# KDS Training - Day Two! The Golf gets flat!



## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Following on from yesterday's thread:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=244178

I thought a few of you may want to see 'highlights' from today's training session with Kelly, which saw me wet sand my own car! :doublesho:doublesho

The day started out with my embarrassingly dirty Golf getting a very thorough clean and decontamination from one of Kelly's Detailing Team:


DSC01677 by RussZS, on Flickr

and yes, it is ALWAYS Sunny in Gillingham apparently! :lol:

Whilst my car was being expertly cleaned, which by the way was a very weird experience for me as I've not let anyone else even touch or wash my car for about FIVE years, we continued from yesterdays work on the test panel with machine sanding on a smaller air DA and Mirka discs:


DSC01694 by RussZS, on Flickr

Next it was ready to start the Golf which was pulled inside ready for examination!


DSC01802 by RussZS, on Flickr

I've learnt just how difficult it is to pick up orange peel on a camera (unless its a recent BMW of course :lol, but this shot gives you an idea - Kelly did a much better job with his DSLR (those pics will follow...)


DSC01806 by RussZS, on Flickr

Next, we taped the car up and protected the engine bay and wheels. I hadn't even considered this before we began, but the main reason for this was to stop the clearcoat we are removing (which is wet and going everywhere!) from running into door shuts, panel gaps, over wheels etc, and rehardening. It's not easy stuff to remove!


DSC01847 by RussZS, on Flickr

Proper job!

We then set up a laser pointer on a tripod at the first panel we were to work on, so that we could asses removal rates on the Golf as we worked:


DSC01853 by RussZS, on Flickr

There's no turning back at this point :doublesho:doublesho:lol:


DSC01875 by RussZS, on Flickr


DSC01940 by RussZS, on Flickr


DSC01949 by RussZS, on Flickr


DSC01956 by RussZS, on Flickr

The Master himself at work... he makes it look far easier than it is!


DSC01957 by RussZS, on Flickr

We managed to get the bonnet, both wings and drivers door wet sanded, and the two wings were also corrected, but still need refining further. However, hopefully these pics give a flavour of what is to come...


DSC01931 by RussZS, on Flickr


DSC01947 by RussZS, on Flickr

Note how shiny the bonnet appears, even though it's still to be corrected - it currently sits with 3000 marks in it.


DSC01963 by RussZS, on Flickr

It's been very interesting spending time with Kelly and his superb team seeing what they are doing day to day. The oven in the corner there is now fully operational and in fact there's a car in there at the moment, and the silver S3 in the pic has just had its front end repainted! The finish is stunning...

They also have a very sexy Pearl White in which is being detailed by Cons and is probably the wettest looking white car I have ever seen in the flesh. It just goes to show that it's not just Kelly there with outstanding detailing ability


DSC01961 by RussZS, on Flickr

Day 3 of 3 tomorrow and hopefully a lot more progress on the Golf before the long journey home.

I've never learnt so much in such a short space of time detailing wise. Also seeing Kelly with a rotary really is an eye-opener. I consider myself to be pretty decent, and I've seen a lot of people polish, but he is something else. I intend to return at some point in the future to spend some time learning to work as effectively as he does with a Rotary. Some of his techniques make so much sense but I've never seen them used by anyone on here. I definitely need to 'think outside of the box' from now on.

Such a superb experience.

Thanks for reading again 

Russ.

Midlands Car Care Facebook Page

A few more pics added to Post 12

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=3180397&postcount=12


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## bigslippy (Sep 19, 2010)

Looks breath taking Russ. I wasn't sure at first , but maybe you could confirm.....the pic of you wet sanding your lovely car......is that your tears your using as a lube? :lol:


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

bigslippy said:


> Looks breath taking Russ. I wasn't sure at first , but maybe you could confirm.....the pic of you wet sanding your lovely car......is that your tears your using as a lube? :lol:


:lol::lol:

I can confirm that they are indeed my tears :devil:


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## alxg (May 3, 2009)

Gotta say, if it was me doing that to my own car then there would be a large quantity of lubricant available, but definitely much more brown in colour and not smelling like Last Touch either!!:lol:


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## howie parks (Jun 5, 2006)

Is one to one tuition a normal thing they do?


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## Gray. (Oct 22, 2011)

Just looking at wet sanding scares me LOL!!


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## Alzak (Aug 31, 2010)

looks like You enjoy "new" experience with wet sanding


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

howie parks said:


> Is one to one tuition a normal thing they do?


