Grrarr
August 23rd, 2009, 06:14 AM
Does your car need a new clearcoat? Try this first!<o></o>
How to get your baby back to pristine shiny-newness.<o></o>
<o>
</o>
By: Grrarr<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
Think your cars paintjob is looking kind of faded and terrible? Think you may need a nice new paintjob or clearcoat?<o></o>
<o></o>
Maybe not! Perhaps that’s not the case at all! This tutorial may save you the trouble.<o></o>
<o></o>
Please attempt to buff your car instead of wasting your money first. It could save you money, time, and grief in the long run.<o></o>
Ready? Aaaand. . . GO!: <o></o>
<o></o>
1. Get yourself a claybar. I prefer “Mothers” brand. If you don’t know what this is, then go to your local auto parts store, advance auto, etc. and ask them where you would find the “clay bars”, and they’ll show you to them. And if you know someone with a buffer, Ask them if you can borrow it. If not, you could easily buy an electric buffer from the same auto parts store, or even the cheapo 30 dollar walmart version, but I prefer the air-powered buffers that provide much better “oomph”. Then you’ll need the following:<o></o>
Final glaze of some sort (also. . . auto store, ask the clerk if you’re not aware of what this is)<o></o>
A terrycloth buffer bonnet if going with the cheaper buffer <o></o>
A clean, lint free towel, perhaps microfiber<o></o>
NON-acidic or citrus based CAR wash (Please, no dishwashing soap)<o></o>
A chamois cloth<o></o>
And finally, paper towels and wax and grease remover.<o></o>
<o></o>
2. Wash your car with a CAR wash soap. . . no dishwashing soap please, and make sure it doesn’t have any citrus based additives inside. Then after drying it by dabbing away the water with a clean lint free towel, use the “clay lube” that comes with your clay bar, and follow the directions on the box. Make sure to get good contact with your clay bar, but don’t press too hard. . . if you deform the paint and metal underneath it, you’re also forcing the dirt and grime deeper into the paint. No good!<o></o>
Clay bar every part of your car with said clay bar, and if you notice it’s starting to drag, or leave a clay residue, spray more lube! After every panel or so, depending on how dirty your paintjob is, fold the dirty side of the bar INTO itself so that the clean side ends up on the outside of the fold. Simple. . . easy. . . done.<o></o>
<o></o>
3. Now, take your wax and grease remover, and spray a panel down. Wipe off the liquid with your paper towel, then get a new paper towl and re-wipe the area until it’s completely dry. Don’t’ re-use your paper towels, otherwise, again, you’re just grinding dirt and grime into your paint. Then proceed to do this to the rest of your car, panel by panel, or at least three or four foot sections until it’s completely clean.<o></o>
<o></o>
Freshhhh!<o></o>
<o></o>
4. After said ridiculous amounts of cleaning, your paint is now TRULY clean of all dirt, wax, brake dust, road grime, acids, salts, etc. and you are ready to buff! Finally. . . jeez. Put the terrycloth bonnet onto your buffer now.<o></o>
<o></o>
5. Here’s the money shot that tends to blow people away. Take a SMALL amount of your final glaze and squirt it onto a section of your car. A little goes longer than youd think, and a lot actually does the OPPOSITE of what you want it to. . . so no wasting here, please. A five inch line should do about a square foot of area and then some. <o></o>
<o></o>
6. BEFORE starting your buffer, spread the glaze around a small area with your buff pad flat onto the surface so that when you start, you don’t blow your glaze all over the surrounding area and onlookers. . . <o></o>
<o></o>
7. Make sure your buffer is already pressed onto the surface before starting. Allowing it to spin before touching too long may cause “burn through”. . . basically a hole in your clear coat, or even all the way through to your metal.<o></o>
<o></o>
8. Now. . . start! Press against your paint FIRMLY. Don’t pussyfoot around here. . . the friction is what is smoothing out your paint. In this step, the glaze is simply preventing it from burning the paint. Go with a small area in circles. .. or it you’d prefer, do whatever shape you please, but do it in small small areas at a time. Use the surrounding light to determine if you’re getting a nice shine, then move on when you do.<o></o>
