DFB’s Detailing Awards 2024
- Thread starter DFB
- Start date
DFB
Well-known member
- Aug 12, 2019
- 4,903
- 2,985
- Thread starter
- #23
I'm one of those who instantly hated Dream Maker, and despite multiple attempts, I just couldn't get it to work. So even though it added gloss, it just didn't produce enough gloss to warrant the pain to apply it without horrible streaking. And it wasn't just Dream Maker I struggled with, I also later tried WoWo's Showstopper and noticed the same problems. From what I learnt, Dream Maker was created in response to TRC losing the WoWo's brand, and Anthony wanted a similar product to Showstopper. Whatever Anthony is doing is clearly in tune with this style of product, because both of them I hated. (We still get WoWo's here, but its basically sales proof. And true to form, as a whole the UK-based WoWo's products suck.)
Clean Maker was a limited-edition product as a collaboration between P&S and a Youtuber turned product retailer, however it wasn't offered here. I will state that I'm not one of those who likes to play garage chemist, but I figured I had nothing to lose and it would at least gid rid of some Dream Maker. In theory, the addition of Dream Maker to Bead Maker is supposed to help reduce the static charge that causes dust magnetism after using Bead Maker alone.
The first thing you notice is the scent. Despite being mostly Bead Maker, the scent of Dream Maker completely drowns out the mango in Bead Maker. (I do actually wonder if the scenting is what causes the streaking issues with Dream Maker.) In use, this Clean Maker concoction is vastly better to work with compared to Dream Maker. That really strange ghosting/streaking of Dream Maker doesn't really happen with this mix, requiring less towel work to get right.
However, other than the apparent reduction in dust attraction, I just don't see how the addition of Dream Maker makes Bead Maker better. I actually think the gloss and slickness of Bead Maker is superior to that of Dream Maker. So, as far as I'm concerned, the only benefit of Clean Maker is to use up an existing bottle of Dream Maker. Yes, the Clean Maker mix is good, but not good enough to be buying two separate products and a spray bottle, not when something like Amplify is ready to use.
I did think about adding tools, equipment and towels to the opening posts, but I was already tapped out with the chemical side of it. But, leave it with me and I'll do something, probably with brushes in this thread and towels as a separate thread as I have something already written that I hesitated to post on this forum.
Last edited:
DFB
Well-known member
- Aug 12, 2019
- 4,903
- 2,985
- Thread starter
- #24
Tools, Brushes and Equipment
Brushes and tools can be subjective, so take the following as a guide or starting point. A lot these items I have arrived at after extensive trial and error and represent what I tend to gravitate towards the most.
Whereas a soap only has one job to do, you tend to use brushes in different ways, on different surfaces, used wet or dry, over small or large areas. For that reason, it's hard to format the following in a 1st, 2nd or 3rd basis. The following is what I think you need and want............................
Buckets –
To be brutally honest, a bucket is a bucket, although there are a few specifics. You need one for wheels, two for washing. Actually, I only use one bucket for washing, applying soap to the whole vehicle via foam cannon renders a "wash" bucket redundant, all you need is a "rinse" bucket. So, one for wheels (in my case red), one for washing (blue). In any case, all will have a grit guard and a gamma seal lid. I also use rolling bucket dollies. Buckets should ideally be 15 liters / 4 Gallons or bigger for sufficient water volume.
Tire Brush –
Detail Factory Tire Scrub Brush - I used the Tuff Shine style brush for a long time, however within the first 10 seconds of using the Detail Factory version, I knew I was onto a winner. What sets this brush apart from just about all other tire brushes is the softer and more flexible bristles. This is counter to what we traditionally expected of a tire brush, but trust me, the softer bristles are much better able to conform to the side wall and be properly get into the various crevices and letter on the sidewall. These are now available in Regular and XL sizes, its also great for rubber floor mats.
Tire Applicator –
Maxshine Hydro-Tech / Speed Master Tire Applicator (Foam)
Maxshine Curved Grip XL Brush (Soft Synthetic) (Ideal for high profile tires)
MaxShine Curved Grip XL Brush (Mixed Bristle) (Ideal for low profile tires)
Wheel Cleaning Brushes/Mitts –
There is virtually no such thing as a brush that can effectively clean every wheel on the market. Hence the extensive list below, which allows to me to thoroughly clean a wheel front to back, no matter what size or style of wheel.
Microfiber Madness Incredibrush Flat (Soft microfiber)
EZ-Detail Brush Small (For where Incredibrush won’t fit)
EZ-Detail Brush Large (For where Incredibrush won’t fit)
EZ-Detail Brush GO (For wheel arches)
TRC Ultra Wool Mitt (For wheel faces and back of spokes)
Lug Nut Brush – Detail Factory Boars Hair (Long handle, ideal for dirtier wheels)
Lug Nut Brush – Detail Factory Ultra Soft Synthetic (Long handle, ideal for well-maintained/delicate surfaces)
Detail Factory Wheel & Fender Brush (Long and Short handle)
General Interior & Exterior Brushes –
Again, you need an assortment to deal with a variety of different materials. I've tried a variety of different brands and price points, but I've settled on Detail Factory for almost everything. The cheaper generic boars hair brushes are just too harsh on anything other than hard plastic or rubber, the DF boars hair brushes are much softer and therefore more versatile. I would also say ignore brushes with wooden handles, especially for wheel cleaning as the water swells the timber and causes the head to detach from the handle.
