vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

Hey guys, if there's a thread similar to this can someone point me in the direction? I've tried googling "Acurazine beginner detail kit" "acurazine detailing kit" and "acurazine first time detailing equipment" but couldn't really find anything.

Why do I want to learn?

I want to learn how to detail as a side hobby, just to have something to do on the weekends. I am and 2nd owner of a 08 NBP TL that was in a accident on the passenger side of the vehicle. The front and rear passenger side doors have obviously been re painted but has a orange-peel effect and is not "mirror-like, shiny, glossy" finish at all. No matter how much I clean the car, it won't produce a mirror image like my drivers side does.

I've tried using Mothers Clay Bar first ( ) and than Turtle Wax Black Box Car Kit ( ). Took about 4 hours doing it by hand. Results were ok, but I know it would have been 10x better properly detailed with REAL detailing equipment and products!

Also everywhere else on the car has swirls from the 1st owner not taking good care of it (or that body shop that repaired the car didn't take good care of it, hence the orange peel paint). This is why I want to learn how to detail!

Why am I here?

I've seen A LOT of pictures of you guys that detail your own TL and it comes out AMAZING (*cough* SHARKSBREATH *ahem*). I'm sure y'all have been detailing for years and completely 100s, if not 1,000s of different vehicles.

The problem I have is that i'm stepping into a grey area that I know nothing of. I've read a few threads about some detailing equipment and products but I still have a lot more learning to do.

My question for you experienced detailers!

Me and a friend want to start practicing car detailing on our own cars (He has a 2011 Subaru WRX in blue) just as a hobby to do, mainly kill time on weekends. We also attend local car meets and what not so it'll help! We are both willing to pay 50/50 on detailing equipment and cleaning products.

I wanted to know what is a good "beginner detailing 'starter' kit" for people staring out like us? If there is no all-in-1 kit than purchasing different equipment and products separately isn't a problem.

I want to know what kind of buffers, polishers, wax, compound, clay, protectant, sealant, detailing equipment like buckets, pads, wash mits, what kind of cloths to use for drying and what not? (I still need to do some googling on what some of these are used for and what step in the process)

I'm just looking for something adequate enough for us to start out and learn with.. Something affordable for part-time beginner weekend detailers and not top $$$ top of the shelf professional gear that burn a hole in both our wallets lol

I don't know what materials are required to properly detail the car, so if I left something out in the list above please add what you recommend and why

BCH TL 2013

Adamspolishes.com

I just dropped 1K into Adams and will be detailing my black TL tomorrow. Go to their site sit back and enjoy.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

check: autogeek, detailers domain...lots of info there.

porter cable xp7424 is pretty noob friendly that it would be really hard to burn the paint. watch the videos on autogeek. i'm fairly new to the machine detailing (paint correction)...and the few cars i have done...have come out looking...holy WOW!! i was already doing the wash/dry, clay bar, cleaner/polish, and last step all by hand for years. got a PC and was doing full fledged paint corrections along with the rest of the steps with amazing results. by no means am i professional like some of our other members, but i put my TL through a week long spa treatment (total hours spent exterior and interior was probably around 12 hours or so) and my car looks practically brand new!!! do a lot of reading. you'll be confused with the number of products out there and which one is the "best". best is subjective.

i worked on my friend's STI which had really bad swirls everywhere...12 hours later...his 05 looked brand new again. he was amazed (i did the paint correction and he did the wash/clay bar, and hand applied the AIO cleaner, sealant glaze and synthetic wax to top it off. he also did a little bit of his interior as well).

so if i can do it....granted i'm REALLY anal about my car...you should pick up on it no problem.

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

Thanks! Can you elaborate more about "paint correction"? What is that exactly? It sounds like something that my TL could use for sure lol

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

Thanks for the link! WOW $1,000 for detailing equipment is A LOT! Is that how much I should be expecting to pay also? I know a good buffer like a Porter Cable 7424XP is ~$150. I assumed the pads, compound, wax, sealant, etc would all add up to ~$300ish?

Am I way off? Is expecting to pay $300 for a apprentice detailing kit a joke? I really don't know how much $$ I should be expecting to pay

Will1688

That sounds about the right ballpark.. you can get the porter cable for about 120 on amazon


with that you'd with that you'd need hook & loop back plate for it so you can use the pads, i have a 6" backplate mated with 6.5" lakecountry pads.

for drying the car i'd recommend getting a waffle weave, i have a cobra waffle weave, but i've seen people use electric leaf blowers to be extra extra safe so they don't scratch in the drying process.

for all that other stuff (polishes, sealants, etc..) i think it's more about preference and what kind of outcome you get out of them to see if you like em or not..

i recently purchased optimum polish II and wolfgang deep gloss paint sealant 3.0 to try, waiting for spring so i can detail my car..

like you, i'm not pro so i might wanna let others chime in on this stuff.. just trying to help!

Oh, and i forgot to mention detailing DOES get addicting.. so 300 might be okay to start out with, but you'll def spend more down the line trying out different stuff and buying a lot of equipment to make your detail a lot easier..

