[OEKlM]

Hey George,

A quick question regarding Jet Black. I read up on all the issues with marring with brand new MF towels during polishing steps. I suppose I could spray 50/50 IPA on the panel to check everytime I remove the polish residue. Would you have any other suggestions to reduce the risk of marring?

[EClayton08]

Originally Posted by Detailed Image

Sounds good. I missed the part that you'll be caring for the vehicle on a twice a year basis. Unfortunately, with that much time going by, there aren't going to be many products on the market that will last that long or offer great protection against the elements for that long. Another option for you to offer him may be to offer 2 full details and 2 touch ups in between. Good luck.



Sounds like you got the process down. You should notice quite the improvement over your normal wash and wax with what you have planned out. Here are some suggestions to look into:

Washing & Drying Suggestions:
Chemical Guys Maxi Suds II
Lake Country Grout Sponge or Sheepskin Wash Mitt
Grit Guard Insert
Waffle Weave Drying Towels
Gilmour Foamaster II Foam Gun

Claying Suggestions:
Chemical Guys Fine Grade Clay
Chemical Guys Synthetic Quick Detailer as clay lube

Polish Suggestion:
Ideally, you'll want to invest in a quality buffer for great polishing results. You're going to limit the amount of swirl and other imperfection removal when it comes to hand applications. I wouldn't recommend going more aggressive than a finishing polish when it comes to hand applications. You could look into Menzerna PO106FF as an option you can use, which will certainly enhance the depth and gloss of the paint, but also remove some minor imperfections. A local solution commonly used for hand applications is Meg's ScratchX.

Sealant Suggestion:
A great bang for the buck option is Chemical Guys M-Seal. It's very easy to work with and provides great protection. I'd recommend allowing it to cure for 24 hours prior to topping it with the S100 wax for optimal results (this applies to any sealant btw).

If you have any other questions on anything or would like any suggestions on anything else, please do not hesitate to ask.

Keep us posted on what you end up using and how things turn out.

George

thanks for the quick reply. I'm planning on doing this Thursday so I don't think I'll have the opportunity to order online so I'm kinda stuck with using local stuff for this job. I already have some Meg ScratchX, so I can use that all over my car for the polish and it won't be too difficult by hand? Do I just apply it like I would a wax? Also I saw I can get Meg M2116 Professional Synthetic Sealant locally, how is that for a sealant? I was thinking of applying 2 coats of sealant than finish it off with S100 for the best results. Am I on the right track? And I will definitely post up pics when I'm finished.

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by oeklm

Hey George,

A quick question regarding Jet Black. I read up on all the issues with marring with brand new MF towels during polishing steps. I suppose I could spray 50/50 IPA on the panel to check everytime I remove the polish residue. Would you have any other suggestions to reduce the risk of marring?

Best advice is to use the proper amount of product when polishing and work the product in properly. I typically use about 3 pea sized drops on my polishing pad per 18" x 18" working area. When most polishes are properly worked in with the right amount of product, you don't need to apply as much effort to remove. Also, invest in some quality microfiber towels for the removal. The better the towel, the less likely you'll mar the paint.

Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by EClayton08

thanks for the quick reply. I'm planning on doing this Thursday so I don't think I'll have the opportunity to order online so I'm kinda stuck with using local stuff for this job. I already have some Meg ScratchX, so I can use that all over my car for the polish and it won't be too difficult by hand? Do I just apply it like I would a wax? Also I saw I can get Meg M2116 Professional Synthetic Sealant locally, how is that for a sealant? I was thinking of applying 2 coats of sealant than finish it off with S100 for the best results. Am I on the right track? And I will definitely post up pics when I'm finished.

Polishing with any polish by hand is a major PITA. It requires a lot of elbow grease, pressure and time. It's a very slow and tedious process for ok results compared to using a buffer. ScratchX is a good option for hand polishing though.

I never used the Meg's sealant so I cannot give much feedback on that. You'll like the S100 wax though.

Good luck with the detail, keep us posted on your results.

George

[EClayton08]

Originally Posted by Detailed Image

Polishing with any polish by hand is a major PITA. It requires a lot of elbow grease, pressure and time. It's a very slow and tedious process for ok results compared to using a buffer. ScratchX is a good option for hand polishing though.

It sounds like I'm going to hate doing it by hand, but I do want the best results so I figure I might as well put in the time. I was watching a vid on youtube on how to polish a car by hand and he was just going back and forth like claying it, is that the correct way to polishing it by hand or do I need to do circles like waxing?

