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  1. #1
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    Default Detailing noob - where to start.

    So I think it's pretty well known that I drive beaters. Usually just hit the wand wash and that's good enough. However I was stupid enough to buy a black truck, and that paint needs a proper deep cleaning.

    Not looking to pay someone, and not looking for a "great" job, but want something a level beyond the simple bucket of soapy water level of clean too.

    Is the proper order something like this:
    - good deep bucket wash
    - clay bar
    - paint correction (if desired and required) via polishing.
    - wax.

    I miss anything important?

    How much if a hassle is clay bar process? Where do I even buy that stuff?
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    Clay bar can be bought at Canadian Tire or detailing shops like CarZilla/AutoObsessed
    Originally posted by GTS Jeff
    You know those bored stay at home moms who's entire lives revolve around driving their kids to soccer, various cleaning accessories, and worrying about neighbourhood rapists? The kind of people that watch the View and go "uh huh..." Those unfulfilled people who try to fill the void in their empty lives by writing whiny letters to the editor complaining about shit that no one really cares about?

    Well imagine if instead of writing that letter to the editor, she just posts on a car forum for car enthusiasts. That's Kritafo.

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    Read everything on www.reddit.com/r/autodetailing and you'll be good. Takes some patience but is rewarding.

    Also, www.carzilla.ca

    Here's a flow chart for you from ChemicalGuys, but I'd reccomend looking into some alternative and less marketed-expensive-products. PoorboysWorld, Sonax, Gyeon, and even some of the AutoGlym stuff is all very good products to start with and are alot cheaper than CG's overly-marketed stuff!

    Good luck with the black paint It's the most frustrating color to detail and make look perfect.

    I've used this stuff on Black with a DA and the softest (buffing/ microfiber) pads and it looks REALLY good, worth every penny: https://www.carzilla.ca/poorboys-wor...ack-hole-glaze
    Attached Images Attached Images  
    Last edited by Kijho; 05-11-2018 at 09:17 AM.

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    Clay bar is time consuming but not difficult. You get out of it what you put into it.

    Just don’t drop the clay (break it up into chunks and only use part at a time to mitigate you inevitably dropping it). Clay goes straight to track if you drop.

    I find detailing fun but I never do any corrections because I’m paranoid. If I get some free time over the summer I might pick up a DA and practice on the ford.
    Originally posted by Thales of Miletus

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    fact.
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    guessing who I might be, psychologizing me with your non existent degree.

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    I find clay barring is very time consuming, it'll take me a few hours just to get around the whole car. I bought a clay mitt this year and that thing seriously a time saver because you can clean a large surface area in a short amount of time versus having to do a 2" x 2" area at a time with a clay bar. You'll still need a clay bar to get into those nooks and crannies.

    +1 for Auto Obsessed and Carzilla.

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    I'm hoping the majority of the filth comes off with a better wash, but we shall see.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by JaffX View Post
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    I find clay barring is very time consuming, it'll take me a few hours just to get around the whole car. I bought a clay mitt this year and that thing seriously a time saver because you can clean a large surface area in a short amount of time versus having to do a 2" x 2" area at a time with a clay bar. You'll still need a clay bar to get into those nooks and crannies.
    Thanks, I was wondering about those mitts, because this truck has such a huge surface area, that is a pretty tempting option. Plus you can wash it off when you drop it.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    The mitts work quite well but not as well as multiple clay bars IMO. It is 90% of the way at 15% of the effort

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    You clay a 2” by 2” area at a time? That would take a week lol
    Originally posted by Thales of Miletus

    If you think I have been trying to present myself as intellectually superior, then you truly are a dimwit.
    Originally posted by Toma
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yolobimmer View Post
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    guessing who I might be, psychologizing me with your non existent degree.

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    One of the best video series in my option is from AMMO - https://www.youtube.com/user/AMMONYCdotcom

    Lots of material from beginner to professional

    We carry the full line of Sonax products as well as Rupes. Sonax also has a clay disc which attaches to a polisher

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    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You clay a 2” by 2” area at a time? That would take a week lol
    Haha yeah, the rail dust that gets collected on this car during the winter is brutal and it takes some a bit of effort to get off. I haven't tried the iron x stuff, maybe I'll try it next year.

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    What GTR_Auto said... AMMONYC has all the information for a successful detail. Only tip I can offer is to have patience and enjoy the process.

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    Oh and Iron-X too!! Picking up a huge bottle of that on my way home today haha, it'll help with iron deposits even on the car actually. (Making clay-barring just a little less work, it might take some small bits off.)

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    Quote Originally Posted by ExtraSlow View Post
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    So I think it's pretty well known that I drive beaters. Usually just hit the wand wash and that's good enough. However I was stupid enough to buy a black truck, and that paint needs a proper deep cleaning.

    Not looking to pay someone, and not looking for a "great" job, but want something a level beyond the simple bucket of soapy water level of clean too.

    Is the proper order something like this:
    - good deep bucket wash
    - clay bar
    - paint correction (if desired and required) via polishing.
    - wax.

    I miss anything important?

    How much if a hassle is clay bar process? Where do I even buy that stuff?
    That’s pretty much it!

