Hobby, Full Time or Part Time

Hobby, Part-Time, or Full-Time?

  • Hobby

    Votes: 87 61.7%

  • Part-Time

    Votes: 34 24.1%

  • Full-Time

    Votes: 20 14.2%
  • Total voters
    141
None of the above, detailing is my life. Everything I do, weather it be cleaning a stove, sweeping a floor, I'm always thinking of ways to do it better. Detailing is not a job, it's a state of mind!
 
BobbyG said:
Former Life

I started to do autobody work in the early to mid 70's and dabbled in custom paint work and did some pretty interesting paint jobs on both cars and motorcycles. I sprayed lacquer's, enamels, and urethane's. I also sprayed allot of paint made by Metalflake Paint Company which includes:

  • MetalFlake®
  • Glowble®
  • Eerie-Dess®
  • Spindrift®
  • StarPearl®
  • Flip Flop®
  • MicroGlow®
I really enjoyed some of the custom jobs. Laying down a nice Pearlescent Finish with contrasting webbing picking up various major colors on the car products some dazzling results! The "aroma" of these products made me "feel" pretty good while applying them. Unlike today, there was little protection for the bodyman in those days.

Detailing was sort of a side component of painting but you had to know what to do and when. Wet sanding with the proper grit of paper and what products to use to bring the finish to the desired glow was a real challenge and all had to be performed using a rotary polisher.

If I told you I never screwed up a paint job with a rotary I'd be BSing you. Several times I did learn the hard way and because of this, I took my time and proceed cautiously learning the required skills as I went along.

Detailing has always been a hobby or obsession. Now I take care of my own vehicles, family members, and close friends. During the warmer months I perform about 7 details monthly, winter months it drops to about 3 as I only maintain my own...

Detailing isn't easy by any means so don't let anyone fool you. It's a lot of work but when a jobs finished and done correctly there's simply a great deal of personal satisfaction.
Click to expand...

Bob I can't agree with you more. Knowing how thar paint is applied gives you so much input on how it is removed. Following behind different painters and your self builds the knowledge of where and how you can remove defects. When you get into restorations and repaints this knowledge is key to not having a major problem. I'm glad you posted this. Not everything is as it seems and sometimes there are big risks.

The rewards can be great turning around a vehicle. The risks can be greater.

Great response!
 
It has been between a hobby and a part time business for me. I have always enjoyed keeping my vehicles detailed and people started asking me if I would do it for them. In the last couple of years, most weekends have a least one detail lined up from spring to late fall. It generally takes me 6 - 10 hours to detail a vehicle, depending on how the paint is treated. Since I am working in a carport I don't work during the winter months.

Unfortunately I may have to quit. Went in for a physical this week and had the doc take a look at my right knee. For the last couple of months, by the time I am finished working, my knee is so swollen it is difficult to bend my leg. It appears the knee is wearing out and have scheduled a visit with an orthopedist. Hopefully it is not a big deal but will wait and see...
 
daves120 said:
It has been between a hobby and a part time business for me. I have always enjoyed keeping my vehicles detailed and people started asking me if I would do it for them. In the last couple of years, most weekends have a least one detail lined up from spring to late fall. It generally takes me 6 - 10 hours to detail a vehicle, depending on how the paint is treated. Since I am working in a carport I don't work during the winter months.

Unfortunately I may have to quit. Went in for a physical this week and had the doc take a look at my right knee. For the last couple of months, by the time I am finished working, my knee is so swollen it is difficult to bend my leg. It appears the knee is wearing out and have scheduled a visit with an orthopedist. Hopefully it is not a big deal but will wait and see...
Click to expand...

Sorry to here that Scott. Hopefully it all works out.
 
Part time. I work with Rick about 25-30 hours a week on top of a full time job. 65-70+ hour weeks is the norm. I enjoy working.
 
"What was once a vice is now a habit" (OK, I know it's not the exact Doobie Brother's quote)

What started out as "I need to get the swirls on my vehicle corrected" has greatly evolved!
Is it a hobby...yes, I guess you could call it that. Do I do friends vehicles? Whenever I can.

I do it because (for me) it's fun! When it stops being fun and enjoyable I'll only do my own.
I truly enjoy the look on a persons face when they come to pick up their finished vehicle.
The minimum I have ever gotten (from a person that IMHO has no personality at all) was WOW!
I do it because I like taking pride in my work and the sense of satisfaction of a job well done.

As someone once said "Choose wisely before you decide to go down that dark rabbit hole."
Well I went down that "rabbit hole" and (so far) I've enjoyed the adventures along the way.
 
It's mainly a hobby for me. I work another full time job M-F and part of Saturday, so it doesn't leave much time. It's more of a relaxation for me, set the radio and letting go. I'll do all my folks vehicles and some neighbors vehicles, but nothing much more than that. I'll take on the occasional job that someone was not satisfied with the hack shop up the road.
 
Start off as a hobby but decided to give up 27 years in banking and go full time. Since my decision, I've been detailing everything from Daily Drivers to Exotics to Air Force One and a B29 Bomber. Haven't regreted making the decision and haven't looked back.
 
Part time for me. I like my regular job and have no plans to leave unless I win the lottery, then I'll be a full time detailer. I work on daily drivers mostly because I love making people fall in love with their car all over again.
 
i voted part time, as thats about what i work detailing on my own, then again i just recently started hitting the pavement, and figured out the licensing stuff some office idiot was lying/misinformed me about...dude telling me i needed 7 business licenses for this county for every tiny small town in the county yet there so close together its insane, i knew that was not right.....glad i talked to a business owner who cleans houses(same difference as detailing as far as licensing is concerned) next step is getting my parris island and other base passes so i can get right onto base with no problems.
 
It's only a hobby for me. I have always enjoyed a clean well polished car. I always maintain the 2 family vehicle. In the past 2 years I got a bit more serious and started doing a few others in the summer for my son and some friends. I truly enjoy the reward and the look on their faces when they see the car.
I also consider the time I spend reading the articles on this board as part of the same hobby. The "Detailers Showcase" is my favorite topic. Their is nothing I enjoy more then to witness the quality of work some of you generate and the beautiful cars you all get to work on.
 
Detailing started as a hobby for me in the 70's in the 80's I made it a part time job only on weekends, much like it is today. When I located to Sonoma County about 11 years back. I started to market myself as a local detailer and today I'm get about all the work I want.
 
Detailing has always been a hobby to me. Since I turned 16 and had my first car, I've been obsessed with not only customizing them, but keeping them clean. My dad was "very picky" and it rubbed off I guess.

However it wasn't until 2006 that I bought my first "black" vehicle and it was at that point that my "detailing obsession" would take on a whole new life.

Since that day, and the months to follow as I saw the black finish become swirly, I hated it and started searching how to get rid of them. I've now got two DA polishers and a boatload of Poorboy's and a few Meguiar's products and make it mandatory to keep all 3 of our cars in tip-top shape...even better than I ever did in my younger years.

So yes...definitely a hobby...an EXPENSIVE hobby. But nothing makes me happier than seeing the paint gleem in the sunlight or better yet, when someone compliments me on how 'clean' my cars are.:rockon
 
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