OK now im frustrated, hopefully you guys can help!

K

kleraudio

New member
Hey everyone,



well i got off work today and decided to do a quick detail. Busted out the usual QEW, couple sheepskins, glass cleaner, wheel stuff, etc....



Well to get the blood boiling, my sheepskins were linting like CRAZY. I had lint all over the truck, all over my wet hands, everywhere!



I dealt with it....(after throwing both sheepskins in the trash!)



On to the glass, started the usual routine of cleaning the glass and noticed etched waterspots i had never seen before. I could not get them out!



I dealt with it....



Finally one hour later (long time for a QEW wash) i get in my truck to go home (i went to the wash bay at my apartments for some shade)



I pull out, and BAM...Streaking everywhere on my windows!!! I almost screamed. I got out and cleaned them up but still dont know if there are streaks as the sun went under the roof of the adjacent building.



Then for the explosion...



I looked at the hood of my car from the inside as i always do when its nice and clean, and noticed some SERIOUS swirling!! I just polished 2 weeks ago. Maybe i didnt see them because the truck is silver and the light just hit it right this time, or maybe my wash did it some how, i dont know, but this made me go over the top.



Sorry for the long post but I am really frustrated and would like some of your guys's input. This leads me to my questions:



1) I need a new wash media, im done with sheepskins. What do you guys recommend with ONR/QEW?



2) How do you guys avoid streaking windows when cleaning them? (Using NXT glass cleaner right now...)



4)How do you guys do tires/wheels/wheel wells with ONR/QEW? I really need some help in this department.



3) Those with silver cars, how do you make sure you have removed all the swirls when compounding/polishing? Its really hard to see them...



Thanks alot guys, sorry bout the long post but had to get that off my chest!!!



Thanks



jim
 
1) I need a new wash media, im done with sheepskins. What do you guys recommend with ONR/QEW?

Microfiber



2) How do you guys avoid streaking windows when cleaning them? (Using NXT glass cleaner right now...)

Use Stoner's Invisible glass and either a very fine M/f towel or cotton polishing cloths



4)How do you guys do tires/wheels/wheel wells with ONR/QEW? I really need some help in this department.

Don't know



3) Those with silver cars, how do you make sure you have removed all the swirls when compounding/polishing? Its really hard to see them...

Basically try and get light on the area from every angle and see if you missed something



Hope this helps
 
Thanks for the reply, I do check out every angle possible, but i guess sunlight is the only thing that will help with silver....



Thanks again for the reply



Jim
 
[quote name='lecchilo4)How do you guys do tires/wheels/wheel wells with ONR/QEW? I really need some help in this department.[/QUOTE']



Get a 1 gallon sprayer (like you'd use to apply weed killer or such to your garden) mix the ONR at QD strength, then spray a wheel and well area, for example left front, then spray the left rear while the front one soaks a bit. Go back to the left front and wipe it dry, then do the rear tire. It works for me, I'm sure others will post more/better suggestions?
 
kleraudio said:
1) I need a new wash media, im done with sheepskins. What do you guys recommend with ONR/QEW? I would use microfibers or try the shmitt.



2) How do you guys avoid streaking windows when cleaning them? (Using NXT glass cleaner right now...) Sprayway or Invinsible Glass always works for me and try to stay out of the sun if possible.



4)How do you guys do tires/wheels/wheel wells with ONR/QEW? I really need some help in this department. I use a 32oz. spray bottle with ONR mixed at QD level and presoak the areas.

3) Those with silver cars, how do you make sure you have removed all the swirls when compounding/polishing? Its really hard to see them... I use halogen lights or pull it out into the sun in between polishing to make sure you are getting the rid of the swirls.
Click to expand...

I hope this helps some and good luck. Mike...
 
Who makes good microfiber mits? I just can't bring myself to use towels, I think I would use to much pressure because they are so thin.
 
Roger V said:
Who makes good microfiber mits? I just can't bring myself to use towels, I think I would use to much pressure because they are so thin.
Click to expand...