[EClayton08]

well its supposed to rain Friday through Tuesday and I planned my whole detail job tomorrow. Should I continue on as planned or postpone it til next week when it is supposed to be clear for several days? Kinda sucks cause I was doing this over spring break. I guess on plus I can order Klasse SG instead of using the Meguiars.

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by EClayton08

It sounds like I'm going to hate doing it by hand, but I do want the best results so I figure I might as well put in the time. I was watching a vid on youtube on how to polish a car by hand and he was just going back and forth like claying it, is that the correct way to polishing it by hand or do I need to do circles like waxing?

They key point of polishing by hand is applying pressure and working the polish into the paint. Whether you go left to right, up and down, in circles is up to you. Also, be sure the paint is clean prior to polishing (ideally wash and clay) and make sure you're using clean applicator pads to minimize adding any imperfections while your polishing.

Originally Posted by EClayton08

well its supposed to rain Friday through Tuesday and I planned my whole detail job tomorrow. Should I continue on as planned or postpone it til next week when it is supposed to be clear for several days? Kinda sucks cause I was doing this over spring break. I guess on plus I can order Klasse SG instead of using the Meguiars.

Really up to you, it stinks detailing in the rain, but the key point of a detail is to properly clean and protect your paint. After the next wash it'll look like you just detailed it.

Good luck!

George

[EClayton08]

Originally Posted by Detailed Image

Really up to you, it stinks detailing in the rain, but the key point of a detail is to properly clean and protect your paint. After the next wash it'll look like you just detailed it.

Good luck!

George

well my plans got completely changed when I saw the weather is going to be in the low 40s with showers so I went ahead and bought the Chemical Guys M-Seal over the Meguiar's. Guess my car will wait til next week for its detail job.

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by EClayton08

well my plans got completely changed when I saw the weather is going to be in the low 40s with showers so I went ahead and bought the Chemical Guys M-Seal over the Meguiar's. Guess my car will wait til next week for its detail job.

Bummer about the weather. You'll enjoy the CG M-Seal, it's a great sealant. Keep us posted on how things turn out once you get a chance to detail your car.

Thanks for your support.

George

[Nebster]

george i read a couple of people that put a layer of wax UNDER the sealant. What is your opinion on this?

i think that the sealant would have a hard time bonding to the wax and would only last 4-6 weeks (lifetime of wax) but at that same time, the wax wont see the elements like the sealant would but i can't imagine the durability of this setup would be that great. Thinking about trying it for the one customer that wants me only to touch his car every 6 months but i don't feel good about it.... Input?

[togatown]

Hello George

I'm psyched that I just fired off my first order to you to get started!

Re: Claying

I just read about cutting the clay into several really small pieces and using them for a section and then discarding as opposed to making one pancake and using it repeatedly by compressing and reforming it. I thought that made sense, since you might have a lot of contaminants in the clay if the car was pretty dirty and could possibly reintroduce them to the paint.
Does it matter?

PS -I'm always in the Albany area, do you guys have a retail outlet that I can cash and carry?

Thanks!

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by Nebster

george i read a couple of people that put a layer of wax UNDER the sealant. What is your opinion on this?

i think that the sealant would have a hard time bonding to the wax and would only last 4-6 weeks (lifetime of wax) but at that same time, the wax wont see the elements like the sealant would but i can't imagine the durability of this setup would be that great. Thinking about trying it for the one customer that wants me only to touch his car every 6 months but i don't feel good about it.... Input?

You're dead on. The sealant won't properly bond to the wax and the life of your sealant is going to be limited to the the life of the wax. Also, waxes bead water better and protect against the elements better from my experience, even though they don't last as long. So it's ideal to have the wax on top of the sealant. For best results, allow the sealant to cure for 24 hours before topping it with the wax. If you have any other question on anything, please do not hesitate to ask.

Originally Posted by dave335eye

Hello George

I'm psyched that I just fired off my first order to you to get started!

Re: Claying

I just read about cutting the clay into several really small pieces and using them for a section and then discarding as opposed to making one pancake and using it repeatedly by compressing and reforming it. I thought that made sense, since you might have a lot of contaminants in the clay if the car was pretty dirty and could possibly reintroduce them to the paint.
Does it matter?

PS -I'm always in the Albany area, do you guys have a retail outlet that I can cash and carry?

Thanks!

Dave, thanks for the support and good question. Either way, you never want to use an entire block of clay when claying your vehicle. In the event you drop the clay, you just trashed a 180 - 200g bar. I like the approach of cutting the clay up into much smaller pieces, using it and throwing it away or downgrading it to engine bay, wheels, and door jambs. The other approach is to cut it up into 4 - 6 equal sized pieces, use it until you feel its too contaminated and switch it out with a fresh piece as needed. This way if you drop the clay, you're only losing ~20% of you clay instead of the entire bar.

