Been detailing my own vehicle's for a few years (10) but I'd say it's a hobby that is 3rd or 4th down on my list. Stepped up from the PC 7424 to the Flex 3401 a couple of months ago and just got the Flex PE8 in yesterday. About a month ago I detailed my friends full size truck. That was a bear. micro marring all over the paint which just killed the shine. he had just bought it and told me he had the detail agree to remove some scratches. I told him I'd do it to avoid the dealer making the paint even worse. Which leads me to a few random thoughts...
Professional detailers don't get paid enough money.
Professional detailers don't get paid enough money.
What professions can do that I have a hard time with is learning what is good enough. I'm one who likes to do things myself because I always put a little extra effort in to make it better than average. I look at paint under a light and think that it could always be a little better. But when working on a friends vehicle I try to limit it to 10 hours of work. They usually drop it off one afternoon and they want it back the following afternoon. Granted, I'm going to take several breaks... I'm doing it as a hobby (no charge). But if I'm going to spend 10 hours and probably $30 in product, I don't want it to look half ass. I'm not making money so it's more of a pride thing (apparently I'm a magician). So, it's a learning curve trying to do enough.. but not too much.
I thought the truck was bad... I currently have a Jeep here that I'm working on. Hardest paint I've every come across. But the real tough part is all the small panels! I thought with the amount of fiberglass on this thing that it would be easier. Nope! That paint is strong as steel and working around all those bolt on, small parts is a huge pain. I'm just about doing the whole Jeep with a 4" pad.
The PE8 is giving me issues. I'm using the 3" pad and a little of the 1" pad (1" pad really just to polish the really small areas so they look the same, no correction) but I can't get away from holograms. I _think_ this might be the nature of a very small pad but I'm betting it's a little of my experience as well. Yes, I'm taking it _very_ easy and not working sections very long at all. I'm really not applying any pressure either. I'm getting some holograms but it's not removing the scratches. I've gone back over those areas with the Flex 3401 and think I'll just stick with that and the 4" pads for now.
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Professional detailers don't get paid enough money.
Professional detailers don't get paid enough money.
What professions can do that I have a hard time with is learning what is good enough. I'm one who likes to do things myself because I always put a little extra effort in to make it better than average. I look at paint under a light and think that it could always be a little better. But when working on a friends vehicle I try to limit it to 10 hours of work. They usually drop it off one afternoon and they want it back the following afternoon. Granted, I'm going to take several breaks... I'm doing it as a hobby (no charge). But if I'm going to spend 10 hours and probably $30 in product, I don't want it to look half ass. I'm not making money so it's more of a pride thing (apparently I'm a magician). So, it's a learning curve trying to do enough.. but not too much.
I thought the truck was bad... I currently have a Jeep here that I'm working on. Hardest paint I've every come across. But the real tough part is all the small panels! I thought with the amount of fiberglass on this thing that it would be easier. Nope! That paint is strong as steel and working around all those bolt on, small parts is a huge pain. I'm just about doing the whole Jeep with a 4" pad.
The PE8 is giving me issues. I'm using the 3" pad and a little of the 1" pad (1" pad really just to polish the really small areas so they look the same, no correction) but I can't get away from holograms. I _think_ this might be the nature of a very small pad but I'm betting it's a little of my experience as well. Yes, I'm taking it _very_ easy and not working sections very long at all. I'm really not applying any pressure either. I'm getting some holograms but it's not removing the scratches. I've gone back over those areas with the Flex 3401 and think I'll just stick with that and the 4" pads for now.
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View attachment 59144
