I need your guys' help...

I

imported_d00t

New member
Sigh. Detailing woes today!



Rant right below, then true questions!



So this morning I got to the clients house right on time, and the first thing I realize... My wallets missing. And it still is. There wasn't any money in it, but now have the hassle of having to wait for basically my life line to come back (credit cards, debit cars, license, etc). But I finally get everything squared away, and then realize two things. I forgot my shop vac at home (how do you do that?!) and also I forget tape! But I can buy some, 'cause I have no wallet! But, I truck along. Then.. my quick connect for my pressure washer busts under the pressure of the water! Granted, it was a cheapy plastic one, now I can't use it! So I'm stuck with the hose.. Not a great day.

/rant.



But, my questions are a few things. One is, I need advice on how to work in the polish. I'm using SIP with an Orange CCS pad, with a metabo. The car is an '05 M3. My process is start out by spreading it out on 1 (~700rpm) Then take it up to 2-2.5 (I think that's around 1100?), and work it in for about 3 passes in a back and forth, up down, and back and forth fashion. Then take it up to about 3 (1800?) for 3 passes, same routine, then back down to 2 again for 2 passes. The swirls still are there! But very light, so I'm hoping my 85rd will finish them off! (finishing the car tomorrow morning)



Also, I can't get the polish to break down on the rockers or lower doors, the quarters, and the fenders. The reason is, the metabo keeps skipping like crazy. I'm not even forcing it, and I'm keeping it as level as possible, but it's skipping around (I assume 'cause of the curves of the body) So how do I stop this? Am I SOL because I only have 6.5 inch pads, and I need like 4 inchers for the curves?



I'll have pics up later on the weird markings I'm getting while breaking down the polish. But on the sides of the car it looks like this: /0///00////00/ instead of like OOOOOO (you get the idea ;) ). Why is that?



One more question

How do you guys get those nice swirls shots with the halogen lights? I couldn't find the right angle to capture the swirls, so I just moved it back and forth in to the sun when doing my test spots. (i'm using 500w btw)



Any help would be greatly appreciated! I'm trying to get this as perfect as possible to hold up the autopia name, but I feel like I'm just getting beat down :(.
 
Working on lower panels is difficult for people that are still getting used to using a rotary. Not to say this is the case, but it was something that took me a while to master so it may be the culprit.



While you may think you are holding the pad flat you may be far from it. There are a couple ways to do lower panels... get lower to the ground (I've seen pictures of some detailers laying on the ground and I have on occasion) or bend and hold the machine below your waist. When you do the latter, remember the pull from the rotation is going to be backward to how you are used to when above your waist. If you polish with a little lean on the front side of the pad, which will be smooth normally, will pull the pad and cause it to skip like crazy when below your waist.



When I flip to polishing lower panels I will actually switch my hands around on the machine to get a better grip. Let me know if that makes sense. Now that I type this is seems very difficult to put into words and could show you in about 5 seconds in person. Hope this helps solve your problem.
 
Thanks for the response Todd! I wast actually sitting on the ground (the car's lowered about 2"+ all around) and I was still having trouble. I dunno if you've worked with a metabo, but the speed dial is at the very back, and the trigger is on/off not variable like some rotaries.



I think it's totally the case that I'm just not fully acquainted with my metabo. I've tried switch hands, and even going horizontal with both ways, with no such luck. I'm going to be bring my chair that I usually use (forgot that too!) tomorrow so I can go from the top, instead of straight on.



Also, with it being a lowered car, I can't bend down for very long as I recently threw out my back (about 2 weeks ago) but the show must go on! Thanks for the tips again, Todd, I really appreciate it!
 
d00t said:
Thanks for the response Todd! I wast actually sitting on the ground (the car's lowered about 2"+ all around) and I was still having trouble. I dunno if you've worked with a metabo, but the speed dial is at the very back, and the trigger is on/off not variable like some rotaries.



I think it's totally the case that I'm just not fully acquainted with my metabo. I've tried switch hands, and even going horizontal with both ways, with no such luck. I'm going to be bring my chair that I usually use (forgot that too!) tomorrow so I can go from the top, instead of straight on.



Also, with it being a lowered car, I can't bend down for very long as I recently threw out my back (about 2 weeks ago) but the show must go on! Thanks for the tips again, Todd, I really appreciate it!
Click to expand...



Very easy solution for the skipping issue. Get some purple foamed wool pads. you will never use orange pads again. Go over it with a polishing or any othe finishing pads and you are done!!
 
I already have a PFW, and when I used it, it was just hologramming the paint and not taking out all of the swirls. That's why I went back to the orange pad, because it didn't hologram, and also corrected just as well.



Plus, with the PFW, I'm afraid I'm going to just burn the paint. Plus, it creates a three-step polish as opposed a two-step polish, correct?



Thanks for the input!
 
d00t said:
I already have a PFW, and when I used it, it was just hologramming the paint and not taking out all of the swirls. That's why I went back to the orange pad, because it didn't hologram, and also corrected just as well.



Plus, with the PFW, I'm afraid I'm going to just burn the paint. Plus, it creates a three-step polish as opposed a two-step polish, correct?



Thanks for the input!
Click to expand...





1 - Wool runs much cooler.



2 - depending on the paint, most of the time I can do a 2 step polish with wool.
 
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