Unfortunately, we don't offer local pickups.

If you have any other questions on anything, please do not hesitate to ask.

Thanks again,

George

[EClayton08]

incredible turn around on my order last Thursday, it was on my doorstep by 2 today. Can't wait to get to work on my car! Thanks George.

[togatown]

Wow, ordered this weekend and got my wash and clay supplies already today, I felt like it was Christmas opening the box, can't wait to get the car out to clean it up. Now putting together the polish, sealer and wax list.

Great turnaround and suggestions for product, thanks to a great vendor!

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by EClayton08

incredible turn around on my order last Thursday, it was on my doorstep by 2 today. Can't wait to get to work on my car! Thanks George.

Originally Posted by dave335eye

Wow, ordered this weekend and got my wash and clay supplies already today, I felt like it was Christmas opening the box, can't wait to get the car out to clean it up. Now putting together the polish, sealer and wax list.

Great turnaround and suggestions for product, thanks to a great vendor!

Thanks for the kind words guys. If there's anything else I can help with, please do not hesitate to ask.

Keep us posted on how the details turn out!

George

[EClayton08]

Did first part of my detail job. After the wash and clay, my arm was already getting tired and all I thought about was "I feel bad for anyone who polish by hand" so I said screw the polish and went straight to CG M-Seal. Got first coat on and its really shining, can't wait to add the second coat tomorrow then top it off with S100 Sunday. I wanted to take pics but a friend borrowed my digi cam so I need to see if I can borrow another friends or just take a cellphone pic. I'll definitely have a completed job pic on Sunday.

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by EClayton08

Did first part of my detail job. After the wash and clay, my arm was already getting tired and all I thought about was "I feel bad for anyone who polish by hand" so I said screw the polish and went straight to CG M-Seal. Got first coat on and its really shining, can't wait to add the second coat tomorrow then top it off with S100 Sunday. I wanted to take pics but a friend borrowed my digi cam so I need to see if I can borrow another friends or just take a cellphone pic. I'll definitely have a completed job pic on Sunday.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Polishing an entire car by hand is very tiring and draining to say the least. What did you think of the products you used? I just saw your pics, looked great!

George

[mvillezcas]

I have a 2007 black saphire metallica 3 series and a new flex xc 3401. What polish products should I buy?

[Ruff Rider]

Originally Posted by mvillezcas

I have a 2007 black saphire metallica 3 series and a new flex xc 3401. What polish products should I buy?

In my detail business I have switched over to Menzerna polishing products. My customers have never been happier.

[EpicE92]

Are you going to have any amazing sales Coming tomorrow April 1st

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by mvillezcas

I have a 2007 black saphire metallica 3 series and a new flex xc 3401. What polish products should I buy?

Depending on how bad the swirls and imperfections in your paint are, I'd suggest one of the two combos.

For lighter imperfections with maximum gloss:
Menzerna Power Finish on a white or green pad followed by Menzerna PO85RD on a black or blue pad.

For slightly deeper imperfections with excellent gloss:
Menzerna Super Intensive Polish on a white or orange pad followed by PO106FF on a white pad.

Originally Posted by Ruff Rider

In my detail business I have switched over to Menzerna polishing products. My customers have never been happier.

Thanks Ruff Rider, tough to beat the Menzerna line of polishes

Originally Posted by EpicE92

Are you going to have any amazing sales Coming tomorrow April 1st

We have our new Monthly Specials, which include sheepskin wash mitts for $6.99 and also 303 Aerospace Protectant on sale. Subscribe to our newsletter list to be instantly notified of any sales we run.

George

[BayerischeMW]

hi again guys!

what do you suggest for protecting the metal areas under the hood, such as the underside of the hood, wheel towers etc.?

i'm thinking something like a liquid spray sealant should be perfect for this? easy to apply, spread and wipe off without having to working it into a haze where all the creaks and creases make it impossible.

this could be used for those hard to reach areas around the door hinges etc. too.

thanks!

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by BayerischeMW

hi again guys!

what do you suggest for protecting the metal areas under the hood, such as the underside of the hood, wheel towers etc.?

i'm thinking something like a liquid spray sealant should be perfect for this? easy to apply, spread and wipe off without having to working it into a haze where all the creaks and creases make it impossible.

this could be used for those hard to reach areas around the door hinges etc. too.

thanks!

Something like Optimum Opti-Seal would be ideal for what you are describing, you don't even need to give it a wipe if applied thin enough. The great thing about Opti-Seal is it will offer months of protection.

Great question, and nice to hear from you

George