I keep reading so many posts where people use a :waxing:... but I can't afford one yet, and not so much that as I wouldn't want to "practice" with it on the car I want to make look brand new... So, basically I'm wondering if I can get great results with just towels and a little perseverance? Are there any products that I should specifically not get because they require a PC? I was going to get Klasse AIO but read somewhere that you need a PC to make it do anything. Please advise
Getting results without a PC?
- Thread starter flymybird
- Start date
There is no "secret" to polishing a car by hand. It's just a simple fact that you cannot generate enough heat to correct defects by hand.
My advice, I would wash, clay, then spot treat any really bad scratches with Megs ScratchX. Just do the spots that really need it.
All you can do by hand after that is use a paint cleaner, glaze, sealant, or wax. There are plenty of great pre-wax cleaners out there. Some claim to remove light swirl marks, Klasse AIO is one of them. A good glaze will hide some imperfections too. Then seal/wax for protection.
That's about it.
My advice, I would wash, clay, then spot treat any really bad scratches with Megs ScratchX. Just do the spots that really need it.
All you can do by hand after that is use a paint cleaner, glaze, sealant, or wax. There are plenty of great pre-wax cleaners out there. Some claim to remove light swirl marks, Klasse AIO is one of them. A good glaze will hide some imperfections too. Then seal/wax for protection.
That's about it.
flymybird said:
Don't know if anyone will flame me for this, don't care if they do.
If you are strapped for cash and want/need a rotary try this:
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
It is not the "best" out there, but when you need experience or just need one that will work, this is truly a cheap way out.
not the best construction in terms of fit but it functions comparably to the Makita and the DeWalt, although upon close examination you can clearly see where the DeWalt and Makita take it.
Can't go wrong for the price though!
Correcting by hand can sometimes take many hours. Would one be better off working some extra hours somewhere to earn money to get polisher or working number of hours polishing by hand because he can not afford polisher? Depends on number of factors, starting from how many hours and what is the hourly rate.
Also, you have to look at it this way, without equipment, you cannot expand as fast or as much as you like until you have the equipment.
Takes money to make money, you don't always need the "top quality" to do a "top quality" job, but don't always settle for the lamest cheapest thing you can find.
In which case of rotary, the CH works fine just make sure you have a good pad, good product and the practice in using it.
zoran makes sense, and a lot of it, so take into consideration everything that is said. I learned that doing it by hand can be time consuming and not produce the same results as using a machine.
Takes money to make money, you don't always need the "top quality" to do a "top quality" job, but don't always settle for the lamest cheapest thing you can find.
In which case of rotary, the CH works fine just make sure you have a good pad, good product and the practice in using it.
zoran makes sense, and a lot of it, so take into consideration everything that is said. I learned that doing it by hand can be time consuming and not produce the same results as using a machine.
Let me put it this way, even if you earn below minimum wage, say $5 per hour washing and waxing cars in your neighborhood, or whatever, it will take 20 hours to get PC, or 30 hours to get UDM. Even if you do 2 hours per every weekend day you will be having your PC/UDM in under 8 weeks. You should get busy looking for work that pays better than busting your elbow.
imported_themightytimmah
New member
Keep in mind that that this is coming from guy who details for money and not so much a perfectionist/hobbyist perspective -
If you *must* work by hand, be advised that your options are filling or micromarring. Any "filler-free" abrasive compound is not going to break down and leave an acceptable finish without the heat of a machine (1Z works okay but it contains filling agents).
Blue Coral's Product-X is the top dog when it comes to filling... when used by hand it will fill many paint defects and restore paint to a fairly new-looking shine *however* the filling will wash away in a couple months and the dullness and defects will return. This can be an excellent revenue stream as long as you are honest with your customers about the temporary nature of filling vs. correction. If you are not straightforward about it, they will probably not come back to you after their swirls return.
Knock out a couple Product-X details and invest in a UDM and filler-free polishes as soon as possible. This will allow you to do paint correction for those who are willing to pay, and temporary filling for those who aren't.
If you *must* work by hand, be advised that your options are filling or micromarring. Any "filler-free" abrasive compound is not going to break down and leave an acceptable finish without the heat of a machine (1Z works okay but it contains filling agents).
Blue Coral's Product-X is the top dog when it comes to filling... when used by hand it will fill many paint defects and restore paint to a fairly new-looking shine *however* the filling will wash away in a couple months and the dullness and defects will return. This can be an excellent revenue stream as long as you are honest with your customers about the temporary nature of filling vs. correction. If you are not straightforward about it, they will probably not come back to you after their swirls return.
Knock out a couple Product-X details and invest in a UDM and filler-free polishes as soon as possible. This will allow you to do paint correction for those who are willing to pay, and temporary filling for those who aren't.
Haha, it seems a lot of you guys are really focused on the fact that I want to do this professionally or as a hobby... On the contrary, I want no more to do with detailing than getting my silver Firebird to shine, both inside and out. And, I want to do this with minimum hassle or investment and get maximum returns. I'm not planning to go around the neighborhood or offer my car detailing services to other people. So, I just wanted to see what I could get away with, that's all. I'd rather spend money on suspension upgrades and such. I just wanna make my car look good 
Accumulator
Well-known member
flymybird- Welcome to Autopia!
Noting that I do most *everything* by machine, I'll go against the grain here and say that you *can* get good results by hand if you put in the time and effort.
The 1Z polishes that themightytimmah mentioned work very well by hand and they do perform mechanical/abrasive correction as well as provide a bit of filling. They're my suggestion and I can almost guarantee that you'll be satisfied.
The discontinued 3M PI-III Rubbing Compound 05933 and PI-III Machine Glaze 05937 are fillerless abrasive polishes that also work fine by hand. They're still around, if you do an internet search you'll find some sources. They're what I use before Klasse AIO, but I don't think you oughta go with the AIO anyhow. If you've never used it, well...it's not quite as "all in one" as the ad copy says. I suspect you'd be disappointed.
My suggestion (based on first-hand experience with a lot of silver vehicles): get the 1Z Paint Polish (sources: Welcome to Exceldetail.com! or Aloha & Welcome to Our Oasis for All Your Auto Detailing Supplies & Accessories ). Put some Collinite brand wax (same sources) over top of it. Your F-body will look great for a long, long time with the least amount of effort and expense. I'm so confident about this recommendation that I pretty much consider it a no-brainer and if you try it and are *not* satisfied I'd sure like to know about it
Noting that I do most *everything* by machine, I'll go against the grain here and say that you *can* get good results by hand if you put in the time and effort.
The 1Z polishes that themightytimmah mentioned work very well by hand and they do perform mechanical/abrasive correction as well as provide a bit of filling. They're my suggestion and I can almost guarantee that you'll be satisfied.
The discontinued 3M PI-III Rubbing Compound 05933 and PI-III Machine Glaze 05937 are fillerless abrasive polishes that also work fine by hand. They're still around, if you do an internet search you'll find some sources. They're what I use before Klasse AIO, but I don't think you oughta go with the AIO anyhow. If you've never used it, well...it's not quite as "all in one" as the ad copy says. I suspect you'd be disappointed.
My suggestion (based on first-hand experience with a lot of silver vehicles): get the 1Z Paint Polish (sources: Welcome to Exceldetail.com! or Aloha & Welcome to Our Oasis for All Your Auto Detailing Supplies & Accessories ). Put some Collinite brand wax (same sources) over top of it. Your F-body will look great for a long, long time with the least amount of effort and expense. I'm so confident about this recommendation that I pretty much consider it a no-brainer and if you try it and are *not* satisfied I'd sure like to know about it