Product and Equipement Help and Suggestions...

KJW Detailing

KJW Detailing

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Hello everyone!

Well, i own some products and i also have an extensive amount of goods at my disposal at work...Lexus.

I am wondering what is good, what isn't, what i should maybe begin looking into...

First - Buffers (at work we have dewalt buffers)...i am thinking of purchasing my own buffer/polisher, what would you reccommend and waht is the quality of the Dewalt buffers? What about the pads used for buffers...again at work we use ardex stuff...are these pads any good or should i be looking at something else?

Second - cleaning products (at work we have and use everything ARDEX...im not sure if its any good or not)...i personally own stoners window cleaner, and as far as waxes go, i have mainly meguiar's products...paint cleaner, polish, NXT wax, Srtach X, Gold class wash and wax, leather cleaner...thats all i can remember right now...so again whats good and whats not...what type of products could i be looking at getting in the near future?

I cant think of anything else right now but i would love to here your input on the products i currently own and/or use...and then give me some ideas on some of the better products that are out there...i dont really know what makes one better from the next...

Thanks!
 
Buffer - dewalts are good, so are metabos. Pads - Lake Country pads are the benchmark, and EDGE 2000 pads are pretty popular right now.
Cleaning - windows - stoners is one of the best
polish - i like XMT or optimum
wax - max wax or natty's blue

Let us know if there is anything else you have questions on.
 
thanks for the info...

if anything i am looking for alot of details...from what is good...what isn't...how is the qaulity of the stuff i use...

to what i should be looking into...
 
If you have never used a Rotary i would get a PC
I love the optimum line for everything works great and the price is right
And i like nattys waxes depending on color
 
i use a rotary buffer everyday at work...its a DeWalt...

i personally own a Fiji Blue Pearl car and i am always looking for the best products for my car...right now use alot of the Meguiar's products (as listed above)
 
Buffer: Porter Cable 7424
Windows: Stoner's is good, so is the entire Diamondite line, of which I prefer.
Wax: Go with the pure carnauba pastes (Souveran, Signature Series II, MaxWax). These are generally considered the best.
Sealants: Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant. Can be used in place of or in addition to waxes
Wheels: Poorboys Spray is especially good and is truly spray on and hose off. I also like the P21S Wheel Spray.
Swirl Removal: XMT line is very good, especially with the intro. of the new XMT4.


Hope this helps. There are a few threads that are currently active discussing and listing many member's top products for all of the different areas.

Let us know and show us some pictures of what you're dealing with.
 
roadrunner1659 said:
Hello everyone!

Well, i own some products and i also have an extensive amount of goods at my disposal at work...Lexus.

I am wondering what is good, what isn't, what i should maybe begin looking into...

First - Buffers (at work we have dewalt buffers)...i am thinking of purchasing my own buffer/polisher, what would you reccommend and waht is the quality of the Dewalt buffers? What about the pads used for buffers...again at work we use ardex stuff...are these pads any good or should i be looking at something else?

Second - cleaning products (at work we have and use everything ARDEX...im not sure if its any good or not)...i personally own stoners window cleaner, and as far as waxes go, i have mainly meguiar's products...paint cleaner, polish, NXT wax, Srtach X, Gold class wash and wax, leather cleaner...thats all i can remember right now...so again whats good and whats not...what type of products could i be looking at getting in the near future?

I cant think of anything else right now but i would love to here your input on the products i currently own and/or use...and then give me some ideas on some of the better products that are out there...i dont really know what makes one better from the next...

Thanks!
Click to expand...

1. What do you use the rotary buffers at work to do? Have you used them to remove swirls, and defects in paint? I use EDGE pads. IMO the best pads out there.

The Edge 2000™ Premium Buffing System Foam Pads- Dedication To Detail

2. This is pretty much a personal opinion. Nothing is set in stone. What works for you, may/may not work for someone else. I use used a lot of Meg's Pro line stuff and I like it.
What type of products are YOU looking for?

Bonus:

"i dont really know what makes one better from the next..."

A lot of things go into consideration at this point. The ingredients used, the manufacturing of the product, the technology involved etc. A lot of products are made the same, with similar ingredients, thus a lot of products are pretty equal.

Although there are quite a few products AG sells that are a stand above the rest. Example, Pinnacle Souveran wax.
 
At work i use the buffer with a wool pad for cutting the paint and taking out the big scratches and then i use a polish pad for swirls and fine scratches.
 
roadrunner1659 said:
At work i use the buffer with a wool pad for cutting the paint and taking out the big scratches and then i use a polish pad for swirls and fine scratches.
Click to expand...

I don't want to say don't buy a buffer, but I would HIGHLY recommend the PC 7424. The PC is fool proof and you cannot burn paint like you can with a buffer. Plus it's cheaper.. :awesome:
 
roadrunner1659 said:
how does the pc work differently then that of a buffer?
Click to expand...

These polishers are characterized by the motion of the head. It spins on a central spindle, but unlike a rotary polisher, this spindle rotates around an eccentric offset. On a PC, this produces a jiggling motion. This irregular motion prevents the polisher from burning the paint, which refers to removal of paint below the clear coat surface. Dual action polishers are very USER FRIENDLY as a result of this feature.

The same safety feature which reduces the possibility of damage from a PC also prevents it from removing deep scratches. While a PC will improve the appearance of scratches and remove light swirls, it cannot cut or damage the paint.

If you need more thorough scratch removal, this will require a rotary. Keep in mind, rotary polishers in inexperienced hands can damage the clear coat and run the risk of a serious PAINT BURN. A rotary polisher SHOULD NOT be used by a novice.

On the plus side, dual action polishers will improve the texture and luster of automotive paint with minimal risk.




Hope this helps...




-Nick :cheers:
 
roadrunner1659 said:
Hello everyone!

Well, i own some products and i also have an extensive amount of goods at my disposal at work...Lexus.

I am wondering what is good, what isn't, what i should maybe begin looking into...

First - Buffers (at work we have dewalt buffers)...i am thinking of purchasing my own buffer/polisher, what would you reccommend and waht is the quality of the Dewalt buffers? What about the pads used for buffers...again at work we use ardex stuff...are these pads any good or should i be looking at something else?

Second - cleaning products (at work we have and use everything ARDEX...im not sure if its any good or not)...i personally own stoners window cleaner, and as far as waxes go, i have mainly meguiar's products...paint cleaner, polish, NXT wax, Srtach X, Gold class wash and wax, leather cleaner...thats all i can remember right now...so again whats good and whats not...what type of products could i be looking at getting in the near future?

I cant think of anything else right now but i would love to here your input on the products i currently own and/or use...and then give me some ideas on some of the better products that are out there...i dont really know what makes one better from the next...

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Never used a Dewalt. I use a Hitachi rotary and I'm very happy with it. It's light, works great is relatively inexpensive and has a 5 year warranty. I use the Edge pads on it and they work well.

Since it sounds like you already have experience and are comfortable with the rotary you should be fine. The PC is handy for lighter work and difficult areas to work. But for major defect removal it can take a long time compared to the rotary. That's the main reason I moved on to a rotary. I was tired of doing marathon detailing sessions with the PC. That said, even if you do pick up a rotary, it may be a good idea to get a PC as well. I still use it for light work, tough to reach areas, applying AIOs, etc.

For cleaning/polishing/sealing there are so many products and categories it's difficult to even start. Personally here's some stuff that works for me...

Glass: Stoners IG, FK 425
Upholstery cleaning: 303 APC diluted w/water (the ratio escapes me at the moment.)
Leather: Pinnacle cleaner and protectant, Four Star protectant
Vinyl: 303 protectant, Meg's QID
Polish: I find little to fault with the Optimum lineup. It's what I mainly use.
Sealants/waxes: Pinnacle, Four Star, Poorboy's, Clearkote, Finish Kare, etc...there are so many good makers.

Make sure you get some nice quality microfibers as well.
 
ok so then at work i have a rotary buffer/polisher b/c it rotates around a central axis in one direction at a high rate of speed...

and a PC if i am getting this correctly is more like an orbital buffer where it almost bounces around and doesn't create a high spinning speed which could burn the paint?

if i am correct on my assumtion then i would probably say that i want another rotary buffer b/c i am use to them and have never burnt paint to this day...i would get a PC but i need something that has the power to remover just about everything you can throw at it b4 wet sanding is needed, but can also place a polish pad on it and fine tune the paint...
 
roadrunner1659 said:
ok so then at work i have a rotary buffer/polisher b/c it rotates around a central axis in one direction at a high rate of speed...

and a PC if i am getting this correctly is more like an orbital buffer where it almost bounces around and doesn't create a high spinning speed which could burn the paint?

if i am correct on my assumtion then i would probably say that i want another rotary buffer b/c i am use to them and have never burnt paint to this day...i would get a PC but i need something that has the power to remover just about everything you can throw at it b4 wet sanding is needed, but can also place a polish pad on it and fine tune the paint...
Click to expand...

You would't usually use a rotary to apply polishes, waxes, sealants etc. That's why I would advise you to purchase the PC. You would be surprised what kind of swirls and defects the PC CAN remove. I would say there is a 5% chance that you come upon something that actually NEEDS a rotary. Unless you will be doing strickly polishing, you will use the PC a lot more than a rotary. You might use the rotary ONCE a year on your own car.
 
nick19 said:
You would't usually use a rotary to apply polishes, waxes, sealants etc. That's why I would advise you to purchase the PC. You would be surprised what kind of swirls and defects the PC CAN remove. I would say there is a 5% chance that you come upon something that actually NEEDS a rotary. Unless you will be doing strickly polishing, you will use the PC a lot more than a rotary. You might use the rotary ONCE a year on your own car.
Click to expand...
Good point about his own car. I rarely use the rotary on my own cars.

If you're only caring for your own cars, the PC should be fine. The initial polishing may take a while, but once done it's easy enough to maintain with the PC.

If you are planning on doing this for paying customers on a regular basis, and since you have experience with it, then the rotary would likely be the better choice.
 
IMO if you are doing this for money, you MUST have both. But then again it depends on your market. If you're not doing swirl removal, there's no sense for a rotary. If you are on a budget, I would start with the PC first. You're not going to have a lot of customers lined up for swirl removal.

You can get by with the PC. I did..
 
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i can tell you the bulk of your customer base will be wash and wax only..most people dont pay for the high end details nor do they have the time to wait. swirls dont bug most people enough to get them corrected and the 100+ price tag on swirl removal is not in most peoples budget. the pc is the better option that i busted out 90 percent of the time...most people are happy with just a polish with Klasse AIO...with just a white polishing pad most cars are done in under and hour or two with a pc. you will find a better bang for your buck if you offer just wash and wax and upsell claying and interior detailing...my 20 dollar claybars yielded me hundred of dollars in return...its an easy upsell...rub a small portion of a customers car with the clay...have them feel the dirty and clayed surface...it will sell itself. quick hint for the people starting up...put good smelling dryer sheets under your customers seats...they will always wonder how you get there car to stay smelling so good...
 
haha great idea on the dryer sheets!

well i guess i can look into both and since work has a rotary buffer then for the time being i could invest in a PC...

is the PC like an orbital buffer? i just want to fully understand it...

and when using on your personal cars do you use this everytime you use any polish and/or waxes?

So for me could i use like a paint cleaner, then scratchX, then a polish, then a coat of wax to finish the job? all while using the PC (obviously changing pads)...
 
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