Trial Photo Upload

[Big Kev]

Sorry Peeps....just a wee trial at sending in a photo, as system seems to have started working again re uploading.

Better ones to follow after machine polishing and Jetseal 109 coating (brill stuff...)

Big Kev

Yipee.....it worked...!!!

[Guest]

It looks like you have washed the Rav so much that the drive has even been cleaned underneath it

Gus

[El Bee]

Sorry Peeps....just a wee trial at sending in a photo, as system seems to have started working again re uploading.

Better ones to follow after machine polishing and Jetseal 109 coating (brill stuff...)

Big Kev

Yipee.....it worked...!!!

And some thieving git has nicked the spare wheel off your back door Kev!

On a more serious note, how do some folk put actual pictures in their posts? Not just the "click on this wossname to see the picture" I can do that one!

Not been around much lately, too hot to mess with pooters, anyway I'm spending a fair bit of time in statistical analysis of the ratios of covered to topless burds on the beaches this year - I cannot understand why some will lie topless on the beach then put a top on to go for a swim - very odd, any ideas?

Lee

[Davrav]

Sorry Peeps....just a wee trial at sending in a photo, as system seems to have started working again re uploading.

Better ones to follow after machine polishing and Jetseal 109 coating (brill stuff...)

Big Kev

Yipee.....it worked...!!!

Found the 'IDtenT' button at last then Kev............

[anchorman]

Not got photobucket in the north pole then?

[Big Kev]

It looks like you have washed the Rav so much that the drive has even been cleaned underneath it

Gus

That's the secret to a clean monoblock driveway, Gus.....DON'T WASH YER CAR ON IT !!!!

Attached is phoaty after first machine polish a while back, but using that useless system of Botophucket, I could not upload for your perusalisation. Now reloaded the HP Photosmart WHICH MY NEW DIGI CAMERA STOPPED/DELETED....cheeky.

The HP system just allows wan click download....smashful.

Have done parts of car with Charlie Farlie's Jetseal 109 recommendation, so gloss even betterer or these bits.

shiny Kev

[Manxrav]

Kev that is one STUNNING Rav, it is a credit to you!!!!!!!!!

Regards Clare

[CharlieFarlie]

Sorry Peeps....just a wee trial at sending in a photo, as system seems to have started working again re uploading.

Better ones to follow after machine polishing and Jetseal 109 coating (brill stuff...)

Big Kev

Yipee.....it worked...!!!

Looks very Nice Big Fella !! Nice colour...

Wee Charlie.

[Big Kev]

Kev that is one STUNNING Rav, it is a credit to you!!!!!!!!!

Regards Clare

Cheers Clare.....am now a deffo advocate of the Machine Polishing....fed up looking like Popeye around the arms after a few hours of hand polishing. Previously wondered at the sanity of the likes of Bluevortex and Charlie Farlie re the standard of finish they craved.....need to watch though, as very easy to become anal and sing that Chris Rea song.....Street To Hades.

If anybody in the general G33 area wanted to try before they buy a machine, bring along a fiver for the charity box (H4H) and you get 44.5 minutes to polish the panel(s) of your choice. It's not a gadget you will use every week, but comforting to know it's there as one gets aulder. Converted you will be......

Big Kev

[anchorman]

What polish you using Kev?

[Manxrav]

And to add to Anchs post what type of polishing machine did you get? Full run down of detailing gear would be most welcome,for novice girl on the Isle of Man,who reads a lot about detailing but is a little scared to actually get it started!!!!!!!!

Regards Clare

[Big Kev]

Clare and Anchs,

Bought my DAS 6 (Dual Action) polisher from Clean Your Car, so if interested, keep your ear t'ground as they keep putting it on "special" offer now and then....think I paid around £90.00 by memory. Foam pads and stuff start to rack up the spendibles, but outlay of around £150.00 all told sees you well under way.

I started off polishing with Meguiar's Swirl "X", but the combination of polite DA machine and not aggressive enough polish had me graduate to Megs Ultra Cut 105, which seemed to work faster on the swirlies.(Practiced on neighbour's car first...the name's Shug, not mug.)

Originally then put two coats of Collinite 845 Insulator Wax on at the behest of Bluevortex ages ago....great winter lasting stuff, but very liquidic (?) and easy to splash on trim with polisher.

Then along came Charlie with the recco of Jetseal 109....it is so thin to use that I just started to apply by hand, and am a total convert both on bodywork and even more so on alloys....brill stuff. Makes water behave like mercury....total repellent.

I will take under advisement, but the old clay bars may be getting relegated t'bottom drawer....?

Clare dead right to be apprehensive....I wore plastic pants on first use, but was assured by very helpful folk on Clean Your Car and detailing World that you have to be built like Bothy to do damage with a DA machine (as it oscillates, and disnae stay in just the one place to damage paintwork....Granny just threw an egg at me there....)

I am greatly aware that I am still very novicial at this game, and still need hunners of tips....

Big Kev

CLARE: JUST CHECKED....ON AT £80.00 NOW....FILL YER WEE BOOTS...!!!!

[CharlieFarlie]

If it would help I could cobble together a wee write up on the various machines available and which polishes to try ??

I will only recommend polishes of relitivly light cut as heavy cut polishes are for the more experienced .. Also polishes need lubrication with either water or a mix of water and detailing fluid in order to Safely achieve good result safely...

See how I keep saying safely ??? Honest machine polishing is not that bad but You have to be very careful indeed or You might just polish straight through the lacquer ..

Kev. Dont be to hasty ditching those clay bars !! Paint that has been clayed is far far easier to machine polish than paint that hasn't !!

Claying is done to remove bonded contaminants like residue from bird poo. Tree sap. Tar spots, General traffic film and oils which attach themselves to Your cars ect ect This mostly stick mess will clog up the polishing pads and ruin the actual polish itself before the polish has started to break down and work. So claying is a very important part of the job Mate ..

I use a PTG or Paint thickness gauge before I start work on each and every individual panel !! This invaluable tool will not only indicate how many microns of thickness I have before during and after polishing but will detect any smart repairs on any panel.

Aftermarket paint or paint repairs and respray work will always show up much thicker and that paint will be very much softer so will need that area treating with kid gloves IE a far lighter polish and a softer pad or disaster can occur ..

The RO (Random Orbital machines like Kev is talking about are a fantastic starting point as the pad moves in all directions but does not rotate like .... Well a Rotary machine so is very very unlikely to burn through the paint.....

As I said above Im always willing to advise and help as best I can .... :thumbsup:

Wee Charlie

[webleymk3]

It looks like you have washed the Rav so much that the drive has even been cleaned underneath it

Gus

That's the secret to a clean monoblock driveway, Gus.....DON'T WASH YER CAR ON IT !!!!

Attached is phoaty after first machine polish a while back, but using that useless system of Botophucket, I could not upload for your perusalisation. Now reloaded the HP Photosmart WHICH MY NEW DIGI CAMERA STOPPED/DELETED....cheeky.

The HP system just allows wan click download....smashful.

Have done parts of car with Charlie Farlie's Jetseal 109 recommendation, so gloss even betterer or these bits.

shiny Kev

Wow. She's a beaut!

[Manxrav]

Charlie we await your Guru contribution!!! Seriously it really would be a wise move on your part if you would put together a guide and it would really be appreciated. We novices await your advice.

Regards Clare

[Big Kev]

If it would help I could cobble together a wee write up on the various machines available and which polishes to try ??

I will only recommend polishes of relitivly light cut as heavy cut polishes are for the more experienced .. Also polishes need lubrication with either water or a mix of water and detailing fluid in order to Safely achieve good result safely...

See how I keep saying safely ??? Honest machine polishing is not that bad but You have to be very careful indeed or You might just polish straight through the lacquer ..

Kev. Dont be to hasty ditching those clay bars !! Paint that has been clayed is far far easier to machine polish than paint that hasn't !!

Claying is done to remove bonded contaminants like residue from bird poo. Tree sap. Tar spots, General traffic film and oils which attach themselves to Your cars ect ect This mostly stick mess will clog up the polishing pads and ruin the actual polish itself before the polish has started to break down and work. So claying is a very important part of the job Mate ..

I use a PTG or Paint thickness gauge before I start work on each and every individual panel !! This invaluable tool will not only indicate how many microns of thickness I have before during and after polishing but will detect any smart repairs on any panel.

Aftermarket paint or paint repairs and respray work will always show up much thicker and that paint will be very much softer so will need that area treating with kid gloves IE a far lighter polish and a softer pad or disaster can occur ..

The RO (Random Orbital machines like Kev is talking about are a fantastic starting point as the pad moves in all directions but does not rotate like .... Well a Rotary machine so is very very unlikely to burn through the paint.....

As I said above Im always willing to advise and help as best I can .... :thumbsup:

Wee Charlie

Exactly why I said "I would take under advisement" re clay bars, Charlie, and exactly the reply I was sneakily trying to drag out of you or Blue....I totally ruined a foam pad trying to shortcut not using clay bar on friend's Vectra, as the car was actually much more bowfin' than my inexperience had allowed for. The doors virtually needed soft brush and "Tardis" to even start to clean/soften balls of tar adhered thereto.(Brill stuff recommended by Bluevortex back in the days he spoke to us.... )

I have found the two detailing forums very friendly and helpful, but sometimes the abbreviation and mobile phone type speak not easy to read first time, like PTG shorty you used, but also expanded on.

Then you reminded me about "spritzing" the pads with either water or detailing spray....again, in my inexperience, I had read about this, then totally forgot about it, and always wonder why it takes a while for pads to start working.

Whatever you write will be appreciated by a lot more than me and Clare, so type away, mucker, before you go back to That England and get too busy again.

Much as I have been known to abuse our native language on occasion, please remember to keep it simplisticated.

Big Kev

[CharlieFarlie]

Kev. As well as spritzing the pad to allow the break down of the product some polishes especially Farecla need a lot of water sprayed onto the panel as You polish.. If this is missed the polish will clog and You will get lumps of polish sticking and flying everywhere !!

One thing that is common to all polishes is that the product needs to be worked and broken down before they start to work at their best...

Most polishes will become almost transparent and the common mistake is to add more polish to the pad !! All this does is start the whole process again and will waste product,,,

Perhaps it might be better if a wee section was started and a question and answer type thing ? Obviously I can only say or advise on the kit I've had experience with but these are many !!

Techniques and basic polishing skills come very quickly . No one does it the same We all have preferences...

I'm not a Professional. I have worked along a Pro Detailer but could not stand the haphazard way He worked !! .........

I have for the last 25 Years helped prepare cars for Concourse competition and have polished more cars bikes jetskis ect ect than I care to recall BUT I am not a Pro !! So please bear this in mind !!! Any Advice and help I can pass on will be with the greatest of pleasure BUT if thing go wrong and someone makes a mistake then that's just the way it happens some times and must be regarded as part of the learning curve...

Charlie.