Meguiar's has nice m/f wash mits and sponges.. I found some locally brand is Zwipes and they work great for me
 
As far as wash media is concerned, have you tried sea sponges? They're excellent! They're pricey, but they last a really long time (at least mine do). They also release dirt very, very well. The only important thing to remember is to give it a good rinse when you first get it to wash out sand and stuff. After that, you're good to go.



You can find really nice ones at Top of the Line. Giant Sea Sponge
 
I also like sea sponges with QEW/ONR washes, but I've yet to have a sheepskin mitt go bad like that before, but maybe I got lucky with the ones I picked up.



My wheels are a tough one with QEW/ONR because the front dust really bad. I use a combination of brushes on them (wheel brush and a small BHB for the smaller areas), and try to keep them sealed well so they clean up easier. I find Poorboy's Wheel Sealant works very well for that. I still like to do a conventional bucket and hose wash on them as often as possible to flush out all of the brake dust.



For glass I also use Stoners Invisible Glass with a very short nap or made for glass MF. I do an initial spray and wipe with one and then follow up with a second one..... and that seems to work pretty well for me.



Like others said, swirls on silver are tough to spot sometimes, so you just have to experiment with different types of lighting until you find what works best for you.
 
I just dont like getting 2-4 towels filthy from cleaning the wheels, and 2-4 filthy for the tires. Also when you use your brushes and stuff, how do you get the smudged up dust/dirt off the wheels.



Thanks alot guys, I REALLY appreciate the help. Im feeling better already!



Jim
 
kleraudio said:
.............Also when you use your brushes and stuff, how do you get the smudged up dust/dirt off the wheels..........
Click to expand...
You can buy a 1 gallon garden sprayer for $10 or $20 and mix up some QEW/ONR in that for a presoak on the wheels/tires. It can also be used after you get them clean with a brush to flush what is left off. I usually slosh enough solution on the wheels from my bucket to have them pretty clean before I dry them with a cheap MF or terry towel.



I bought a cheap sprayer from Home Depot for about $10 that is similar to this:



Amazon.com: Chapin Lawn & Garden 1-Gallon Poly Sprayer #20000: Home Improvement
 
kleraudio said:
Thanks for the reply, I do check out every angle possible, but i guess sunlight is the only thing that will help with silver....
Click to expand...



Heh heh, if there's *one* thing I can speak about with some authority it's spotting marring on silver.



Use an incandescent light in an othewise dark shop, varying the illumination distance and angle and also your viewing distance and angle. IIRC it's a phenomenon called "point source lighting" and it maximizes a certain type of contrast that makes such stuff show up.



I like hight-wattage bulbs (~250-300w) but others have done well with more normal ones. You might find that frosted or clear bulbs work best for you and you might also find you have a preference for/against using them with a relfector as opposed to just a bare bulb.



But if you play around with incandescent lighting, you *can* spot *everything* on silver (except light holograms, need sunlight for those)...no more surprises under weird lighting conditions at night :D



I found some high-wattage incandescent trouble lights at my local Lowe's. Maybe ~$25 plus the bulb. Cheap, crappy things, but they work. But sometimes I prefer a bare bulb that's located a fair distance from the vehicle. As I said, you just have to play around with it..but that *is* the type of lighting to play around with. I polish under halogens, but I turn 'em off and use the incandescents to check my work.
 
Thanks alot accumulator! are incandescent bulbs the one that comes in that work light with the cage around it and its handheld??



IIRC that is an incandescent bulb, i dont believe there are too many watts in it though, probably the standard 60W



Thanks



Jim
 
I like to use a black Shmitt on wheels and wells - honestly I could never get them even halfway clean with ONR before I tried it. It really makes *that* much of a difference for me. I like to use a little spray bottle with 1 part ONR to 3 parts water. Also, before I dry my wheels, I spray Aquawax on them. It seems to make the dust come off easier, and it adds a little gloss.



For the paint, I'm replacing all my sheepskins with Shmitts. I'm sick of linting, mitt breakdown, long drying times, mildew, etc.



I've had real problems with window streaking too - the only thing that seems to fix it is buying new MFs to do windows with - every time my window MFs start streaking badly, I just toss them into the "leather dressing" pile and get a couple new ones.



