*** Car Wash / Valet / Detailing Thread ***

From what I can see the 1st one looks like it would machine out quite easily, 2nd looks a bit deeper and may need a wet sand.
 
Ok cheers I'll obtain a DA and try and give it ago

Sorry about the pic I have a Google pixel 4xl (yes I'm still rocking it) the camera is still great but imgbb must have compressed it a little
 
Sparky said:
From what I can see the 1st one looks like it would machine out quite easily, 2nd looks a bit deeper and may need a wet sand.
Click to expand...

Sanding doesn’t remove scratches - common misconception (which I also believed until being provided otherwise recently with a demo)

Polishing will remove more clear coat than sanding (assuming you’re 1500 grit).



DJMK4 said:
Hard to see ..if I rub my finger nail across one .I can't really feel it ..

If I rub my fingernail across the other I can feel it sort of




PXL-20250408-165848675.jpg


PXL-20250408-165842111.jpg
Click to expand...

A random orbital (or what is typically called a dual action) with a 15mm throw, heavy cut compound and microfibre pad will have a good go at it.


Polishing a scratch requires

A. Material removal
B. Cleaning the scratch itself


At a microscopic level, a scratch is very jagged inside it, so you want to make it a “clean” scratch to make it less visible.


Load up the pad well, and remember that you only get 15-60 seconds of cut before the compound diminishes down.
 
Last edited:
MrRockliffe said:
Sanding doesn’t remove scratches - common misconception (which I also believed until being provided otherwise recently with a demo)

Polishing will remove more clear coat than sanding (assuming you’re 1500 grit).





A random orbital (or what is typically called a dual action) with a 15mm throw, heavy cut compound and microfibre pad will have a good go at it.


Polishing a scratch requires

A. Material removal
B. Cleaning the scratch itself


At a microscopic level, a scratch is very jagged inside it, so you want to make it a “clean” scratch to make it less visible.


Load up the pad well, and remember that you only get 15-60 seconds of cut before the compound diminishes down.
Click to expand...


What's an ok dual action polisher to get ? IE. Would a small DA polisher from.halfords be ok and if it comes with pads.i can just put dots of merguiers ultimate compound on it
 
DJMK4 said:
What's an ok dual action polisher to get ? IE. Would a small DA polisher from.halfords be ok and if it comes with pads.i can just put dots of merguiers ultimate compound on it
Click to expand...


How much do you want to spend?


Bigger the throw the better the cutting ability as the pad will physically move greater distances.
 
MrRockliffe said:
How much do you want to spend?


Bigger the throw the better the cutting ability as the pad will physically move greater distances.
Click to expand...


I don't know really. I don't want to spend £300 on one for instance.. is there one for £30, £50, 70 that's decent enough ?

Even if it's from marketplace with some new pads ?.
 
DJMK4 said:
I don't know really. I don't want to spend £300 on one for instance.. is there one for £30, £50, 70 that's decent enough ?

Even if it's from marketplace with some new pads ?.
Click to expand...
Sometimes it can be a false economy to buy super cheap stuff. Not sure you'll get much quality with the lower budget, even second hand.

in2detailing do their own range of polishers. I used one 4 years ago, an earlier one I'd guess. The detailer who did my Caravelle was letting me have a shot. Seemed like a quality piece of kit, and he was impressed.


That link is probably a more modern version. And comes with a couple pads. Probably not the best quality (the pads), but they will get you started. At £109 seems like a good value to me.
 
Last edited:
xs2man said:
Sometimes it can be a false economy to buy super cheap stuff. Not sure you'll get much quality with the lower budget, even second hand.

in2detailing do their own range of polishers. I used one 4 years ago, an earlier one I'd guess. The detailer who did my Caravelle was letting me have a shot. Seemed like a quality piece of kit, and he was impressed.


That link is probably a more modern version. And comes with a couple pads. Probably not the best quality (the pads), but they will get you started. At £109 seems like a good value to me.
Click to expand...

Is there any risk of me making a mess if it and making marks on my car worse ? From what iv read aslong as you have product on the pad should be ok and dont go to quick, focus on areas at a time ?
 
DJMK4 said:
I don't know really. I don't want to spend £300 on one for instance.. is there one for £30, £50, 70 that's decent enough ?

Even if it's from marketplace with some new pads ?.
Click to expand...

The in2detailing one will be fine, or something from Das such as the Das6 V2.


Shorter throw but you can still get decent results.


In your boat I’d use a single stage cut and finish with a spyder pad.


This combo is my favourite for beginners:

Das6 V2
Scholl Spyder Pad (Navy) 145mm (you’d need 3 pads to do a 4 series size car)
Scholl S20 Black or Sonax Profiline Perfect Finish


These compounds with the pads give you a really good result with little risk of damage.



Work in small areas (30cm2 roughly)
Don’t worry about the hatching thing you see online - you’ll end up doing the most work at the top left and least bottom right)
3 passes per area in overlapping lines



You’ll be good to go.


Get good clothes for buffing the polish off. Deep pile 70/30 blend. 500 GSM roughly. Don’t cheap out here as you could end up marring the paint after polishing it.



If you need more cut in one area, tilt the polisher and pad 5-10 degrees to reduce the contact surface and/or speed up the orbit.

You have control of:

Orbit speed, pressure, contact angle - all of which have a large impact on the cutting speed.
 
Last edited:
Sorry to ask. I have an old Nilfisk C110.3. I want a snowfoam attachment (rather than the standard thing you can get as part of a kit) but my google skills are not allowing me to see anything that specifically says it would be compatible with this washer. Has anyone any idea please?
 
Clearcut said:
Sorry to ask. I have an old Nilfisk C110.3. I want a snowfoam attachment (rather than the standard thing you can get as part of a kit) but my google skills are not allowing me to see anything that specifically says it would be compatible with this washer. Has anyone any idea please?
Click to expand...


(Or if you are prepared to wait the one from Aliexpress I linked a couple of pages back)

Basically for that generation of Nilkfisk, you want a "Nilfisk Gerni" or "Stihl" connector (where the locating "tabs" are circular rather than straight)
 
recommend me a very good quality microfibre cloth for waterless wash / Quick detailer
low knap and high knap

i like my high knap Korean Eagle Edgeless so i may get some more, but i don't have any "decent" low knap cloths

new car, so i want to protect it as much as i possibly can

thanks
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom