Technique - ok?

Junebug

Junebug

JAFO
I just did a 12 hour detail on a black S-type Jaguar. The paint was thick with crud. I washed with an APC, clayed forever with Claymagic Blue (coulda used red), never seen paint that bad before. IPA wipe. Then I experimented ? SIP with Flex, PFW ? dusty. Tried Menzerna Power Gloss on 4? orange pad with my PC on the bad RIDS, then SIP via Flex on orange pad. It cleaned up beautifully, I decided that since 1. I couldn?t remove the deep RIDS without risking thinning the clear coat too much, 2. this was is a daily driver, and 3. SIP looked really good ? I stopped after that step. I don?t know if it was the Flex, the fact that the pads were saturated aka KBM, or maybe it was the paint, but with the gloss I saw ? there was no need in another polishing step. I see all the time some detailer going on about finishing down LSP ready with M105 and a PC, so why not SIP on a Flex, SIP has diminishing abrasives so it ought to look better if you work it long and that I did.

IPA and hit it with Blackfire Sealant, next day wiped down with the BF QD and tried BF wax for the first time. I was a little disappointed at first, then, about 2 hours later I looked at the paint and it looked great, guess it needed some time with the high humidity.

The owner was really pleased and happy with my work. He commented that untill now, he didn't realize he had metal flake in the paint!
 
The same here as Bryan said, It would be nice to see your work posted here on TID Junebug! But maybe next time...............:thumbup:
 
Pics - this was one I really wished I did the before and after's, but I started early before the wife got up and by the time she did - I was half way through claying. It's her camera, and I don't mess with it, I had a little issue with her last Nikon - let's leave it at that.

But, judging from the two pro responses - I feel pretty good about this detail and will get this car back in a few months for a maintenance wash so I'll let ya'll know how it looks then.

One thing I've finally learned to do is to know when to say enough, the cars I do are daily drivers and the owners are more concerned with a nice shine and clean interior than they are with 100% defect removal.
 
Junebug said:
Pics - this was one I really wished I did the before and after's, but I started early before the wife got up and by the time she did - I was half way through claying. It's her camera, and I don't mess with it, I had a little issue with her last Nikon - let's leave it at that.

But, judging from the two pro responses - I feel pretty good about this detail and will get this car back in a few months for a maintenance wash so I'll let ya'll know how it looks then.

One thing I've finally learned to do is to know when to say enough, the cars I do are daily drivers and the owners are more concerned with a nice shine and clean interior than they are with 100% defect removal.
Click to expand...
Boy do i agree with you when to say enough is enough sometimes you just have to quit while your ahead of the game.
 
[One thing I've finally learned to do is to know when to say enough, the cars I do are daily drivers and the owners are more concerned with a nice shine and clean interior than they are with 100% defect removal] [Junebug]

It took me a long time to learn this valuable lesson (problem with being OCD) that's obsessive compulsive detailer BTW :smile:
 
I have to credit my wife for "helping" me see the light on when to say when. The early days of deatiling for me were all about turning a beater into a show car, trying out EVERY friggin new product, old product, etc and working for peanuts. I'd get a car, give the owner a price based on how long I thought it would take and end up taking hours more - all trying to do everything my feeble brain absorbed from these forums. It took my wife watching me and pointing out the absurdity of it that finally hit home. Ya'll know I tried to prove her wrong, just because! But now, older (hittin the big 5-0 this year) and I hope wiser, I believe in myself more and I sure like making a lot more money! Simply put for any guy/gal reading this and thinking about detailing - size up the customer first, LISTEN to what they want, is it a grocery getter, family mini van, mid-life Corvette, listen to what they want, I'll bet you that their standards are not even close to yours when it comes to looks. Step back and take that second look, then go to work with the idea of what they're looking for and add just a little bit more. Oh - and charge by the hour - NEVER quote a flat price unless you've done the car before,,,,and recently!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top