Must have Equipment to Start

[jmitch8011]

I was just wondering if someone could give a brief list of equipment you should have on hand if you want to start a detailing business either mobile or fixed. The fixed would be more important at present since that's where I'm leaning but I did mobile in the past but I always used the customer's water source.

other questions mixed in to the general question above -

- purchasing a High Speed Buffer - what should you have no matter what to being using it even for practice.

- Vac - rolling or carrying - which seems to work best

-

[jmitch8011]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

oh and let me make sure everyone knows that i am talking about power equipment and the accessories that go with each.

[AeroCleanse]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

Wet/Dry vac, high speed rotary (Dewalt or Makitia are the favs), hot water carpet extractor, dual action buffer. Then you need an assortment of pads for each.

If your mobile you need water tank(s) and a generator as well.

If your in a fixed location you could consider an air compressor and air powered tools.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

Can't go wrong with a Makita Rotary Buffer or any other recognized name brands.

I always hard wire a 25 foot extension cord right into my buffer so for most jobs I don't have to mess with an extension cord.

Somewhere on this forum is a thread with a list of suggestions...

Do a search and use Beach Towel for a search term.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

Here's the link, it's actually a list of products to have on hand to detail a car with a DA Polisher but it's a great start for a business too...

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23712

DA Polisher
Lots of W-8006 polishing pads
1-2 W-9006 finishing pads
1 W-7006 cutting pads and a couple of microfiber bonnets for this pad
Clay
M83
M80
ColorX or M66
M09 or M82
Blue Painter's Tape
A wax you like, we use NXT on everything
Glass Cleaner
Trim Detailer
Plenty of microfiber polishing cloths
ScratchX
Terry cloth towels
Hand Applicator wax pads
Terry cloth we can cut into little pieces
Scissors
Beach Towel
Aluminum foil
2 Mil Drop cloth
Clean flat, bed sheet for covering things like the engine up if needed
Toothbrush or other nylon brush for cleaning pads and getting wax out of the cracks
Tire Dressing

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

A roll around cart for a brick and mortar shop is handy.

Aluminum step like this one for reaching the roofs of tall vehicles. Not a very good picture but they're about 4 feet long.

[Jossy92]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

Do a search and use Beach Towel for a search term.

I tried it, searching titles and making an educated guess in terms of which posts not to read.

All I could find was a pebble beach post regarding products, not machines.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=130410&postcount=9

However, I think the idea applies here: everybody is different, some might specialize in daily drivers, others in high-end detailing. Maybe add equipment a little at a time. Using the credit card in the least aggressive manner.........

Spent about 20 minutes on this. Not sure. No gold star.

[Wolf-Strong]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

I tried it, searching titles and making an educated guess in terms of which posts not to read.

All I could find was a pebble beach post regarding products, not machines.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=130410&postcount=9

However, I think the idea applies here: everybody is different, some might specialize in daily drivers, others in high-end detailing. Maybe add equipment a little at a time. Using the credit card in the least aggressive manner.........

Spent about 20 minutes on this. Not sure. No gold star.

Lots of cars have either a grill around the wiper arms that you don't want to get splatter into because it's impossible to get to in order to remove, (not that we would ever splatter our product ), and/or pebble textured plastic between the hood and the window glass.

Most beach towels are fairly long and thus long enough to drape over the entire width of the car to cover the wipers, plastic, grill, etc and then carefully fold under the hood.

Always be careful and check that the towel isn't going to bind with the hood hinges or anything else before closing the hood.

This enables you to cover these areas win one fell swoop and move on to the job at hand.

There should be a picture of this on the forum somewhere but not sure how to search for it.

3 minutes! I win!

[Sprzout]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

Here's the link, it's actually a list of products to have on hand to detail a car with a DA Polisher but it's a great start for a business too...

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23712

DA Polisher
Lots of W-8006 polishing pads
1-2 W-9006 finishing pads
1 W-7006 cutting pads and a couple of microfiber bonnets for this pad
Clay
M83
M80
ColorX or M66
M09 or M82
Blue Painter's Tape
A wax you like, we use NXT on everything
Glass Cleaner
Trim Detailer
Plenty of microfiber polishing cloths
ScratchX
Terry cloth towels
Hand Applicator wax pads
Terry cloth we can cut into little pieces
Scissors
Beach Towel
Aluminum foil
2 Mil Drop cloth
Clean flat, bed sheet for covering things like the engine up if needed
Toothbrush or other nylon brush for cleaning pads and getting wax out of the cracks
Tire Dressing

Ok, I'm curious...Where/what would you use the aluminum foil for? The other things on the list I can see, but not sure how I'd use the aluminum foil...

[TimG]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

aluminium foil? I heard they used them to cover up certain engine parts with them for the washing engine compartment.
Anyone else have any opinions?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

Ok, I'm curious...Where/what would you use the aluminum foil for? The other things on the list I can see, but not sure how I'd use the aluminum foil...

Works to cover around windshield wipers if you're not covering them or that area some other way.

for engines, first cover a part you don't want to get wet with plastic, (waterproof), then scrunch foil around the plastic to keep it on. Quick and easy and works pretty well as long as you're not blasting it with a high powered pressure washer. If you're going to use a high powered pressure washer you could fortify with some tape for a bullet-proof covering that's cheap, easy to apply and easy to remove.

Aluminum foil works well for something because you can form it or scrunch it around a component and it will hold it's shape so you don't have to use tape. It's also relatively inexpensive and easy to remove and recycle.

[jmitch8011]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

I ordered the Makitia buffer so it should be here monday. I have to get a hood home some how to practice on. Is it possible to use a this equipment to apply and remove wax. I know everyone likes the da for this but i was just wondering.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

Is it possible to use a this equipment (a rotary buffer) to apply and remove wax.

Depends on what you want? Production detailers use a rotary buffer to apply all kinds of waxes to paint but the results are usually swirls that show up in good lighting or bright sunlight.

If you want a swirl-free finish than you're going to be better off applying wax using a DA polisher or by hand.

Don't use a rotary buffer to remove wax, that's not what the tool is for and you risk causing problems with swirls or burn-throughs.

If you do a good job of prepping the surface and then applying a thin coating of whatever wax you're using, then the wax should wipe off very easily after it fully dries. (At least Meguiar's waxes).

[jmitch8011]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

i think i'm going to cancel my order and purchase the da because I want to work on some paint correction on my vehicle as well as on customer vehicles with out having to stress about burning the paint. I can put the wax on and take it off with the DA correct? My plan was to practice with the rotory on a hood but to apply wax and sealant with the rotory. I also did not want to use any cutting pads with this machine on my vehicle until I was completely comfortable. Your thoughts are welcomed. I have been reading and watching the videos but I just wanted to see any other thoughts.

[jmitch8011]

Re: Must have Equipment to Start

I was reading through the links you gave me and I just had one question.

This thread shows some of the staples for using with any DA Polisher

Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line

Here's a list of things we would take to a customer's location to buff out the paint...

DA Polisher
Lots of W-8006 polishing pads
1-2 W-9006 finishing pads
1 W-7006 cutting pads and a couple of microfiber bonnets for this pad
Clay
M83
M80
ColorX or M66
M09 or M82
Blue Painter's Tape
A wax you like, we use NXT on everything
Glass Cleaner
Trim Detailer
Plenty of microfiber polishing cloths
ScratchX
Terry cloth towels
Hand Applicator wax pads
Terry cloth we can cut into little pieces
Scissors
Beach Towel
Aluminum foil
2 Mil Drop cloth
Clean flat, bed sheet for covering things like the engine up if needed
Toothbrush or other nylon brush for cleaning pads and getting wax out of the cracks
Tire Dressing


That's off the top of our head.... should be able to tackle just about anything that doesn't require a rotary buffer but we also take one of those.

When you say Lots of W-8006 polishing pads, can you give a ball park figure to someone who is just learning to use a DA and will be using this on vehicles of customers as well? Also, with me just starting out, there are several post about the DA being save for beginners but does that include on customer's vehicles as well? I'm a very carefull person but as I has seen on the forum and from my own life, mistakes do happen. I might be doing my sister's boss's vehicle which is an 08 Benz. I don't think she would kill me per say but then again I don't want to find out.