What's In DFB's Cabinet?

[Brisvegas]

DFB5.0 The amount of info you have/share on detailing and associated products is mindboggling . You really should think about doing a youtube channel where you can fund this passion with affiliate links to earn a bit of coin and potentially get free products to review . Just here on this forum you will get a lot of refferals to pump subscriptions straight of the bat . Appreciate the effort you put in ... cheers

PS being an Ex spraypainter i recently saw a great deal on a quality product ( which i purchased ) 3M Perfect-it Ultrafine Machine Polish . Ive used 3m polish products most of life and found them top notch and this is no different , good bang for buck . I also use Menzerna Products .

https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/3m-perfect-it-ultrafine-machine-polish-946ml-1.html

Sponsored

 

[aham23]

ok, 26 pages done. i am ordering OG Drying Aid right now. clearly it must be a great product!

 

[Johnny Rockit]

Without reading every page, is there a basic "kit" that covers all the bases, so many choices for this detailing newbie? If there was already something posted, my apologies in advance.​

Our club had a couple of pros speak and they are a Chemical Guys seller among other products. Makes my head spin.​

 

[DFB5.0]

Without reading every page, is there a basic "kit" that covers all the bases, so many choices for this detailing newbie? If there was already something posted, my apologies in advance.​

Our club had a couple of pros speak and they are a Chemical Guys seller among other products. Makes my head spin.​

I don't mean to offend, Chemical Guys do have a few gems, but there are better products for the same or even less money. Thier range in purposely complicated so that consumers buy more product. Put it this way, I gave away or threw away the Chemical Guys products that I purchased to test. Not because I'm a brand snob, well I am actually and I'm proud of it, but because the products just didn't work!

I would recommend having a read of the below thread, despite the appearances, that is my condensed list of great products, you won't go wrong with any of them -

DFB'S LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF DETAILING 2022 | 2015+ S550 Mustang Forum (GT, EcoBoost, GT350, GT500, Bullitt, Mach 1) - Mustang6G.com

For brands, you would be safe in the hands of Gyeon, Carpro and Koch Chemie. Those are premium brands, at premium prices. I would also look at P&S and Adam's, both offer great products at great prices. Meguiar's have some winners too, but you really need to sift through their extensive line-up to narrow down the winners, whereas most of P&S's stuff is great.

 

[GT 550]

Dear Dr DFB,

Do you have anything in your cabinet for mudflaps and side steps ala Wildtrak? I couldn't see anything in the Black Book thread other than for exterior plastics. I was intending to use Meg's Hyper Dressing but it doesn't have any UV protection.

And a couple of general health questions if I may:

Side steps typically have quite deep treads and I was wondering if a paint brush was a good option for getting in there in conjunction with a spray product or if there's a better way. Ditto the vanes in interior air vents although a small foam edging tool might also work on those.

If using spray sealants like Meg's Hybrid Ceramic do you think specific protection treatments for exterior plastic trim on a new car are still required given the UV protection that comes with MHC ie use MHC until the trim eventually fades, strip and rejuvenate and go again with MHC.

 

[DFB5.0]

Always fun to arrive home after a long day to find a package had arrived............

This order is from Autobuff, a company I don't buy from much but really enjoy the user-friendly webstore. There was only one item I was really wanting, more on that in a second.

First, a new favorite of mine, these hex-grip style tyre dressing applicators. While they cost more than the red or yellow backed slim-line applicators, these offer a more ergonomic grip and a firmer foam texture for durability. These come in flat or "wave" variations, the wave version pictured gets the nod because it looks better. :wink2

https://autobuff.com.au/products/au...essing-applicator?_pos=1&_sid=7d0362dde&_ss=r

Continuing my P&S lovefest, I decided to try their Bug-Off insect remover and the mint scented Epic Waterless Wash.

https://autobuff.com.au/products/p-s-bug-off-insect-remover-473ml-16oz?_pos=3&_sid=6ac6e7a65&_ss=r
https://autobuff.com.au/products/p-s-epic-waterless-car-wash-473ml-16oz?_pos=1&_sid=7fd81fb66&_ss=r

I have only used one Gtechniq product to date, so continuing my tyre dressing fetish, T2 has been added to my collection.

https://autobuff.com.au/products/gtechniq-t2-tyre-dressing?_pos=1&_sid=1c8f5a0b8&_ss=r

And finally, to the main event. Like most of my purchases, there is a story behind it.

