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WemaBoss

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I have finally decided that I am going to delve into the world of detailing. As my previous post related to the swirl damage caused to my truck by bringing it through the car wash, I haven't been able to find anyone, reputable to remove them. I want to purchase whatever I need to complete this task. I just don't have a clue what I need from the myriad of products available. I know I'll be getting a PCXP, but from there it gets fuzzy as to which products and pads are needed.



If anyone can provide me with a list of necessities and a link to a site where they can be purchased I would really appreciate it.



:thx
 
Well first of all you'll need proper washing equipment. No point in removing all of the swirls/imperfections if you aren't going to wash properly and just end up swirling it up again, ya know? So that would most likely include 2 5-gallon buckets, 2 grit guards, a good shampoo, a sheepskin wash mitt (my preference), and a good waffle weave drying towel or two. As far as polishing goes, it's hard to say without pics of the paint to see what condition it's in, but I can give you a rough estimate based on my experience. I'd say stick with 5.5 inch pads, because it's extremely hard to correct with 6.5" with a PC IME.



-Clay bar

- 5" hook and loop (velcro) backing plate

- ~6 orange LC pads, minimum (they cake up and you need to change them out, or wash them)

- ~6 white pads

- ~1-2 blue pads (if you want to apply wax or other LSP with your PC)

- A medium cutting polish (SSR 2/2.5, Menzerna IP are good ones, but there are plenty others)

- A finishing polish (SSR 1, Menz FPII, ...)

- A sealant or wax (Collinite 845, BFWD, Menz PowerLock, ...)



And then you'll need some good microfiber towels for wiping off the polishes after you've worked them in. As far as a site, I'd recommend Detailed Image. Great customer service and ships fast. But there are plenty other reputable sites people will chime in on. Only thing is DI doesn't supply 5.5 inch pads :(
 
Thanks Scott! I should have included additional info, but I do subscribe to the dual wash bucket and 2 sheepskin wash mitts, (1 for upper, 1 for lower). I would have included pics but I need minimum 10 posts prior to submitting pics. As soon as I've got 10 I'll post some pics and perhaps that will allow for more feedback as to the condition of the paint.



I was going to purchase the 6.5" pads but now that you've mentioned the difficulty associated with them, I'll stick to the 5.5.



I suppose I'll also need to setup a photobucket account or something to link to the pics.
 
WemaBoss said:
Thanks Scott! I should have included additional info, but I do subscribe to the dual wash bucket and 2 sheepskin wash mitts, (1 for upper, 1 for lower). I would have included pics but I need minimum 10 posts prior to submitting pics. As soon as I've got 10 I'll post some pics and perhaps that will allow for more feedback as to the condition of the paint.



I was going to purchase the 6.5" pads but now that you've mentioned the difficulty associated with them, I'll stick to the 5.5.



I suppose I'll also need to setup a photobucket account or something to link to the pics.
Click to expand...



Yea, I started out with 6.5" inch pads just because that was what came in some big "starter kit" thing I bought from Detailed Image. But it took me FOREVER to detail my truck (although, it is a truck after all, much more paint to deal with than a car, but still...). Got on here, Accumulator mentioned he only uses 4" pads for correcting via PC, and basically said anything 6.5"+ is useless for correcting, so I got some 5.5" inch orange. Sooooo much faster. Plus they are just easier to work with. You can add a LOT more pressure without them bogging down or anything at all. I have some 6.5" blue though for applying glazes/waxes. A heck of a lot faster than by hand.
 
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