade Tree said:
:dblthumb2:

Especially with power being off for another couple of hours here .... 3G keeping AGO alive.
Click to expand...

I have an iPad and also the docking keyboard and with 3G I can work on the forum from just about anywhere...

Yancy, our Creative Director picked up an iPad the day they came out and locked in the unlimited data plan.

Pretty cool device though... I'm hoping the next OS update they include software to use the Magic Mouse...


:)
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
I have an iPad and also the docking keyboard and with 3G I can work on the forum from just about anywhere...

Yancy, our Creative Director picked up an iPad the day they came out and locked in the unlimited data plan.

Pretty cool device though... I'm hoping the next OS update they include software to use the Magic Mouse...


:)
Click to expand...

Would have loved to have picked one up during their release ....... didn't think I had as much use for it as I do now.

I justified the purchase as being a business expense & w/ the 64 gig & 3g it's just about limitless. What's even better is that I'm able to use it as a portfolio of my work & easily show past detailing projects, look up prices on my site, set schedules, email customers, watch your videos ............ (there's your plug!) .... just about limitless.

I also use LogMeIn to access my personal laptop for whatever I may need to be able to finish up while away. It's as if you're using the laptop with all the convenience of being away. Watching movies while on the treadmill is the best. lol

Ok, back on subject.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top