JJH

iTrader: (1)

I think that for a beginning detailer $1,000 is wayyyyyy too big of a budget to spend. I myself just placed a few different orders 2 days ago and my total was ~$400. Granted DetailersDomain is running their Spring sale which is 15% off and free shipping. I took advantage of that. It saved me close to $50 I believe.


Item ID ITEMS PRICE QTY TOTAL
303AerospaceProtectant 303 Aerospace Protectant
Size: 32oz - $6.96 $19.95 1 $19.95
230200 Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner
Size: 500ml $15.95 1 $15.95
OB2008 Optimum Opti Bond Tire Gel Rubber Tire Dressing
Size: 32oz $15.99 1 $15.99
MicrofiberDetergent MicroRestore Microfiber Detergent
Size: 32oz $12.99 1 $12.99
UberFineClayBarKit "The Uber "FINE"" Blue Clay Bar Kit" $42.31 1 $42.31
10765-Base-2 Griot's Garage 6 inch Random Orbital Polisher Plus Kit
Pad 1: Yellow - Cutting
Pad 2: Yellow - Cutting
Pad 3: Orange - Med Cut
Pad 4: Orange - Med Cut
Pad 5: Orange - Med Cut
Pad 6: Green - Polishing
Pad 7: Green - Polishing
Pad 8: Green - Polishing
Pad 9: Black - Wax/Seal
Pad 10: Black - Wax/Seal $199.95 1 $199.95
IronCut Aquartz Iron Cut
Size: 500ml $16.95 1 $16.95
Order Comments:

Subtotal: $324.09
Discount(s): $48.61
Taxes:
$0.00
Shipping:
$0.00
TOTAL: $275.48


Qty Product Total Cost
1 Stoner Invisible Glass - 19 oz $4.49
1 Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection - 16 oz (w/Foam Applicator) $22.49
1 Meguiar's Ultra-Cut Compound M105 - 32 oz $22.49
1 Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish M205 - 32 oz $22.49
2 Grit Guard Grit Guard Insert - RED $14.98
Subtotal: $86.94
Shipping: $12.90
Tax: $0.00
Total: $99.80

I purchased all of the above plus LA Totally Awesome All Purpose Cleaner, Meguiar's Detailing towels, and a Meguiar's Waffle Weave towel for drying. I purchased those items form Amazon. I also purchased Wolf Chemical's Glass Sealant(similar to RainX). I spent a little over $400. Covered all of my bases as far as I can tell.

Edit: Also bought Zaino's Leather in a Bottle. ~$15

Edit x 2: Visit DetailCity, Autopia, DetailedImage, and Meguiar's Online for all of the Detailing help that you could ever need.

Key Points to always remember about your Acura:

1. Acura's have traditionally soft paint. Clearcoat is relatively easy to correct from what I have read but also very easy to mess up because of the softness.

2. Microfiber. Microfiber everything.

alpha07

Autopia is a great source for detailing information. I would start with reading this thread.

Honestly, if you want the orange peel gone, take it to a professional. Orange peel is typically taken care of by wetsanding, and is definitely not something I would recommend someone without wetsanding experience to tackle. And fyi, factory paint has orange peel. Different manufacturers have varying levels of orange peel depending on their paint process.

There are a few kits available from vendors such as Autogeek, Detailers Domain, and Detailed Image. There are a lot of options, and it can get overwhelming, but check it out and see if there is something you like.

There are a number of buffers available, from a dual-action orbital to a rotary. Each tool has its pros and cons. For a beginner, I would recommend you look into a dual-action orbital.

Different polishes and pads will behave differently, but there are some common combinations; from the Menzerna line to the Meguiar's M105 and M205 products, as an example.

As for sealant and wax, this is very subjective. It really depends on what you are looking for. Durability, longevity, ease of application, gloss, shine, do you park near an airport, do you park under a tree, etc...? Wash mitts are a preference thing, and range from MF mitts, sheepskin mitts, grout sponges, MF covered foam pads, etc.

There really isn't a definitive answer for this. The product selection will be dependent on preference and project goals, and different goals may require using different products.

That being said, its a fun hobby, it's very rewarding when you get awesome results, but it can get quite addicting and fairly expensive. Do keep in mind, it'll take some time to learn. Take your time, do your research, but do know that the best way to learn is to go out there and get hands on. Definitely take your time though, you won't learn if you rush it. While you do this, you'll also develop your own technique. There are various techniques out there, but you'll have to figure out what works for you.

Good luck and happy detailing!

TheChamp531

iTrader: (3)

^that looks good.

PC7424XP combo kit with 5 pads will go for about $210 at Detailers Domain. Add Microfiber towels and some other things and it will add about $350 to finish most jobs.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

exactly like it says....takes the swirls and fine scratches from your finish...deep scratches you can make less noticeable, light scuffs will come out....

essentially with paint correction you are "cutting" the surrounding clear coat to make the edges "softer" or leveled down to the point where they are even with the level of a scratch for instances. so when you look at the area the edges of the swirls or scratches won't reflect in the sun since it will be a little more level with the surrounding "scratch surface". i hope this makes sense.

you mentioned swirls on your paint...an orange lake country pad with either the meg's 105/205 combo (f/b a white pad with the 205), or even trying the OTC meg's ultimate compound on an orange pad might be more user friendly for being a noob. i've used the meg's UC...it works really well without a 2nd fine polish step.

