Pictures & Comments: May 2015 Detailing Boot Camp Class!

[Bryan@FiveStarShine]

Re: Training Cars for May 2015 Detailing Boot Camp Class

Don't forget that not only are you getting a brain dump from Mike and Nick who obviously have a wealth of knowledge and experience, but you learn from those around you... what products they use, how they market in their area, experiences they have had, etc.

As Erny mentioned, I thought it was pretty cool to learn, not only from Mike and Nick, but also from other's in the class and their professional experiences. I really enjoyed being able to use all of the different tools and products and compare each of them. I was really curious about using a rotary buffer and when we got a chance to use it and be instructed on proper usage of it I was amazed at how easy it was to create awesome results. It just takes a little hands on experience and guidance from Mike and Nick.

When I initially signed up for the class I was a little worried about whether or not I would learn more than one or two things. I have been reading Mike's forum posts on Meguiar's since about 2006 and then his articles over here at Autogeek. He has already provided so much information I was afraid there wasn't much more to learn! The good news is that if you do decide to go to class you will learn even more, not just about techniques, but about new products as well.

Nick showed us the DP Tire Coating and I was blown away by it. I did not know about this product and I am hooked after seeing it in person. I was also hesitant to do anything related to paint coatings due to the cost. When I saw how little you need to use and the amazing results the paint coating provided my mind was instantly changed. I also learned a few minor techniques about using some products I was not very familiar with as well as a few ways to market some of these products.

Another thing I learned is that if you have any questions, at all, about any product Nick is the guy to contact. Nick knows his stuff and is extremely helpful. I will not hesitate to reach out to Nick if I ever have any questions about what product to use for which situation etc.

I also didn't realize how large of an operation Autogeek is. We were able to take a tour and I had no clue that their warehouse was as large as it is. I didn't know they had so many staff members. I didn't know the volume of items that they sell. I didn't know that the Autogeek brands are formulated to be the best and are not just a "knock off" brand. After getting a chance to use so many of the products in class and compare them to other products I currently use I will definitely be adding a few DP/Pinnacle/Wolfgang/Blackfire products to my supply closet.

The best part is that even if you are working with something you have already read an article or book about you can grab Mike or Nick and get a second set of eyes on your work. You have two experts who can watch your technique and help you perfect the tool or product you are using to save you time, money and effort.

As someone who has been correcting automotive finishes as a hobby for the last 9 years and looking to turn this hobby into a successful business venture, I know that this boot camp has definitely jump started my learning curve. I was a little hesitant about spending the money, but afterwards I am definitely glad I did.

 

[Roikins]

I few days are gone after the class,and I still under impression!!! Can't wait to use the techniques and products I learned. Unfortunately it's raining every day now,but as soon as the rain stops I'll jump to my car to put my new learned knowledge on. Besides that I have few of my friends lined up for they car detailing after I explained them that the brand new car needs to do ,to preserve their paint ,basically I started all this to take care of my own car,but looks like the word is going to spread and I will be doing this for a while
Thank you again Mike and Nick!!! It was really better than taking some kind of vacation cruise I am still under impression of what happen with me over the weekend,even thinking about signing up for next class,but I don't know yet where I am going be in July,but as soon as I find out that I'll be home in FL,I'll sign up without doubts.
Thank you once again !!!!


Sent from my using Tapatalk

 

[Roikins]

PS bought the BigFoot ,can't wait to put that in work ,the machine looks like beast !!!


Sent from my using Tapatalk

 

[Tato]

I always enjoy browsing through the bootcamp threads, even more when I see forum friends participating in this gorgeous class.

I feel really happy for all you guys participating and sharing honest opinions since I dream about being there. Reading about it more and more only increases my will.

Congrats to all who participated and sure to PBMG organization which always demonstrate to be a lot miles ahead our expectation.

Thanks for sharing,

See you!

Kind Regards, from Brazil.

 

[Roikins]

We sure miss you here !!!! Absolutely !!!it would be the best thing to see you here !! Because people's like you are diamonds . They hard to find ,but if you find you try to keep forever.


Sent from my using Tapatalk

 

[Renozx12]

Those are some cool cars!

Must have been a great class and great time for all.

Nick looks right at home in that Bel Air. rops:

Hey Frank I was hoping to see you there, I had a little something for you. I'll send it to Nick and make sure you get it.

 

[Todd Wamp]

I just attended the May 2015 Detailing Boot Camp.

What a awesome experience. Mike and Nick did a great job, 3 days packed full of information. If your new to the detailing world like I am this will shave years off your learning curve.

If your a old hat to the industry surely you will pick up some new information.

I'll definitely be back.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I just attended the May 2015 Detailing Boot Camp.

What a awesome experience. Mike and Nick did a great job, 3 days packed full of information. If your new to the detailing world like I am this will shave years off your learning curve.

If your a old hat to the industry surely you will pick up some new information.

I'll definitely be back.

It was great having you here Todd and working along side with you.

