[Detailed Image]

Hey Everyone,

For those who do not know me, my name is Zach McGovern. I am an engineer, professional detailer & car enthusiast based out of Peoria, IL (1/2 way between Chicago and St. Louis). I specialize in higher end paint correction services, paint coatings, and am very knowledgeable in many other aspects of the detailing process as well.





I work for Detailed Image as an author for their Ask-A-Pro Blog where I provide personal Product Reviews, How-To's, Tips & Tricks, etc.

I also help Detailed Image out by supporting many forums that they sponsor by answering questions and providing useful product recommendations when I can.

I'd like to know.... what else can I do for you?


Is there anything in particular that you feel is missing from this forum that I can help to provide?


I'd love to hear your feedback!

Thanks in advance.

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com

[Rustic_potato]

Let me start this off. "Sheeting water off" immediately after a wash, before drying and applying was has been mentioned plenty of times by heaps of people.
What exactly do you use to sheet water off? are they mentioning air compressors or simple rubber stuff to sheet the water off?

[Rustic_potato]

http://www.detailedimage.com/Auto-De...ying/#sheeting

Voila Answer to my question! lmao

[Rustic_potato]

On a more serious note, it'd be awesome if you can provide me links for
a drying towel to use , a quick detailer to use while drying + a bit of info on how many times a drying towel can be used + how to maintain a drying towel would be awesome

[cya]

I'm looking to buy a polisher. I'm looking at the Porter Cable 7424xp, Griot 6" orbital polisher or the Griot boss g15. Which one would you recommend? I can't decide which one to get. Thanks.

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by Vignesh_335i

Let me start this off. "Sheeting water off" immediately after a wash, before drying and applying was has been mentioned plenty of times by heaps of people.
What exactly do you use to sheet water off? are they mentioning air compressors or simple rubber stuff to sheet the water off?

The sheeting/flooding technique makes drying way quicker and easier. This method relies on free flowing water from your hose to create a sheet of water which slides off of the surface. Since water molecules will cling together, this sheet generally removes 80%+ water from the surface.

Simply remove the sprayer nozzle from your hose, and if needed, turn down the water pressure enough that a smooth, slow stream of water comes out of your hose. Use this stream to flood each panel (starting at the top of the car) as seen in the video below.

Note: This is most successful when you have a very hydrophobic surface as seen below on this GT-R that I had previously coated with CQuartz Finest ceramic paint coating.

If the surface is not hydrophobic, the water will still sheet, but it will not slide off of the surface. Instead, it will cling to the paint and very slowly move off the paint (hopefully).

Originally Posted by Vignesh_335i

On a more serious note, it'd be awesome if you can provide me links for
a drying towel to use , a quick detailer to use while drying + a bit of info on how many times a drying towel can be used + how to maintain a drying towel would be awesome

I highly recommend a Waffle Weave Microfiber drying towel.

How To Properly Wash and Dry a Car by Todd Cooperider
Product Review: DI Microfiber Waffle Weave Drying Towel by Ivan Rajic

When properly cared for, these waffle weave towels will last a very, very long time. I have some that are several years old and they still work great.

How To Clean and Properly Care for Microfiber Towels by Greg Nichols


As far as a quick detailer goes, I would highly recommend Meguiar's D156. This synthetic detailer adds slickness, gloss, and some protection to your paint. I use this while drying my vehicle all the time. Simply mist it onto a damp panel before you dry it, then just wipe it away as you dry. It is a piece of cake.

Product Review: Meguiar’s D156 Synthetic X-Press Spray Wax by Zach McGovern


Hope that helps!

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com

Originally Posted by cya

I'm looking to buy a polisher. I'm looking at the Porter Cable 7424xp, Griot 6" orbital polisher or the Griot boss g15. Which one would you recommend? I can't decide which one to get. Thanks.

My first question would be if you're planning on only using this to maintain your personal vehicle or if you're looking to begin working with other cars (ie professionally) as well.

For most DIYers, I highly recommend the Griot's Garage 3rd Gen Random Orbital Polisher. This machine is small, easy to use, and quite powerful for its size. Compared to the PC7424XP, the GG has more power and best of all, comes with a lifetime warranty. This machine can be fitted with 6",5", 4" and 3" backing plates, making it very versatile and allowing you to only own 1 machine to conquer almost every task. I personally recommend using a 5" backing plate and 3" backing plate with 5.5" and 3" pads, respectively. I find that 6.5" pads are too large for this machine and you lose cutting power when using a pad of this size.


The BOSS G15 is a professional grade machine. It is more powerful, much larger, and features a side to side stroke that is nearly double that of the 3rd Gen GG machine mentioned above. This larger stroke allows the user to produce more cut, with less effort, and in less time. This machine is considerably more expensive due to its higher end parts and materials. It is also worth mentioning that this machine cannot be fitted with a smaller backing plate, so you would need to purchase a 2nd machine such as the Rupes LHR75e for use with 3" pads.



Hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions!

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com

[SHEEDI]

Originally Posted by Detailed Image

Hey Everyone,

For those who do not know me, my name is Zach McGovern. I am an engineer, professional detailer & car enthusiast based out of Peoria, IL (1/2 way between Chicago and St. Louis). I specialize in higher end paint correction services, paint coatings, and am very knowledgeable in many other aspects of the detailing process as well.





I work for Detailed Image as an author for their Ask-A-Pro Blog where I provide personal Product Reviews, How-To's, Tips & Tricks, etc.

I also help Detailed Image out by supporting many forums that they sponsor by answering questions and providing useful product recommendations when I can.

I'd like to know.... what else can I do for you?


Is there anything in particular that you feel is missing from this forum that I can help to provide?


I'd love to hear your feedback!

Thanks in advance.

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com

Zach, can you please do Bhangra dance for me, lol j/k for those who don't know what the Bhangra dance is

yes I have many questions, I will have to compile the list and get back to you. by the way I always like your articles on detailedimage.com

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by SHEEDI

Zach, can you please do Bhangra dance for me, lol j/k for those who don't know what the Bhangra dance is

yes I have many questions, I will have to compile the list and get back to you. by the way I always like your articles on detailedimage.com

Ha, You don't want to see me dance

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com

[cya]

What pads and polish would you recommend?

I was thinking of trying the griot boss selection of polishes. What do you think?

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by cya

What pads and polish would you recommend?

I was thinking of trying the griot boss selection of polishes. What do you think?

I really enjoy the new Griot's Pads as well as their cutting compound which has become my go-to cutting product lately. As for their other polishes, they do work well, but my only complaint is they can be a little difficult to wipe away... which is something I personally do not like. Again, they do work very well though (I have them all).

Here is what I would recommend for a general kit that will yield good improvement in a wide variety of scenarios.

Cutting Compound: Griot's Garage Fast Correction Creme or Meguiar's M100
Polish: Meguiar's M205 or Optimum Hyper Spray Polish

Cutting Pad: Meguiar's Microfiber Cutting Pad or Griot's Garage Microfiber Cutting Pad
Light Cutting Pad: Lake Country Light Cutting Pad or Griot's Correcting Pad
Polishing Pad: Lake Country Polishing Pad or Griot's Perfecting Pad


Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com

[Brettb1234]

What do you recommend for a finishing pad for my Griot's 6in DA? Using Blackfire Wet Diamond sealant.

Also, I have what looks like some sort of build up on the roof and some part of my hood. Can't tell if it's water staining or old wax or what. How should I go about cleaning it off before I polish? Tarminator? Vinegar mix? Clay bar? Dish soap? Maybe polishing will get rid of it?

Should I use dish soap to strip off old wax/sealant before polishing or just use a bunch of car wash soap to do that?

Edit: just reread your original post and realized you weren't asking us to ask you questions about detailing but what else you can do for the forums. Your contribution on these forums is great and you answer any questions I've had so far. Products you've recommended me so far have worked out very well. I don't think anything is missing but just keep up what you've been doing!

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by Brettb1234

What do you recommend for a finishing pad for my Griot's 6in DA? Using Blackfire Wet Diamond sealant.

Edit: just reread your original post and realized you weren't asking us to ask you questions about detailing but what else you can do for the forums. Your contribution on these forums is great and you answer any questions I've had so far. Products you've recommended me so far have worked out very well. I don't think anything is missing but just keep up what you've been doing!

No worries... happy to answer questions here, too

For machine application of sealants or waxes, I recommend a Lake Country Blue Fine Finishing Pad.

Simply apply some Blackfire Wet Diamond to a clean pad, and spread it out onto the paint with a lower machine speed of 2-4. Remember there is no need to work the product like a polish, the protection (wax or sealant) just needs to be spread thinly onto the paint as seen below.

Originally Posted by Brettb1234

Also, I have what looks like some sort of build up on the roof and some part of my hood. Can't tell if it's water staining or old wax or what. How should I go about cleaning it off before I polish? Tarminator? Vinegar mix? Clay bar? Dish soap? Maybe polishing will get rid of it?

Water spots/staining should be pretty easy to identify. We have an abundance of information on dealing with water spots on the DI Ask-A-Pro Blog... check it out.

Understanding Water Spots & How to Avoid Them by Zach McGovern
Removing Water Spots by Zach McGovern
Ask-A-Pro: Removing Water Spots from the Paint by Chad Raskovich
Hard Water Spot Removal Techniques by Greg Nichols


If the staining is above the surface of the paint, it should be removed by chemical or mechanical decontamination. If it has penetrated the surface of the paint, the correction process will remove it. If it has severely penetrated the surface, it may require sanding or be permanent.

Originally Posted by Brettb1234

Should I use dish soap to strip off old wax/sealant before polishing or just use a bunch of car wash soap to do that?

My $0.02 is this - dish soap is for dishes, not cars.

If you want to thoroughly cleanse your vehicle, use an automotive shampoo like Citrus Wash at a higher concentration for deep cleaning, or use a paint safe all purpose cleaner like P21S Total Auto Wash to pretreat the panel prior to washing.


Let me know if you've got any other questions.

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com

[SHEEDI]

[QUOTE=Detailed Image;18942304]No worries... happy to answer questions here, too

For machine application of sealants or waxes, I recommend a Lake Country Blue Fine Finishing Pad.

Simply apply some Blackfire Wet Diamond to a clean pad, and spread it out onto the paint with a lower machine speed of 2-4. Remember there is no need to work the product like a polish, the protection (wax or sealant) just needs to be spread thinly onto the paint as seen below.

Originally Posted by Brettb1234

Also, I have what looks like some sort of build up on the roof and some part of my hood. Can't tell if it's water staining or old wax or what. How should I go about cleaning it off before I polish? Tarminator? Vinegar mix? Clay bar? Dish soap? Maybe polishing will get rid of it?

Water spots/staining should be pretty easy to identify. We have an abundance of information on dealing with water spots on the DI Ask-A-Pro Blog... check it out.

Understanding Water Spots & How to Avoid Them by Zach McGovern
Removing Water Spots by Zach McGovern
Ask-A-Pro: Removing Water Spots from the Paint by Chad Raskovich
Hard Water Spot Removal Techniques by Greg Nichols


If the staining is above the surface of the paint, it should be removed by chemical or mechanical decontamination. If it has penetrated the surface of the paint, the correction process will remove it. If it has severely penetrated the surface, it may require sanding or be permanent.





My $0.02 is this - dish soap is for dishes, not cars.

If you want to thoroughly cleanse your vehicle, use an automotive shampoo like Citrus Wash at a higher concentration for deep cleaning, or use a paint safe all purpose cleaner like P21S Total Auto Wash to pretreat the panel prior to washing.


Let me know if you've got any other questions.

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com

My $0.02 is this - dish soap is for dishes, not cars.

so far people who always ask, can I use dish washing soap to remove old waxes, I would ask them following question.............

do you use Car wash shampoo to wash your dishes?

[jgoens]

Hey Zach,

I have a a question for you--as you know I have been working on my car regularly. I seem to have some spots with micro-marring. I have quality towels and wash and dry them real well. I tried going over these spots with the white pad, orange pad and black pad using M105, Meguiers Ultimate compound and Meguiers polish. Just trying to see what works. I have had no problem taking swirls out with orange/105 but am finding the micro-marring more difficult. What might I be doing wrong?
It looks like sort of hollographic lines and upon closer inspection are really fine lines, real close to each other. Something is my technique needs adjustment.
Thanks.

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by jgoens

Hey Zach,

I have a a question for you--as you know I have been working on my car regularly. I seem to have some spots with micro-marring. I have quality towels and wash and dry them real well. I tried going over these spots with the white pad, orange pad and black pad using M105, Meguiers Ultimate compound and Meguiers polish. Just trying to see what works. I have had no problem taking swirls out with orange/105 but am finding the micro-marring more difficult. What might I be doing wrong?
It looks like sort of hollographic lines and upon closer inspection are really fine lines, real close to each other. Something is my technique needs adjustment.
Thanks.

Micromarring is expected after heavy cutting, but should be removed during final finishing.

Let's use this completely trashed mustang as an example... As you can see, the panels were just covered with defects of all types.



It was determined that heavy cutting with M101 on a Meguiar's Microfiber pad was needed to remove most of these defects. You will notice that the original defects are mostly removed, but the paint is left very hazy and grey looking. You can see what most people describe as tiny tick marks... this is the marring that was left by the heavy compounding on this softer paint.



A medium polishing compound was then used to refine the surface and remove the majority of heavy marring, but it left some light marring of its own.



After a fine polishing step, the surface was then refined and the remaining marring was removed to produce a dark black finish.




It sounds like you have some testing to do... I assume your compounding process is leaving behind marring, so you must determine if your polishing step is either 1) too aggressive and is removing the compounding marring, but leaving more marring itself or 2) is not aggressive enough and is not removing the marring left by the cutting process.

Compound an entire panel, then use tape to divide the panel into 4 sections. In the first section, use a finishing polish and polishing pad of your choice. Inspect the results and compare them to the area that was compounded. Was it improved? Was the marring removed? If not, in another section, use a more aggressive pad and/or polish and perform the same test. In another section, use a less aggressive pad and/or polish than you used for the initial polishing test. Compare your results of these last 2 tests to the first polished area. If the more aggressive polishing section shows more marring than your original polish, it is likely too aggressive. If the less aggressive polish still showed marring then you still have some work to determine if this is still too aggressive, or if it is not aggressive enough to remove the original marring. Continue testing until you can refine the paint to a mar free finish. Note that it may require 3 steps total (compounding, medium polish, and final polish) as I demonstrated in the pictures above.


Wipe the polish off in straight lines (up and down or left to right). If you see fine scratches which follow the same directional patterns that you use while wiping, you can assume your towels are scratching the paint.


Hope that helps.

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com

[Brettb1234]

Zach, quick question.

You recommended that I get Fast Correcting Creme or M100 instead of M105 just because of the dusting issue and the working time.

I heard somewhere else that M205 also tends to dust. If that's true is it a big deal? Just curious what other finishing polishes would you recommend?

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by Brettb1234

Zach, quick question.

You recommended that I get Fast Correcting Creme or M100 instead of M105 just because of the dusting issue and the working time.

I heard somewhere else that M205 also tends to dust. If that's true is it a big deal? Just curious what other finishing polishes would you recommend?

I recommend Fast Correcting Creme and M100 because of their ease of use relative to M105. All products will produce some amount of dust... it is a byproduct of the correction process. As you are correcting paint, spent product & paint residue will fly into the air (dust).