Detail Factory Boars Hair Brush (Long handle) (Also suitable for exterior surfaces)
Detail Factory Ultra Soft Brush (Long handle) (Also suitable for exterior surfaces)
Lily Brush (Pet hair)
Detail Factory Progrip Interior Brush (Simialar to the tire brush, but with softer bristles, ideal for carpet)
Colour Lock Leather Cleaning Brush (Firm bristles)
Wheel Woolies 5-Piece Brush Set (Good for intricate work)
Bottles and Sprayers –
There are so many bottles and sprayer available to choose from, and they all do the same thing. What I've listed here goes beyond a basic single action plastic bottle and sprayer, some may value these upgrades, some won't see the point. With the Kwazar 360's, I've found them quite durable, the bottle in particular is very stout and the wide base increases stability. The weighted brass filter and ultra soft pickup tube permit 360-degree spraying, and the double action trigger increases your efficiency in that it doubles the output for every squeeze and release. For that reason, at the very least I would say having a Kwazar's for products you use a lot of is worth doing, say rinse-less presoak, APC, wheel cleaner. The only thing I would say is avoid using ultra-high alkaline products in them, hence the inclusion of the Kwazar NIX with a traditional sprayer that can be cheaply replaced as needed.
Kwazar Mercury Super 360 Pro 500ml (There is a larger size, 500ml is nicer to use)
Kwazar NIX (For heavy duty chemicals like strong APC or Tar Remover)
IK MULTI Pro 2 360º (Sprayer, for rinse-less and clay lubricant)
IK Foam Pro 2+ (Foamer)
Carpro Dilute 500ml/1000ml (I use these for making dilution ratios easy)
Chemical Guys / Adam’s EZ-Fill Funnel (Screw on funnel)
Griot's Gallon Spouts
Lighting –
My lighting setup is pretty basic, so scale up your setup as needed.
Scangrip iMatch 2 (Headlamp)
Scangrip SunMatch 4 (Handheld)
Scangrip MultiMatch R (Tripod)
Clay Bar/Mitt/Block –
To be honest, all do a similar job. Just make sure to choose one for the level of decontamination you are dealing with, always use the least aggressive as possible to avoid unnecessary marring. Keep in mind a traditional clay bar will be more effective, a mitt or block less aggressive. At the moment, I'm liking the TRC Ultra Clay Scrubber, but they also have a clay towel and clay mitt.
Miscellaneous –
Big Boi Blower PRO 4 (Corded blow dryer)
EGO LB-765 with the EGO stubby nozzle
Stoner Reach and Clean Tool (For easy windscreen cleaning)
Tornador Basic (Blowing out pads or cleaning engine bays)
Detail Guardz Wheel Guides (Prevents hoses snagging on tires)
Fur-eel Vacuum Attachment (Helps lift pet hair)
Maxshine Detailing Cart (Don’t lock in a brand for this, but you will need one)
Karcher WD6 Premium Vacuum with Obsessed Garage Accessory Kit
Milwaukee M18 Compact Vacuum (Quick clean ups)
Brushes and tools can be subjective, so take the following as a guide or starting point. A lot these items I have arrived at after extensive trial and error and represent what I tend to gravitate towards the most.
Whereas a soap only has one job to do, you tend to use brushes in different ways, on different surfaces, used wet or dry, over small or large areas. For that reason, it's hard to format the following in a 1st, 2nd or 3rd basis. The following is what I think you need and want............................
Buckets –
To be brutally honest, a bucket is a bucket, although there are a few specifics. You need one for wheels, two for washing. Actually, I only use one bucket for washing, applying soap to the whole vehicle via foam cannon renders a "wash" bucket redundant, all you need is a "rinse" bucket. So, one for wheels (in my case red), one for washing (blue). In any case, all will have a grit guard and a gamma seal lid. I also use rolling bucket dollies. Buckets should ideally be 15 liters / 4 Gallons or bigger for sufficient water volume.
Tire Brush –
Detail Factory Tire Scrub Brush - I used the Tuff Shine style brush for a long time, however within the first 10 seconds of using the Detail Factory version, I knew I was onto a winner. What sets this brush apart from just about all other tire brushes is the softer and more flexible bristles. This is counter to what we traditionally expected of a tire brush, but trust me, the softer bristles are much better able to conform to the side wall and be properly get into the various crevices and letter on the sidewall. These are now available in Regular and XL sizes, its also great for rubber floor mats.
