Detailing thread- Q&A Welcome!

[garbo41610]

Some utterly fantastic work here, really well done Hame. I'm interested to see you're using a lambswool mit. I've been using microfibre mits on my GenV since I've owned it (18months or thereabouts) without suffering any swirl marks, fingers crossed. A clay barring every 3 months and a new coat of P21S wax has probably helped that as well as using a foam lance and 2 bucket method every weekend.

I guess what I am trying to ask is; is there a benefit to using a lambswool mits over microfibre mits or it is a personal preference? My thinking (without being backed by actual KNOWLEDGE) was that a lambswool mit would provide dirt and grit more chance of becoming imbedded between the fibres... What say you?

[Kekotic]

As far as I know Hamish has been testing out all the different brands of MF wash mitts. Not sure that he uses lambswool.

[hamish_023]

It's a personal preference really, a good quality plush microfiber mitt is same as lambs wool mitt in my opinion. It's really up to a good technique, cleaning out the mitt properly and replacing when it needs replacing. Some prefer one over the other but I like both.

Aqua touch and FI wash mitts and are great quality, chemical guys wash pad and wash mitts are horrible wouldn't even use them to wash my wheels, carpro merino mitt is fantastic, softest thing I have ever felt and holds so much suds but the long hair is a bit annoying if grease or something gets caught deep in the hair, mint mitt is also great (pictured in most of the photos) but durability is pretty low as it tears in the finger joint, haven't tried a good quality noodle mitt yet. Meguires wash pad is crap, the wash mitt is just ok. Bowdens fluffy wash pad I heard good things and will buy one soon to try

[tangcla]

Has anyone tried Langka paint repair? Looking to use it for stone chips and scratches.

[Kekotic]

Has anyone tried Langka paint repair? Looking to use it for stone chips and scratches.

Hmmmmm you can be the guinea pig! Let us know how it goes.

[garbo41610]

It's a personal preference really, a good quality plush microfiber mitt is same as lambs wool mitt in my opinion. It's really up to a good technique, cleaning out the mitt properly and replacing when it needs replacing. Some prefer one over the other but I like both.

Aqua touch and FI wash mitts and are great quality, chemical guys wash pad and wash mitts are horrible wouldn't even use them to wash my wheels, carpro merino mitt is fantastic, softest thing I have ever felt and holds so much suds but the long hair is a bit annoying if grease or something gets caught deep in the hair, mint mitt is also great (pictured in most of the photos) but durability is pretty low as it tears in the finger joint, haven't tried a good quality noodle mitt yet. Meguires wash pad is crap, the wash mitt is just ok. Bowdens fluffy wash pad I heard good things and will buy one soon to try

Cool thanks for the info. I'm getting more and more into the detailing side of things. My desk at work looks like a warzone as do my project folders, the house the same with my two four-legged morons, so the cars MUST be a sanctuary of cleanliness. Even the Sherpa that I drive to and from work 5 days a week but especially the GT being the mrs car for our mobile pet grooming business.

[Kekotic]

My desk at work looks like a warzone as do my project folders, the house the same with my two four-legged morons, so the cars MUST be a sanctuary of cleanliness.

I would love to organise the garage, but as long as my brother is still living here it can never happen. He has a jetski (used it twice last year), 2 bicycles that he bought for his GF which she hasn't used since Christmas day (she didnt like the first one because of the colour ) surfboard, 2 body boards, 2 massive metal chests he got to use for Plumbing that I don't think he has opened in about 2 years, 2 big shelves with plumbing stuff sitting on there that hasn't been moved in about 5 years. Oh and all the old stock parts (centre pipe & mufflers for example) from his WRX which he sold 3 years ago....

Oh yeah and we have an empty 2 car shed up the top of our driveway which he could use to store all of that crap...but of course he never will.

/rant

[hamish_023]

GT-T Skyline in need of desperate attention, paint readings were thin as usual on a import like this and had a noticeable respray on one side as it measured much thicker then all panels:

Before: No reflection or gloss level at all





During:





Matte vs gloss!





Final shots:







Time taken: 8.5 hours

Next up is a 2007 Black Lexus IS250 paint correction + permanent paint protection
Then preparing a R32 GTR for a show and shine on friday

[Rome_BRZ]

It's a personal preference really, a good quality plush microfiber mitt is same as lambs wool mitt in my opinion. It's really up to a good technique, cleaning out the mitt properly and replacing when it needs replacing. Some prefer one over the other but I like both.

Aqua touch and FI wash mitts and are great quality, chemical guys wash pad and wash mitts are horrible wouldn't even use them to wash my wheels, carpro merino mitt is fantastic, softest thing I have ever felt and holds so much suds but the long hair is a bit annoying if grease or something gets caught deep in the hair, mint mitt is also great (pictured in most of the photos) but durability is pretty low as it tears in the finger joint, haven't tried a good quality noodle mitt yet. Meguires wash pad is crap, the wash mitt is just ok. Bowdens fluffy wash pad I heard good things and will buy one soon to try

I find the FI mitts are pretty good, however not sure they stand the test of time. How often would you replace mitts?

[hamish_023]

They are a good price for the quality, I replace every few months and then gets downgraded to a wheel cleaner and then bin.

[psy]

Hey I've been having a problem with the plastic parts on my driver side door, the very top strip always seems to get these white smudge marks, they go away when I wipe them down with a general purpose cleaner but then come back after a couple of days...any thoughts on how to get rid of these?

I have the same problem! Good to hear I'm not alone.

[hamish_023]

Where are the pictures of these marks?

[hamish_023]

R32 GTR prepared for a show and shine on sunday:

Before:





Wash:



Paint correction:













All badges thoroughly cleaned and polished:



Exhaust polished and rust removed:



Tail lights polished:



Front lip treated with non silicone dressing:



After:

[hamish_023]

This was same owner as the M5 V10, Bought another car and what started out as just a one day detail turned into much more:

Before:





Wash:



Stage 1 decontamination:



Stage 2 decontamination:



Paint condition: (being a solid black, no mettalic it shows up every defect possible and an impossible colour to keep 100% immaculate)



Another detailer had a go and created nothing but buffing trails

[hamish_023]

After a full 12 hour day detail we both agreed that it still needed more work so a total of 21 hours to achieve a finish that we were both stoked with:



















Final shots: