Car Detailing - What products are your go to?

[DFB FGXR6]

My new Rupes turned up today!































The first thing you notice is how light the unit is, with or without the battery. It's also butter smooth, lacking the clattery wind down of my ShineMate's.

More detail here -
https://www.fordforums.com.au/showpo...postcount=2487

[DFB FGXR6]

After a short break, I'm again providing blog posts for Detailing Shed. While these are not credited with my name, rather the business owner, I wrote and collaborated with the team to arrive at the final result.

The latest post is a Bilt Hamber range overview. While I could easily write multiple pages on the topic, I've had to dial that back to make it approachable for all readers rather than just for diehards like me.

For Bilt Hamber, I've tried to convey what each product does and why you would use it. Even for someone who lives and breathes detailing, I find Bilt Hamber's product descriptions rather confusing. Hopefully the article provides a better understanding of the brand and its products.

https://detailingshed.com.au/blogs/a...ling-precision

[prydey]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

My new Rupes turned up today!

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The first thing you notice is how light the unit is, with or without the battery. It's also butter smooth, lacking the clattery wind down of my ShineMate's.

More detail here -
https://www.fordforums.com.au/showpo...postcount=2487

If you want to test it I reckon I could be there in about 7hrs...

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by prydey

If you want to test it I reckon I could be there in about 7hrs...

Deal!

[ozpacman]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

My new Rupes turned up today!

I bought a RUPES 7 inch sander/polisher new in 1977. I've worked the hell out of it and it still works like a charm. Great gear!

[anobserver]

A quick review of a product recommendation.



Was going to try this on the I30, but got distracted with the rtv, so i tried small sections at a time on tbw Ute to see how it would go, over many days. (Its hardly left the garage this week... that will change next week when I start driving it to work).

Keeping in mind I polish by hand, I found it an excellent aid to surface decontamination. The paint surfaces are definitely cleaner smoother.

A machine polisher might help the aggression and maybe correct the colour as well.

Thanks to dfb for the product suggestion.

And next, I'll be looking at machine polishers, for sure....

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by anobserver

A quick review of a product recommendation.

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Was going to try this on the I30, but got distracted with the rtv, so i tried small sections at a time on tbw Ute to see how it would go, over many days. (Its hardly left the garage this week... that will change next week when I start driving it to work).

Keeping in mind I polish by hand, I found it an excellent aid to surface decontamination. The paint surfaces are definitely cleaner smoother.

A machine polisher might help the aggression and maybe correct the colour as well.

Thanks to dfb for the product suggestion.

And next, I'll be looking at machine polishers, for sure....

Reflect is such a pure joy to use. Once the pad/applicator is primed, consumption is very minimal and the wipe off is butter smooth with no dusting!

It's only failing is a lack of ultimate correction, but then it is a finishing polish after all. However, on soft paint it can be quite effective. I used it to remove strange water spot stains from a Mazda, teamed with the intermediate blue ShineMate. So, a relatively soft compound teamed with a relatively firm pad. It removed all the stains and leveled off some minor marring.



So, what are you thinking with the polisher? Corded or battery? Entry level or all in?

[anobserver]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Reflect is such a pure joy to use. Once the pad/applicator is primed, consumption is very minimal and the wipe off is butter smooth with no dusting!

It's only failing is a lack of ultimate correction, but then it is a finishing polish after all. However, on soft paint it can be quite effective. I used it to remove strange water spot stains .....

So, what are you thinking with the polisher? Corded or battery? Entry level or all in?

I'm looking at the bonnet especially, which is stained and water marked. It's an easy panel to remove and respray too, if it can't be corrected.

With a polisher, as with many things, i would probably go for a mid level unit. I find that's usually the best value.

Happy to take suggestions on corded vs battery. The latter seems to have much improved in the last few years.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by anobserver

I'm looking at the bonnet especially, which is stained and water marked. It's an easy panel to remove and respray too, if it can't be corrected.

With a polisher, as with many things, i would probably go for a mid level unit. I find that's usually the best value.

Happy to take suggestions on corded vs battery. The latter seems to have much improved in the last few years.

Most people, including me, start with a singular machine in some form of a kit. That gets you up and running with a machine, pads and compounds. Once you have some hours on the machine, you can then experiment with pads, different compounds and potentially adding a smaller machine. For the most part, you would ideally start with a 5-inch machine, then add a 3-inch machine, then add a 1-inch machine last.

The Waxit Enthusiast Kit is basically the modern version of what I started out with. This is the 3-inch ShineMate machine with a 5-inch backing plate and valance fitted, so it’s light weight and easy to handle. The kit includes three grades of pads and Scholl compounds.

