RFD Official Detailing Thread - Post all Detailing/Paint Related Questions here!

[comicbookguy]

2 layers w/ curing time of 24 hours. 3 layers gives even better results. I also cheated a bit and added some Wolfgang Fuzion on top of it... But most of the shine comes from SG.

i think i'm going to go for three as well. once you top it off with fuzion (or any other wax), i'm assuming you can't layer SG again right? if i were to layer SG i'd have to start with AIO all over again?

[Xcessiv]

i think i'm going to go for three as well. once you top it off with fuzion (or any other wax), i'm assuming you can't layer SG again right? if i were to layer SG i'd have to start with AIO all over again?

Exactly. If you don't wanna start over again everytime, you can skip the wax and add a layer of SG every 2 months or so. Then, after 10-12 months, you start over again w/ AIO.

[comicbookguy]

Exactly. If you don't wanna start over again everytime, you can skip the wax and add a layer of SG every 2 months or so. Then, after 10-12 months, you start over again w/ AIO.

i was thinking of applying SG every week i wash it for the next month or so. i think after five or six layers of SG i'm going to put on duragloss aquawax or something similar. i want to see some depth in the shine.

also, i have another question: how will i know how often to claybar? if i want to start over with AIO and SG again, do i need to claybar before doing so?

[Xcessiv]

i was thinking of applying SG every week i wash it for the next month or so. i think after five or six layers of SG i'm going to put on duragloss aquawax or something similar. i want to see some depth in the shine.

also, i have another question: how will i know how often to claybar? if i want to start over with AIO and SG again, do i need to claybar before doing so?

I agree about topping SG with something giving more depth. That's why I layered some Fuzion.

Yes you ideally need to claybar once a year or so. To know if you need to, just wash/dry you car and put your hand in a ziploc bag. Go over the surface. If you feel resistance, it's time for a new claybar job.

[comicbookguy]

I agree about topping SG with something giving more depth. That's why I layered some Fuzion.

Yes you ideally need to claybar once a year or so. To know if you need to, just wash/dry you car and put your hand in a ziploc bag. Go over the surface. If you feel resistance, it's time for a new claybar job.

looking at my car's paint at the right angle with the right light i can see very fine swirls and scratches. while browsing through autopia people were recommending to use a fine polish like megs #9 or mothers power polish to get rid of these. i don't know how i didn't catch that before.

anyway, if i apply AIO to get rid of the glaze, can i polish it afterward? from my understanding, AIO fills in the scratches and swirls but has no abrasive properties. or should i strip everything using dawn or something, then polish, then AIO/SG?

[VorteC]

I'm wondering if there are any methods out there to convert a dremel or electric drill into a polishing tool. I have a jobmate rotary tool (dremel) and also a Black & Decker electric drill. Are there any cloth polishing wheel attachments out there for any of these tools? Anyone know of any?

[v_tofu]

I'm wondering if there are any methods out there to convert a dremel or electric drill into a polishing tool. I have a jobmate rotary tool (dremel) and also a Black & Decker electric drill. Are there any cloth polishing wheel attachments out there for any of these tools? Anyone know of any?

I don't think you'll get enough power or speed with a little dremel tool. From my limited knowledge, polishing requires heat generated from the polisher to remove swirlies and scratches.

[VorteC]

I don't think you'll get enough power or speed with a little dremel tool. From my limited knowledge, polishing requires heat generated from the polisher to remove swirlies and scratches.

Dremels have speeds from 10,000 to 35,000 RPM with no load... that's not enough?!

[v_tofu]

Dremels have speeds from 10,000 to 35,000 RPM with no load... that's not enough?!

that might be so, but even with a powerful dremel tool (never mind a jobmate one) I don't think they're meant to handle something as large as a cutting pad with a back. Perhaps you can DIY something that will work, but then you'd be working with something that would be 1 inch in diameter, and take you darn near forever!

But I'm just learning about detailing myself. Perhaps a detailer can give you more advice, or post on autopia.org

[@DealHunter@]

Hi there,

Can anyone tell me if I can layer AutoGlym High Definition Wax?
It seems like this is a Hybrid Wax.

Take from
http://www.highdefinitionwax.com/hig...nition_wax.asp

"AG High Definition Wax contains a carefully balanced complex blend of durable polymers, Carnauba and microcrystalline waxes, combined with selected solid saturated hydrocarbons and oils"

I know you can layer syntethetic Wax (Sealants) with proper curing time but not carnauba wax.

How about this Specific Brand?
Thanks.

[alex_d10]

I'm wondering if there are any methods out there to convert a dremel or electric drill into a polishing tool. I have a jobmate rotary tool (dremel) and also a Black & Decker electric drill. Are there any cloth polishing wheel attachments out there for any of these tools? Anyone know of any?

There's Mother's Powerball kit, but I doubt it makes an effective polishing tool. But there are attachments that make a drill into a good wheel cleaner. There are several different kinds but basically this video shows the gist of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMXiC...ayer_embedded#!

EDIT: 3M also makes a headlight restoration kit with drill attachments, I think this is what you are looking for. I wouldn't use this on paint though. Anyways:
http://autogeek.net/3m-headlight-kit.html

[Xcessiv]

looking at my car's paint at the right angle with the right light i can see very fine swirls and scratches. while browsing through autopia people were recommending to use a fine polish like megs #9 or mothers power polish to get rid of these. i don't know how i didn't catch that before.

anyway, if i apply AIO to get rid of the glaze, can i polish it afterward? from my understanding, AIO fills in the scratches and swirls but has no abrasive properties. or should i strip everything using dawn or something, then polish, then AIO/SG?

The steps should be:
- wash w/ dish soap
- clay bar
- polish
- AIO
- SG
- wax

Don't use AIO to get rid of the glaze, because AIO contains some kind of acrylic wax itself.

that might be so, but even with a powerful dremel tool (never mind a jobmate one) I don't think they're meant to handle something as large as a cutting pad with a back.

+1, plus the fact that a 2 or 3-step process takes 8-10 hours non stop w/ considerable load/pressure. Your dremel or drill isn't built for this. Do yourself a favor and buy a Porter Cable.

[v_tofu]

The steps should be:
- wash w/ dish soap
- clay bar
- polish
- AIO
- SG
- wax

Don't use AIO to get rid of the glaze, because AIO contains some kind of acrylic wax itself.


+1, plus the fact that a 2 or 3-step process takes 8-10 hours non stop w/ considerable load/pressure. Your dremel or drill isn't built for this. Do yourself a favor and buy a Porter Cable.

I thought you'd have to do another wash after clay bar no?

[Xcessiv]

I thought you'd have to do another wash after clay bar no?

Not if the lubricant is wiped off properly.

[big_willy]

Buy the porter cable 7424 - use with lakeridge pads, you'll never look back. Do a google search and you'll find a wealth of information.

I tried polishing/waxing by hand, buying cheap Canadian Tire orbital polishers - in the end I went with the porter cable and I'm very very happy.

I'm wondering if there are any methods out there to convert a dremel or electric drill into a polishing tool. I have a jobmate rotary tool (dremel) and also a Black & Decker electric drill. Are there any cloth polishing wheel attachments out there for any of these tools? Anyone know of any?