Rate Your Skill Level

[Michael Stoops]

All egos aside, how far has your detailing education progressed?

[FinalTouchDetail]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

I have a couple hundred hours into DA polishing and have used a dozen different polishes/compounds and 7-8 different types of pads from Chemical Guys and Lake Country from their red/blue finishing pads to purple hybrid foam/wool Kompressor pads.

I have not gotten into rotary buffing or wet sanding paint yet.

With that said, I gave myself a BA ranking.

[BobbyG]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

I've been painting and detailing cars for nearly 40 years. When I started a rotary and wool bonnets were all we had to work with. Wet sanding was done by hand for the most part and 800 wet/dry paper was about it.

Through the years there have been marked improvements in equipment, sanding, and chemicals which has caused the trade to literally explode! Slow-start variable speed rotary's to DA polishers are incredible additions.

Foam pads are another great discovery. Learning and knowing what pad to use with which chemical at what speed takes time but give the user a tremendous amount of flexibility when correcting a fiinish.

I tried damp sanding a clear coat which uses 3000 grit wet/dry paper on a DA sander with a few squirts of water. It sand so slow and finely I was really surprised.

[Tuck91]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

Ba

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

I would have to give me a ba, also.

[AdvanceDetail]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

My guess would be right between MBA and Ph.d iam very good at polishing but i havent taken the time to realy do wet/dry sanding, iam moving into that area tho, i just ordered the full line of Unigrit papers and backing plates.

[InfiniteDetail]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

Ph.D - Mike and I damp/wetsand and rotary just about every car we work on and have dozens of wetsanded/dampsanded cars under our belts now

[Bill Davidson]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

BA (Below Average)...
I'm fairly good with the DA, but I haven't mastered it yet. With the number of combinations of pads, compounds and paints, you could spend years refining your techniques with the DA alone.

I still have to try a rotary and wet sanding. I'm looking forward to the experience. Perhaps next year in the Spring.

[Ravi_1992]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

It looks like I'm BA , I wanna perfect my DA skills before working with a rotary or even thinking about wet sanding

[Underdawg736]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

I'm between HS newbie and a BA. I'm not as proficient with the DA as I'd like to be but I'm past the point of doing everything by hand. Although I still do some things by hand, I'm past the point of being comfortable with the DA. My ultimate goal is to be proficient with the rotary and sanding skills.

[BobbyG]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

I forgot to add my skill level.

Based on my experience through the years, I'm experience lacquers, metal-flake, enamels, acrylic enamels, urethane hardeners, DuPont Imron®, single stage, and 2 stage color coat - clear coat finishes. I do not have any experience with the latest water based finishes but a close friend has been spraying them for about a year now and said they're pretty good.

Finish wet sanding included and some damp sanding I'll rate an MBA.

[BillyJack]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

I used to think I was a Ph.d, having 35 years of experience in the new and used car business with a rotary. After spending a few months here soaking up information from both pros and dedicated enthusiasts, I've downgraded my current status to something closer to high school freshman.

Bill

[Bill Davidson]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

I used to think I was a Ph.d, having 35 years of experience in the new and used car business with a rotary. After spending a few months here soaking up information from both pros and dedicated enthusiasts, I've downgraded my current status to something closer to high school freshman.

Bill

I guess that's the difference between production and passion. I'm sure we could learn a few tricks from you, on the production side that would benefit us.

(p.s. I recognize the humor in your post)

[Hemin8r]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

I too will have to say I'm in between a MBA and a PH. D. I have wet sanded defects but I still feel I need more experience in that area. Otherwise I am proficient with the rotory. So I chose MBA.

[b2bomber]

Re: Rate Your Skill Level

I'd go for BA, though I would love to get my MBA soon and hopefully reach PhD too. hehe.