I'm getting ready to start going through the 600+ pictures taken at the class and post the ones that really show what they guys get to do when going through our class.

I think we're pretty much the only detailing class that shows as many pictures of people in action during our class and the pictures tell the story.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

How to use the Cyclo Polisher Detailing Class

At each class I have one to two cars for each type of tool. For the beautiful but swirled out 1956 Chevy Bel Air appraised at $140,000.00 was used to teach the class how to use the Cyclo Orbital Polisher.

Process

1. Waterless wash with DP Waterless Auto Wash & Gloss
2. Mechanically decontaminate using Pinnacle Ultra Fine Poly Clay
3. Remove swirls using Cyclo Polisher, Cyclo Orange & Yellow Foam Cutting Pads and Pinnacle Advanced Compound
4. Polish to a high gloss using Cyclo Polisher, Cyclo Green Foam Pads and Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish
5. Machine wax using Cyclo Orbital Polisher with Cyclo soft white foam waxing pads and Pinnacle Black Label Synthetic Paint Sealant.

First a few pictures showing the swirls in the paint....

How to remove bonded contaminants using detailing clay
There's the right way and a lot of wrong ways to use detailing clay. We went over the right way and then the class clayed the paint, glass, chrome and stainless steel surfaces using detailing clay.

How to use a Cyclo Polisher to remove swirls
After claying there was a demonstration on the correct technique to use for the Cyclo Polisher as well as we went over how to use the Cyclo to do a Test Spot.

Break for hands-on training
Next the class took over while Nick and I worked with each student to make sure they understood and used the correct technique when buffing with the Cyclo polishers.


Compounding

Polishing

Machine Waxing

:xyxthumbs:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued....

The correct way to remove dried wax
After allowing the wax to dry we went over the correct techniques to carefully remove a show car wax off of a show car finish.

Show car finish via the Cyclo polisher and Pinnacle compounds, polishes and waxes

Now back outside for a few sun shots....

Besides learning how to use the Cyclo polishers we also used the car to go over,

• How to use the Dupray Hill Infection Steam Cleaner to safely clean a leather interior and then how to condition and protect the clean leather using Pinnacle Leather Conditioner.

• How to correctly and safely wash a vinyl top and then protect the vinyl top using products from 303 industries.

• How to machine polish chrome and stainless steel.

• How to use a one-step tire dressing to clean and dress whitewall tires.

Excellent work guys!

:dblthumb2:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

How to use the Rupes Bigfoot Orbital Polisher Detailing Class


For the Rupes Bigfoot Orbital Polishers I have a very beautiful 1955 Chevy Bel Air with horrible water spots plus millions of swirls and scratches.

The owner paid over $15,000.00 to have this car painted after the restoration and hotrodding of his car. He told me that after the paint job it never looked right. It never looked like he thought it should.

After my class attacked the paint using the complete Rupes paint polishing system and the owner picked up the car he was absolutely FLOORED at how beautiful his dream car looked when the paint was right, that is when the paint was properly buffed out.




Process

1. Rinseless wash with DP Rinseless Wash & Gloss
2. Mechanically decontaminated using Nanoskin Autoscrub pads and towels.
3. Remove water spots, swirls and scratches using Rupes Bigfoot 21, 15 Duetto, Mini and TA50 Orbital Polishers plus the Rupes coarse blue foam cutting pads with Rupes Zephir Gloss Coarse Compound.
4. Polish to a high gloss Rupes ultra soft white foam pads with Rupes Diamond Ultra Fine Cut.
5. Machine wax using Rupes Bigfoot 21 Orbital Polishers with fresh clean Rupes white foam pads and Pinnacle Liquid Souveran Paste Wax.

First a few pictures showing the swirls in the paint....

AFTER Nanoskin
This shot was taken to show that mechanically decontaminating paint, no matter how you do it, be it using detailing clay or tools like the Nanoskin Autoscrub Pads or the Nanoskin Autoscrub Towels, doesn't remove below surface defects like these Type II Water Spot Etchings and Water Spot Imprint Rings.

To remove below surface defects you must abrade the surface in some manner. For this car we're going to use the Rupes Paint Polishing System.

How to use a Rinseless Wash
Nick demonstrates the correct technique for washing a car using a Rinseless Wash.

Hands-On Training
After the demo it's time for the class to go into action while Nick and I walk around and watch and correct their technique plus answer questions.

The detailing classes here at Autogeek are about 90% hands-on action. The only time you're sitting at one of our classes is for a brief portion of a Power Point Presentation to go over the tools, techniques and theory behind the the process to be taught hands-on next.

Physical Inspection
After getting the paint clean and free from any loose dirt we then go over how to feel the paint with your bare hand followed by the baggie test to inspect the paint for above surface bonded contaminants.

For every procedure we also tie the procedure into how to market your detailing business to dominate your market.

Here's Billy trying the baggie test...
The paint on this Bel Air was about as rough as sandpaper. It might not look like it to the casual observer but the baggie test tells no lies.

Nanoskin Autoscrub Pads
To remove all the topical contamination we taught how to use the Nanoskin Autoscrub pads as well as the Nanoskin Autoscrub Towels.

:xyxthumbs:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

The correct technique for using Rupes Bigfoot Orbital Polishers

After mechanically decontaminating the paint we went over the specific techniques for using Rupes orbital polishers, pads, compounds and polishes.

We did a Test Spot at the same time and found because the Type II Water Spot crater etchings were so deep and the basecoat/clearcoat paint on this Bel Air was so hard that we needed the most aggressive pad and compound in the Rupes line to correct the paint.

Hands-on Training
After the demonstration the class was turned loose to use the complete line of Rupes polishers while Nick and I monitored each person's technique and when needed made suggestions and/or made corrections in technique to get optimum results.

Machine Polishing
After the paint was corrected the class moved onto machine polishing using the Rupes Diamond Ultra Fine Cut Polish with the Rupes ultra soft white foam polishing pads.

For those wondering why we followed the coarsest pad with the softest pad and lightest cutting polish it's because if you work the Zephir Gloss Compound thoroughly with the Rupes blue coarse cutting pads you end up for the most part with an LSP ready finish.

See my article here....

Mind Blowing - Rupes Blue Foam Cutting Pad and Zephir Gloss Coarse Gel Compound

Machine Waxing
After the polishing step we switched to fresh clean 7" Rupes white ultras soft pads and machine applied the Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax.

Here's the car completely machine waxed!

So important....
Anytime you're working on a show car that you just compounded, polished and waxed by machine it is so important to carefully remove the wax so that you don't re-instill swirls and scratches. And of course in the class we go over lots of tips and techniques on exactly how to do all of these things for professional quality results every time you work on a car.

Wait for it.....

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

BOOM!

That's what I'm talking about....



:dblthumb2: :dblthumb2: :dblthumb2:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Dave Harris, the owner of a couple of car washes, (one in Colorado and one in Texas), attended this class and also took some pictures.... here's one of his shots he sent me....

Dave also attended a few of my Meguiar's detailing classes back when I worked for Meguiar's and taught all their Detailing 101 and 102 Saturday classes from 2002 to 2009.

Dave has been sending his employees to my classes for a few years now as he says it make his business more profitable.



It was great to see you again after all these years Dave!


:dblthumb2:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

How to use the Flex 3401 Detailing Class


For the Flex 3401 Forced Rotation/Oscillation Orbital Polishers I have a a black 1955 Chevy 210 in what I would consider absolutely horrendous condition.

This car will really put my class to the test. So far every tool they've used is of the free spinning spindle design. Now they're switching over the the gear-driven Flex 3401, a tool that is very different than everything they've used so far at our 3-day class.






Process

1. IronX to chemically decontaminate the paint - The paint on this Chevy bled like a stuck pig
2. Foam gun to wash the car
3. Foam gun plus Nanoskin Autoscrub Mitts to mechanically decontaminate the paint.
4. Remove holograms, swirls, scratches, water spots and oxidation using Wolfgang Uber Compound with LC 6.5" and 5" Hybrid White Foam Polishing pads
5. Polish to a high gloss using Wolfgang Finishing Glaze with LC 6.5" and 5" Hybrid Black Foam Finishing pads.
6. Machine wax using Wolfgang Fuzion Paste Wax with 6.5" and 5" LC Red Foam Waxing pads.

First a few pictures showing the swirls in the paint.... here's how the car looked when she arrived....

This is a section cropped out of the above picture to really give you a full dose of ugly!

Here's the other side of the hood....

This is the middle area of the hood out in front of the windshield....

This is the driver's side of the roof....

Here's the driver's side of the trunk lid - the holograms are super visible in this shot...

A close up of the same section of paint in the above picture....

The above were taken BEFORE we used the IronX, Nanoskin Wash Mitts an Foam Gun to wash the car to prep her for machine buffing.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Here's a few shots of the paint once we removed all the dirt that was on the paint....

:nomore:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued...

First up a demonstration on how to use the Flex 3401 to correct the paint and the specific tips and techniques for using this tool.

I love it when people inspect closely!

How to buff out thin, tight panels....

:xyxthumbs:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Time for our students to get busy!



Machine Polishing

Machine Waxing

This is a machine applied layer of Wolfgang Fuzion Paste Wax!

Microfiber gloves and Gold Plush Jr. Microfiber Towels....

:xyxthumbs:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

The results to the black paint on this 1955 Chevy were the most dramatic our of all the cars the class worked on during the 3-day class.

The owner thought we painted his car!

Nice.....


:dblthumb2:

 

[Dave Hamlin]

This was my third boot camp with Mike. It amazes me how much I took away from this class. The key to being successful in anything that you do is to never stop learning, and Mike makes sure that there is always something new to take away from his class. The three day format was a relief from the two day, the class felt less rushed and more informative. Truly appreciated. Thanks again, Dave