# Mini Cooper - Why We Love Solid Black!



## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

_Take Two - This time all pics resized. Excuse the different sized pics throughout, two different cameras used (Gordon's Sony compact and my D90 and they are set at different picture sizes off the card so resizing maintaining aspect ratio results in different sized pics._

Falling a bit behind with my writeups at the moment, my mind has been a little elsewhere with thesis writing and teacher training applications - and detailing has suddenly got rather busy for me as well!  So this is a detail that was actually carried out three weeks ago, but I am slowly getting back to getting our work written up 

Onto the detail - this was a Tuition Detail carried out by Gordon, Davy and myself. That is, the owner of the car plays a part in the detail from the wash stage through to machine polishing to get the chance to learn the techniques, practice them and also have their car detailed at the same time. Very rewarding for all involved - we get to work with keen enthusiasts which we really enjoy, and owners have the satisfaction of the end results being something they helped to achieve  The car in question here was a solid black Mini Cooper...



















After washing and claying the car, it was clear to see that the beauty of the solid black was being robbed by swirling and other paint defects such as this lovely bird etching on the bonnet...



















Regions of deep scratches around the car has paint repairs...



















which were to be flatted back to blend during the course of the detail also.

Onto the detailing, and the bonnet was where we begin. While I began assessing the required polish and pad combinations for general swirl remove, Gordon set about blending the paint repairs by wet sanding. The aim here is to flat back the repair, which sits proud of the paintwork, back to level so that the repair blends into the paint finish. Before proceeding, the paint thicknesses must be checked...










Checking for consistency in the paint finish, we were happy that the readings here, which were consistent across the car showing no obvious thin spots, were safe to proceed with the wetsanding process. Gordon started using paper to "block flat", paper here being more effective at selectively flatting down the raised region than a foam disk which could mould around it (and mould around orange peel to a degree as well)...










This was followed up by using the Abralon discs to blend and leave a finer sanding haze that would be easy to polish out by machine...










The key here is to ensure that no heavy pressure is used during the process, and that the thicknesses are very regularly checked. Heavy pressure and too low a grit number would result in deep sanding scratches that would be difficult to polish out and would require large amounts of paint to be removed to achieve full removal which should be avoided. Regularly feeling over the repair allows you to feel how well it is blending. Then once you are happy the repair is complete, the remaining sanding haze...










is polished out to reveal the blended repair (or rather, not reveal the blended repair!). The picture below shows the bonnet top region you see being sanded above...



















What we are looking out for in the after shots is that there are no deep scratches remaining... deep sanding marks can look like "ripples" in the paint as polishing can round them. The result required is a flat and sharp reflection with no evidence of rippling or scratching.

Onto the polishing stages, and the general swirls on the paint could be seen to be quite bad, the issue emphasised by the fact we are dealing with flat black which is the most unforgiving colour for a car!














































The marring was bad enough to see in just the strip lights...




























Despite being the most unforgiving colour for highlighting defects, flat black for me is also the best colour when you get the paint looking its best! The depth and clarity you can achieve and the way the colour shows off your work is like no other colour and for me it is the most entertaining paint to work on 

Going through my traditional paint assessment process which is designed to ensure that maximum safe correction with the minimum paint removal - best of as many worlds as possible as you ensure the car is looking its best while also maintaining the life and integrity of the paint finish and maximising the potential for future polishing should it need it. So... starting with the lightest cutting combination I have (Menzerna 85RD Final Finish on a 3M Blue Finishing Pad) and working up until I achieved the desired level of correction. With each test stage, the paint thickness is measured to check the removal rates and to ensure the safety of the next stage up where required.

In the end, I settled on Menzerna PO85RD3.02 Intensive Polish on a 3M yellow polishing pad for the majority of the correction, applied using a Zenith Point method of starting slow, working to a working speed of circa 1800rpm until the residue goes clear, and then reducing to 1200rpm for a few passes to refine the finish. The odd region of deeper marks were corrected using 3M Fast Cut Plus on a green Chemical Guys Hexlogic Heavy Polishing pad (the compounding pads were rarely required on this car), applied by spreading at slow speed and working at 2000rpm with medium pressure until defect removed. Refining was carried out using Meguiars #205 on a 3M Blue Finishing pad, using a Double Zenith technique where pressure and speed are increased and decreased together to benefit from the pressure dependence of the SMAT abrasives.

The end results of the machine polishing stages on the bonnet:























































And this is why I love flat black...





















A few more before shots from around the car...
































































50/50 on door after the correction stage:










Driver's side door after correction and refining...





































Reflection?










After machine correction and wipedown with IPA to remove any polishing oils (allowing check to ensure finish is perfect with no filling from any oils etc), the paintwork was protected with a durable wax - Meguiars #16. I know, I use this a lot these days, but for a proper honest value for money wax that is durable and nice to use, it doesn't get much better. 

Tyres dressed with RD50 (Espuma), trim with Chemical Guys New Look, glass with Duragloss #751, wheels with Finish Kare FK1000P.

The end results...




































































































And some beading...



















(All after shots taken by Gordon with his Sony compact camera).


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## Paulo (Aug 11, 2007)

_Fantastic work as always Dave and team....:thumb:_


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

Sterling work yet again Team DKG/C/BD :thumb: :thumb:

Nice for the owner to be involved in the entire process and thus take away, not only a superbly detailed car, but knowledge of how it was achieved and how to maintain it.

Nice one, gents :thumb:


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## mwbpsx (Jun 23, 2006)

any chance of a high res of the beading please?


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

mwbpsx said:


> any chance of a high res of the beading please?


Gordon (caledonia) took these, so I will ask him :thumb:


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## mwbpsx (Jun 23, 2006)

Dave KG said:


> Gordon (caledonia) took these, so I will ask him :thumb:


cheers Dave:argie:


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## ads2k (Jul 12, 2006)

Great job again guys :thumb:

But I draw the line @ 'pink tape' :lol:


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## StuaR32t (Jun 6, 2009)

:doublesho Dripping wet.:thumb:

super job! did that big bird etching come out easily:buffer:


Stu.


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

superb again chaps


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## Lump (Nov 6, 2008)

mwbpsx said:


> any chance of a high res of the beading please?





Dave KG said:


> Gordon (caledonia) took these, so I will ask him :thumb:


and me please :thumb:


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## SuperchargedLlama (Apr 25, 2008)

niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice work lads, that looks brilliant.


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## DE 1981 (Aug 17, 2007)

Looking good chaps, im sure the owner will do you proud looking after it.

Gav


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## Planet Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Great stuff fellas:thumb: You can really tell the difference between the cameras


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## Ashtra (Oct 17, 2007)

Superb job and write up as usuall Dave


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## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

another good tuition detail!

certainly came up well did this one :thumb:


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## Cliff (Mar 4, 2007)

Gorgeous finish :argie::thumb:


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## Trist (Jun 23, 2006)

Brilliant work once again Dave :thumb:


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## Will-S (Jun 5, 2007)

Very nice work, again guys. Fantastic results.


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## 03OKH (May 2, 2009)

Looks awesome. 

Thanks for sharing especially the wet sanding :thumb:

Tony


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## dodger (May 20, 2006)

WOW, very nice work Dave and the team


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## caledonia (Sep 13, 2008)

Nice one Dave.
Glad to see the write up starting to flow again.
I was beginning to think, I had only dreamt up these details. :lol:
1 down 3 more to go. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Dont worry I know you have been busy, as always. 



mwbpsx said:


> any chance of a high res of the beading please?





Lump said:


> and me please :thumb:


I will see what I can do on the pictures lads. If not I will get a few more soon.
Gordon.


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## Scotch (Jul 23, 2009)

Another good detail with write up. 

Some good advice and pointers in this write up.

Thanks for posting.:thumb:


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## ross-1888 (Feb 22, 2009)

yeap another great write up and good after pics the car looked mint.


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## Exclusive Car Care (Jan 14, 2007)

great work guys:thumb:


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## -ROM- (Feb 23, 2007)

Nice work, just a shame the SLR took the boring before pics and the compact clearly struggle under the lighting conditions to take the quality photos of the results that everyone wanted to see.


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## paddy328 (Mar 4, 2007)

great work guys.


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## dsms (Feb 1, 2008)

Damn a flat black cooper is so high on my list of cars I have to detail, I really want to go all out on one!

This is outstanding correction work Dave and the crew, great job!


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## Leemack (Mar 6, 2009)

Very nice work lads :thumb:


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## simba (May 19, 2009)

looking great!

what grade of sand paper did you start off with and finish with? what were the readings before and after the wet sanding?

thanks

simba


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## Rasher (Mar 6, 2006)

great stuff Dave


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## Refined Detail (Nov 27, 2006)

That looks awesome in the afters! I hate working on straight black, but the afters are always worth it lol.

Are those portable metal halide lights you're using these days? If so, where from please?!


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## Bulla2000 (Jun 5, 2007)

Good job as always.


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## ahaydock (Jan 4, 2007)

Excellent work - love that last beading pic :thumb:


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## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

Rich H said:


> That looks awesome in the afters! I hate working on straight black, but the afters are always worth it lol.
> 
> Are those portable metal halide lights you're using these days? If so, where from please?!


iirc metal halides were from lidls, Gordy bought 2 a modified them to fit the tripod :thumb:


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## Refined Detail (Nov 27, 2006)

Ah ok, the light they give off certainly seems more suitable for defect spotting - any particular disadvantages to them? Are they more fragile, boiling hot etc etc?


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## Rowan83 (Aug 21, 2007)

Paintwork looks flawless now! stunning reflections!

Another top detail guys :thumb:


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## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

Rich H said:


> Ah ok, the light they give off certainly seems more suitable for defect spotting - any particular disadvantages to them? Are they more fragile, boiling hot etc etc?


not that ive noticed anyway, theyre only 35w a bulb - or summin silly like that

dont seem to run any hotter than your standard halogens :thumb:


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## KKM (Dec 10, 2007)

Smashing work chaps!!

Loving the reflection shots!!

:thumb:


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## caledonia (Sep 13, 2008)

Rich H said:


> Ah ok, the light they give off certainly seems more suitable for defect spotting - any particular disadvantages to them? Are they more fragile, boiling hot etc etc?


They where not bought at Lidi's. I purchased them online.
Both fitted with 70 watt day light lamps. Heat no where near the temperature of halogens. You can actually touch the glass with out you skin sticking to it. Not that I would recommend it really.

Light out power far greater than halogens and same intensity as the sun gun. Just less direct, covers a wider area.

Gordon.


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## Refined Detail (Nov 27, 2006)

Thanks for the info Gordon - much appreciated. May invest in 1 and see how I get on with it as they look better to me!


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## Swell.gr (May 7, 2008)

very nice work!!!


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

caledonia said:


> Nice one Dave.
> Glad to see the write up starting to flow again.
> I was beginning to think, I had only dreamt up these details. :lol:
> 1 down 3 more to go. Looking forward to the next instalment.
> ...


Do need to get the rest of them up... with the teaching application nearly complete (wish me luck!), I can get my mind back on writeups in the evening again 



simba said:


> looking great!
> 
> what grade of sand paper did you start off with and finish with? what were the readings before and after the wet sanding?
> 
> ...


A removal of around 10um on the readings I saw, Gordon will be able to confirm the others... 2000 grit paper was used for the flatting, 4000 grit is used for refining the sanding haze to make polishing out easier


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## andrewst500 (Nov 2, 2008)

fantastic work :thumb:


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## MarkJ (May 13, 2009)

Great work as always


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