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...40453946343513

The above is a great starting point, but I would be more inclined to go up a level and get a dedicated 5-inch machine, which then opens you up to add a dedicated 3-inch. I’d be inclined to do the ShineMate EX610 or EX620 PRO, both offered in kit form.

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...40476520317017
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...40476542697561

From there, you would be either looking at Rupes equivalent, or stepping toward battery power. Personally, if you can swing the extra cash, I would absolutely go with battery power. For me, it frees you up from trying to manage the cord and allows you to just focus on polishing.

Top of the list for me for occasional use, the Milwaukee machines are very enticing. Officially, only the 6-inch machine is offered in Australia. But………….you can order the 5-inch skin from Amazon or eBay. Because you are not buying something with an electrical cord, you won’t have AU vs USA electrical compatibility issues. At $475 for the skin, that is a very good price if you already have Milwaukee battery system.

https://www.amazon.com.au/Milwaukee-.../dp/B0B59RPC6T
https://www.totaltools.com.au/187629...iABEgIKF_D_BwE

The Ryobi’s are only 8mm orbits, so you won’t get the full benefit of having a machine. That leads to the ShineMate EB351 with the 15mm orbit, not the 12mm. Buy it as a kit, you can then add the smaller EB350 3-inch later on.

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...40476529721433
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...40283314126937

One thing to consider –

For DA (dual action) polishers, the larger the orbit, the more aggressive the cutting performance. For rotary polishers, the larger the pad size, the more aggressive the performance. That’s where smaller 1 and 2 inch rotary polishers are in theory safer than a 21mm 6-inch dual action.

If you want more detail on that, I have this thread here on the subject -
https://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11496234

That thread is a little out of date now in terms of recommendations, but the progression is the same.

[bangm001]

Hi DFB, is the $384.00 price on the first DA Shinemate polishing kit a good price (says 31% off)? Do you recommend anything better for the polishing and finishing products if one was to use this kit and require more or are the ones that it comes with pretty good?>

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by bangm001

Hi DFB, is the $384.00 price on the first DA Shinemate polishing kit a good price (says 31% off)? Do you recommend anything better for the polishing and finishing products if one was to use this kit and require more or are the ones that it comes with pretty good?>

That price is hard to beat, just stick with the 250ml compound kit. The good thing about that kit is the size of the machine is very approachable if you have never used a polisher before.

The blue pad and S20 Black will pretty much do everything you need on Ford Australia paint. You would probably order another set of pads, or at least some more blue pads.

[FTE217]

bangm I still use what DFB quotes above, does the job with ease once you get the hang it in no time.....
Buy lots of red masking tape varied width for future jobs.
Only thing you'll wish for next is having the smaller
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...40522590879833
to get in the tight areas with ease lol but thats the detailing bug you'll get soon enough ROFL......

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FTE217

bangm I still use what DFB quotes above, does the job with ease once you get the hang it in no time.....
Buy lots of red masking tape varied width for future jobs.
Only thing you'll wish for next is having the smaller
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...40522590879833
to get in the tight areas with ease lol but thats the detailing bug you'll get soon enough ROFL......

This is one of the reasons why I recommended going the next step up from the Enthusiast Kit in a previous post.

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...40476520317017

The Enthusiast machine is basically a 3-inch unit with a 5-inch backing plate and a smaller orbit. The larger EX610 makes for a more defined role as a dedicated 5-inch machine, which then leaves room for the smaller EB210 or EX603.

[Top_Ghia]

I started with the shinemate EX620 5 inch kit and it’s an awesome place to start. It’s a great polisher.
I’d never used a polisher before that and first used it on my 1 day old Mustang GT with stunning results. I started with the soft pads and finishing polish’s and worked my way up.
After 2 or 3 years I felt the urge to get a smaller machine so bought the shinemate eb210 kit. It’s a great addition and extremely versatile.

Neither kit I would consider high end but I think they will last me many years and work really well.
I suspect Rupes would give you a more premium feel but they will cost nearly twice as much.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Top_Ghia

I started with the shinemate EX620 5 inch kit and it’s an awesome place to start. It’s a great polisher.
I’d never used a polisher before that and first used it on my 1 day old Mustang GT with stunning results. I started with the soft pads and finishing polish’s and worked my way up.
After 2 or 3 years I felt the urge to get a smaller machine so bought the shinemate eb210 kit. It’s a great addition and extremely versatile.

Neither kit I would consider high end but I think they will last me many years and work really well.
I suspect Rupes would give you a more premium feel but they will cost nearly twice as much.

The ShineMates are easily the best of the mid-range machines. The Rupes (and Flex) tax is very real, and while I have a couple, they are not twice as good. While I love my iBrid Nano, its way overpriced for what it is.