How do you guys do this day in day out???

A

AndyA6

New member
So, I am a total weekend, once in a while occasional hobby detailer. This forum helped me so much and is very inspiring, thanks all for the informations shared!


I have my Porter Cable, various pads, various products and all that. Today and tomorrow I am working on my daughters VW Golf, it is her daily to go to school. Well, I guess you guys can imagine how this thing looks like, parked outside, minimal car washes, inside is like.... So we started to wash, clay, 105 on various spots, MF pads for further steps and Opti Seal to finish. Many hours today, both my kid and I working together and tomorrow even more hours.


Point is, how do you survive this as a job? I mean I'm beat today and tomorrow probably "dead".


Respect to you all, this detailing job is hard work!


Sorry for this blurry iPad pic.... Better to come soon!


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I like the OP will do half my truck on one day then I'm beat. I get up to do the other half the next day and I need another day to recover. How do guys do this for a living is a good question?
 
For me, honestly, it is the 'chase of self improvement'.


 


It is wanting to know how to do something more efficient and with better results.


 


It is wanting to be the best at something... that I never will.


 


It is delivering a service that someone did not anticipate.


 


It may sound weird and I can accept that.... but that's what drives me, at this point.
 
I couldn't do this stuff day-in-day-out/professionally simply because I don't like it that much. 


 


Physically demanding?  Eh....running a Milwaukee rotary for hours every day (when I was a kid) *was* kinda  tough for the first few weeks, but I wasn't in shape then and today's detailing is a whole lot easier than that was. 


 


Today's stuff (lightweight and well-balanced polishers, effective/efficient products, etc.) makes detailing a lot easier than it used to be, so if it seems tough maybe it's just a matter of getting one's process dialed-in a little better.  Doing a full detail might take me several days, but it's easy work compared to, say...my exercise regimen. 


 


EDIT: Aw gee, hope the above doesn't make me sound like too much of a [jerk]... :o
 
Get a Rupes, so much smoother, little to no downward pressure required to correct MOST paints.  I find it much easier on the body than other DA's.
 
I've never once interpreted Accumulator's posts as those of a jerk and I've been on this forum for more than a little while
 
Whether its easier or not in terms of technology, your body has to hold up for hours at a time bending, lifting, stretching, and being exposed to chemicals. For many this could be considered fun, or even beneficial exercise, but at my age there are far better ways to achieve both in far less time.
I think for me detailing is like visiting a place you love but wouldn't want to live there.
 
Maybe I didn't sound (quite?) as "hey, it doesn't bother ME, so what's you're problem?" as I'd feared...but I still think it could've come across badly and I hope I didn't offend anybody. WHen I posted, I was thinking about a guy I was talking with recently who's a roofing laborer...talk about tough work, carrying bundles of shingles up a ladder all day!  He works pretty much year-round too, in Ohio (I thought they sat out the winter months, but I guess they don't).


 


With regard to the bending over and other awkward stuff, that's where my "refine the process" comes in; I'm all about not doing uncomfortable things if I can avoid them, so I have a number of seats-on-casters and I generally sit on a creeper when doing the lower-most areas.  But that last bit brings up being able to get up/down repeatedly and that can be a challenge for some people.  I guess getting up/down repeatedly when washing the Tahoe with m work platforms would be tough for some folks too, but still easier/safer than most alternatives (heh heh, sure not easier than just doing a half-@$$ed job of it though, huh?). 


 


RPPM- Yeah, I bet that correction via Rupes is a whole different ballgame compared to using, say....my Flex 3401.  I don't really *mind* using the Flex, but I do understand when somebody says they just can't stand wrestling with it and so they're selling theirs.
 
I do my work all day………….then go to the gym. My weariness is not with the work but some clients and others.


 


Have to have passion and mental toughness day in day out.
 
My mental toughness contributes to my mental toughness lol. There are times alone in the shop with no distractions and I get to make the vehicle I am working on beautiful for a client depending on me to do as so, God has blessed my work and I am so grateful to him to be able to still work in my current state of oldness as I really love nice cars.
 
It never used to bother me when I was younger but it's definitely hard on the body and I feel it now after a long weekend. When I'm active at the gym it doesn't seem to affect me near as much, so staying in shape definitely helps. :)
 
AndyA6:


You are correct: for the occasional detailing/car cleaner do-it-yourselfer and weekend, it is a physically demanding task. Until you've done it yourself, I think most people with even a modicum of intent to clean their vehicle, even to an "average clean and detailed" status find this out.


My hands take a real beating whenever I do a vehicle like:


1) Blisters from wringing out towels of any type (they turn into callouses if you do it long and often enough)


2) Cracked hands (Wear disposable nitrile gloves like mechanics use when washing with APCs or degreasers)


3) Ripped-off or bent-back finger nails (Cut them down before you start, unless you play the guitar)


4) Cuts and scrapes on the hands [(current tetanus shot/booster is a must) from reaching behind rim spokes (if you do not remove the wheel) and USA-manufactured car door/door jams/drip channels/hoods and seat rails with all their sheet metal sharp edges and burrs, OUCH!!]


 


I think you also realize that having the right equipment and proper experience in using those items can save time and physical effort.


 


Which also brings up a point about taking vehicles to a detail professional who does this for a living: one trip to the hospital / doctor's office/ chiropractor/ missing a day's work because of an injury or physical malady from doing-it-yourself-to-save-money could easily pay for that professional detail. Not that there is anything wrong with doing it your self; its just the risk that you take.


 


If I come across as a hard-"butt" (politically correctness speaking) I apologize. But there comes a point when you begin to realize that your skills/expertise  and equipment to do a task may be insufficient when undertaking any task, even as you start out with good intentions thinking you can save yourself some money. I KNOW that there are professional detailers within this forum who have "fixed" countless vehicles of do-it-yourselfer's "good intentions" and those of far-less-than "professional" abilities. The same could be said for truly professional mechanics, plumbers, builders, and all the other trades and handyman occupations. There is a saying that "those that cannot end up teaching." My corollary to that is "those that cannot should hire someone who can".
 
Great discussion!


 


I love detailing and yes, not doing this daily puts some strain on the body, my kind of workout if not going to the gym. I also do all of our maintenance work on our cars, always taking my time to avoid injury (well, sh$t happens once in a while :-) )


 


And I agree, tasks beyond my skills will be handled by a professional, no questions!


 


There will come a point when I will be too old for all of this, not looking forward to this.... but, my kids are always working with me and hopefully that sets the example for them to keep their cars clean and maintained!


 


Detailing is a physical job and again, respect to all pros doing this! And yeah, customers don't make this any easier!!
 
Part of my viewpoint here is based on relatives who were still doing this stuff late in life (in their 70s and 80s).  Old people, sick people...keeping their cars very nice, and they would *NOT* have said it was some big priority, just another job that needed done so they did it.


 


Auto Concierge- Speaking of "no distractions", I've gotten to where I don't even turn on the sound system that I splurged on when I built the shop!


 


And yeah, the "mental toughness" thing is self-perpetuating.


 


RaskyR1- Keeps you motivated to stay in shape, huh?  Becomes an even bigger deal as one gets older.


 


Lonnie- You brought up a good point about the gloves; I *always* seem to cut my hands one something unless I wear them, so it's not just about avoiding contact with all the chemicals (which I'd assume everybody does anyhow...right?).


 


EDIT: AndyA6- Heh heh, here you just posted that "I will be too old..." while I was keying in the above about old people!  Consider that my father didn't even start doing this stuff until his 70s, and he was still doing his share during out Saturday afternoon detailing sessions through his mid-80s.
 
Well, I fall into the category of weekend warrior.  I have a 2011 F-150 and a 2010 Mini Cooper S (bought the Mini used, F-150 new) ... I like to keep them shiny, but at the end of the day, it's still *just* a vehicle (gasp!).  It's going to be out on the open road, and get paint chips, scratches, and dings (although I do my absolute best to prevent scratches and dings - hence why my F-150 stays at home when I don't like the lot I'll be driving to).  In our neighborhood, there are a lot of trees, so tree sap and bird crap are a constant battle.


 


I just do my best, and try new products until I find one I like.  I also received a GG 6" DA buffer last year for my anniversary, so I no longer have wrist issues after waxing the vehicles.  In fact, I waxed my truck, the Mini, and my wife's Mazda6 a few weeks ago, all in about 5.5 hours.


 


I also do my friends' cars.  They pay me good money to do interior and exterior detailing.  I know I'm not as good as some of the pros, but they get to come over and smoke cigars, and we make an afternoon out of it - good fun for all around, and they cover the cost of my detailing supplies.


 


If there's something that I haven't done before, they aren't my guinea pigs, so I'll tell them up front to go to a pro if it's something outside my wheelhouse.


 


On the flip side, there's a friend of mine from a local cigar shop who sends people my way.  He's had me detail and wax his 2002 Porsche 911 4S on multiple occasions, and was expounding on what a good job I did to another cigar shop patron last month - now I have a new customer!


 


All that being said, yeah, I don't know how these guys do it 5 or more days a week - I know I'm taking 2 Aleve after doing a couple cars, and I do this bi-weekly for most of the warmer months!


 


Oh, and +1 for the guys on this forum who have given me confidence to try new products/tools/techniques and advice on how to accomplish even the simplest of detailing tasks in a quicker/easier/smarter way!


 


-John
 
Not only did a have very few days off last month from detailing, I also put 712 miles on my road bike, starting lifting again and lost 15 pounds. Once you get used to it, recovery is pretty quick. 
 
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