Claying tips Reqd

[Bunker]

Hi all, watched my boss's black Porsche detailed by a pro this week and noticed he was claying it...now my Z has a far better shade of black, being the ruby version and I want to out do the finish of his 911.
So any tips, tricks, products would be most appreciated as I am planning this for tomorrow.

Big thanks in advance as per....

[AlanJ]

Try a search in the Detailing Section - its all there

[TheHoff]

All you need is a claybar, diluted quick detailer (neat is unnecessary and expensive) and a lot of patience. Take your time, split each panel into sections and be methodical.

You'll need a hell of a lot more than just claying to do gain a good finish though - most pros take 2-3 days to do a proper job.
Wash
Clay
Wash
DA Polish medium/hard compound as required
DA Polish fine compound
Wax

That's a very basic précis - the detailing section, as eluded to, will have far more tips.

[ben g]

The golden rule of claying is to make sure it never sticks to the paintwork, so make sure you keep the metal lubricated whilst gently rubbing the claybar over it.

Also, never use it after it's been dropped.

[Maniac]

Try a search in the Detailing Section - its all there

Ooh be careful telling people to search ... Last time I did that half the forum world took offence to doing their own leg work.

[minefields]

For ease of use look into getting the farecla g3 clay cloth, so much easier to use and much quicker than a normal clay bar.

[AlanJ]

Try a search in the Detailing Section - its all there

Ooh be careful telling people to search ... Last time I did that half the forum world took offence to doing their own leg work.

[un1eash]

Meguiars quik clay starter kit.

[NeilP]

Meguiars quik clay starter kit.

Good place to start if a little expensive.

I tend to just use water mixed with a little soap as lube. Clay can be had relatively cheap from cleanyourcar.co.uk

As said above, make sure you do polish and wax after to protect the paint!

[ben g]

I just use Bilt Hamber Regular clay with some 'shampoo water', as Neil above said.

Works out a lot cheaper and the Bilt Hamber clay is great.

[Smartbear]

I've heard that blu-tac is every bit as good as an alternative to clay & is considerably cheaper
Regards

[wilbo]

For ease of use look into getting the farecla g3 clay cloth, so much easier to use and much quicker than a normal clay bar.

X2. I got one of these and it's amazing.

[Stark]

And do a small area at a time.....the results from the dirt on the clay will show you what's been lifted. Then just turn and knead the clay into a clean bit again and keep working at it....

[MHZ4C]

+1 for Bilt Hamber regular clay and diluted car shampoo with water. Bilt Hamber say you can just use water, but diluted car shampoo (without wax etc) makes the clay glide better, and less likely to marr the paint. The soft clay is even less likely to marr, but harder to clean the paint if the car hasn't been Clayed recently.
The Bilt Hamber bars are 200g, and you only really need 50g chunks at a time. So even if you drop a chunk (and make sure you bin it!) then you have more to carry on with.

Soak the clay in warm water before use so it's easier to fold in the dirty sections. Keep claying until you hear the noise go from rough to silent, if that makes sense? You'll feel it as the bar lifts to muck and goes from feeling rough to feeling smooth. No need to apply too much pressure.
Also get a thin cheap bag and put your hand in it. Run that over section of the paint to feel for when the paint is clean - the bag amplifies the feeling of contamination on the paint.

Buy a spray bottle / use a clean empty one, and constantly spray diluted car shampoo / water mix over the paint as you work. Spray in one hand, clay in the other. I use over a litre of spray for the whole car - keep it really wet and regularly fold the dirty clay to avoid marring.

Keep the clay away from panel gaps and under arches unless you made a real effort to clean them. They can be full of grit.
If you start one day, and continue the next, then I'd rinse the car off again if the car has been left outside, esp with all the work they are doing on the fields at this time of year.

Keep rinsing the shampoo / water mix off of completed sections so it doesn't dry on, then there's less work to do before polishing.

Hope it's looks great!

[ronk]

Try a search in the Detailing Section - its all there

Sometimes "search is the best answer but on another forum a asked a question which would have definitely been found if I had searched. It was a question I needed to be answered fairly quickly.
So at the front end of my question I said that I was in Germany on a lousy dial up speed and intermittent internet conection and I got a very abrupt reply!