Things I've learnt while detailing (frivolous & silly post)
 

1. Having long fingernails is great for working products into little nooks and cranny's, just don't expect them to last very long.

2. Following instructions and testing touch-up paint on an inconspicuous spot is good, but the same should probably also apply to honing your skills.

3. No, the drivers' door does NOT count as inconspicuous no matter how much the chips and scratches bother you.

4. Apparently "only a girl" would think of wrapping 2000 wet/dry around a cuticle stick to get surface rust out of deeper chips.

5. The above can be intended as a compliment, not a patronisation, so a dirty look isn't strictly necessary.

6. Yes, you will make your life harder if you decide that the surface is cool enough half an hour after driving on a 28C (82F) day.

'cause it won't be, even if it is in the shade.

===
sillychickie

Re: Things I've learnt while detailing (frivolous post)
 

things i've learned:

1. my car creates interior dust by the pound each week.

2. if you're going to detail the engine bay at 3am, don't wake up the wife by knocking stuff off the garage wall.

C. Leatherique products have no equal.

4. some ceramic brake pads require cleaning filthy wheels every 3 days (F-U EBC Brakes!!! :mad:), and some leave virtually no dust at all (Hawk Performance FTW!)

Re: Things I've learnt while detailing (frivolous post)
 

Damn, I'm jealous - only the interior?

Waking your wife at 3am? That made me laugh. Scary part is I that I get it. But hey, I've go a ways to go yet - my latest is 11pm with a worklight under the carport. (was asked, quite politely, to turn the damned thing off)

Re: Things I've learnt while detailing (frivolous post)
 

Auto-detailing eh ??

Check this guy out !!

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/foru...ad.php?t=81391

Phil.

Re: Things I've learnt while detailing (frivolous post)
 

I came accross an Oz detailing forum when I was looking for info on touchups, etc... I thought that was full on, but its nothing compared to this! Now that's 'dedicated'. A doodad to measure paint depth... and this...

"Now i then spotted a problem on the roof which i was really unhappy about...A small paint blob about half a mm in size but none the less its there probably a spit from the spray gun..."

Hate to think of his reaction if he saw my girl - the previous owner had a few too many altercations with solid objects.

Re: Things I've learnt while detailing (frivolous post)
 

Okay, I thought at first that the dude with the Astra had problems, but the longer it went on the more I figured this car has to make him money somehow. Please tell me it does.

Just lie to me if you have to. I can't go on thinking somebody is that sick.

$20,000 car wax? Come on. That's like the audiophile nuts who buy clever little clocks.

I like a good detailing, but spending three months on it?

Edit: Oh, right. He put on the bigger rear sway bar for 'high speed stability.' Come on. Like that car's ever going to get out of the frigging garage. He's a polisher, not a driver.

Re: Things I've learnt while detailing (frivolous post)
 

yeah, that was kinda scary. i mean come on who has that kind of money and time, not to mention serious ocd, i mean like to a certifiable level

Re: Things I've learnt while detailing (frivolous post)
 

I say good on him. Sure its the extreme end of a scale and not something I'd do myself for lack of time, money and interest.

And hey, the Swavorski crystal casket will probably be a collector's item one day. Again wouldn't do it, but wouldn't mind having a spare twenty grand to be able to!

Is it really so different in principle than someone having one SVX they keep in pristine condition and one, two (or more) to be driven more regularly with the odd chip and scrape acceptable?

I like that he takes it so seriously but can also shrug his shoulders and say "yeah, I get that you think I'm weird and OTT, but its my hobby and I'm gonna do what I want to do".

I'm doing it because its giving me the knowledge and confidence to tackle bigger stuff, but I think I'm nuts and laugh at myself for working so hard on learning to touch up chips and scratches as best I can when both bumpers need repainting and the front bumper and bonnet (complete with large dent) have dodgy as anything primer where the last owner started working on it.

Doubt I'm the only one who's gotten out a toothbrush to clean some hard to reach spot. Think that's pretty funny, too.

Re: Things I've learnt while detailing (frivolous post)
 

I don't want to get into an argument over it, because it's not worth it, but you will never convince me that his tub of wax will ever be worth more than he paid for it. :p

Even if it actually happens, I will deny that it did. :D

Seriously, he's not hurting anybody, but he takes the act way farther than Phil Hartman did on SNL as the 'Anal Retentive Carpenter.' 51 coats of wax? Even though he admitted that he couldn't tell a difference after 7 or 8?

I did love telling a mechanic friend of mine about it over dinner tonight. It made for great conversation. I hope that makes all his hard work worth it. :p

Re: Things I've learnt while detailing (frivolous post)
 

With all the hand application this guy does, he will have early on set arthritis. Our hands were not meant to be under constant pressure that a compulsive obsessive detailer goes thru. Back in the 60's I constantly waxed my new 60 Impala with Simoniz paste wax, after a couple of years of doing this my fingers would lock up and I couldn't bend them.

I wonder if he is related to Howard Hughes?:)

His work and attention to detail are terrific!!!