I finaly got around to clay baring the whole car, what a difference! Only regreting not doing it earlier its a lot more shiney. how often do you other petrol heads clay bar a car! If at all!
cuda.340,
May 5, 2:40pm
i wash the clay n dirt from under the guards every couple of months if thats what you mean!
Yeah I heard about them here, a few regulars have mentioned them a bit. So washed the car first, then I went for it. There is heaps of info out there about them. Its surprising what builds up over the years, it even got rid of some overspray from a previous owner.
Time consuming but the effort is worth it.
nightboss,
May 5, 2:57pm
I think there are plenty in here that spend lots of time in Clay Bars.
a.woodrow,
May 5, 2:58pm
Have heard of them but never seen the results. Pic please!
bellky,
May 5, 3:00pm
Took me a while to get that lol. Nice to know what's on your mind there nightboss.
johnf_456,
May 5, 3:03pm
I didn't do before and after pxts but wish I did.
pandai,
May 5, 3:05pm
I use clay before I polish or wax my car, the clay bar shears contaminants off the surface of the paint.If you can't see a difference, you can certainly feel it, the paint feels so much smoother afterward.
cowboy110,
May 5, 3:06pm
Or at least end up with them.
a.woodrow,
May 5, 3:07pm
Well an after pic then so we can rate the finish
johnf_456,
May 5, 3:11pm
Sure does, glass smooth and doesnt feel gritty. Ill get a pxt up tomorrow in the sun light.
yogibearz,
May 5, 3:28pm
where did you buy the clay bar!Ripco!
attitudedesignz,
May 5, 3:46pm
Never used one, never needed to use one, never will use one. I guess that comes down to the fact i know how to keep my car clean.
cowboy110,
May 5, 4:08pm
That's a bit harsh.For those that want to put a bit more effort onto keeping their car "clean" a clay bar is good value.They do work.Turtle do a liquid clay bar.Really good if you're planning on waxing the car.Wash, rinse, clay bar, rinse, wax. The clay bar gets rid of the road grime and build up that a car wash won't.
rob_man,
May 5, 4:11pm
I've only used them to get rid of overspray and grinding scarf.
attitudedesignz,
May 5, 4:16pm
Yet another painter that doesn't "use" them. I've NEVER been a fan of them.
Then again i've NEVER liked 'wax' either, it's the devils paste.
clark20,
May 5, 4:17pm
Yes, they have a Mothers kit
gunhand,
May 5, 4:22pm
Ive never used one, have wax&grease and a buffer if I want a smooth as finish. They must be fairly good if they remove overspray though.
attitudedesignz,
May 5, 4:26pm
LMAO, painters must be the only ones that DON"T use 'em.
thejazzpianoma,
May 5, 4:33pm
johnf_456, To tell if you need to use it again, just clean the car thoroughly first and then run your hand over the finish. You will hear (seriously) and to some degree feel when it has contaminants that need removing. If you want to get what I mean find another car that needs doing and run your hand over before and after doing a patch.
As for "not believing in them" that's folly IMO. It dosn't matter how good you are at keeping your car clean, eventually contaminants like rail dust etc will get into the paint (although keeping clean and in a shed will make this take longer). Hang, many brand new cars are already badly contaminated by the time you pick them up.
Sure, you can try and buff it out but that's like using a knife for a screwdriver. The clay bar is good for clay barring and the buff is good for buffing. Completely different processes for different purposes. Buffing is for removing scratches and rejuvenating paint by removing the top layer. Clay bar is for removing contaminants.
I say this having a proper buff setup with a full range of commercial compounds and applicators etc as well.
attitudedesignz,
May 5, 4:39pm
Gets INTO the paint! What have you been smoking!
Jazz, pardon my bluntness but, i think my almost 30 years of painting outways your tinkering with cars.
gunhand,
May 5, 4:53pm
I have no issue with the clay bar and for the guy at home who dosn't have proper polisher they probably work quite well. And I guess your likely to get into less trouble with a clay bar as apposed to someone let loose on a polisher. Mind you buffing through 2k paints is harder than the old single pak clears etc where you buffed through it if you sneezed while doin it not to mention burning the paint. Clay bars, well at Repco anyway were up to $70 $80so not cheap. That buys two( or 20 jiffs) quaility bottles of cutting compound that would last Joe average years. True that buffing sometime just runs over some things on the paint but that just needs extra pressure or a quick wipe with wax&grease first. Its all swings and roundabouts in the end but as long as you end up with a nice shine who cares how its done. And if ya like me id drop the clay bar in the dirt and that roots them dosen't it!
johnf_456,
May 5, 4:55pm
I keep my cars very clean but you can't always control what the previous owner has done and I am not a painter so cannot freely paint the car when I feel like it! Sure a new paint job would be nice but I am not a painter.
I am a very clean and tidy person.
johnf_456,
May 5, 4:58pm
No need to wax if you can paint it again anytime been in the trade I guess.
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