Detailing Portfolio Ryan Halm Day 1: Washing a Car To begin this lab, I grabbed a microfiber towel, 2 buckets, adams polish car soap, and a power washer. To begin we soaked the car using the lowest setting on the power washer. After that I attached the foam cannon where I had adams polish car soap inside. I sprayed a generous amount of foam around the rear drivers side door where I was working. In this lab I utilized 2 main techniques, the 2 bucket method, and the 8 towel microfiber method. In the first bucket there was just water and a grit guard insert. In the second bucket there was water and Adams Polish car soap. To begin I dipped my towel into the clean bucket, then dipped it into the soapy water bucket. I started working my way around the panel making sure to get every spot. After the microfiber becomes dirty I went back to the clean water bucket and scrubbed the microfiber over the grit guard, removing the contaminants inside. I never put a dirty microfiber into the soapy water bucket. This ensures that there is no cross contamination. Once soap was generously applied we rinsed off using the power washer. Before After Day 2: Claying a Car BEFORE To begin I grabbed a small ball of clay (about 3x3in) and kneaded it until malleable. I then turned the clay into a puck shape so that I could cover a large area with a flat piece. I also grabbed a bottle of Adams Polish quick detailer and a clean microfiber towel. Before claying I sprayed quick detailer on the area of the panel I was starting on. Quick detailer acts as a lubricant so that the clay can glide smoothly over the paint, pulling out the contaminants that have been laying inside. Quick detailer also has a slight waxing agent in it making the car look better as you work. I pinched the clay at the top ensuring that I didn’t drop the clay. Dropping the clay means that I would have to get a new piece and that would not be good. As I worked through the panel I used fingertip pressure and worked in a cross hatch pattern so I could see where I had already been. Finally, using the 8 towel microfiber folding method I wiped off the excess quick detailer. This process removed all contaminants in the paint as you can hear from the video. In video 1 the paint sounds rough, however in video 2 the plastic bag glides right over and makes no sound. AFTER Before After In this lab I worked on the grey honda accord. I started by evaluating the paint looking for scratches, discoloration, and contaminants. I then started using the buffer with a blue buffing pad and Adams Polish compound. I spread the compound around the panel that I was cleaning and started the buffer making sure to keep the pad flat on the surface. I worked this area for 5-10 minutes and then started with the polishing. Before starting with the polishing I wiped off any excess compound with a clean microfiber. I then changed to a white polishing pad and applied the polish the same way that I did the compound. I worked faster with the polishing compound and polished for about 5 minutes. Throughout the entire process I worked in vertical passes and then went back over it with horizontal passes, I did this until about 2-4 passes had been completed. After done polishing I wiped the excess polish off of the car and examined the paint to make sure that everything was done evenly. Day 3: Buffing & Polishing To start the wheels and tires lab I applied Adams Polish tire cleaner and sprayed from the bottom going up. Starting from the bottom and going up prevents acid streaks left on the tires from buildup. After letting the tire cleaner sit for a few minutes (when it starts to turn purple) I went in with a detailing brush and scrubbed evenly. Once done with that I used water to wash off the tire and dried completely with a previously used microfiber. To complete the lab I added tire polish using a foam applicator working around the tire but not getting any on the rim. After those steps the wheel and tire is complete. Before After Day 4: Wheels & Tires Before To begin the interior detailing lab I examined the interior for dirt, dust, and debris. I started by going in with Meguiars Interior detailer cleaner on a clean microfiber towel on the plastics such as the dash and the glovebox. After scrubbing and using the detailing brushes to get into the cracks I wiped off the excess. For the seats and everything leather I used Meguiar's leather cleaner to remove the contaminants in the leather. Once clean I went in with the leather conditioner to add UV protection and to protect the seats. On the plastic floor mats I used the Meguiars Interior detailer the same way I did with the interior plastics. Finally I used the tornador attachment on the air compressor to release any dirt and debris caught in the fabric, following up with the vacuum to catch the contaminants I had been removing. After Day 5: Interior Detailing Before In this lab I cleaned the engine bay plastics, hoses, and the intake shield. I went in with soapy water and a microfiber to begin removing the top contaminants. After that for a deeper clean I went in with the soft bristle detailing brush to get all of the hard to reach places. As I worked I scrubbed, wiped, scrubbed, wiped, and repeated making sure to remove all the dirt, dust, and buildups in the engine. After Day 6: Engine Bay Detail To begin this lab I grabbed 800 grit, 1500 grit, and 3000 grit sandpaper along with a bottle of soapy water. To begin I got the sandpaper and headlight wet and went in with the 800 grit in horizontal swipes. I continued to do this until the entire headlight had a uniform haze on it. Once completed I wiped off the headlight and started with the 1500 grit sandpaper. With the 1500 grit I used vertical passes to remove the horizontal scratches I had just made with the 800 grit. With this step making sure that the headlight and sandpaper is also crucial. I then completed the sanding with the 3000 grit sandpaper after the haze was uniform. I did horizontal passes with the wet sandpaper. Once completed I wiped off all excess soapy water and began the buffing and polishing. To buff the headlight I used adams polish polishing compound on a blue padand spread the compound evenly before buffing. I went in with horizontal passes for about 3 minutes. I wiped off the excess and then repeated this with the polish on a white pad. Before After Day 7: Headlight Restoration