mobile detailing

Delsil

Delsil

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I have a mobile detailing business in SE Penn and from time to time I struggle to find shade especially when buffing and waxing black or dark colored cars. Has anyone ever used a deck type umbrella rather than a pop-up canopy? I had a pop up canopy but they are cumbersome and sometimes are too low for SUVs. Any info will help.
 
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I have looked at countless canopies and the idea of carrying around something that weights 75 to 125 pounds and setting it up by myself is just something I am not interested in doing.

A huge umbrella is a good idea, hope someone comes forward with good real life experience feedback on it.
 
I don't have one myself, but a customer let me use one during a job last summer. It was an 8' dia with a weighted base and articulating arm. It was SO easy to move it around and make the shade where I needed it as I moved around the truck. Very easy to move and gave a great shaded area. I'd be a bit concerned it any wind picked up, but on a calm day it would be great. Much easier to set up too :)

Mike
 
The wind blows far too hard and too often here to use anything I can't anchor down. Those objecting to lifting 75lbs to make shade either live in a very mild climate where they really don't need shade or maybe need to hit the gym or something. Seriously, I did a full interior/exterior detail today by myself and it took me MAYBE 5 minutes to set up my 10'x15' canopy. I mean I'm an old man, I'd imagine some of you young kids could do it in 3 if you had to.
 
How do you set up a canopy in 5 mins? I have helped a friend set up his tempo car cover a few years back and it took us 5 hours. Granted a smaller canopy will be easier but you still have to assemble 4 legs made of probably 3 poles each and you have at least 8 poles for the roof element and so on. Then when all of that is up you need to tie it down. Are you an old man from Krypton or something? ;)
 
I can take a video. I bet if I were being timed, I could do it in less than that. During the hot times of the year, we transport it standing up, collapsed with the canopy installed, in our trailer. I have a large tie so I just lean it against one wall and wrap the tie around it. Works fine, it's always in the same place when I get to the next job. I take it out, I move it to where I want it, I grab one leg and pick the entire thing up by that leg until only the opposite leg is touching the ground. Then I just walk the leg I'm holding back until the entire thing starts to unfold. I get the canopy portion of that leg locked and then I proceed to walk around in a clockwise manner, hooking the canopy clips to the frame and clicking in the tops of all the legs. Then I raise one leg at a time to the final height (my canopy has 3 heights). Then I move it into position and drive the car under it. Seriously, I was a United States Marine, there's not a whole lot I can't do if I put my mind to it. That being said, my 18 year old son can set it up by himself too but not as fast. He's not as tall as I am so he struggles with the first step, getting the leg you're holding high enough in the air to expand the frame and then reaching up to click the top in place at the same time.
 
5 hours? Holy crap, you guys either took a 4 and a half hour beer break or we're not talking about the same thing. I have two of these, though I rarely set up two. The only time I set up two is if we're going to be somewhere for like 5 hours. I mean seriously, you're mobile. Think mobile. Shade that takes 5 hours to setup is like something you'd use for a wedding, not for mobile detailing. This is essentially an EZUP. There's a reason they're called EZUPs. ;)

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I think Calendyr is talking about the canopies that have the poles that slide into place. It comes with a tarp or cover that is held on with bungee straps. I’ve put a couple of these up before. They do take awhile.

Sudsmobile is using a “ez up” or pop up style canopy. They are totally different canopies.

Have any of you mobile guys ever looked at the inflatable canopies. I always thought those would draw a lot of attention and would be a good advertising piece.
 
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