Need detail cart advice

S

SwedishRider

New member
I`ve been looking into setting up a detail cart for home use, and I`m hoping to get some advice on how others have set up their detailing tools and products for ease of use.

Specifically, I keep coming back to the Grit Guard Universal Detailing Cart: Grit Guard Universal Detailing Cart

In theory, it raises the GG Pad Washer to an optimal height, and would allow for it to be used quite easily to clean pads on the fly. If incorporated into a workflow, it would make pad cleaning a routine part of polishing and correcting while detailing in real time, instead of just something needed to be done after all polishing was completed. I would think this increases the quality of the work, and makes for less wear and tear on one`s back if you would otherwise have to always bend down to reach the pad washer.

On the other hand, the Pad Washer would take up quite a bit of real estate on that cart, using a half to two-thirds of the space on the top and middle shelves. That`s a lot of space for something that won`t always be used every detail. I have seen other detailing carts for much less money that yield much more space when you consider the absence of the bucket. The trade-off is that the bucket isn`t at an optimal height, and has to go back on the floor, or on the top of the cart requiring the detailer to constantly lift up the polisher to use the washer.

What have you all done? Does anyone have any pics of your detailing cart setup for ideas? I like the GG Cart in theory, but it does seem to have some negatives that I don`t know are deal-breakers (or positives that make it a must-have). Thanks for any advice or feedback!
 
SwedishRider said:
Maybe a better question might be: who uses a detail cart? Anyone?
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Funny.. I use 1, so I can have a work table and place to put machines, product I`m applying, towels I`m using for the step I`m on,
so I can keep myself from grabbing wrong product or towel. Keep mine cleared till I pack up.. if it`s a wash then I ride 2 buckets on top.
I change my set-up according to the job. More flexible that way.
 
I want one but but probably just going to get a regular detailing cart. I don`t want to spend more than 100 bucks on one.
 
Mr. Slick said:
I want one but but probably just going to get a regular detailing cart. I don`t want to spend more than 100 bucks on one.
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Get a Harbor Frieght one. I think mine was around $40. I like it because it isn`t very tall, roughly waist high, and is more narrow than others.
 
I built my own cart, configured according to my needs. It has a good supply of towels, brushes and applicators, as well as room for chemicals, polishers and pads. After using it over a year, I can`t find anything to change yet. If I did have a pad washer, I`d have it on a dedicated smaller cart, since many times I`m doing an engine or interior or rinseless/waterless wash and have no need to drag around a pad washer.

IMG_1903.jpg


Bill
 
WaxAddict said:
THAT sentence generally precedes something catching on fire or someone loosing an eye.
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Lol! If it were a power tool I would agree! Yes, some of their stuff is junk, but for the money and the purpose it serves I would definitely buy another. Some of their tool boxes aren`t to shabby either.
 
SwedishRider said:
I`ve been looking into setting up a detail cart for home use, and I`m hoping to get some advice on how others have set up their detailing tools and products for ease of use.

Specifically, I keep coming back to the Grit Guard Universal Detailing Cart: Grit Guard Universal Detailing Cart

In theory, it raises the GG Pad Washer to an optimal height, and would allow for it to be used quite easily to clean pads on the fly. If incorporated into a workflow, it would make pad cleaning a routine part of polishing and correcting while detailing in real time, instead of just something needed to be done after all polishing was completed. I would think this increases the quality of the work, and makes for less wear and tear on one`s back if you would otherwise have to always bend down to reach the pad washer.

On the other hand, the Pad Washer would take up quite a bit of real estate on that cart, using a half to two-thirds of the space on the top and middle shelves. That`s a lot of space for something that won`t always be used every detail. I have seen other detailing carts for much less money that yield much more space when you consider the absence of the bucket. The trade-off is that the bucket isn`t at an optimal height, and has to go back on the floor, or on the top of the cart requiring the detailer to constantly lift up the polisher to use the washer.

What have you all done? Does anyone have any pics of your detailing cart setup for ideas? I like the GG Cart in theory, but it does seem to have some negatives that I don`t know are deal-breakers (or positives that make it a must-have). Thanks for any advice or feedback!
Click to expand...

I`ve washed a few cars here with the Grit Guard Universal Detailing Cart and I LOVE not having to bend over to dunk my wash mitt. If I plan on correction and I`m performing an "aggressive wash" I only use one bucket, so this cart is perfect. But for using it while correcting I think it would be too small. I know you didn`t really mention using it for washing the car but I wanted to add my 2 cents.

from the Subaru Forester Detail: 2014 Subaru Forester Detail (multiple Rayviews)

IMG_3840.JPG


Now if they could just make a detailing cart that had 2 buckets above waist level, I`d be in love....
 
I picked up a used audio-visual cart on eBay and really like it. It has a 4 place electrical outlet onboard and a heavy duty cord. They should be easy to find now that most schools have ditched the old overhead projectors. I got mine for $20. Nice big locking wheels and adjustable upper deck.
 
rlmccarty2000 said:
I picked up a used audio-visual cart on eBay and really like it. It has a 4 place electrical outlet onboard and a heavy duty cord. They should be easy to find now that most schools have ditched the old overhead projectors. I got mine for $20. Nice big locking wheels and adjustable upper deck.
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I got one similar as well but it was a more basic one and i had a customer of mine who had the tools to cut the legs of the top shelf down a bit so its more waist high and its perfect for smaller bottles under top shelf and bigger items on the complete bottom. all while leaving the top shelf open for whats currently being used.

i dont have a pad washer yet but when i do itll go on a small stand close enough to use but dont have to lug it around the car the whole time, but my cart plans always change pending on the job but the height is perfect and wouldnt change a thing. in fact i also put the car keys on the cart on a hook so they never get locked in or lost
 
I took a page out of Billy Jack`s book and built my own also. 3 levels, lockable wheels and dimensions perfect for fitting through the basement door.
I used that 90 degree metal stuff with all the holes in it. A lot of highway and street signs are bolted to that stuff and it`s strong like bull. I painted mine to match the M Coupe, Imola red and black. OK, ok, ok, a bit of overkill but it looks sharp, really sharp.
 
WaxAddict said:
THAT sentence generally precedes something catching on fire or someone loosing an eye.
Click to expand...

Funny, I had to go fix a screwup at one of their distribution centers last week. You have to go through metal detectors and the security guards have to look through your stuff. I had a big rolling tool bag with my Milwaukee cordless stuff and then my hand tools. The security guard started laughing and said, "I dont think you have any of the garbage we sell here, do you?" I just said, no sir but I make my living with my tools, there is a difference between people that just piddle around the house and someone that uses tools to pay the bills.
 
I also use the harbor freight one. I added wire hangers to it for my wheel brushes. To maximize storage in the garage, I keep my frequently used products in detailers bags on the top shelf. So I have a bag each for windows, wheels and detail sprays. It makes it easy to clear the shelf if I need the room for polishing or anything else.
 
I have a couple of the black hard plastic 2 shelf rolling carts that have 2 locking wheels each cart..

Prefer to do as Mary B. does - set up the cart for the job that day with all the things I need for that job.

If I`m going to correct the paint, I have lots of pads, lots of microfiber, small white cotton towels, the compounds, polishes, spray bottle of pad conditioner, etc., and the machine/s, backing plates, spacers, I will be using..

It`s all on the cart mostly neatly arranged on the top shelf with the things I need all the time, and the back up stuff or later in the process stuff on the bottom shelf..

I have had one of the first Pad Washers from probably 10 years ago, and when I moved from WA., I just threw it away.. :)

It did work great, but I as refined my choices of products for correction that didn`t require such a huge washing process, I found it took more time to set up the Pad Washer than I wanted to spend for that cleaning step..

And the choice of pads also made a difference in how dirty they got and how deep the gunk got too..

The more firm, less absorbent pads such as the Lake Country Hydro-Shred Line, are great at not loading up so bad that it takes forever to clean them, as they are made to not absorb but rather keep all the product closer to the top so it has a nicer day with the paintwork..

Here is something to think about ---- If you are constantly washing pads while you work, and say you stopped 10 times over the job and took 5 minutes each time, you just took almost 1 hour away that could have had you 1 hour farther down the line on the correction job...

I have a zillion pads for a reason - I just throw the ones I cannot clean any longer quickly with a white cotton towel into a 5 gallon bucket of Snappy Clean solution, make sure they get totally submerged, and at the end of the Detail, one of the clean up chores is knead them good in that solution, rinse them good, wring them out and leave them so that they get airflow all around as much as possible..

My huge inventory of pads allows me to not have to worry about them drying before the next day..

It is sometimes easier to just buy a couple of pads or so each time when you are ordering products, so eventually, you have a pretty good quantity of the ones you use the most in your cabinet...

There are some outstanding suggestions and advice above my post !!!

You will have lots of scenarios to think about and figure out what will work the best for you...
Dan F
 
JohnZ3MC said:
I took a page out of Billy Jack`s book and built my own also. 3 levels, lockable wheels and dimensions perfect for fitting through the basement door.
I used that 90 degree metal stuff with all the holes in it. A lot of highway and street signs are bolted to that stuff and it`s strong like bull. I painted mine to match the M Coupe, Imola red and black. OK, ok, ok, a bit of overkill but it looks sharp, really sharp.
Click to expand...
Please please some pics ???

sent from me
 
I`ll do my best Mary. I`m a little time stressed for the next few days though.
Have you ever noticed that some neighborhoods have way too many roadside signs that seem to say nothing at all and don`t serve any obvious purpose? Well, believe it or not, my neighborhood is looking pretty good lately.
 
so i just picked up one of those wire carts with adjustable shelving for mega cheap (yes its used) but it lookes like itll work for what i need it for and i can adjust it to whatever hight i need the shelves to be
 
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