Follow through with this until you’re completely finished buffing every painted part of your car, taking in mind that if you’re buffing over PLASTIC that you must be VERY careful and not stay in one spot too long. . . otherwise you’ll melt or deform the plastic underneath. Also, if you have plastic head and taillights, it doesn’t hurt to buff them up a little, too. Just be careful. Plastic melts!<o></o>
<o></o>
Now. . . don’t be too hasty! You’re not quite done yet. If you notice it’s still a little bland looking, or there are a few swirl marks left, either you haven’t buffed it hard enough, or you don’t have final glaze, you have a coarser grit buffing compound.<o></o>
<o></o>
Fear not.<o></o>
<o></o>
9. Regardless of how it currently looks, take another bunch of paper towels and your wax and grease remover, and give it a once over.<o></o>
<o></o>
10. You’ll probably notice MORE swirl marks than you are comfortable with after removing all the compound. That’s why you have the final glaze still. Take your chamois cloth, and again with SMALL areas and a SMALL amount of your glaze, hand buff the paintjob all the way over once more. This will get the last vestiges of swirl marks out. And if it doesn’t get them entirely out, the glaze will hide them permanently as long as you keep your car waxed.<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
Well there you go! Showroom shine from what seemed earlier to be a completely funked up and outdated paintjob.<o></o>
<o></o>
“You’re wrong, this looks like crap!” you say? Well then either YES your paintjob is horrible and needs redone, or you didn’t follow the directions correctly. <o></o>
<o></o>
In the case of the first option, then fear not, for once more, it is I to the rescue.<o></o>
<o></o>
Next tutorial is redoing your clearcoat! The right way. Why the right way? Because the wrong way may seem easier, cheaper, and may seem to give the same results. . . <o></o>
Until a few weeks to months later when either your clearcoat has flaked off, your car is now a rusty mess, or your clearcoat has turned into a streaky, cloudy, yellow mess, and your paint is now horribly faded. In the long run, the right way is LESS expensive, and looks much better. Athankya.<o></o>
<o></o>
So, without further ado. . . oh who am I kidding, I probably lost you at “How to. . . “ <o></o>
:D<o></o>
<o></o>
-With concern and hope for a better car culture,<o></o>
-Grrarr<o></o>
How to get your baby back to pristine shiny-newness.<o></o>
<o>
</o>
By: Grrarr<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
Think your cars paintjob is looking kind of faded and terrible? Think you may need a nice new paintjob or clearcoat?<o></o>
<o></o>
Maybe not! Perhaps that’s not the case at all! This tutorial may save you the trouble.<o></o>
<o></o>
Please attempt to buff your car instead of wasting your money first. It could save you money, time, and grief in the long run.<o></o>
Ready? Aaaand. . . GO!: <o></o>
<o></o>
1. Get yourself a claybar. I prefer “Mothers” brand. If you don’t know what this is, then go to your local auto parts store, advance auto, etc. and ask them where you would find the “clay bars”, and they’ll show you to them. And if you know someone with a buffer, Ask them if you can borrow it. If not, you could easily buy an electric buffer from the same auto parts store, or even the cheapo 30 dollar walmart version, but I prefer the air-powered buffers that provide much better “oomph”. Then you’ll need the following:<o></o>
Final glaze of some sort (also. . . auto store, ask the clerk if you’re not aware of what this is)<o></o>
A terrycloth buffer bonnet if going with the cheaper buffer <o></o>
A clean, lint free towel, perhaps microfiber<o></o>
NON-acidic or citrus based CAR wash (Please, no dishwashing soap)<o></o>
A chamois cloth<o></o>
And finally, paper towels and wax and grease remover.<o></o>
<o></o>
2. Wash your car with a CAR wash soap. . . no dishwashing soap please, and make sure it doesn’t have any citrus based additives inside. Then after drying it by dabbing away the water with a clean lint free towel, use the “clay lube” that comes with your clay bar, and follow the directions on the box. Make sure to get good contact with your clay bar, but don’t press too hard. . . if you deform the paint and metal underneath it, you’re also forcing the dirt and grime deeper into the paint. No good!<o></o>
Clay bar every part of your car with said clay bar, and if you notice it’s starting to drag, or leave a clay residue, spray more lube! After every panel or so, depending on how dirty your paintjob is, fold the dirty side of the bar INTO itself so that the clean side ends up on the outside of the fold. Simple. . . easy. . . done.<o></o>
