Reply With QuoteNo problems mate.Originally Posted by Brucey
Ill post it up once its all up and going.
Cheers
Dave
Micropak cloths are awesome, I've got a lot of them
Best quality Microfibre I've used.
No problems mate.
Ill post it up once its all up and going.
Cheers
Dave
Waxes and Sealants
Proberly the most asked about by every enthusisast.
Waxes and sealants are the final process when detailing paint surfaces. This is the icing on the cake.
Although waxes and sealants do add to the gloss and shine of the paint, it all depends on how well you prepare the surface before the final wax/sealant is applied. This consists of proper washing, claying, compounding and polishing(if needed). The smoother and defect free your paint is the better results you will get out of your wax or sealant.
Carnauba wax
Carnauba is a natural wax which is derived from the Brazilian carnauba palm. This is natures hardest wax, which provides temporary protection and an awsome finish. This is used highly by show car enthusiasts and offers a deeper finish on darker cars. Carnauba wax usually last up to an average of 3 months. When reapplying wax it is important ot make sure that you remove the old wax with a surface cleaner or prepsol because if old wax gets built up it can start to streak and haze depending on humidity conditions.
There are carnauba waxes in paste and liquid form. Always go for the paste as this is how they are when they are extracted from the palm. The carnauba wax is broken down when it is liquid form so it will not contain as much of the natural carnauba.
Synthetic Wax
Synthetic wax is usually made from polymers or acrylic resins.
The polymers give it longer lasting protection, usually up to 6 months and is easier to apply and buff off.
Although it protects better it does not give the depth and clarity as well as what carnauba wax does.
Also, if the paint surface is not prepared proplery before the application of the wax it can highlight the defects and make it stand out more than usual.
Sealant
Sealants are usually arcrylic which makes it the best out of all for protection as it cures more harder and lasts more longer than waxes, usually anywhere from 6-12 months. What a sealant does is it creates a molecular blanket which sits on top of your paint. It gives a better shine compared to the synthetic wax and the good thing about sealants is that once its cured you can layer it or apply carnauba wax over it to give it the showroom shine and finish.
I personally like to use sealants because protection is the main priority and if the surface is prepped properly it can creat some outstanding finishes.
Application of waxes and sealants are very easy.
Make sure your car is cleaned prepped and dried properly, especially aound exterior trims as they can hold water and if the water runs onto the sealant/wax when applying it it can cause white spots and hazing.
use a foam applicator pad and and apply some of the wax or sealnt onto the pad and work onto paint surface using a back and forth motion to prevent any swirls. Apply it to the whole car then wait about 15 minutes and buff off with a microfibre towel starting from where you started off first working your way to the end. It is important not to apply too much the first time around because only a certain amount will cure onto the paint and all the rest will be buffed off. If you want more protection then layer it after it has cured. Curing usually takes 12-24 hours depending on the product.
Heres a pic of too much wax
This is what you should see when waxing/sealing. only a light haze of it.
Happy motoring:wave:
i've got myself a jar of kitten cream polishing wax, i tested it out on a couple of panels and it does bead water quite well but no real shine to it...
am i doing something wrong ? cream doesn't haze does it ?
when buffing, should there be any resistence be felt between the buffing cloth and cream/wax ?
Dave, you should organize car cleaning sessions... especially where you need the orbital or cutting etc.... it would be a great idea for teaching the enthusiasts about maintaining the car...
Meguirs does that kind of stuff in the states...
I use the exact same stuff, comes in a green tin right?
Polish is only used as a sealant prior to a wax coat, using the two together gives a brilliant shine.
Are you claying or using a paint cleaner polish before applying the wax?
The performance of a wax relies highly on how well the paint is prepped before hand. Scratches and oxidation in the paint will make the surface look dull and putting wax over the top of it will add a bit of shine but nothing spectacular.
When applying waxes you should only have to apply a light film of it and leave it for a bit to haze then buff off residue with a MF towel. You will feel some resistance with some waxes. Just try using a bit less or dont let it sit for too long before buffing off the residue.
Cheers
Dave
Funny you mentioned that. I was considering such a thing but would need a workshop or similar to hold it.
I was out today looking at a couple small commercial units so you never know, it might be something I will do in the future.
Cheers
Dave
Ill be waiting for that... because I guess that is a terrific idea...
Quoted the wrong reply.
Last edited by cazSW20; 07-04-09 at 06:37 PM. Reason: Nubcake.
Yeah i use a paint cleaner before polish, then wax, occasionally clay if the car needs it (ie if its been under a wattle tree, last weeks heavy rain etc).
I prefer the natural polishes, i have used altoglym silicon sealant, it didnt last very long even with a properly applied coat of hard-setting wax.
Just out of curiosity Dave, if you were to go all-out on a car and do a huge detail/paint correction etc of the exterior, how long would it take? and how many steps would be involved? (just curious to see if there is anything that i could/should be doing?)
For a good detail i take about 2 to 2.5 hours, and then theres the interior and engine bay (thats probable about 5 hours all up, but i haven't paid the engine bay any attention in months)
Im not really a fan of silicon based polishes and sealants. The durability aint that great and it feels like it dries out the surface as silicon is a magnet for dust and contaminants. The only products I use which contain silicon is the tyre gels.
Most polishes these days contain polymers which help repel dust and gives the paint a hydrophobic feature which aids in sheeting water off the car making drying the car after washing alot more easier and quicker.
A full detail without paint correction on an average sized car such as a falcon I would usually spend about 4-5 hours on it. This will involve:
- Exterior wash, wheels and arches
-De-waxing
- Clay
-paint cleaner polish
-application of wax/sealant (paint, wheels and glass)
-Treat exterior trims and rubbers
-clean door, boot, bonnet jambs
-interior vacuum
-shampoo mats and carpet
-clean and treat leather/vinyls
-clean windows
-deodoriser
I did a full detail with 2 stage paint correction, glaze and engine bay on my car a while back which took 12 hours over 2 days.
Yeah im never comfortable putting anything with chemical warnings or strong, artifical smells on my car.
Im not surprised, 12 hours is pretty crazy.
Yeah it is crazy but well worth it.
It doesnt seem to be all that long coz I do it regularly on other people's cars.
Kinda get use to it after a while
Not sure if this is the correct thread for my question but I dare say you will be able to give me a resonse based on experience rather then here say, I was looking for a new chamois the other day and was tempted to buy this:
It seemed really soft and looked like it would be a useful tool, but I stuck with just a conventional chamois.
Have you used a squeegee like this before to dry the car down with after washing?
Posting Permissions
