Mike, Thank you so much. The article was great and just what I wanted to read. I have the Klasse and D151 and like both. Mainly wanted something more aggressive than the Klasse and longer lasting than the 151. Thought the XMT 360 might just fit the bill so I will order some. This may sound crazy to some but I do this for the fun and gratification, the money is secondary. I need to get paid but sometimes I do it for less money especially when the person can't afford as much as others. I started fifty years ago part time, at 13 yrs. and have been passionate ever since trying every product available. I have enough Wolfgang on hand to do dozens of vehicles. I am currently building a dedicated, as you say surgically clean, shop for two vehicles at a time. Looking for some steel cabinets to store my towels and supplies in and one side will be for washing and cleaning with a drain in the floor. Thank you and all the others on the forum and Autogeek.net for hours of enjoyment and it just shows that an old man can still learn new things if he just opens his mind to new ideas. Your videos are great!
High quality production detailing by Mike Phillips
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Caleb@ImpeccableImage
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I am so glad you took the time to write this Mike. Always good to re read it.
Awesome article Mike, actually an eye-opener
to quote the owner "not that bad" is great. we've got to detail along these lines. you are right.
I myself and a lot hobbyists here, detailing for a passion rather than for a living, we tend to focus too much on makeovers. the 4 hours would seem just impossible for us.
thanks for sharing Mike
to quote the owner "not that bad" is great. we've got to detail along these lines. you are right.
I myself and a lot hobbyists here, detailing for a passion rather than for a living, we tend to focus too much on makeovers. the 4 hours would seem just impossible for us.
thanks for sharing Mike
Mike Phillips
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Thank you.... this was truly an article where the goal was to try to help others get this detailing thing figured out....
So often new guys spin their wheels doing way too much work for too little money and that's the norm.
Also just to note, the technique I used for this project is shared in my new book towards the very end of the book under the chapter,
The modified 2-step production detail with the Flex 3401
How to use the Flex XC3401 VRG Dual Action Orbital Polisher Paperback Book
The new how-to book shows you multiple ways to make money using the Flex 3401.
:dblthumb2:
Caleb@ImpeccableImage
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Ill definitely check the book out. I just picked up a Flex 3401 and It has a bit of a learning curve compared to the traditional DA. It immedietely reminded me of using a rotary and the more you fight the machine the more it fights back, you have to stay loose and relaxed.
Mike Phillips
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You know over the years I've read where people talk about or gurus recommend staying loose and the specific context of what they are saying is
staying loose with the tool or holding the tool loosely
I respectfully disagree 100%
I also cover this in my new Flex how-to book. Turn to page 23 and under the heading,
Holding the tool loosely?
You'll find 4 paragraph with 241 words explaining what is wrong with this recommendation or teaching.
:xyxthumbs:
Caleb@ImpeccableImage
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What I meant by staying loose is not holding the polisher loosely, but keeping your muscles untensed and not stiff (loosening up your muscles). I guess I shouldve been more specefic
. Thanks for the reference location in your book though. Its in my cart Im the MAN.Mike Phillips
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Actually, that's what I also meant, that is you don't have your muscle loose you have then taunt and focused.
I teach this in my detailing boot camp class, about loose muscles and leverage. They don't go together very well.
Here's the deal...
You can have loose muscles if you're buffing the hood or trunk because these panels will support the weight of the tool so you can simply glide the polisher around.... IF you're doing something simple like final polishing or machine waxing.
But if you're doing some hard buffing then you need your muscles tightened as this is part of both focusing on the task at hand as well as controlling the tool.
Here's a horizontal surface but I'm not being Loosey-Goosey in the way I hold this Flex PE14 Rotary Buffer....
Same thing here as I'm pushing hard as I'm trying to remove sanding marks out of a curved panel.
In fact I'm holding the tool tight with my hands and managing the tool with muscle tightened so I can control the buffer... it's not controlling me....
Sometime in the future I'll try to make a video showing what I show in my classes... it's only by demonstration that the point is driven in hard.
Thank you for your purchase, I'm confident you'll enjoy the book.
Caleb@ImpeccableImage
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Thanks Mike, thanks for clarifying what you meant.
Mike Phillips
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No problemo....
Next year I have a new project and in that project I'll be sharing the whole Loosey Goosey thing about how to hold a polisher of any type and how and why it's not actually a good idea or a functional practice.
Mike Phillips
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***Bump***
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Jacob Harrod AUTOCLEAN
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Your right about that Mike. Everyone does have their own definition of the word bad, sometimes, "not that bad" means, "I'll get the job cheaper".
I need some of those work stands.
This Tahoe reminds me of a Suburban I recently did, except it took me 4 days. I did a one step polish with BF One Step and I did an interior cleaning as well.
I worked on it from Friday through Monday afternoon.
Here's some pics. the first one is a 50/50 shot. I wish I would have has the BEAST and those Rupes pads you mentioned to me.
Whats your honest opinion. I think I could have turned out a better result with the BEAST or SUPA BEAST. Maybe slightly more cut with a more powerful machine.
The lady was pretty happy though.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Autogeekonline mobile app
I need some of those work stands.
This Tahoe reminds me of a Suburban I recently did, except it took me 4 days. I did a one step polish with BF One Step and I did an interior cleaning as well.
I worked on it from Friday through Monday afternoon.
Here's some pics. the first one is a 50/50 shot. I wish I would have has the BEAST and those Rupes pads you mentioned to me.
Whats your honest opinion. I think I could have turned out a better result with the BEAST or SUPA BEAST. Maybe slightly more cut with a more powerful machine.
The lady was pretty happy though.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Autogeekonline mobile app
Jacob Harrod AUTOCLEAN
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Jacob Harrod AUTOCLEAN
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This time I didn't mess around. I taped off as much as my budget would allow for. and I got free news papers for the cover up as well. It was time VERY WELL spent my friend. I ain't jacking around with splatter dots again.
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jankerson
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Your right about that Mike. Everyone does have their own definition of the word bad, sometimes, "not that bad" means, "I'll get the job cheaper".
I need some of those work stands.
This Tahoe reminds me of a Suburban I recently did, except it took me 4 days.
Here's some pics. the first one is a 50/50 shot. I wish I would have has the BEAST and those Rupes pads you mentioned to me.
Whats your honest opinion. I think I could have turned out a better result with the BEAST or SUPA BEAST. Maybe slightly more cut with a more powerful machine.
The lady was pretty happy though.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Autogeekonline mobile app
A FLEX 3401 and the Lake Country Hydro CYAN pads or the Grey Force Hybrid would have made short work of that with Wolfgang Swirl Remover or Uber Compound then Polish with Finishing Glaze with the LC White Pads. Would save you a lot of time because those pads cut very fast, but they finish out very well, you could actually almost just LSP it after. Would save even more time in the 2nd polishing stage because it wouldn't take much to polish it.
Or Megs 105 then 205 for that matter.
Jacob Harrod AUTOCLEAN
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Well, they just paid me for a one step polishing package. Its called my Emerald Elite Package.
Ive corrected my post to include that I just did a one step polish.
I agree though, some type of compounding step paired with the 3401 would have made, "short work" of the job.
One thing I will say is that my shop is poorly lit and I stopped to clean my pads a bunch. So these two things slowed me down quite a bit.
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jankerson
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OH, OK, one step..... On a swirled out black car...... OH man... Maybe Megs D151 and the LC Hybrid Orange PADs...... With the 3401.....
Yeah..... I see now that you changed it...
My area isn't all that perfect either, could be better, OH well I get by.
Jacob Harrod AUTOCLEAN
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I get by as well. This is one thing I love about the forum is that I can get inspired by other detailers. Some how some way I always make it work. I can see you guys all do the same.
I just ordered a 5000 lumen adjustable tripod light. I'm also planning on getting a couple of Speedmaster Swirlfinder Pro lights, and I found a really cool high bay industrial LED light I'd like to try as well.
There are actually some cool threads here on the forum about lighting as well.
I switched up my techniques a little on a panel repair I did after the Suburban. I just waited until I was done before I rinsed out my pads with a garden hose and then put them.to soak in the BLACKFIRE Citrus Pad Cleaner.
There is some great information about pad cleaning in Mike's Book, The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine I believe the pad cleaning info starts on page 79.
I need a pad washer.
On the Suburban I walked back and forth, rinsed and then put the pad in the solution after each panel because I thought the product would dry in the pads and I wouldn't be able to get it out, and I wanted to cycle my pads out so I would always have fresh pads.
I should have just waited until I had used up six of them, rinsed with the hose, taken a break and let the pads soak for about 20 minutes and then rinsed them out again with the hose, spun them out and put them on the pad.dryer.
I might have to try the Meguiar's D151 one of these days. Though I typically use BF One Step. Iike trying out all kinds of stuff, and I am usually impressed with Meguiar's products.
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jankerson
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I get by as well. This is one thing I love about the forum is that I can get inspired by other detailers. Some how some way I always make it work. I can see you guys all do the same.
I just ordered a 5000 lumen adjustable tripod light. I'm also planning on getting a couple of Speedmaster Swirlfinder Pro lights, and I found a really cool high bay industrial LED light I'd like to try as well.
There are actually some cool threads here on the forum about lighting as well.
I switched up my techniques a little on a panel repair I did after the Suburban. I just waited until I was done before I rinsed out my pads with a garden hose and then put them.to soak in the BLACKFIRE Citrus Pad Cleaner.
There is some great information about pad cleaning in Mike's Book, The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine I believe the pad cleaning info starts on page 79.
I need a pad washer.
On the Suburban I walked back and forth, rinsed and then put the pad in the solution after each panel because I thought the product would dry in the pads and I wouldn't be able to get it out, and I wanted to cycle my pads out so I would always have fresh pads.
I should have just waited until I had used up six of them, rinsed with the hose, taken a break and let the pads soak for about 20 minutes and then rinsed them out again with the hose, spun them out and put them on the pad.dryer.
I might have to try the Meguiar's D151 one of these days. Though I typically use BF One Step. Iike trying out all kinds of stuff, and I am usually impressed with Meguiar's products.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Autogeekonline mobile app
I hear you on the lights.
Megs D151 cuts fast, I believe it's still the most aggressive AIO out there, I could be wrong, but it is made for high volume production work.
Use it with the LC Hydro or Hybrid Pads as it will soak the more normal older type pads.
Normally about 3 passes or so and done a section, like I said it works fast... About as fast or faster as WG Swirl Remover, but it's an AIO....
Hope you don't mind pink though. :buffing: