What's been your bigest game changers? And why?

[Setec Astronomy]

I always feel like it's a crapshoot with those cheapo pressure washers whether the next time I pull it out if it's going to work. I think I learned here that the important thing is to turn off the water and run it dry before you put it away, so it doesn't rust up while it's sitting. Doesn't matter if you are going to use it frequently, but I might use mine and then not use it for a couple years. I think there's also some corrosion inhibitor you can put in them for storage.

 

[DFB]

I think I could probably use a battery powered sprayer like that. I have a lot of flower bed area to cover and down here it needs to be sprayed routinely

Bill, take a look into the Solo EAZY 206 battery powered sprayer.

Solo EAZY 206 Battery-Powered Handheld Sprayer, 1.6 Gallon

I've been using this professionally for a while now and it's the best sprayer I have owned. In my case, I'm using it for weeds, but it would be suitable for any foliar feeding or insect control duties as well. In this case, the battery is powering a pump rather than a compressor, so you get consistent product flow. It will also stop pumping when the trigger is released, unlike some battery powered sprayers that continue running. I have also used the Makita 18v equivalent and its junk.











No reason why something like this couldn't be used for detailing either.

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

I haven’t seen the need for a battery powered sprayer. 1 pump up on my IK or Marolex will get around a Whole car and I don’t really spray any other liquids that need that volume.

Where the batteries make sense to me are on the foamers. Just couldn’t get myself to pull the trigger on the SPTA. Although that would have been cheaper I decided to foam pro 2+ and add one of those mini battery powered tire inflator.


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[dlc95]

That's what I was saying--back in the OC 2.0 days, if you had to wipe anything off you put on too much. But today it seems like you have to wipe off, and expect to throw out your wipe-off towel, or a few of them. Maybe not with the sprays, but with the "glass bottle" coatings. I've always applied Gloss Coat the way I did OC 2.0 or Opti-Lens. Anyway, back to game changers.

OH!

Yeah, I thought you were referring to Hyper Seal taking a long time to flash off, and having to wipe a lot of it off.

Oh yeah, the glas bottle coatings. Wipe off towels will either become crunchy or non absorbent. We go through a lot of coating towels.

Not all of the coatings leave a lot to wipe off though. The new Xpel Premium does the sweating thing when it's ready for leveling. Yeah, it still kills the towels, but a towel can go a lot farther on the car. I can use two or three on the entire vehicle where before there were over a dozen.

And back to game changers, yes. Gloss Coat was and is one for me. Before GC my top end protection was Duragloss 111 + 601 Bonding Agent. If I wanted crazy beading I topped with a Zymol wax. To get the level of performance and protection Gloss Coat offers... Much less effort, MUCH less time, much, and much more performance. It's a game changer in that it got and kept me in the ceramic coating game.

Have you tried the updated version of GC yet? I have one, but it isn't in rotation yet. Only one more syringe of the previous version, and It will be on deck.

 

[dlc95]

I always feel like it's a crapshoot with those cheapo pressure washers whether the next time I pull it out if it's going to work. I think I learned here that the important thing is to turn off the water and run it dry before you put it away, so it doesn't rust up while it's sitting. Doesn't matter if you are going to use it frequently, but I might use mine and then not use it for a couple years. I think there's also some corrosion inhibitor you can put in them for storage.

I've had great luck with my El cheap-o Ryobi. My friend had cooked two or three cheap (not the Ryobi) pressure washers in the time I've had mine. But - he PUNISHES his stuff.

 

[Prange]

I've had great luck with my El cheap-o Ryobi. My friend had cooked two or three cheap (not the Ryobi) pressure washers in the time I've had mine. But - he PUNISHES his stuff.

Same here. I just replaced my $89 Ryobi after 3 + years. It's tiny and easy to store.

 

[Bill D]

Bill, take a look into the Solo EAZY 206 battery powered sprayer.

Solo EAZY 206 Battery-Powered Handheld Sprayer, 1.6 Gallon

I've been using this professionally for a while now and it's the best sprayer I have owned. In my case, I'm using it for weeds, but it would be suitable for any foliar feeding or insect control duties as well. In this case, the battery is powering a pump rather than a compressor, so you get consistent product flow. It will also stop pumping when the trigger is released, unlike some battery powered sprayers that continue running. I have also used the Makita 18v equivalent and its junk.











No reason why something like this couldn't be used for detailing either.

That one looks very appealing. Once I get my new mulch in we will see how much rogue grass I’ll be dealing with. Thanks

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Have you tried the updated version of GC yet? I have one, but it isn't in rotation yet. Only one more syringe of the previous version, and It will be on deck.

I don't remember what version I have, I looked at it the other day and it's still liquid, but the color isn't right. Had to throw out my Opti-Lens and a couple of OC 2.0. I still have a couple of OC 2.0 syringes that seem sort of ok--I use it on wheels. I just put some Opti-Glass on the back window of a car I haven't had out for a while, that was a little more difficult than I remember, maybe because the Opti-Glass is old or maybe because of the way I put it on the applicator since the sprayer is clogged...I don't remember if/what LSP I have on the paint, I'm trying to decide whether I'm going to try the Hyper Seal on it.

 

[Eric7810]

Introducing compressed air to my work three years ago is what skyrocketed my efficiency and results. It was an investment of about $3k but I never looked back. I would be helpless now without the tools you see here!

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[Bill D]

It's always nice to see somebody being smart and wisely investing in their business. As you are finding, it pays you back.

 

[dlc95]

Same here. I just replaced my $89 Ryobi after 3 + years. It's tiny and easy to store.

I have mine in a large tote with the gun and a 50' collapsing hose. Very compact.

 

[dlc95]

I don't remember what version I have, I looked at it the other day and it's still liquid, but the color isn't right. Had to throw out my Opti-Lens and a couple of OC 2.0. I still have a couple of OC 2.0 syringes that seem sort of ok--I use it on wheels. I just put some Opti-Glass on the back window of a car I haven't had out for a while, that was a little more difficult than I remember, maybe because the Opti-Glass is old or maybe because of the way I put it on the applicator since the sprayer is clogged...I don't remember if/what LSP I have on the paint, I'm trying to decide whether I'm going to try the Hyper Seal on it.

How long would you say that you've had the O.C. 2.0 syringes?

I had a hard time with Opti-Glass at first. The tutorial Optimum put on their YouTube page makes it a breeze. My first nozzle clogged too. They sent me some replacements. So what I do now is keep the original on it, and use one of the new sprayers when I need to coat a window. When I'm dome, I put some ONR (256:1) in a cap from a shipped Optimum bottle, and depress the pump until the starts being sprayed. Then I'll spray the whole thing with my ONR (256:1), dry, and put aside to dry. Replace the original sprayer and store. Been working GREAT!

Opti-Seal is my go-to for window sealing, but people who buy the ceramic coating for their paint get Hyper Seal on the windows - unless they want to purchase the Opti Glass upgrade.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

How long would you say that you've had the O.C. 2.0 syringes?

I had a hard time with Opti-Glass at first. The tutorial Optimum put on their YouTube page makes it a breeze. My first nozzle clogged too. They sent me some replacements. So what I do now is keep the original on it, and use one of the new sprayers when I need to coat a window. When I'm dome, I put some ONR (256:1) in a cap from a shipped Optimum bottle, and depress the pump until the starts being sprayed. Then I'll spray the whole thing with my ONR (256:1), dry, and put aside to dry. Replace the original sprayer and store. Been working GREAT!

Looks like the OC 2.0 is about 10 years old. I bought a bunch when ADS (that's the now-defunct Auto Detailing Solutions in AZ, not Armour Detail Supply) was blowing them out. I purged out as much air as I could when I got them.

I always thought Opti-Glass was easy to use, but I was putting it on differently this time. I went back to spraying it on the glass and wiping it in with a towel, very easy, I even sprayed some on the part that got gummy/smeary after I had spread it out with an applicator, glass bottle coating style, and the spritz cleared it right up (well, not exactly a spritz because the sprayer is half clogged). I flushed it with some IPA after.

 

[01GreyStangGT]

For me, Rinseless washing and DA polishing.

Rinseless saves steps and can be used indoors easily.
I was always scared to machine polish and learning to use a DA was a great skill to learn.


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[Prange]

That one looks very appealing. Once I get my new mulch in we will see how much rogue grass I’ll be dealing with. Thanks

That looks like a Bosch battery. Which would be great, since I have a pile of them.

 

[dlc95]

Looks like the OC 2.0 is about 10 years old. I bought a bunch when ADS (that's the now-defunct Auto Detailing Solutions in AZ, not Armour Detail Supply) was blowing them out. I purged out as much air as I could when I got them.

I always thought Opti-Glass was easy to use, but I was putting it on differently this time. I went back to spraying it on the glass and wiping it in with a towel, very easy, I even sprayed some on the part that got gummy/smeary after I had spread it out with an applicator, glass bottle coating style, and the spritz cleared it right up (well, not exactly a spritz because the sprayer is half clogged). I flushed it with some IPA after.

Time flies. 2014 seems like yesterday.

I will give that technique with Opti Glass a try.

I remember ADS! I bought a LOT from them going back ten years ago.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I will give that technique with Opti Glass a try.

Not to go on and on with this, but I hadn't used Opti-Glass for some years, so I read the bottle and it sounded like you were supposed to use an applicator and let it sit for a minute, then wipe off. So I used a coating applicator with some Scott blue wrapped around it, and it was horrible. So when I went to do the rest of the windows, I did it like Hyper Seal, spray on, wipe off (which is how I think I did the Opti-Glass years ago), and it was super easy. Hopefully next time I try Hyper Seal it will be easy, also, since last time on my friend's car I turned it into some sort of static electricity experiment using that Optimum suede applicator with the sponge in the middle to try and apply it like a real coating.

I'm the wrong one to ask about time flying...when I looked it up and saw that OC 2.0 is 10 years old, I said "of course it's all gelled up!"...if I realized I would have it this long and thought about it more I might have put it in the refrigerator...of course I also might be divorced now.

 

[Bill D]

Remember the days of putting wax in the fridge?

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I never did that. Seems to me the people that did that got themselves a "wax fridge" for the garage, which sounds like a lot better idea than putting chemicals in with your food.

 

[Bill D]

I have one! A mini fridge that goes mostly unused now