xfactor Detailed: '04 OB G35C [70ish pictures]

[BrendanS]

I got the chance to do my full polishing package for the first time. It took quite a while longer than I expected and the results weren't the best. I would say I corrected about 80-85% of the defects. Regardless the car came out a lot better than when it came in. This detail was about 12-14 hours. I really wish that I documented this detail a lot better, but I couldn't get any after LSP day shots. I finished at 12am so we just went for an industrial "photoshoot". The picture didn't come out well either. Hopefully the next detail I do my pictures are a lot better and it's documented better. Here is what I used

Wash:
- 2 Bucket Method w/ Grit Guards
- Proline Grout Sponge
- Majestic Solutions Super Green Stuff
- Majestic Solutions Ultra Gloss
- Sunlight Dishwashing Detergent

Clay:
- Riccardo Yellow Clay
- Optimum No Rinse Clay Lube Dilution

Wheels/Tires:
- Majestic Solutions Super Green Stuff
- Raceglaze XL Wheel Brush (LIFE SAVER ON THESE RIMS)
- Meguiars Tire Brush
- Old Sponge cut in half
- Michaels Paint Brush
- Gloss-It Signature Tire Gloss

Interior:
- Majestic Solutions Leather & Plastic Cleaner
- Lexol Leather Conditioner
- Finish Kare 108 Dressing
- Finish Kare 316 Fabric Sealant
- Chemical Guys Window Cleaner
- RagShack Window WW
- Wal-Mart MFs
- Autowerkes Exclusive MF Applicator Pads

Engine Bay:
- Majestic Solutions Super Green Stuff
- Finish Kare 108 Dressing
- Autowerkes Exclusive MF Applicator Pads

Metal Polish:
- P21S Polishing Soap

Paint Correction:
- Porter Cable 7424
- LC CCS 4" Orange Pads
- LC CCS 5.25" Orange Pads
- LC CCS 4" Green Pads
- LC CCS 5.25" Green Pads
- Menzerna Power Gloss
- Menzerna Power Finish

Last Step Protection:
- Bilt Hamber Autobalm
- Black Fire Foam Applicator
- Rag Shack Super Fly Towel







My mix of Majestic Solutions Super Green Stuff, Majestic Solutions Ultra Gloss, Sunlight Dishwashing Detergent


Doing the Wheels


Wash Stage


Clay

[IMG]http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m33/brendansiu/Detailing/012-4.jpg[/IMG

[BrendanS]

Defects








Taped Up

I taped the taillights after these pics

[BrendanS]

Menzerna Power Finish on Orange LC CCS Pad + PC7424

Not bad, but I needed more cut so I went to Power Gloss on an Orange Pad

Me polishing around the curves

50/50

Moving on to the back

Reflection before:

Reflection After:

[BrendanS]

Just some outside shots





LSP of choice


Night Shots (my G wasn't cleaned)

[BrendanS]

Favourite Shot

[BrendanS]

As usual, I'd love to hear what you think, any feedback is greatly appreciated! Overall this detail was great, but very long and exhausting. It made my decision to get a Flex 3403 and probably find a used PC7424 down the road. I would like to thank Ken @ Autowerkes Exclusive for helping me get set up and lending me his own PC7424 to try out. Anyways enough chit-chat, let me know what you think.
Brendan

[Roach]

Very good job! Black can be such an unforgiving colour to work on.

How long did the compounding and polishing steps take you?

Kev

[!Yaminashi]

Nice work, took about the same time it took for me to do my car.. I'll never forget the shine once I was done though
You've got alot of time on your hands dude lol
Didnt you just detail another car like a week ago?

[smoothie.]

if youre looking for good night time pics, take it to oakridge, the lights at the top would make that car shine!


when will you be sick of the pc polishing time?!

[!SG]

did i read right? sunlight dishwash detergent?! are u insane?!

[!Yaminashi]

Originally Posted by !SG

did i read right? sunlight dishwash detergent?! are u insane?!

I believe it removes all waxes/protectants used previously

[BrendanS]

Originally Posted by Draft

I believe it removes all waxes/protectants used previously

yes it does

Originally Posted by !SG

did i read right? sunlight dishwash detergent?! are u insane?!

No i'm not, welcome to what 95% of what detailers use to strip off LSP...

Originally Posted by smoothie.

if youre looking for good night time pics, take it to oakridge, the lights at the top would make that car shine!


when will you be sick of the pc polishing time?!

Thanks, I didn't want to go to far. It was 1AM about. I was up since 7:00am finishing it up, then I had to work 5-10, and finished everything at about 12:45. So i didn't want to go to far, thanks though. The PC is borrowed from Ken, just to try it out make sure that I get something I like. I was focussed on getting the Flex 3403, he recommended trying the PC. I'm going with the Flex, hopefully it gets in tomorrrow.

Originally Posted by Draft

Nice work, took about the same time it took for me to do my car.. I'll never forget the shine once I was done though
You've got alot of time on your hands dude lol
Didnt you just detail another car like a week ago?

It's summer, I don't have a lot of time, my life is pretty much detailing and work...A tiny bit of time for myself.

Originally Posted by Roach

Very good job! Black can be such an unforgiving colour to work on.

How long did the compounding and polishing steps take you?

Kev

I would say 16-18 hours on the car total including polishing. I would say polishing was about 8-10hours.

[Truenosan]

Looking good. You can cut down time on polishing if you switch over to a rotary buffer

[!Yaminashi]

Originally Posted by Truenosan

Looking good. You can cut down time on polishing if you switch over to a rotary buffer

However there's more room for error

[BrendanS]

Originally Posted by xfactor78

The PC is borrowed from Ken, just to try it out make sure that I get something I like. I was focussed on getting the Flex 3403, he recommended trying the PC. I'm going with the Flex, hopefully it gets in tomorrrow.

Originally Posted by Truenosan

Looking good. You can cut down time on polishing if you switch over to a rotary buffer

thanks, ^^^

Originally Posted by Draft

However there's more room for error

Rotaries aren't hard to use, as long as you aren't dumb with it you won't burn the clear.

[!Yaminashi]

Originally Posted by xfactor78

thanks, ^^^

Rotaries aren't hard to use, as long as you aren't dumb with it you won't burn the clear.

Yes, but the fact remains there is STILL more room for error than a PC
Ken even told me himself last time I was there, he prefers using his PC

[BrendanS]

Originally Posted by Draft

Yes, but the fact remains there is STILL more room for error than a PC
Ken even told me himself last time I was there, he prefers using his PC

I'm not going to argue that a rotary is better than a PC or PC is better. Fact is rotary corrects quicker, yes you have the chance of burning clear coat. But rotaries are so much smoother and correct so much quicker. I've tried out the makita, flex 3403, flex rotary (the big guy), and the PC. The PC isn't for me, to slow for correction, doesn't give the results I would like to achieve. If you think the PCs for you, thats awesome. It's not for everybody

[Roach]

Originally Posted by xfactor78

I'm not going to argue that a rotary is better than a PC or PC is better. Fact is rotary corrects quicker, yes you have the chance of burning clear coat. But rotaries are so much smoother and correct so much quicker. I've tried out the makita, flex 3403, flex rotary (the big guy), and the PC. The PC isn't for me, to slow for correction, doesn't give the results I would like to achieve. If you think the PCs for you, thats awesome. It's not for everybody

I have both a PC and a Makita rotary.

The Makita is a difficult tool to master. There is more opportunity to make an error, a costly error. The Makita is heavier, and requires more speed adjustments then the PC. Buffer hop and skipping can become an issue if the pad is improperly placed on the surface of a vehicle. For a long time, the rotary has been able to correct faster then a PC and offer a greater degree of correction as well. However, time to correct for a rotary does not take into account time required to tape surfaces, something that is not necessarily required if you operate the PC with precision. Also, if operated incorrectly, the rotary can create sometimes difficult to remove holograms from the surface of a vehicle.

The PC is a great place to start. Forgiving and little room for error. It will give the user more opportunity to learn and base from. It takes longer, yes, but one can achieve a similar level of correction to the rotary by increasing the number of passes to correct. Furthermore, the PC has arguably come quite close to the rotary in terms of speed of correction and ability to cut with the use of products like M105 and the Kevin Brown Method.

Using the PC once or twice is not enough of a basis to write it off imo. I too bought a PC, got frustrated with the level of correction I was getting and then jumped head first into a rotary. Having used the rotary a few times, I've gone back to the PC and decided to master it before I move forward with the Makita. I don't trust myself with a heavier and more powerful machine yet.

My $0.02. YMMV.

Kev

[BrendanS]

Originally Posted by Roach

I have both a PC and a Makita rotary.

The Makita is a difficult tool to master. There is more opportunity to make an error, a costly error. The Makita is heavier, and requires more speed adjustments then the PC. Buffer hop and skipping can become an issue if the pad is improperly placed on the surface of a vehicle. For a long time, the rotary has been able to correct faster then a PC and offer a greater degree of correction as well. However, time to correct for a rotary does not take into account time required to tape surfaces, something that is not necessarily required if you operate the PC with precision. Also, if operated incorrectly, the rotary can create sometimes difficult to remove holograms from the surface of a vehicle.

The PC is a great place to start. Forgiving and little room for error. It will give the user more opportunity to learn and base from. It takes longer, yes, but one can achieve a similar level of correction to the rotary by increasing the number of passes to correct. Furthermore, the PC has arguably come quite close to the rotary in terms of speed of correction and ability to cut with the use of products like M105 and the Kevin Brown Method.

Using the PC once or twice is not enough of a basis to write it off imo. I too bought a PC, got frustrated with the level of correction I was getting and then jumped head first into a rotary. Having used the rotary a few times, I've gone back to the PC and decided to master it before I move forward with the Makita. I don't trust myself with a heavier and more powerful machine yet.

My $0.02. YMMV.

Kev

Dont get me wrong both are great machines, I already know how to use both. I know how to use a rotary already so I just wanted to see the difference between the PC and whatever rotary I choose. I never mentioned I was getting a makita either, I'm going with a Flex 3403. Better balanced machine.

[ilvtofu]

Did u charge for this work?

[BrendanS]

Originally Posted by ilvtofu

Did u charge for this work?

Yes I did, I never detail for free