Also, for the wheels, I just use terry towels. I buy bags of 32 for a couple bucks... use them once or twice and toss em.
 
kleraudio said:
.. are incandescent bulbs the one that comes in that work light with the cage around it and its handheld??



IIRC that is an incandescent bulb, i dont believe there are too many watts in it though, probably the standard 60W..
Click to expand...



I *think* we're on the same wavelength but I'll risk sounding pedantic and give a full explanation just to be sure. And if something's not clear please post back so I can elaborate.



The regular, old-fashioned, screw-in lightbulbs *are* the incandescent ones. Sixties are pretty dim, I'd go for at least a 100w one.



The cage-style trouble lights might not be the best depending on their design...the ones that're solid on the back and have a hinged screen on the front are *NOT* what I'd want. The one with a conical shade that looks sorta like a big funnel is what I have. It had a wire cage over the front but I took it off so it won't interfere with the lighting.



Sometimes the bare ceiling-mounted bulbs work the best (depending on where they and the vehicle are located) so I've decided that the less cage/etc. the better. But some kind of reflector to keep the light out of your eyes when you're shining it on the vehicle is pretty much a must-have IMO.



And I can't over-emphasize the importance of having the other lights in the shop *off*. The darker the inspection environment the better...you want all the light coming from your point-source inspection light(s).
 
Thanks timmah and Accumulator.



Timmah - terry towels for wheels or tires? also black shmitt for wheels or tires or both? I would imagine scratching and marring on wheels with the cheap terry's? I was really thinking about getting the shmitt to try it out, its that good huh?? Ive read a dozen posts on here and i still cant understand why it doesnt drag dirt particles across the paint if the dirt has nowhere to go due to the foam and no "nap" to trap dirt. I just made a new thread yesterday of how Im sick of sheepskin and looking for an alternative. Do you like the shmitts that much? If so i may have to try some out?



Thanks also for the window tip, may have to get some new mf's for the windows...



Accumulator - not sure i know what your talking about with the conical shade. might you have a picture or a link to one on the internet? Also you said a reflector to keep light out of your eyes, what do you mean by that, the actual housing of the light? I get your point but i cant picture it....(if that makes sense) I would really love to be able to inspect my silver truck correctly for marring.



Thanks again guys for your help! It is much appreciated!



Jim
 
kleraudio said:
Accumulator - not sure i know what your talking about with the conical shade. might you have a picture or a link to one on the internet? Also you said a reflector to keep light out of your eyes, what do you mean by that, the actual housing of the light? I get your point but i cant picture it....(if that makes sense) I would really love to be able to inspect my silver truck correctly for marring.
Click to expand...



Sorry, no pic or link :think: Hmm...how to explain...I could write a book and still not communicate this properly. The reflector is a metal funnel that directs the light away from your eyes and towards whatever you're illuminating. If the light shines in your eyes your pupils will constrict and you won't see the marring worth [much], otherwise a bare lightbulb on a cord would work fine. So yeah, the reflector is attached to the ceramic housing that the bulb screws into.



Uhm...check your PMs ;)
 
Accumulator said:
Sorry, no pic or link :think: Hmm...how to explain...I could write a book and still not communicate this properly. The reflector is a metal funnel that directs the light away from your eyes and towards whatever you're illuminating. If the light shines in your eyes your pupils will constrict and you won't see the marring worth [much], otherwise a bare lightbulb on a cord would work fine. So yeah, the reflector is attached to the ceramic housing that the bulb screws into.



Uhm...check your PMs ;)
Click to expand...



From just skimming over this post, I think this is the kind of light you're talking about

017398346009md.jpg


If that's what you're talking about, here's the link to Lowe's web page for buying it:

Rite-Lite 8 1/2" Clamp Light



I hope that helped!
 
Jon54956 said:
From just skimming over this post, I think this is the kind of light you're talking about...[link to Lowe's]..
Click to expand...



Thanks! Yeah, that's it. But that's the low-wattage version as compared to the one I use. Nice price though, the high-wattage one is ~$25. The difference is (AFAIK) in the ceramic base where the bulb screws in, and maybe in the wiring.



Oh, and Welcome to Autopia, Jon54956!
 
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