Is there any detailing school?

K

KaiYenS

New member
For the pros, how did you become a pro?



Did you go to any detailing school (if there is, could you recommend one in Seattle?) or were you an 'intern' at a shop? I want to get my foot in the door but don't know how...



Any tips are greatly appreciated...thank you!
 
For me, an 11 years combined of detailing as a hobby, part time, and full time as a profession. In addition, I was always researching and trying new products to improve my process. Those things plus, my college education all make me the professional I am today. Good luck with your pursuits.
 
I wouldnt recommend going to school for detailing.

Get a job in the paint area of an auto body shop. You will learn more about paint than you will ever need to know. While there you will also be learning a more financially valuable skill as a painter if you so choose. Once you pick up wet sanding and using a polisher, you can decide if you want to go detail or learn how to paint cars.



You will not learn the finesse of detailing in a body shop, but you will learn different but required skills that will make the detailing easier and make you more valuable.



Prep

Taping

Wet sanding

Spotting repaired damage

Touching up

Edging panels

Spotting a bad color match



Start in an auto body shop. you can wash the cars their after you wet sand them if you like.
 
On a similar note, I often wonder how detailers learned the trade before the internet. I guess just through trade magazines.
 
Mostly through “tribal� knowledge, handed from boss to employee, old hand to newbie, coworker to coworker, with a dash of input from suppliers. That, and trial and error.



That’s why there’re huge variations in the quality of work and information (and misinformation) floating around out there.





PC.
 
the other pc said:
Mostly through “tribal� knowledge, handed from boss to employee, old hand to newbie, coworker to coworker, with a dash of input from suppliers. That, and trial and error.



That’s why there’re huge variations in the quality of work and information (and misinformation) floating around out there.





PC.
Click to expand...



I guess so.
 
Thank you all for the input!!! I really appreciate it. You folks have such awesome ideas.



PC, since there's so many huge variations out there..is there a 'Standard' or the 'Correct' way to detail? Would it be the site that Jtford provided in his post?



Thanks.
 
Jsatek, your post makes good sense

Personally, just trial and error back in the 90's as it was a hobby then spending some time with an old pro who taught me some things still valid today and most of all, six years with you wonderful Autopian members who provided videos, pics and shared your knowledge



I've sucked it all in and run with it and now am moving to totally revolutionising the way pro detailing is done through completely new and superior techniques and processes such as the Trim Dream burnishing system.



Although recently being ridiculed by some for using strange techniques and products like Glare Zero and their whole range (using fillers that are permanently locked in), I am doing this and going in this direction as we can't always rely on abrasives as the paints are getting thinner, clearcoat becoming sticky when heated by friction and the ability to polish infinite amount of times without risking clearcoat



I still love the abrasive systems like Menzerna and do mix and match these

Don't ridicule me for trying to revolutionise detailing and come up with cutting edge formula's and passing this all on to consumers
 
the other pc said:
Mostly through “tribal� knowledge, handed from boss to employee, old hand to newbie, coworker to coworker, with a dash of input from suppliers. That, and trial and error.



That’s why there’re huge variations in the quality of work and information (and misinformation) floating around out there.





PC.
Click to expand...



True, a butcher doesnt know that he is a butcher until he sees work done correctly.
 
There are a few decent detailing books out there. I can not remember the one I read. For me, it was mostly trial and error until the Internet came along though. I always had the eye for detail though.
 
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