The PP1 wheels on my Mustang drove me to the brink of insanity trying to find the right tools to make cleaning them easy and efficient. Ultimately, I gave up and bought new wheels, but old habits die hard! :doh

While I had brushes for the barrels, finding the right wash mitt for the wheel face and spokes was a more difficult task.

First, I used a microfiber noodle brick and a TRC Eagle Applicator sponge, but they didn't cut it....................

I tried this hideous green monstrosity, but I found it cumbersome to put on and take off.................

These Gyeon microfiber applicator finger mitts sounded promising, but ultimately too small to effective...............

All of this was going on while I knew what I wanted existed, but it was not freely available in Australia. I eventually imported these lambs wool finger mitts from Obsessed Garage, and as I expected, these were exactly what I wanted in terms of size, ergonomics and effectiveness. They are very use-case specific, but absolutely brilliant.

But, as you would expect, these were very expensive by the time you factor in shipping. A cheaper alternative would be great, and I was excited to see Maxshine launched a microfiber version of their own, easily accessible from Australian suppliers.

https://autobuff.com.au/products/maxshine-microfibre-finger-wheel-and-rims-wash-mitt-2-pack

These are more durable than the lambs wool Flexipad mitts, but...........well..........they are just not as good. They have a habit of trapping and holding contaminants, which is obviously not ideal.

With all that explained, we arrive at The Rag Company filling a hole in their range; a small finger mitt designed with wheels in mind, the Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt.

TRC Cyclone Ultra Microfibre Wheel Mitt - AutoBuff (AUS)
Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt | The Rag Company (US)
The Rag Company Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt – CleanandShiny (UK)

Like all TRC microfiber, these mitts are butter soft and, if other TRC items are the gauge, should be very durable as well. These mitts are larger than the Flexipad wool items, so it will be interesting to see how that translates into use. And at half the price including shipping, they are great value too.

Finally, an odd freebie inclusion, a pair of Gtechniq branded sunglasses.

 

[DFB5.0]

Dear Dr DFB,

Do you have anything in your cabinet for mudflaps and side steps ala Wildtrak? I couldn't see anything in the Black Book thread other than for exterior plastics. I was intending to use Meg's Hyper Dressing but it doesn't have any UV protection.

And a couple of general health questions if I may:

Side steps typically have quite deep treads and I was wondering if a paint brush was a good option for getting in there in conjunction with a spray product or if there's a better way. Ditto the vanes in interior air vents although a small foam edging tool might also work on those.

If using spray sealants like Meg's Hybrid Ceramic do you think specific protection treatments for exterior plastic trim on a new car are still required given the UV protection that comes with MHC ie use MHC until the trim eventually fades, strip and rejuvenate and go again with MHC.

For mudflaps and wheel arch liners, I typically use Meguiar's Hyper Dressing or 303 Protectant. Both are short term solutions, which I reapply once a month when I wash that Wildtrak. 303 Protectant offers UV protection. I use a folded towel to apply these, but a small microfiber sponge or applicator works well here. This would also apply to the side steps.

If you want something longer lasting on these black plastics, you can also use an Si02 spray sealant, below I used Carpro Reload. The finish is very subtle, not a dramatic visual difference, just deeper/richer. These will last longer and withstand water/rain/washing. Using these products, including the Megs Hybrid Ceramic Detailer, will help prolong the finish and reduce the need to "revive" them in the future.

I have found this Mother's product good on black plastics too -

And yes, you can use a brush to apply dressings like Hyper Dressing or 303, you would still use a towel to mop up excess and level the finish.

For air vents, use a brush in conjunction with your vacuum. Hold the vac in one hand and a brush in the other, as you agitate, the vac sucks up the dust.

 

[Johnny Rockit]

Now I will have to go back to the beginning and take a lot of notes. For someone with a limited budget and talent, I really appreciate the info. It truly is better to learn from others experience (and mistakes) with regard to the proper products and their use.

 

[MACHtobers Very Own]

Now I will have to go back to the beginning and take a lot of notes. For someone with a limited budget and talent, I really appreciate the info. It truly is better to learn from others experience (and mistakes) with regard to the proper products and their use.

This thread has been immensely helpful. I also started out with armor all/meguiars and chemical guys. (on my daily driver) the one thing i will say they helped do was increase my level of care and desire to be better. They helped me develop a routine and a safe place to practice. Now im basically taking my routine and replacing each item with car pro/Koche and phasing out the cheaper stuff on my daily (2013 rav 4) they spoon fed me so I can go to car pro with a better understanding of their more pro user oriented lay out.


a detailer friend told me showing up is half the battle and unless you are using sand paper and battery acid many of these cheaper products will work to some degree just theres a ton of better stuff out there.

 

[aham23]

Always fun to arrive home after a long day to find a package had arrived............

This order is from Autobuff, a company I don't buy from much but really enjoy the user-friendly webstore. There was only one item I was really wanting, more on that in a second.

First, a new favorite of mine, these hex-grip style tyre dressing applicators. While they cost more than the red or yellow backed slim-line applicators, these offer a more ergonomic grip and a firmer foam texture for durability. These come in flat or "wave" variations, the wave version pictured gets the nod because it looks better. :wink2

https://autobuff.com.au/products/au...essing-applicator?_pos=1&_sid=7d0362dde&_ss=r

Continuing my P&S lovefest, I decided to try their Bug-Off insect remover and the mint scented Epic Waterless Wash.

https://autobuff.com.au/products/p-s-bug-off-insect-remover-473ml-16oz?_pos=3&_sid=6ac6e7a65&_ss=r
https://autobuff.com.au/products/p-s-epic-waterless-car-wash-473ml-16oz?_pos=1&_sid=7fd81fb66&_ss=r

I have only used one Gtechniq product to date, so continuing my tyre dressing fetish, T2 has been added to my collection.

https://autobuff.com.au/products/gtechniq-t2-tyre-dressing?_pos=1&_sid=1c8f5a0b8&_ss=r

And finally, to the main event. Like most of my purchases, there is a story behind it.

The PP1 wheels on my Mustang drove me to the brink of insanity trying to find the right tools to make cleaning them easy and efficient. Ultimately, I gave up and bought new wheels, but old habits die hard! :doh

While I had brushes for the barrels, finding the right wash mitt for the wheel face and spokes was a more difficult task.

First, I used a microfiber noodle brick and a TRC Eagle Applicator sponge, but they didn't cut it....................

I tried this hideous green monstrosity, but I found it cumbersome to put on and take off.................

These Gyeon microfiber applicator finger mitts sounded promising, but ultimately too small to effective...............

All of this was going on while I knew what I wanted existed, but it was not freely available in Australia. I eventually imported these lambs wool finger mitts from Obsessed Garage, and as I expected, these were exactly what I wanted in terms of size, ergonomics and effectiveness. They are very use-case specific, but absolutely brilliant.

But, as you would expect, these were very expensive by the time you factor in shipping. A cheaper alternative would be great, and I was excited to see Maxshine launched a microfiber version of their own, easily accessible from Australian suppliers.

https://autobuff.com.au/products/maxshine-microfibre-finger-wheel-and-rims-wash-mitt-2-pack

These are more durable than the lambs wool Flexipad mitts, but...........well..........they are just not as good. They have a habit of trapping and holding contaminants, which is obviously not ideal.

With all that explained, we arrive at The Rag Company filling a hole in their range; a small finger mitt designed with wheels in mind, the Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt.

TRC Cyclone Ultra Microfibre Wheel Mitt - AutoBuff (AUS)
Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt | The Rag Company (US)
The Rag Company Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt – CleanandShiny (UK)

Like all TRC microfiber, these mitts are butter soft and, if other TRC items are the gauge, should be very durable as well. These mitts are larger than the Flexipad wool items, so it will be interesting to see how that translates into use. And at half the price including shipping, they are great value too.

Finally, an odd freebie inclusion, a pair of Gtechniq branded sunglasses.

Mach1 HP wheels are slightly less a giant pain in my arse to clean than PP1 wheels....

Looking forward to hearing what you think of that mitt after several uses.

 

[Johnny Rockit]

Let me preface this by saying that the following doesn't mean I'm about to become a mechanic, I would need a hoist for that! What it does mean is that I got sick of rummaging through a jumbled pile of crappy old tools every time I needed to fix something. As usual for me, what started out as a search for a single screwdriver turned into something rather more extensive.

Researching, I knew I wanted to stay within the Kincrome ecosystem as I already had a number of their tools. I shortlisted three tool kits from the large tool retailer's website that suited my budget and tool requirements. These kits are not stocked at my local store so would have to be ordered in, something that didn't really bother me.

However, this purchase was a classic case of "it's not what you know, it's who you know". My old man has been in the construction industry his whole life, as such you tend to build relationships with a variety of supporting businesses. The manager of one of his suppliers is also a Kincrome dealer, so I went in and told him what I was looking for. Two of the shortlisted kits were not in stock and one of them was listed as ready to ship from Kincrome. He quoted me discounted prices on all three and said he would phone me with an ETA on the other two.

When he phoned me back, I was told the ETA would be the end of the month, but he actually had one of my shortlisted kits in stock on display. When he said that I could have it even cheaper than the price he originally quoted, I immediately told him to put my name on it and that I would come and collect it in the morning.

The Evolution Tool Chest K1219 has enough to get me started, while also allowing room to expand in the future if needed.

I challenge any man not to drool over a set of polished and perfectly lined up set of sockets and spanners.

Being a display, there were a couple of marks on the top lid of the box which I dealt with using some Sonax CutMax on my 3inch polisher. I then wiped it over with some OG Drying Aid, because why not.

It's home on top of the red tool trolley is only temporary though. I have ordered another roll cabinet to match in with the rest garage, along with some trays to organize the rest of my odd-bod tools.

Now I just have to find something to tighten....................

Very nice quantity of tools. Are there any six point sockets and extra 10mm tools to lose?

 

[DFB5.0]

Wash day!
This will be the first wash of the Wildtrak since it was coated with Gyeon Can Coat.

The remains of Carpro Darkside are still present but hardly noticeable.

I wanted to try something a little different today. Normally, I would use a dedicated rubber cleaner or P&S Brake Buster for tyre cleaning. Today, I wanted to try out Koch Chemie Green Star. This product is an All-purpose cleaner that, like dedicated rubber cleaners, is highly alkaline. In this case, I had it mixed at 8:1 and applied it liberally to the tyre, wheel arch and scrub brush.

Let me start by saying that Green Star did a good job in stripping back these tyres. Good but not great. Something like Wise Guy or Undressed will outperform it, even at this heavier strength dilution.

In a technical sense, depending on the dilution ratio, an all-purpose cleaner can perform multiple roles in car detailing; interior plastics, carpet, upholstery, leather, engine bay cleaning, degreasing and in this case, tyres too. But................. this is one of those situations where an APC is a jack of all trades, master of none.

Explaining that further, there are reasons why specific products exist. Yes, it does help manufacturers sell more product, but there are genuine benefits to specific products designed for specific roles. The best example I can give is using APC to clean leather. Will it easily clean leather, yes it will. But the side effects of a high pH cleaner on leather are not desirable over the longer term. This is why specific pH neutral leather cleaners exists. The same can be said using APC on interior plastics, and again why something like P&S Express exists.

On to the wheel cleaning, I decided to do a deeper clean on these wheels with Koch Chemie Magic Wheel Cleaner.

MWC is an iron-removing wheel cleaner with a slightly acidic 5.5 pH reading. I never like using these sort of wheel cleaners due to harsh smell, but you can't deny their effectiveness.

This was also my first try of the new TRC Ultra Wheel Mitt -

TRC Cyclone Ultra Microfibre Wheel Mitt - AutoBuff (AUS)
Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt | The Rag Company (US)
The Rag Company Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt – CleanandShiny (UK)

I have chased this sort of wheel cleaning mitt for a long time, finding some great and some not-so-great examples in the process. This one is based on TRC's Cyclone microfiber blend, meaning an ultra soft feel. I like these sort of wash mitts for cleaning wheels for the ergonomic way it allows you to clean between and behind the spoke. This example is very nicely sized and very effective. A WINNER!

Believe it or not, this is the first time I have washed a ceramic coated vehicle! Ooooohh, now I get it!!

First of all, the water behavior is next level. And after sitting under a tree depositing sap on it for two weeks, the ease of cleaning was astounding. In this case, I pre-soaked the car from dry with Reset, rinsed, re-foamed with Reset and washed with a Cyclone wash mitt. Then, using the EGO to remove the water was exceptionally easy.

Having a car that is coated is all about the maintenance, using an appropriate drying aid to maintain the coating is important for longevity, and even exceeding the quoted durability time. I have cabinet full of suitable products for this role, in this case I landed on OG Drying Aid.

Onto the door jambs, I used another new product in the form of P&S Epic Waterless wash. I typically use ONR for this role, but I was somewhat draw to this product after "absolutely" loving their new rinse-less product.

Epic has a minty aroma and performs very well in this application, where the jambs just needed drying and removal of some light dust.

Continuing the green theme, I used Wowo's Interior Finisher to refresh the plastic surfaces. ONR was used to wipe down the leather, and Wowo's Glass Cleaner for the glass. The interior then got a generous spritz of Angelwax Bliss.

Lastly, I dressed the tyres with another new product, Gtechniq T2.

T2 is said to be "body shop safe", meaning it will be silicone free. The finish is very much a low sheen appearance and application is smooth. I quite like the subtle, deep look that it left behind.