Jesstzn

In most cases your better off to buy the PC and supplies in "non" kit form .. then you get to select exactly what you need.

How about this ;

PC here --> http://www.coastaltool.com/a/port/7424xp_5polisher.htm free shipping and you get the backing plate for 5.5" pads

1) 1 yellow pad

2) 2 orange pads

3) 3 white pads

4) Optimum Polish 32 oz

5) Optimum Compound II 8oz

6) Optimum Hyper Compound 8oz

7) Duragloss 105 TPP 16oz

8) 4" foam applicator.

Yellow M/F towels from Costco


Basics ... all you need to start .. all the rest can be added as needed .. you might even have some already.

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

Thanks alot, your post is very helpful. I was wondering where do you recommend on purchasing the pads?

Also, are the pads colored because they are supposed to be used for a specific step, and cannot be used for anything else?

I see you said 1 yellow, 2 orange, and 3 white pads. I've read people mentioning other colors also like black pads. Other than being colored so you won't get the pads mixed up, is there another specific reason for the color? is it made out of special coarse or fine material?

Jesstzn

See JJHs post above .. the pads are based on the cut ( abrasiveness ) of the pad.

As for purchasing the pads .. get 5.5" and do a search to see who sells the Optimum polishs & the pads to save freight .. The reasom I suggested Optimum because its noob friendly , has a long working time and no dusting.


As for which pads to use for what .. this chart link may help.

http://www.autogeek.net/lake-country-foam-pads.html

Its the combo of the pads & polishes that dictate the work it will do , in other words the most aggressive polish/compound on the pad with the most cut will take out a scratch/marr faster but also remove more clear faster and leave a haze that needs to be polished out later.

On the other side the least aggressive polish on say a white pad will take longer to remove the issue but will leave a finish that is sealant ready.

I don't use anything less than a white pad.. the black etc is used to apply a wax/sealant and I prefer to do that by hand. Even if you do use a pad to apply it there is a lot pf places it won't reach and you have to do it by hand anyway.

JJH

iTrader: (1)

Try not to think so narrow mindedly when deciding what to buy. I spend the better part of 2 weeks doing so and wish I wouldn't have. Remember that there are more variables that just pad type and polish type to take into account when pondering what the final outcome will be. Different variables to take into account include:

-Type of buffer (Dual action, orbital, rotary, etc)

-Speed of buffer

-Pressure applied when using buffer

-Paint softness

-Type of polish

-Type of pad

-Method and technique

-Experience

-Preexisting paint condition and how much clear coat remains from previous detailings

Don't buy your products/pads so meticulously. Grab a good range of stuff and go from there. You will achieve the same outcome if you do your homework and keep the numerous variables in check. Polish/pad choice is not that important as long as you grab something that is well known. Factors to consider include working time and amount of dusting. Other than that, I would venture to say that they are all capable of producing the same results. I believe that it all comes down to personal preference.

/end I don't have experience so why give advice.

vietxquangstah

iTrader: (7)

What's your opinion about this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Optimum-Port...ht_2731wt_1035 ?

Jesstzn

Pads are too big

JJH

iTrader: (1)

For the PC. Might be okay if you had the Griots because of the more powerful motor. Check out DetailersDomain for some great deals on combo kits. I picked up the Griots 6 inch random orbital buffer, 10 pads, and backing plate for $180 something. The pads alone will cost you $10/piece if bought separately (roughly).

DetailedImage has a sale today for Mequiar's and Blackfire products. Great opportunity to grab some discounted M105, M205, and Blackfire Wet Diamond.

alpha07

I would also recommend you get more than 1 pad of each color, at least the pads you plan to use for correction; i.e. using your eBay link as an example (lists LC pads), more than one orange pad, more than one white pad, etc..

vp55

iTrader: (6)

How much clearcoat would you be removing with polishing once, or even twice a year?

rhafikjaan

^ good question

mY sLOW UA6

Check out this link http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-P...-pearl-part-1/
though I wouldnt recommend a makita rotory to a beginner this is how its done.

alpha07

There really is no way to answer this question. It really depends on the condition of the paint and how much clear has to be cut in order to provide correction. This could also be different per panel; i.e. you may need to cut more on the driver's side fender than you would on the passenger door. There isn't a linear relationship with polishing and how much clear you have to remove in order to get the results you desire; for example, you cannot simply state that one-step polish = 0.05 μ, two-step = 0.1 μ, etc. It doesn't work that way.

v|nsan|ty

There is a ton of great advice here to get you started. Make sure to give the article that mY sLOW UA6 linked by Todd Cooperider. It's a lengthy one but goes into amazing depth.

optical24

I like adam's products, but a bit expensive. However, their products are amazing

Jesstzn

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jesstzn
Pads are too big

Now in your other post your asking how to get into smaller areas .. the 5.5" pads will get into a lot of areas the 6.5" won't . Thus .. why I mentioned it ..

https://acurazine.com/forums/wash-wax-23/few-detailing-questions-852146/