The Official "Ask a Detailer Thread"!

[RaskyR1]

Originally Posted by skinsfn36

Does the color make a difference in the cutting power?

Like what is the equivalent to the SB. Polishing pad and finishing pad?

CarDriver is correct. Megs W8207 is close to the white LC.

Here are some charts for you too.
Proper Auto Care: Understanding Lake Country Polishing Pads - Truth In Detailing Auto Detailing Forum

Lake Country vs. Meguiar's Polishing Pad Chart - Truth In Detailing Auto Detailing Forum

[skinsfn36]

So some whites, blacks, and reds would be the most useful, maybe one or two yellows?

[RaskyR1]

Originally Posted by skinsfn36

So some whites, blacks, and reds would be the most useful, maybe one or two yellows?

Orange, White, Black, and Red or Blue is what I have. I don't suggest using the LC Yellow Heavy Cutting pads.

[JLui83]

RaskyR1

I'm going to be picking up the UD XP... What size/type pads should I get and from where?

This is my first buffer....

[ajaygee]

How crucial is a glaze?

On a fairly new 08 Civic Si Coupe (Galaxy Grey Metallic) in need of minimal paint correction which I'm thinking LC White/M205 should resolve, is it okay to just wash, clay, polish (m205 on white LC pad, m105 on orange for a few RIDS), and seal? Or should I really consider glaze before the LSP? If so, what glaze are the detailers here a fan of?

Lastly, okay to use a Black LC pad to apply the glaze/sealant?

[Rev. Nathan]

To clarify about cleaning my wheels, this is the gunk I was referring to that keeps showing up on my wheels:



It's an explosion of something that seems to expand outward that shows up a couple of days after cleaning my car. Anyone else experience this? BTW This was taken just now, I cleaned my car last Friday

[asndragonboii]

Are you leaking brake fluid?

nvm it probably would have stripped the paint by now..... and the caliper doesnt spin =\

[Rev. Nathan]

Originally Posted by asndragonboii

Are you leaking brake fluid?

nvm it probably would have stripped the paint by now..... and the caliper doesnt spin =\

Boy I hope not! Car is <3 mnts old with <4K mi

[hunginator]

Do you use tire grease/shine? If you do, make sure you wipe off the excess or else that could happen as well - I think.

[RaskyR1]

Originally Posted by JLui83

RaskyR1

I'm going to be picking up the UD XP... What size/type pads should I get and from where?

This is my first buffer....

Depending on your budget I would get some 4" pads and some 6.5" pads. I order all my pads from Angelo at properautocare.com and I use the LC classic flat pads for the most part, though I have many others.

Angelo will give anyone I refer a 10% discount but you have to call and order over the phone with him, not online.

6.5" LC classic pads (orange, white, black, red are what I use)

LC Classic 6.5"

4" LC pads

You will need a smaller backing plate for the 4" pads and I would replace the one that comes on the DA with a different plate too. I suggest these two.


3.5" (for 4" spot buff pads)
3-1/2 inch Flexible Backing Plate for DA polishers

6" (for 6.5" pads or larger)
6" Flexible Backing Plate for Porter Cable Orbital Polishers



You can also order from Autogeek.net which always has sales going on, or any other online vender for that matter, but PAC has become my goto site for most things.

BTW, you can get a good deal on the UDXP here...
Ultimate Detailing Machine XP by Porter Cable for under $100 - Autopia.org

Rasky

[RaskyR1]

Originally Posted by ajaygee

How crucial is a glaze?

On a fairly new 08 Civic Si Coupe (Galaxy Grey Metallic) in need of minimal paint correction which I'm thinking LC White/M205 should resolve, is it okay to just wash, clay, polish (m205 on white LC pad, m105 on orange for a few RIDS), and seal? Or should I really consider glaze before the LSP? If so, what glaze are the detailers here a fan of?

Lastly, okay to use a Black LC pad to apply the glaze/sealant?

Glaze is ALWAYS considered an optional step. It will vary from car to car as all paints are different, but on most newer clear coat cars, if the paint has been well prepped the difference a glaze makes will be minimal.

Lets put it this way. When I do a full correction on a car I don't use a glaze. If I'm taking a car to a show that hasn't been buffed in a while I will probably add on a coat of glaze first.

Black pad should be fine but a blue or red is better.

Hope this helps,
Rasky

[RaskyR1]

Originally Posted by hunginator

Do you use tire grease/shine? If you do, make sure you wipe off the excess or else that could happen as well - I think.

+1

Looks like tire sling from a solvent heavy tire dressing. Switching tire dressing to something water based will help. Wiping the excess off about an hour after you applied the dressing will help too.

[slicknick]

What polish/sealer do you recommend for winter? I am not into the "pro" products but I'd like something better than the mothers I have been using. Only seems to last a few weeks.

[CarDriver]

Originally Posted by slicknick

What sealant do you recommend for winter? I am not into the "pro" products but I'd like something better than the mothers I have been using. Only seems to last a few weeks.

Fixed . As far as terminology goes...a polish corrects, and a sealant protects .

[CivicEX]

What is the difference between a "Sealer" and a "Glaze"? Mother's combines the 2 in one bottle.

I recently used Mothers California Gold Carnauba wax and then their Top Coat on "top" of that. I washed the car again after my final application to remove any exfess haze that I left behind since their is always a light coat but even after the 2nd wash I STILL had haze. I am just applying the coats to thick? I assumed the 2nd would get off the axcess and just leave behind the necessary.

[CarDriver]

Well, there's a variety of reasons you have residual wax haze.

Most common, is you're not giving sufficient time for each coat of wax to cure.
When I wax, I try to give 30 minutes for each coat to haze over. And if I'm applying it as thin as I should, 30 minutes fine and removing it isn't difficult.

Hmm...you could be applying the wax too thick in general as well.
What are you using to remove the dried wax? A twice-folded MF and slow, overlapping long zigzags works for me...combined with shaking the MF often and switching to a new side, too.

Another one...maybe the TopCoat, despite its claims that it layers wonderfully on top of everything (I used MRTC once, and didn't like it), maybe it just doesn't go well on top of your Carnauba Gold.

Overall, apply the wax super thin, and allow plenty of time to cure before buffing off.

As for your question about the difference between a sealer and a glaze...a sealer is basically a synthetic wax, non-carnauba-based. In my case, I apply just 2 coats of a sealant (NXT 2.0). And for those who like to use a sealant and a wax, well as a rule of thumb, you always apply the sealant first. Then the 'nuba on top.

As for a "glaze"...I don't know what that is, really. Meguiar's common glaze is just an optional nutrient-enriched oil formula that some people choose to apply before waxing.

[black_ex]

Ill let rasky chime in on the hazing as im not sure what could cause that.

Glaze is not a protectant though. Basically like Cardriver already stated it is rich oils to add depth to paint before a wax as if you use this like a wax it will soon be gone. Now on modern day clear coats it sometimes will have a benefit but on our civics I havent really noticed any or enough to justify going over the whole car. Where a glaze really pays off imo is on a single stage paint.

[CarDriver]

Originally Posted by black_ex

Ill let rasky chime in on the hazing as im not sure what could cause that.

Glaze is not a protectant though. Basically like Cardriver already stated it is rich oils to add depth to paint before a wax as if you use this like a wax it will soon be gone. Now on modern day clear coats it sometimes will have a benefit but on our civics I havent really noticed any or enough to justify going over the whole car. Where a glaze really pays off imo is on a single stage paint.

Yeah, I remember using #7 Show Car Glaze on my '09 and thinking to myself...what a waste of $10! But I bet there is some value in it when used on older or neglected paint. I know of a beat-up work truck could really use it, but at the moment I don't have enough incentive to put forth the time and effort glazing it .

[black_ex]

Yep! Same thing with me! Saw pretty much nothing but me wanting to see a difference on my car but messed with it on a guys old SS paint and it seemed to do much more, but I need to find black ss paint to really test it out.

[Xysatnaf]

what product do you recommend to use to get rid of waterspots and scratches on polished wheels?