I think it will be offered more in 2012, but it's best to drop Kelly an email to confirm. It's about £450-500 per day (£50 per hour) but not sure what the calendar/schedule will be.

I'm the 'first' so I guess it depends how he feels it goes too! I'll do a full write up when I get a change. We have covered SO MUCH, but I don't have the time (or internet connection) to upload the pics, but I'll do it when I'm home.

Kelly will have a write up too.


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## Jakub555 (Aug 17, 2011)

just wanna say
well done mate

really very interested course

good luck and looking forward to see all photos before/after

cheers
kind regards
j555


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## hotwaxxx (Jul 12, 2007)

Incredible. The wing pics look like night and day. Cannot wait to see the final pics.:thumb:

My in-laws live in Gillingham so I may have to pop down to see KDS some time.


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## dann2707 (Mar 25, 2011)

Epic stuff! Is it a case of constantly checking the PDG? I'd love to give it a blast.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

I just thought I'd add this little bit to show how very little is removed, if the process is done properly and effectively:

PDG calibrated fully before starting:


DSC01825 by RussZS, on Flickr

Panel reading before we started any sanding:


DSC01851 by RussZS, on Flickr

Readings were 106-108

Then, after 1500, 2000, 2500 and 3000:


DSC01896 by RussZS, on Flickr

Then after compounding to remove sanding marks:


DSC01927 by RussZS, on Flickr

To put this in comparison, when rounding an RDS earlier in the day, we removed nearly 15 microns...

The drivers side wing was my first panel...


DSC01935 by RussZS, on Flickr

Not bad flake pop (this needs refining so still has some swirling)


DSC01946 by RussZS, on Flickr

Not bad....


DSC01942 by RussZS, on Flickr

I can't wait until tomorrow 

Russ.


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## North east Car Care (Jan 14, 2008)

Looks stunning Russ


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

dann2707 said:


> Epic stuff! Is it a case of constantly checking the PDG? I'd love to give it a blast.


To an extent, but cleanliness is probably the biggest thing to be concerned about. There is no chance that this can be done properly outdoors or in a dusty/dirty environment.

Also, weight, pressure and blocks all make a huge difference. I wouldn't fancy learning this from a forum thread or trying to teach myself. I guess a clean unit and a few scrap panels will be a good starting point, but then you still have considerations around starting grade, assessing removal, ensuring peel is removed etc etc. understanding what is happening is just as important as technique.

Russ.


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

This is very work there Russ, plus a great learning curve for people on here.

The wing does look very good, i can see some blue metallic flecks in the paint.

Keep us posted...


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## k9vnd (Apr 11, 2011)

Brilliant!, the result's so far seem to be gob smacking!

I just wish i had the ball's to go out there and wet sand the veccy.

Good thread too, but my question would be- if wet sanding a car can the results achieved be completed with a da or is the rotary a must?...


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

couped said:


> Brilliant!, the result's so far seem to be gob smacking!
> 
> I just wish i had the ball's to go out there and wet sand the veccy.
> 
> Good thread too, but my question would be- if wet sanding a car can the results achieved be completed with a da or is the rotary a must?...


Just to clarify do you mean a DA for removing the sanding marks? If so yes no problem but it'll take a little longer than with a rotary, as it would with 'normal' swirl removal.


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## -Raven- (Aug 26, 2010)

It's amazing to see the highs and lows around the edges of where you've just sanded!

You'll have to report back on your findings about if it's way more annoying seeing marks, swirls, and pitting in the future.


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## lesdon499 (Oct 30, 2011)

What a fantastic job and a rivetting read. Fantastic


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## Dan_S (Nov 10, 2011)

Top work the results thus far are amazing, looking forward to following the progress and seeing the end result. I was very surprised to see the paint depth readings and how little clear was actually removed, goes to show what can be achieved when you know what you're doing.


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## ads2k (Jul 12, 2006)

Amazing difference Russ , bet it was a bit of a butt clencher :lol:

Sounds like Kelly is a great teacher and you are learning an awful lot in a very short space of time.

Can't wait to see the fully finished car :thumb:


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

ads2k said:


> Amazing difference Russ , bet it was a bit of a butt clencher :lol:
> 
> Sounds like Kelly is a great teacher and you are learning an awful lot in a very short space of time.
> 
> Can't wait to see the fully finished car :thumb:


Thanks Ad, and yes I really am! He's been doing this for 19 years and it really shows :doublesho

The wet sanding isn't too bad but I've had the best possible tuition, which clearly helps a lot. It speaks volumes that I did the door myself (2nd live panel and only 3 panel I've done) completely on my own, with no guidance, and its looking very, very good.

However, similar to polishing and have clogged pads, or not enough polish, there are nuances to wet sanding which affect the overall appearance, so for example when you begin to restore the gloss on 2500-3000 grit, Kelly's finish is a bit glossier than mine... but that should come with time 

Russ.


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## Hoppo32 (Nov 18, 2008)

Russ any news on what you've learned from Kelly about the microfibre system. I know you mentioned earlier that you were suprised by removal rates etc.
Would be nice to hear more about this when you have the time.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Hoppo32 said:


> Russ any news on what you've learned from Kelly about the microfibre system. I know you mentioned earlier that you were suprised by removal rates etc.
> Would be nice to hear more about this when you have the time.


He's firmly a rotary man - I think I've possibly used it a bit more than he has.

What surprised us both was just how much clearcoat it removed compared to a Rotary with Wool

I used the MF system to remove the 4000 grit marks on the first test panel and we took off about 4-6 microns, compared to 1-2 from the rotary. Arguably the MF system finished down a touch better, but as ever with this system any deeper scratches (scoring in this instance) remained as its effectively 'levelling' rather than 'contouring' to the 'bumps' of the clearcoat

The MF system clearly has its place, works very quickly, and reduces risks around heat and pad skipping, but like all paint correction, should be used with caution and in conjunction with a PDG.

Two very clear things have come out of this for me, making me question quite a few threads I've seen on here regarding RDS removal and whether to use hand or machine for wet sanding, but more on that later...


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## JBirchy (Oct 9, 2010)

Looks amazing Russ, such a great learning experience and full credit to you for widening your skills when embarking in a detailing business.

Looks amazing at Kellys Aladins cave, but i can't wait to see some full wet sand details from Midlands Car Care in the future!

Plus, Midlands is a lot closer to me than KDS, if not still a long way!


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Cheers. 

The first customer car will be a rear quarter on a Lupo GTI which has had a bad respray...


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## chillly (Jun 25, 2009)

Night and day Russ for sure in terms of looks. I watched the Bentley Megafactories the other night and they wetsand and re polish every car before it goes out.


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## dazzyb (Feb 9, 2010)

your a brave man to do this to ur golf, but with kelly's guidance i guess ur in safe hands. 

the wings look amazing tho. will be one of the best golfs around wen finished.


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## Ronnie (Nov 15, 2006)

now thats stunning cant wait to see the finished article!!! I have to agree with you when it comes to RDS paint removal anf finish.. In my humble opinion its not about removing every defect regardless of the concequences. Detailing is about making the best possible finish with what you have to work with whilst not compromising the integraty of the paint finish or the usage of the vehicle after. no point having it flawless and only 10 microns of clear left and the owner wanting to keep the car for 5-6 years as a daily. I used to be paranoid about my cars once they were finished and took it really bad if other "detailers" questioned why a RDS was not totally removed but then you realise its not your inability its their lack of understanding some times.... Your learning from one of the best Russ and all the best in the future!


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## EliteCarCare (Aug 25, 2006)

RussZS said:


> Cheers.
> 
> The first customer car will be a rear quarter on a Lupo GTI which has had a bad respray...


I would tread carefully when wet sanding an aftermarket paint job (and a poor one at that) as it can bite you horribly. Worth getting some more tips from Kelly about it as it's not as straightforward as dealing with factory paint.

Excellent write-up by the way! :thumb:


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## gtechrob (Sep 11, 2006)

out of interest - how much paint did you have near the front edge of the front doors? we had very very little when we did this brand new GTI:
http://gtechniq.com/gallery/jonas-gti/


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## AaronGTi (Nov 2, 2010)

RussZS said:


> Cheers.
> 
> The first customer car will be a rear quarter on a Lupo GTI which has had a bad respray...


Looking forward to this. For obvious reasons


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## Yellow Dave (Apr 5, 2011)

impressive!

going to be a busy week for you if you're still heading down to Essex tomorrow as well for another day of training.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

chillly said:


> Night and day Russ for sure in terms of looks. I watched the Bentley Megafactories the other night and they wetsand and re polish every car before it goes out.





gtechrob said:


> out of interest - how much paint did you have near the front edge of the front doors? we had very very little when we did this brand new GTI:
> http://gtechniq.com/gallery/jonas-gti/


Hi Rob,

Not much different to the rest of the door really - about 108-110, but we're not wet sanding right up to the edges anyway, purely because of time.

Russ.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Yellow Dave said:


> impressive!
> 
> going to be a busy week for you if you're still heading down to Essex tomorrow as well for another day of training.


Indeed, far too busy! 

I'm tempted to grab a hotel near Stanstead but I could do with going home really... I'll defo be heading down to James' though, are you there on Sat?

Russ.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

dazzyb said:


> your a brave man to do this to ur golf, but with kelly's guidance i guess ur in safe hands.
> 
> the wings look amazing tho. will be one of the best golfs around wen finished.


Thanks - I hope so 

Tbh I feel like I've been doing it a while, even though I've only done a handful of panels. I'm leaving a couple of scorelines in, but nothing that can't be removed by compounding.

It's something I will always do to my own cars in future.

Russ.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

The bonnet is getting there...


DSC_0054 by RussZS, on Flickr


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## hotwaxxx (Jul 12, 2007)

That bonnet looks amazing. 

Free from clearcoat, it really looks like you've achieved a mirror reflection.:thumb:


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## Jakub555 (Aug 17, 2011)

very good job 
so how many microns on average did you remove ?


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## hotwaxxx (Jul 12, 2007)

Jakub555 said:


> very good job
> so how many microns on average did you removed ?


On the wings he removed around 6 microns I believe and he said roughly the same for the rest of the panels.

Quite impressive considering you usually remove around 6-10 microns when tackling RDS alone through heavy compounding


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

It's about 6 on average I'd say, with half of that being machine polishing, not wet sanding.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Also, here's a cheeky picture of the Pearl White BMW which KDS has in at the moment... just in case the owner is reading 


DSC02072 by RussZS, on Flickr


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## hotwaxxx (Jul 12, 2007)

RussZS said:


> It's about 6 on average I'd say, with half of that being machine polishing, not wet sanding.


If you need another specimen to work on when you return to the sunny Midlands, you know where I am.:lol:


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

hotwaxxx said:


> If you need another specimen to work on when you return to the sunny Midlands, you know where I am.:lol:


I would like to keep a bit of a momentum with this actually... be a shame to not keep on top of what I have learnt here... :buffer:


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## Jakub555 (Aug 17, 2011)

+1

:thumb:


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

It's a hard life, having two of this countries finest working on your car for you! (Roy of Pro Valeting and Kelly of KDS)


DSC02061 by RussZS, on Flickr


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## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

Looks good so far.
Didn't realise you were in Gillingham.
My gf lives up the road from there.

Its crazy how many places are near or right next to places I know.
The Gtechniq HQ is behind the place I used to work too.


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## hotwaxxx (Jul 12, 2007)

RussZS said:


> I would like to keep a bit of a momentum with this actually... be a shame to not keep on top of what I have learnt here... :buffer:


Its a great tool to have in your detailing artillery mate.

I'm sure you will be inundated with requests for a full wetsand (especially with all the German autos on the roads which seem to suffer more than any other car manufacturers IMO).

I'm really impressed with what you've achieved in the photos posted thus far - it certainly seems to be the next step up from a full correction machine polish. The paint looks liquid-like and a step above what you get solely from machine correction.

Cannot wait to see the full write up. Great job.:thumb:


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## Jakub555 (Aug 17, 2011)

He is not standing on the alloy wheel , is he ...?

:doublesho


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

It's not a customers, it's off a GT3 Porsche I believe


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## Brigham1806 (Apr 1, 2011)

*looking good *

Looking good... Can't wait to see the final result!


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Well done Russ stepping up this time big time looks scary, first time i was advised to wet sand a part i had put lots of work onto coating many layers my client told me to wet sand last coat till matt and all gloss gone then lacquer thought he was winding me up but result was fantastic never been brave enough to do any more than half a bumper to repair great, thanks for sharing


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

We have about another hour or so...


DSC02075 by RussZS, on Flickr


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## simon burns (Nov 1, 2011)

Top work mate!the results are simply stunning,given an already 'looked after car' :thumb: must take some balls to wet sand your car for the first time!


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Cheers 

I'm just uploading some nearly finished pics from Kelly's DSLR...


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## Matt. (Aug 26, 2007)

Stunning Russ. 

Are you doing a full write up in one thread?


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## HeavenlyDetail (Sep 22, 2006)

hotwaxxx said:


> Incredible. The wing pics look like night and day. Cannot wait to see the final pics.:thumb:
> 
> My in-laws live in Gillingham so I may have to pop down to see KDS some time.


He,ll love that , he,s always up for a cuppa with detailing enthusiasts..


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Matt. said:


> Stunning Russ.
> 
> Are you doing a full write up in one thread?


Yeah I will do over the weekend...


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

HeavenlyDetail said:


> He,ll love that , he,s always up for a cuppa with detailing enthusiasts..


Lol...

He's a VERY busy guy, so I'd call in advance if anyone is planning on visiting KDS, the guy never stops and has very little spare time


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## Alan W (May 11, 2006)

Awesome Russ and congrats to you and Kelly - there's no greater reward in detailing than seeing such superb wet sanded panels.  It is the ultimate detailing skill in my opinion! :thumb:

I hope your earlier proposed 'wax test' will now go ahead on your car and the new finish will better allow you to judge each wax aesthetically as well as for durability. You need to do this, please! 

Thanks,

Alan W


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Alan W said:


> Awesome Russ and congrats to you and Kelly - there's no greater reward in detailing than seeing such superb wet sanded panels.  It is the ultimate detailing skill in my opinion! :thumb:
> 
> I hope your earlier proposed 'wax test' will now go ahead on your car and the new finish will better allow you to judge each wax aesthetically as well as for durability. You need to do this, please!
> 
> ...


Will do Alan. We're just popping something on tonight to see me home okay with protection, and I'll apply the test products during the next week or so.

That's if I ever wash it ever again lol! New mitt every time for me now I think! I might not wash it until March :lol:


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## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

holy mamma Russ and Kelly. I'd seriously love to have this done on my car. As we've seen recently, it's actually quite reasonable - still not sure I can justify it right now though

:lol: :thumb: 

Fair play to you for investing the time into the training to raise your game too.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

McClane said:


> holy mamma Russ and Kelly. I'd seriously love to have this done on my car. As we've seen recently, it's actually quite reasonable - still not sure I can justify it right now though
> 
> :lol: :thumb:
> 
> Fair play to you for investing the time into the training to raise your game too.


Sorry that pic isn't me - that's Roy of Pro Valeting, I'm taking the pic 

I'm not one of the countries finest! :doublesho:lol:


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## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

McClane said:


> Fair play to you for investing the time into the training to raise your game too.





RussZS said:


> Sorry that pic isn't me - that's Roy of Pro Valeting, I'm taking the pic
> 
> I'm not one of the countries finest! :doublesho:lol:


Well, fair play to you for having two top pro's shine up your car whilst you sit around eating biscuits :lol:


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

McClane said:


> Well, fair play to you for having two top pro's shine up your car whilst you sit around eating biscuits :lol:


Lol I wish, 3x12 hour days in a row, I'm shattered :lol:

I can see an improvement in every panel I do, which is great progress. Very slight nuances in terms of reduced score lines, more even sanding and better overall gloss. Kelly is still leagues ahead, but he said I'm good, which is a huge compliment!


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

A few teaser pics ahead of the full write up... 


DSC_0014 by RussZS, on Flickr


DSC_0002 by RussZS, on Flickr


DSC_0021 by RussZS, on Flickr


DSC_0007 by RussZS, on Flickr


DSC_0006 by RussZS, on Flickr


DSC_0018 by RussZS, on Flickr


DSC_0012 by RussZS, on Flickr


DSC_0017 by RussZS, on Flickr


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## Matt. (Aug 26, 2007)

Stop spoiling us Russ!


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

RussZS said:


> A few teaser pics ahead of the full write up...
> 
> 
> DSC_0014 by RussZS, on Flickr
> ...


Amazing result Russ reflections are very impressive , what difference do you feel to the paint after the wet sand , and the comment above your not the pro well it won't be long if you keep that up very humble, stunning


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2011)

stunning work on an already stunning car IMO,and well done to all involved,id be scared to drive it now let alone wash it :thumb:


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## Stomper (Jun 8, 2011)

OMG . Wheres the sandpaper .
Russ , absolutley stunning mate . If i could afford it i would invest in some professional training , but i dont so i will learn the hard way .
Keep up the good work . Do you feel confident enough to charge a customer for it ....


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## Scrim-1- (Oct 8, 2008)

Stunning crisp reflections Russ can only imagine what it looks like in the flesh, whats Lsp going to be?


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## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

Beautiful, I would be scared to ever touch it again lol


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## Jakub555 (Aug 17, 2011)

wow
what a result mate

have you got any photos before /after to compare how much different after wet sanding,,,

top job there mate


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

DSC02100 by RussZS, on Flickr


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

How did that happen? Kerb?


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

I hit some random item on the motorway at 70 5 miles from home, after driving 150!

Gutted. The steering is knackered too.


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

RussZS said:


> I hit some random item on the motorway at 70 5 miles from home, after driving 150!
> 
> Gutted. The steering is knackered too.


B'lox! Gutted  Not something anyone wants!


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## k9vnd (Apr 11, 2011)

Dnt let that put a dampner on it russ... the car is looking the mutt's nut's...

Ad be excited and crash the thing on the way home too


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Cheers guys, it will be easily repaired.

I've had a good look through the pics.

This is my fave 


DSC02098 by RussZS, on Flickr


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## svended (Oct 7, 2011)

Some amazing pics there. Sorry to see about the drive home.


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## ESSO (Jun 24, 2010)

Great job RussZs.:thumb::thumb:


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## Alzak (Aug 31, 2010)

5 miles from home don't think You are very happy with that ... after 3 days working on Your car. 
I hope it will be easy fix:thumb:


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## shuggett (Oct 27, 2010)

Russ.
Gutted about the damage, but your looks amazing!!!!!!!!!!!
Black seems to be the most rewarding colour to wet sand.
very well done
Steve


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## nick197 (Mar 3, 2011)

Your car is trully stunning mate, Infact stunning is'nt a good enough word lol. Sorry to hear about the damage  that's sods law.


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## chillly (Jun 25, 2009)

Sorry to hear about your mishap Russ but after what you have been through the last 3 days im sure it will be a doddle to fix for you! In any case if you are unsure then use *( Midlands Car Care )* They are very good :thumb:  Dont let it put a downer on the progress you have made :thumb:


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## Roy (Jan 17, 2007)

Russ a big thanks for the invite down. I had a very enjoyable afternoon and it was a pleasure helping out with a bit of easy polishing. Like I said I had no concerns about correcting your sanding marks  I think you’ve picked that skill up a treat :thumb:

Also a big tanks to Kelly too :thumb: one of the few people I’m nervous of polishing in front of  and thanks for a few pointers it’s extremely hard not to pick up some good tips being around people like Kelly.

So in summary Midlands Car Care: detailing, paint correction and wet sanding. Easily Recommended. 
And Kelly from KDS: one to one detailing courses. Awesome.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

right Russ, stop putting up all the before pics and get some of the finished ones....



:lol:


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Roy said:


> Russ a big thanks for the invite down. I had a very enjoyable afternoon and it was a pleasure helping out with a bit of easy polishing. Like I said I had no concerns about correcting your sanding marks  I think you've picked that skill up a treat :thumb:
> 
> Also a big tanks to Kelly too :thumb: one of the few people I'm nervous of polishing in front of  and thanks for a few pointers it's extremely hard not to pick up some good tips being around people like Kelly.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the very kind words Roy and I'd totally echo what you've said.

Seeing Kelly handle a rotary really is an eye opener. He polishes unlike anyone else I've ever seen and corrects quicker and finishes down better. I have to go back to spend a week learning to polish more effectively. It just goes to show how understanding paint to the extent that he does pays dividends!

Thanks for your help too - we really would have struggled to finish had you not popped over! Really, really appreciated. It's amazing how the hours flew by!! :doublesho

I can't stop looking at it this morning


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## Lewisredfern001 (Apr 21, 2011)

fantastic m8, been following your progess over the last few days and the finish just looks stunning. 
what LSP have you got on, or do yuo plan for it? Crystal rock?


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Lewisredfern001 said:


> fantastic m8, been following your progess over the last few days and the finish just looks stunning.
> what LSP have you got on, or do yuo plan for it? Crystal rock?


Thanks Lewis.

It's got Carlack NSC then C2 on it at the moment (for speed)

Not sure what I'll use on it yet...


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## Mad Ad (Feb 7, 2011)

Lovely Russ, shame about the little accident had on the motorway, I had similar happen a couple of months ago a rubber block (looked like a exhaust mount) but hit the front grill and could do nothing to avoid it.

Maybe some Desire for LSP..


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## Tom_watts (May 2, 2010)

Great work russ, will be dropping you an email later


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## rockape (Feb 18, 2007)

what a write up. thankyou for taking the time to post up :thumb:


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Great work there Russ, the paints so reflective in colour, its very wet looking.

Sorry to hear about the accident, whats wrong with the steering, is it tracking related at all.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Yeah it's just tracking I think Trip. The worst part is that the plastic on my bumper is cracked, about 2 inches high. Needs a repair 

I'm just uploading 658 pics... :lol:

I like this one the most I think!


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## EAN8 (Apr 15, 2011)

RussZS said:


> Yeah it's just tracking I think Trip. The worst part is that the plastic on my bumper is cracked, about 2 inches high. Needs a repair
> 
> I'm just uploading 658 pics... :lol:
> 
> I like this one the most I think!


well done will you be hanging that on the wall in the unit


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## Jakub555 (Aug 17, 2011)

very nice 
congratulations mate


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## justina3 (Jan 11, 2008)

one of the best threads to appear on here for ages, 

well done cracking skill set to have under your belt


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

EAN8 - definitely! 

I'm just uploading 658 pics... and they are just mine! Kelly has hundreds too.

This is going to be a biiiiig write up!

Russ.


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## bigslippy (Sep 19, 2010)

RussZS said:


> I hit some random item on the motorway at 70 5 miles from home, after driving 150!
> 
> Gutted. The steering is knackered too.


Jeees Russ , I'm sorry to hear that ... however , at 70mph it could've been a lot worse if not fatal.... easy for me to say but at least you weren't hurt :thumb:


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

bigslippy said:


> Jeees Russ , I'm sorry to hear that ... however , at 70mph it could've been a lot worse if not fatal.... easy for me to say but at least you weren't hurt :thumb:


Yeah exactly Neil. I'm obviously gutted but it could have been a LOT worse. Luckily I know a man in Gillingham who can sort it for me


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## hotwaxxx (Jul 12, 2007)

Gutted about the accident Russ but that can be sorted and at least you are okay.

The pics look absolutely stunning and I cannot wait for the big write up. And we need loads and loads of photos.:thumb:


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

hotwaxxx said:


> Gutted about the accident Russ but that can be sorted and at least you are okay.
> 
> The pics look absolutely stunning and I cannot wait for the big write up. And we need loads and loads of photos.:thumb:


658 do you?

I won't use them all of course, but will use a lot!!

Russ.


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## ianFRST (Sep 19, 2006)

awesome


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## ads2k (Jul 12, 2006)

Stunning is not a good enough word for the clarity and final finish on the shown panels so far :thumb:

Shame about the damage, but as you say could have been a whole lot worse.


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## Mr Singh (Apr 4, 2006)

Came out great, shame about the little accident. I am kicking myself as I can't find the picture of my Lexus I wetsanded 5 years ago.. Only finish pics no durings!


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## GJM (Jul 19, 2009)

Lot of effort gone into that with great results, nightmare on the accident but sounds like it could have been a lot worse.

Off topic, but in the photos... anyone know what the snap on man is currently charging for the seat creepers with drawer


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Cheers!

I need to find that one out myself, I really want one of those now. You leave Kellys feeling like you'll never be quite that good or have as many toys!

Russ.


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## R0B (Aug 27, 2010)

Excellent thread Russ and a fantastic skill to have in your armoury.

Looks like you have mastered this very well and a great teacher to learn from which is an obvious comment.

Well done mate.


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

Glad you are in one piece Russ scaring thing hitting any object on motorway gutted for you , i hit a dear once at 60 MPH and did a hell of damage and hit a pheasant last year did lots of plastic damage, hope you get it fixed soon Russ and back to it best.


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## JJ_ (Oct 26, 2005)

Gutted about the damage russ, commented on your facebook page. 

I am def going to sand the clear down on the edition30 mine has quite a bit of orange peel. 

Good job russ!


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## ianFRST (Sep 19, 2006)

GJM said:


> Lot of effort gone into that with great results, nightmare on the accident but sounds like it could have been a lot worse.
> 
> Off topic, but in the photos... anyone know what the snap on man is currently charging for the seat creepers with drawer


about £50-60+ vat iirc. i got one the 1st time i saw my snap on rep about 3 years ago, paid £30 for it  :lol:


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## GJM (Jul 19, 2009)

That sounds a bit much for what it is...£30 sounds better 

I know they are around $90 stateside


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## evotuning (Oct 16, 2009)

Russ, I see You worked both by machine and by hand, which steps/panels were done with machine/by hand and why ?


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## craigblues (Jul 24, 2011)

Glad you had fun Russ! shame about the object on motorway, one of those unfortunate things...


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

evotuning said:


> Russ, I see You worked both by machine and by hand, which steps/panels were done with machine/by hand and why ?


On my own car, it was all done by hand.

From what I've seen, you simply cannot remove orange peel as effectively by machine. We only used 2000 and 4000 Grit, but as you'll see from my full write up when I post it, it didn't remove the orange peel completely, but of course did flatten it to an extent.

As I gained experience, I even dropped the use of the block and did everything with my bare hand, which after being shown how, felt more natural.

The other disadvantage of machine is you can't hear when you pick up any dirt between the disc and the paint, which can cause quite nasty "pig-tailing" (as you may have seen on Aston Martins for example), which then means you need to remove more clearcoat removing the pigtailing.

I'm sure some people are very good by machine, but after trying it myself and seeing the difference, I will only be doing it by hand from now on. Yes it requires more skill, and takes a hell of a lot more time, but the final results are most certainly worth it.

Russ.


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## Adrian Convery (May 27, 2010)

Looks stunning!


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## craigblues (Jul 24, 2011)

How much are does KDS charge for their 1on1 training, might be a nice birthday/Christmas present to myself.


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

£500 a day Craig, but you'd need at least 3 ideally, probably 5.

Also, what I did assumes you know how to handle a rotary very well too. I'm not sure how experienced you are, but I skipped a lot given my 5 years experience, so you may need a bit longer depending on your personal experience, or not. Best to drop Kelly an email and see what he advises.

Russ.


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## craigblues (Jul 24, 2011)

RussZS said:


> £500 a day Craig, but you'd need at least 3 ideally, probably 5.
> 
> Also, what I did assumes you know how to handle a rotary very well too. I'm not sure how experienced you are, but I skipped a lot given my 5 years experience, so you may need a bit longer depending on your personal experience, or not. Best to drop Kelly an email and see what he advises.
> 
> Russ.


Oh I'm excited now, I'll drop him an email in the new year. What other courses does he run?


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## Jakub555 (Aug 17, 2011)

+1
I was thinking about the same *craigblues*

but don't know if santa would like to listen

very expensive present TBH 
but 1 day 100% will go there if I can afford it

*Russ* well done mate

very nice diploma as well


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

Results are stunning Russ!


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Strothow said:


> Results are stunning Russ!


Thank you - I'll reply to your PM in a sec. Apologies that I haven't yet.

Russ.


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## Yellow Dave (Apr 5, 2011)

Was a shame about the accident and not making it over to AF yesterday. Would have been good to admire the work. The results are fantastic! James got us playing with a little wet sanding, and after doing a small section on a bonnet, I don't know how you managed a whole car in 3 days!


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

Thanks Dave.

We didn't manage it all, just the two sides and the bonnet, so I'm going back to finish it off next year and do a few other bits. It is very time consuming though - a good 4 hours per panel I'd say. We did put in 3x12 hour days!


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## empsburna (Apr 5, 2006)

Looks great son. Will be a good service to offer even if it is just the odd panel if it has seen poor previous repair.

With the amount of orange peel on cars fresh out of the factory I'm sure you will be better prepared to tackle them.

Expect every BMW owner in the land to be calling!


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## RedUntilDead (Feb 10, 2009)

Russ top work and great input to the forum. Posts like this keep me interested:thumb:
I have played around with wet sanding on my own cars and never achieved the results I aimed for, removing too much clear in the process.I have learnt a few pointers from reading your posts so many thanks for that to.


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## Tiauguinho (May 1, 2007)

Nice!


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## MidlandsCarCare (Feb 18, 2006)

empsburna said:


> Looks great son. Will be a good service to offer even if it is just the odd panel if it has seen poor previous repair.
> 
> With the amount of orange peel on cars fresh out of the factory I'm sure you will be better prepared to tackle them.
> 
> Expect every BMW owner in the land to be calling!


Thanks Paul :thumb:

Main thread is here guys...

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=244507


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