    However! I wouldn’t clay bar - buy a clay mitt or towel, much easier and if you drop them you can dunk them in wash water and you’re good to go. Believe it or not, if you don’t want crazy high end stuff, Canadian Tire has all the stuff you need in the Megs line, and it’s good quality for a good price and will more than do for your beaters. Go with their Ultimate line products and you’re pretty much set. The Simoniz clay mitt is actually pretty decent too, and you can use it with Megs instant detailer and it’ll do the trick.

    Or go to CARZILLA and tell him what you want to do, and the price you want to pay, he’ll set you up. I’ve been very impressed with his selection and same as online prices, along with his knowledge.
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    Can you take some before and after pics? I am in the same situation and very interested in your results.

    I was doing bodyshop detailing and prep work when i was young, blends, cut and polish, mostly 3m products we used back then. Having to worry about burning mouldings, wax in rock chips etc. argh
    Machining, Fabricating, Welding etc.

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    Quote Originally Posted by phil98z24 View Post
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    That’s pretty much it!

    However! I wouldn’t clay bar - buy a clay mitt or towel, much easier and if you drop them you can dunk them in wash water and you’re good to go. Believe it or not, if you don’t want crazy high end stuff, Canadian Tire has all the stuff you need in the Megs line, and it’s good quality for a good price and will more than do for your beaters. Go with their Ultimate line products and you’re pretty much set. The Simoniz clay mitt is actually pretty decent too, and you can use it with Megs instant detailer and it’ll do the trick.

    Or go to CARZILLA and tell him what you want to do, and the price you want to pay, he’ll set you up. I’ve been very impressed with his selection and same as online prices, along with his knowledge.
    Funny this thread is up! I just went to Canadian Tire and bought the Mother's 3 step system and the clay mitt. I was originally going to get the bar but SO glad I got the mitt. It saved heaps of time! As for the 3 step system, my back is firstly killing me but I was at it for a few hours and it started to get dark but it feels a hell of a lot smoother!

    How often should one do the entire 3 step process? What needs to be done in between, just washes or should more step 3 wax be applied?
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    Quote Originally Posted by ExtraSlow View Post
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    So I think it's pretty well known that I drive beaters. Usually just hit the wand wash and that's good enough. However I was stupid enough to buy a black truck, and that paint needs a proper deep cleaning.

    Not looking to pay someone, and not looking for a "great" job, but want something a level beyond the simple bucket of soapy water level of clean too.

    Is the proper order something like this:
    - good deep bucket wash
    - clay bar
    - paint correction (if desired and required) via polishing.
    - wax.

    I miss anything important?

    How much if a hassle is clay bar process? Where do I even buy that stuff?
    If this video is instructional then you’re on the correct track with starting with a deep bucket wash, yep. Although it’s directed by a Russian, so who knows.

    https://vimeo.com/136059664

    Last edited by parabs; 05-11-2018 at 10:01 PM.

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    Also you can get the buckets for the two bucket wash method from Home Depot. Don't need the branded stuff.

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    They also sell the grit guards there and Can Tire now.
    ---------------------------------------------------

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    Quote Originally Posted by LUDELVR View Post
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    Funny this thread is up! I just went to Canadian Tire and bought the Mother's 3 step system and the clay mitt. I was originally going to get the bar but SO glad I got the mitt. It saved heaps of time! As for the 3 step system, my back is firstly killing me but I was at it for a few hours and it started to get dark but it feels a hell of a lot smoother!

    How often should one do the entire 3 step process? What needs to be done in between, just washes or should more step 3 wax be applied?
    My cycle is this: Wash, clay twice a year (spring and fall), polish and wax. I’ve gone ceramic so I don’t do the last one anymore, but that was the cycle I used for many years on all my cars.

    The compound step is for paint correction, so if I were you, I wouldn’t be doing it again unless necessary (scratches, new oxidization, etc). But the polish and wax, I’d do those at least twice a year, if not more for the wax. That said, unless you go ceramic or nano coating for the final step that replaces wax, go old school and get some Collinite and use that for your wax step and you’ll be good to go for many months AND you get a ton of protection! If not, the Megs wax in the three step system is really good shit, so you’ll be set no matter what.
    ---------------------------------------------------

    Any writings in this forum are my personal view and all opinions expressed should be taken as such; there is no implied or direct opinion representative of anything but my own thoughts on various subjects.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ExtraSlow View Post
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    So I think it's pretty well known that I drive beaters. Usually just hit the wand wash and that's good enough. However I was stupid enough to buy a black truck, and that paint needs a proper deep cleaning.

    Not looking to pay someone, and not looking for a "great" job, but want something a level beyond the simple bucket of soapy water level of clean too.

    Is the proper order something like this:
    - good deep bucket wash
    - clay bar
    - paint correction (if desired and required) via polishing.
    - wax.

    I miss anything important?

    How much if a hassle is clay bar process? Where do I even buy that stuff?
    I love it when I hear people wanting to learn to detail their own vehicles.

    Clay bar is not a hassle if you use clay pad. It's fun and results are sometimes quite rewarding.

    You got the process right, before any type of paint correction claying is needed.

    If you are serious about doing minor paint correction, I'm teaching a course on how to use a DA 101 (FREE)

    Course are at a beginner's level and they covers diff type of polishes, pads, how a DA works and proper technique.


    Happy detailing

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