<o></o>
3. Now, take your wax and grease remover, and spray a panel down. Wipe off the liquid with your paper towel, then get a new paper towl and re-wipe the area until it’s completely dry. Don’t’ re-use your paper towels, otherwise, again, you’re just grinding dirt and grime into your paint. Then proceed to do this to the rest of your car, panel by panel, or at least three or four foot sections until it’s completely clean.<o></o>
<o></o>
Freshhhh!<o></o>
<o></o>
4. After said ridiculous amounts of cleaning, your paint is now TRULY clean of all dirt, wax, brake dust, road grime, acids, salts, etc. and you are ready to buff! Finally. . . jeez. Put the terrycloth bonnet onto your buffer now.<o></o>
<o></o>
5. Here’s the money shot that tends to blow people away. Take a SMALL amount of your final glaze and squirt it onto a section of your car. A little goes longer than youd think, and a lot actually does the OPPOSITE of what you want it to. . . so no wasting here, please. A five inch line should do about a square foot of area and then some. <o></o>
<o></o>
6. BEFORE starting your buffer, spread the glaze around a small area with your buff pad flat onto the surface so that when you start, you don’t blow your glaze all over the surrounding area and onlookers. . . <o></o>
<o></o>
7. Make sure your buffer is already pressed onto the surface before starting. Allowing it to spin before touching too long may cause “burn through”. . . basically a hole in your clear coat, or even all the way through to your metal.<o></o>
<o></o>
8. Now. . . start! Press against your paint FIRMLY. Don’t pussyfoot around here. . . the friction is what is smoothing out your paint. In this step, the glaze is simply preventing it from burning the paint. Go with a small area in circles. .. or it you’d prefer, do whatever shape you please, but do it in small small areas at a time. Use the surrounding light to determine if you’re getting a nice shine, then move on when you do.<o></o>
Follow through with this until you’re completely finished buffing every painted part of your car, taking in mind that if you’re buffing over PLASTIC that you must be VERY careful and not stay in one spot too long. . . otherwise you’ll melt or deform the plastic underneath. Also, if you have plastic head and taillights, it doesn’t hurt to buff them up a little, too. Just be careful. Plastic melts!<o></o>
<o></o>
Now. . . don’t be too hasty! You’re not quite done yet. If you notice it’s still a little bland looking, or there are a few swirl marks left, either you haven’t buffed it hard enough, or you don’t have final glaze, you have a coarser grit buffing compound.<o></o>
<o></o>
Fear not.<o></o>
<o></o>
9. Regardless of how it currently looks, take another bunch of paper towels and your wax and grease remover, and give it a once over.<o></o>
<o></o>
10. You’ll probably notice MORE swirl marks than you are comfortable with after removing all the compound. That’s why you have the final glaze still. Take your chamois cloth, and again with SMALL areas and a SMALL amount of your glaze, hand buff the paintjob all the way over once more. This will get the last vestiges of swirl marks out. And if it doesn’t get them entirely out, the glaze will hide them permanently as long as you keep your car waxed.<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
<o></o>
Well there you go! Showroom shine from what seemed earlier to be a completely funked up and outdated paintjob.<o></o>
<o></o>
“You’re wrong, this looks like crap!” you say? Well then either YES your paintjob is horrible and needs redone, or you didn’t follow the directions correctly. <o></o>
<o></o>
In the case of the first option, then fear not, for once more, it is I to the rescue.<o></o>
<o></o>
Next tutorial is redoing your clearcoat! The right way. Why the right way? Because the wrong way may seem easier, cheaper, and may seem to give the same results. . . <o></o>
Until a few weeks to months later when either your clearcoat has flaked off, your car is now a rusty mess, or your clearcoat has turned into a streaky, cloudy, yellow mess, and your paint is now horribly faded. In the long run, the right way is LESS expensive, and looks much better. Athankya.<o></o>
<o></o>
So, without further ado. . . oh who am I kidding, I probably lost you at “How to. . . “ <o></o>
:D<o></o>
<o></o>
-With concern and hope for a better car culture,<o></o>
-Grrarr<o></o>