Washing the Wildtrak today, I couldn't help but notice how easily it cleaned up. Clearly the hard work put into it a month ago paid off and this really supports my detailing mantra of "maintaining a state of cleanliness".

 

[Brisvegas]

This just got delivered today , heard good things , keen to see results ....

 

[DFB5.0]

This just got delivered today , heard good things , keen to see results ....

Have not used any Polish Angel product before, so I would be interested to see your results.

 

[408cuda]

Wash day!
This will be the first wash of the Wildtrak since it was coated with Gyeon Can Coat.

The remains of Carpro Darkside are still present but hardly noticeable.

I wanted to try something a little different today. Normally, I would use a dedicated rubber cleaner or P&S Brake Buster for tyre cleaning. Today, I wanted to try out Koch Chemie Green Star. This product is an All-purpose cleaner that, like dedicated rubber cleaners, is highly alkaline. In this case, I had it mixed at 8:1 and applied it liberally to the tyre, wheel arch and scrub brush.

Let me start by saying that Green Star did a good job in stripping back these tyres. Good but not great. Something like Wise Guy or Undressed will outperform it, even at this heavier strength dilution.

In a technical sense, depending on the dilution ratio, an all-purpose cleaner can perform multiple roles in car detailing; interior plastics, carpet, upholstery, leather, engine bay cleaning, degreasing and in this case, tyres too. But................. this is one of those situations where an APC is a jack of all trades, master of none.

Explaining that further, there are reasons why specific products exist. Yes, it does help manufacturers sell more product, but there are genuine benefits to specific products designed for specific roles. The best example I can give is using APC to clean leather. Will it easily clean leather, yes it will. But the side effects of a high pH cleaner on leather are not desirable over the longer term. This is why specific pH neutral leather cleaners exists. The same can be said using APC on interior plastics, and again why something like P&S Express exists.

On to the wheel cleaning, I decided to do a deeper clean on these wheels with Koch Chemie Magic Wheel Cleaner.

MWC is an iron-removing wheel cleaner with a slightly acidic 5.5 pH reading. I never like using these sort of wheel cleaners due to harsh smell, but you can't deny their effectiveness.

This was also my first try of the new TRC Ultra Wheel Mitt -

TRC Cyclone Ultra Microfibre Wheel Mitt - AutoBuff (AUS)
Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt | The Rag Company (US)
The Rag Company Cyclone Ultra Wheel Mitt – CleanandShiny (UK)

I have chased this sort of wheel cleaning mitt for a long time, finding some great and some not-so-great examples in the process. This one is based on TRC's Cyclone microfiber blend, meaning an ultra soft feel. I like these sort of wash mitts for cleaning wheels for the ergonomic way it allows you to clean between and behind the spoke. This example is very nicely sized and very effective. A WINNER!

Believe it or not, this is the first time I have washed a ceramic coated vehicle! Ooooohh, now I get it!!

First of all, the water behavior is next level. And after sitting under a tree depositing sap on it for two weeks, the ease of cleaning was astounding. In this case, I pre-soaked the car from dry with Reset, rinsed, re-foamed with Reset and washed with a Cyclone wash mitt. Then, using the EGO to remove the water was exceptionally easy.

Having a car that is coated is all about the maintenance, using an appropriate drying aid to maintain the coating is important for longevity, and even exceeding the quoted durability time. I have cabinet full of suitable products for this role, in this case I landed on OG Drying Aid.

Onto the door jambs, I used another new product in the form of P&S Epic Waterless wash. I typically use ONR for this role, but I was somewhat draw to this product after "absolutely" loving their new rinse-less product.

Epic has a minty aroma and performs very well in this application, where the jambs just needed drying and removal of some light dust.

Continuing the green theme, I used Wowo's Interior Finisher to refresh the plastic surfaces. ONR was used to wipe down the leather, and Wowo's Glass Cleaner for the glass. The interior then got a generous spritz of Angelwax Bliss.

Lastly, I dressed the tyres with another new product, Gtechniq T2.

T2 is said to be "body shop safe", meaning it will be silicone free. The finish is very much a low sheen appearance and application is smooth. I quite like the subtle, deep look that it left behind.

Washing the Wildtrak today, I couldn't help but notice how easily it cleaned up. Clearly the hard work put into it a month ago paid off and this really supports my detailing mantra of "maintaining a state of cleanliness".

Have 6 weeks of downtime after an elbow surgery, and I just have to say…you are costing me a lot of money my friend .

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