Cutting typically generates more dust, especially when the product dries out quickly like M105. FCC and M100 seem to have more lubrication in the formula which leads to the longer working time, and therefore less dust.

Polishing generally creates very little dust. M205, for example, is almost dust free when used properly.

The most usual suspect for abnormal dusting is a dirty pad.

Pad Cleaning During and After Polishing by Ivan Rajic



We use Meguiar's M205 very often, but also like Optimum Hyper Spray Polish and Menzerna SF3500.


Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com

[Mudd46738]

Hi Zach

I was wondering on what occasion would I use ironX instead of claying my paint? I have had great success with medium clay and some elbow grease.

Thanks in advance.

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by Mudd46738

Hi Zach

I was wondering on what occasion would I use ironX instead of claying my paint? I have had great success with medium clay and some elbow grease.

Thanks in advance.

Chemical decontamination is only a part of the decontamination process and does not fulfill the same role as the clay bar, but instead compliments it.

Explaining the Decontamination Process (Part 1) by Zach McGovern
Explaining the Decontamination Process (Part 2) by Zach McGovern

If you've got any other questions on the topic, please let me know and I'd be happy to help

[jgoens]

Originally Posted by Detailed Image

Micromarring is expected after heavy cutting, but should be removed during final finishing.

Let's use this completely trashed mustang as an example... As you can see, the panels were just covered with defects of all types.



It was determined that heavy cutting with M101 on a Meguiar's Microfiber pad was needed to remove most of these defects. You will notice that the original defects are mostly removed, but the paint is left very hazy and grey looking. You can see what most people describe as tiny tick marks... this is the marring that was left by the heavy compounding on this softer paint.



A medium polishing compound was then used to refine the surface and remove the majority of heavy marring, but it left some light marring of its own.



After a fine polishing step, the surface was then refined and the remaining marring was removed to produce a dark black finish.




It sounds like you have some testing to do... I assume your compounding process is leaving behind marring, so you must determine if your polishing step is either 1) too aggressive and is removing the compounding marring, but leaving more marring itself or 2) is not aggressive enough and is not removing the marring left by the cutting process.

Compound an entire panel, then use tape to divide the panel into 4 sections. In the first section, use a finishing polish and polishing pad of your choice. Inspect the results and compare them to the area that was compounded. Was it improved? Was the marring removed? If not, in another section, use a more aggressive pad and/or polish and perform the same test. In another section, use a less aggressive pad and/or polish than you used for the initial polishing test. Compare your results of these last 2 tests to the first polished area. If the more aggressive polishing section shows more marring than your original polish, it is likely too aggressive. If the less aggressive polish still showed marring then you still have some work to determine if this is still too aggressive, or if it is not aggressive enough to remove the original marring. Continue testing until you can refine the paint to a mar free finish. Note that it may require 3 steps total (compounding, medium polish, and final polish) as I demonstrated in the pictures above.


Wipe the polish off in straight lines (up and down or left to right). If you see fine scratches which follow the same directional patterns that you use while wiping, you can assume your towels are scratching the paint.


Hope that helps.

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com

Thanks for the ideas..will try when the weather gets better.

[SHEEDI]

Originally Posted by Detailed Image

Chemical decontamination is only a part of the decontamination process and does not fulfill the same role as the clay bar, but instead compliments it.

Explaining the Decontamination Process (Part 1) by Zach McGovern
Explaining the Decontamination Process (Part 2) by Zach McGovern

If you've got any other questions on the topic, please let me know and I'd be happy to help

so Zach, clay first then ironx or ironx first then clay?

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by SHEEDI

so Zach, clay first then ironx or ironx first then clay?

If you are going to use IronX, it goes before clay.

Use the chemicals such as IronX and TarX to remove specific particles quickly and easily before claying. This means you will spend less time claying because there will be less contamination on the surface.

-Zach