Tire Applicator –
Maxshine Hydro-Tech / Speed Master Tire Applicator (Foam)
Maxshine Curved Grip XL Brush (Soft Synthetic) (Ideal for high profile tires)
MaxShine Curved Grip XL Brush (Mixed Bristle) (Ideal for low profile tires)
Wheel Cleaning Brushes/Mitts –
There is virtually no such thing as a brush that can effectively clean every wheel on the market. Hence the extensive list below, which allows to me to thoroughly clean a wheel front to back, no matter what size or style of wheel.
Microfiber Madness Incredibrush Flat (Soft microfiber)
EZ-Detail Brush Small (For where Incredibrush won’t fit)
EZ-Detail Brush Large (For where Incredibrush won’t fit)
EZ-Detail Brush GO (For wheel arches)
TRC Ultra Wool Mitt (For wheel faces and back of spokes)
Lug Nut Brush – Detail Factory Boars Hair (Long handle, ideal for dirtier wheels)
Lug Nut Brush – Detail Factory Ultra Soft Synthetic (Long handle, ideal for well-maintained/delicate surfaces)
Detail Factory Wheel & Fender Brush (Long and Short handle)
General Interior & Exterior Brushes –
Again, you need an assortment to deal with a variety of different materials. I've tried a variety of different brands and price points, but I've settled on Detail Factory for almost everything. The cheaper generic boars hair brushes are just too harsh on anything other than hard plastic or rubber, the DF boars hair brushes are much softer and therefore more versatile. I would also say ignore brushes with wooden handles, especially for wheel cleaning as the water swells the timber and causes the head to detach from the handle.
Detail Factory Boars Hair Brush (Long handle) (Also suitable for exterior surfaces)
Detail Factory Ultra Soft Brush (Long handle) (Also suitable for exterior surfaces)
Lily Brush (Pet hair)
Detail Factory Progrip Interior Brush (Simialar to the tire brush, but with softer bristles, ideal for carpet)
Colour Lock Leather Cleaning Brush (Firm bristles)
Wheel Woolies 5-Piece Brush Set (Good for intricate work)
Bottles and Sprayers –
There are so many bottles and sprayer available to choose from, and they all do the same thing. What I've listed here goes beyond a basic single action plastic bottle and sprayer, some may value these upgrades, some won't see the point. With the Kwazar 360's, I've found them quite durable, the bottle in particular is very stout and the wide base increases stability. The weighted brass filter and ultra soft pickup tube permit 360-degree spraying, and the double action trigger increases your efficiency in that it doubles the output for every squeeze and release. For that reason, at the very least I would say having a Kwazar's for products you use a lot of is worth doing, say rinse-less presoak, APC, wheel cleaner. The only thing I would say is avoid using ultra-high alkaline products in them, hence the inclusion of the Kwazar NIX with a traditional sprayer that can be cheaply replaced as needed.
Kwazar Mercury Super 360 Pro 500ml (There is a larger size, 500ml is nicer to use)
Kwazar NIX (For heavy duty chemicals like strong APC or Tar Remover)
IK MULTI Pro 2 360º (Sprayer, for rinse-less and clay lubricant)
IK Foam Pro 2+ (Foamer)
Carpro Dilute 500ml/1000ml (I use these for making dilution ratios easy)
Chemical Guys / Adam’s EZ-Fill Funnel (Screw on funnel)
Griot's Gallon Spouts
Lighting –
My lighting setup is pretty basic, so scale up your setup as needed.
Scangrip iMatch 2 (Headlamp)
Scangrip SunMatch 4 (Handheld)
Scangrip MultiMatch R (Tripod)
Clay Bar/Mitt/Block –
To be honest, all do a similar job. Just make sure to choose one for the level of decontamination you are dealing with, always use the least aggressive as possible to avoid unnecessary marring. Keep in mind a traditional clay bar will be more effective, a mitt or block less aggressive. At the moment, I'm liking the TRC Ultra Clay Scrubber, but they also have a clay towel and clay mitt.
Miscellaneous –
Big Boi Blower PRO 4 (Corded blow dryer)
EGO LB-765 with the EGO stubby nozzle
Stoner Reach and Clean Tool (For easy windscreen cleaning)
Tornador Basic (Blowing out pads or cleaning engine bays)
Detail Guardz Wheel Guides (Prevents hoses snagging on tires)
Fur-eel Vacuum Attachment (Helps lift pet hair)
Maxshine Detailing Cart (Don’t lock in a brand for this, but you will need one)
Karcher WD6 Premium Vacuum with Obsessed Garage Accessory Kit
Milwaukee M18 Compact Vacuum (Quick clean ups)
Klasse Act
Well-known member
- Feb 21, 2012
- 27,707
- 2,736
Klasse Act
Well-known member
- Feb 21, 2012
- 27,707
- 2,736
The Queens English..."full stop". How about our daily/weekly Sandro thenI got it, but I think I'd much rather not be associated with Pan full stop.
I love that term "full stop", JayEmm on cars says it quite a bit, as well as other British YouTubers I watch regularly. Iain Terryll from Iain Terryll's Classic workshop uses a really cool phrase when he's about to speed, he says "Let's open the taps...shall we"
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk