Detailing Terms and Shorthand
One of the things that most people get confused about when it comes to detailing is the terminology. The most common is that polishing and wax are used interchangeably (Actually, they are 2 different processes). This thread is designed to clear some of that up as well as provide you a way to abbreviate certain items.
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For Abbreviations, We'll use Autopia's List
#1 Meguiar's Medium Cut Cleaner, See Meguiar's
#2 Meguiar's Fine Cut Cleaner, See Meguiar's #3 Meguiar's Machine Glaze, See Meguiar's #4 Meguiar's Heavy Cut Cleaner, See Meguiar's #5 Meguiar's New Car Glaze, See Meguiar's #6 Meguiar's Cleaner/Wax, See Meguiar's #7 Meguiar's Show Car Glaze, See Meguiar's #9 Meguiar's Swirl Remover 2.0, See Meguiar's #16 Meguiar's Professional Paste Wax, See Meguiar's #20 Meguiar's Polymer Sealant, See Meguiar's #26 Meguiar's Hi Tech Yellow Wax, See Meguiar's #34 Meguiar's Final Inspection, See Meguiar's #36 Meguiar's Hi-Tech Cleaner, See Meguiar's #39 Meguiar's Heavy Duty Vinyl Cleaner, See Meguiar's #40 Meguiar's Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner, See Meguiar's #60 Meguiar's Hi Tech wash, See Meguiar's #62 Meguiar's Car Wash Shampoo and Conditioner, See Meguiar's #66 Meguiar's Quick Detailer, See Meguiar's #80 MSG Meguiar's Speed Glaze, See Meguiar's #81 HP Meguiar's Body Shop Professional Hand Polish, See Meguiar's #82 SFP Meguiar's Body Shop Professional Swirl Free Polish, See Meguiar's #83 DACP Meguiar's Dual Action Cleaner/Polish, See Meguiar's 1Z Einszett products 303 303 Aerospace Protectant 3MFI 3M Finesse-It products 3MPIIIMG 3M Perfect-It III Machine Glaze, See PIII, See MG 3MPIIIMP 3M Perfect-It III Machine Polish, See PIII, See MP 3MPIIIFCC 3M Perfect-It III Machine Fine Cut Compound, See PIII, See FCC 7424 Porter-Cable Model Number, See PC 7336 Porter-Cable Model Number, See PC A2Z Eagle One (EO) A2Z All Wheel Cleaner ABC AutoInts ABC 3 step paint decontamination wash system AG AutoGlym AFAIK As Far As I Know AIO Klasse All In One APC Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner APC+ Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner Plus ARO Amazing Roll Off AW, A/W 50/50 Alcohol/water mixture AZ AutoZone BA Black Again BBT Big Blue Towel BCS P21S Bodywork Conditioning Shampoo BF BlackFire detailing product BF II BlackFire reformulated detailing product BM BlackMagic products BSP Meguiar's Body Shop Professional products, See Meguiar's CB Clay Bar CBT Autopia Concours Buffing Towel CD or CCD California Car Duster CG Crystal Guard Sealant CK Clearkote products CM Clay Magic CMA Classic Motoring Accessories CP Eimann Fabrik Clear Pearl detail spray CT Cotton Towel CW Cleaner Wax CWB California Water Blade DACP Meguiar's #83 Dual Action Cleaner/Polish, See Meguiar's DC Digital Camera DG Duragloss Products EF Eimann Fabrik brand EFBO Eimann Fabrik Black Opal EFCC Eimann Fabrik Carpet Cleaner EFCP Eimann Fabrik Clear Pearl instant detailer EFCV Eimann Fabrik Clear Vision EFHI Eimann Fabrik High Intensity cleaner EFPW Eimann Fabrik Power Wash shampoo EFSR Eimann Fabrik Spot Remover EFTR Eimann Fabrik Tar Remover EK Meguiar's Engine Kote EO Eagle One EOSR Eagle One Scratch Remover EOWS Eagle One Wipe n Shine (QD) EX Poorboy's World EX Sealant with Carnauba FB Forever Black FC, FCC Fine Cut (Compound) FI Meguiar's Final Inspection Quick Detailer FI-II 3M Finesse It line usually means their white finishing compound but there is also a rubbing compound FP Menzerna Final Polish GEPC P21S Gloss-enhancing Paintwork Cleanser HI Eimann Fabrik High Intensity Cleaner HIC Eimann Fabrik High Intensity Cleaner HG Hand Glaze HT Hi-Temp Products HTH Hope this helps HTYW Meguiar's #26 Hi Tech Yellow Wax IA Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol IG Stoner's Invisible Glass IHG 3M Imperial Hand Glaze IMHO In my humble opinion IMO In My Opinion IP Menzerna Intensive Polish ISO In search of ISA Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol KSBF Koala Soft Buffing Towel KSG Klasse Sealant Glaze LC Leather Conditioner or Lake Country (Pad manufacturer) LG Liquid Glass LOL Laughing out loud LS Liquid Souveran wax LV Lexol Vinylex Meguiar's #1 Medium Cut Cleaner Meguiar's #2 Fine Cut Cleaner Meguiar's #3 Machine Glaze Meguiar's #4 Heavy Cut Cleaner Meguiar's #5 New Car Glaze Meguiar's #6 Cleaner/Wax Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze Meguiar's #9 Swirl remover 2.0 Meguiar's #16 Professional Paste Wax Meguiar's #20 Polymer Sealant Meguiar's #26 Hi Tech Yellow Wax Meguiar's #34 Final Inspection Meguiar's #36 Hi-Tech Cleaner Meguiar's #39 Heavy Duty Vinyl Cleaner Meguiar's #40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner Meguiar's #60 Hi Tech wash Meguiar's #62 Car Wash Shampoo and Conditioner Meguiar's #66 Quick Detailer Meguiar's #80 MSG Speed Glaze Meguiar's #81 HP Body Shop Professional Hand Polish Meguiar's #82 SFP Body Shop Professional Swirl Free Polish Meguiar's #83 DACP Dual Action Cleaner/Polish MF Microfiber or Microfiber Towel MG Meguiar's Mirror Glaze product line, also Machine Glaze MGC Meguiar's Gold Class products MP Machine Polish MPPC Meguiar's Medallion Premium Paint Cleaner MPPP Meguiar's Medallion Premium Paint Protection MSLT Stoner's More Shine Less Time spray MT Microfiber Towel MW Clearkote Moose Wax ND Nevr Dull Metal Polishing Wads OB Orbital Buffer OG One Grand Products OGBW One Grand Blitz Wax OGOHG One Grand Omega Hand Glaze OGSO One Grand Show Off Instant Detailer P21S A brand of Detailing Products PB Pep Boys PBS Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo PC Porter-Cable Orbital Buffer 7424 or 7336 PCM Pinnacle Crystal Mist detailing spray PCW P21S Carnauba Paste Car Wax PI3 or PI-III 3M Perfect-It III products PI II 3M Perfect-It II PITA Pain in the back side PPCL Pinnacle Paint Cleaning Lotion PPG Pinnacle Paste Glaze PS Pinnacle Souveran PUPP Platinum Ultimate Paint Protection, also UPP PW Poorboy's World PW+ Eimann Fabrik Power Wash + QD Quick Detailer also Meguiar's brand name for their Quik Detailer spray. QD+ Poorboy's World Quick Detailer Plus spray QEW Protect All Quick & Easy Wash QS Clearkote Quik Shine detail spay. QW Meguiar's Quick Wax RO, ROB Random Orbital Buffer RV Fieldcrest Royal Velvet Cotton Towel ROTFLMAO Rolling On The Floor, Laughing My A$$ Off S100 S100 Products, specifically S100 Carnauba Paste Wax SCW 3M Perfect It Show Car Wax SFP Meguiar's #82 Body Shop Professional Swirl Free Polish, See Meguiar's SEC, SEPC S100 Shine-enhancing Cleanser SG or KSG Klasse Sealant Glaze SIG Stoners Invisible Glass SM2.0 Meguiar's #9 Swirl Remover 2 SMR Swirl Mark Remover Usually refers to 3M Swirl Mark Remover SS Saddle Soap SSB Stoner Speed Bead SW Poorboy's World Spray and Wipe TS Tire Swipe foam pad TW Turtle Wax products UPC Platinum Ultimate Paint Pre-Cleaner UPP Platinum Ultimate Paint Protection, also PUPP UV Ultraviolet Light a harmful and slowly damages skin, paint and automotive interiors VM, VMW Clearkote Vanilla Moose Wax Hand Glaze VNB Vac n Blow Vacuum WM Wash Mitt WS Water Sprite towel WW Waffle Weave MF towel WWB P21S Windshield Wash Booster YMMV Your Mileage May Vary Z Zaino Bros. Products Z1 Zaino Show Car Polish LOK PreCleaner and Gloss Enhancer Z2 Zaino Show Car Polish for Clear Coated Finishes Z3 Zaino Show Car Polish for Regular Paint Z5 Zaino Polish for Swirl Marks & Fine Scratches Z6 Zaino Ultra Clean Gloss Enhancer Spray Z7 Zaino Show Car Wash Z9 Zaino Leather Soft Spray Cleaner Z10 Zaino Leather in a Bottle Treatment and Conditioner Z12 Zaino Clear View Glass Polish Z14 Zaino Plastic Magic Cleaner & Polish Z16 Zaino Perfect Tire Gloss Z18 Zaino ClayBar ZFX Zaino Flash Cure Accelerator Additive For Z2, Z3, Z5 |
Polisher Types (Courtesy of Bman)
Rotary (aka circular) Polisher: For professional detailing businesses and the SERIOUS hardcore enthusiast willing to learn. Fast, powerful, and demanding to use - a double edged sword. Usually expensive to buy and accessorize. Examples: DeWalt DW849 Random Orbital Polisher (Porter Cable): For part-time enthusiasts, weekend warrior detailers, semi-pro detailers, and even serious enthusiasts. Basically for anyone for whom time is not money. Monkeys can be trained to use one. Slightly less expensive to buy and accessorize (typically almost $200 or so and up) Example: Porter Cable 7424/7336 El-Cheapo Random Orbitals: Limited uses and best suited for only waxing and very light polishing jobs (like pre-wax cleaners). If this is all you'll ever be doing then this will be fine, even though most people will tell you "don't bother". Basically a crippled version of the above that uses cloth bonnets. Typically pretty cheap. Example: Wen |
Glossary of Detailing Terms
Taken from www.properautocare.com
Acid Rain Spots - These spots are produced when the sun evaporates standing water on the vehicle's surface. They fall into two categories, mineral deposits and acid-etched spots. Mineral deposits are white, calcium or salt deposits left on the surface after water evaporates. These deposits can be easily removed with a pre-wax cleaner (polish) or a clay bar. Acid-etched spots are depressions in the paint or clear coat. Acid etched spots are removed by removing the very thin, layer of paint or clear coat that contains the defect. This is accomplished by compounding, polishing and finishing with a wax or sealant. Carnauba Waxes - Waxes are typically blends of Brazilian Carnauba Wax (nature's hardest, natural wax), polymers, oils and gloss agents in a petroleum solvent base. Waxes create an easily renewable, glossy, transparent barrier to protect a vehicle's finish against a hostile environment. Waxes have withstood the test of time having been used for over 100 years to protect painted surfaces. Waxes are considered to be paint-friendly and are preferred by many enthusiasts for their deeper, richer shine. On the down side, Carnauba starts to melt at 160 degrees F. which limits its durability. A general rule of thumb for all Carnauba waxes is: 50% of the wax is gone after 30 days, 75% is gone after 60 days and after 90 days the surface should be re-waxed. Circular Polisher - (Also called rotary or high-speed polishers) These are the same professional, machine polishers used by automakers and body shops for removing sanding swirls, scratches and paint defects. These machines are best used for compounding which abrades away or levels the top paint surface. The pads do rotate on circular polishers. Most circular polishers have detent speed settings which allow the operator to control the speed up to a pre-determined limit. Many enthusiasts are afraid of these machines but they shouldn't be. When used in the 900 to 1100 rpm range, these machines are very safe for novice users. Unlike orbital polishers where the pad is used flat on the surface, a circular machine is tilted slightly to work only on the side of the pad. Professionals will use a circular polisher to remove swirls, scratches and paint defects and then follow with an orbital polisher for polishing (removing compounding haze) and finishing (applying a wax or paint sealant). The Makita 9227 and DeWalt 849 are examples of circular polishers. Compounds - Compounds are formulas of lubricants, solvents, water and abrasive minerals in either a liquid or paste construction. Compounds are designed to remove (abrade away) a portion of the top paint or clear coat layer which contain sanding swirls, scratches, water spots or blemishes. They are available in many different grades of abrasiveness or "cut" depending on the severity of the problem to be corrected. Compounds are best used with a circular polisher but can produce acceptable results with dual-action polishers if the defect is minor. Compounds typically leave the surface dull. This surface dullness is called haze or compounding lines and is removed by polishing with increasingly less abrasive polishes. Dual-action Polisher - (Also called orbital polishers) These machine polishers mimic the random motion of hand application. The pad does not rotate, it oscillates in very short movements. It will appear that the pads on these machines just "vibrate" on the surface. This is correct. The pad is not supposed to "turn". Orbital polishers offer the greatest safety as they can not generate enough heat or cut to damage the paint. Because the pad does not rotate, orbital polishers can not create swirls. These are excellent machines for enthusiasts but are also used by professionals for finish polishing, final waxing and buffing. These polishers can remove very light swirls but can not remove deeper swirls, scratches or paint imperfections. The Porter Cable 7424 is an example of a dual-action or orbital polisher. Orbital Polisher - (Also called dual-action polishers) These machine polishers mimic the random motion of hand application. The pad does not rotate, it oscillates in very short movements. It will appear that the pads on these machines just "vibrate" on the surface. This is correct. The pad is not supposed to "turn". Orbital polishers offer the greatest safety as they can not generate enough heat or cut to damage the paint. Because the pad does not rotate, orbital polishers can not create swirls. These are excellent machines for enthusiasts but are also used by professionals for finish polishing, final waxing and buffing. These polishers can remove very light swirls but can not remove deeper swirls, scratches or paint imperfections. The Porter Cable 7424 is an example of a dual-action or orbital polisher. Oxidation - Oxidation is the dulling and/or hazy appearance of a vehicle's top paint or clear coat finish. Oxidation is caused by accumulated exposure to ultraviolet light and environmental pollution. Black, red and dark color paints oxidize quicker because these pigments absorb more ultraviolet light than light color paints. Correction requires removing a portion of the top paint or clear coat that contains the oxidation. This is best accomplished using a compound and a circular polisher but acceptable results can be obtained with an orbital polisher. Paint Sealant - (Also called synthetic waxes and paint protectants) These are formulas of man-made polymers, oils, and gloss agents designed to protect painted and/or clear coated automotive finishes. They can be water-based, petroleum solvent-based or a combination of both. These formulas offer several advantages over Carnauba Waxes. They are very durable, capable of lasting six months or more, are easy to apply and wipe off and produce a very bright shine. Water-based and oil-in-water emulsions are very paint friendly making them perfect for historic, collector and exotic vehicles. They create a very hard, glass-like barrier which resists detergents, acid rain and pollution. On the down side, some enthusiasts feel synthetic waxes produce a "sterile" shine that is bright but lacks emotion. While this may be true of some products, other synthetic protectants can be engineered to mimic the look of Carnauba. The word "sealant" is being dropped by many manufacturers as it implies that it prevents the paint from "breathing". This is a myth. First, paint does not breath. In the curing process, paint should be exposed to the air so solvents can evaporate. After 30 days, cured paint should be protected or "sealed" with some type of natural or synthetic "wax". Polishes - (Also called pre-wax cleaners) Polishes are formulas of oils, solvents, water, clays and minerals designed to improve surface gloss and remove old wax or sealants, minor swirls, compounding haze, and light oxidation. Polishes may or may not contain fine abrasives, silicones, fillers and waxes. They do not have the "cut" of compounds and typically burnish the surface to a mirror-like gloss rather than abrade away paint. Polishes can be applied by circular polishers, dual-action polishers or by hand. Unfortunately, there is no industry standard on what constitutes a polish and some manufacturers use the word "Polish" to describe their paint sealant which adds to consumer confusion. In the strictest sense a polish is a gloss-enhancing, cleaner not a protectant but some products do contain wax or sealants which blurs the line between polishes and protectants. Pre-wax Cleaners - (Also called polish) Polishes are formulas of oils, solvents, water, clays and minerals designed to improve surface gloss and remove old wax or sealants, minor swirls, compounding haze, and light oxidation. Polishes may or may not contain fine abrasives, silicones, fillers and waxes. They do not have the "cut" of compounds and typically burnish the surface to a mirror-like gloss rather than abrade away paint. Polishes can be applied by circular polishers, dual-action polishers or by hand. Unfortunately, there is no industry standard on what constitutes a polish and some manufacturers use the word "Polish" to describe their paint sealant which adds to consumer confusion. In the strictest sense a polish is a gloss-enhancing, cleaner not a protectant but some products do contain wax or sealants which blurs the line between polishes and protectants. Rotary or High-speed Polisher - (Also called a circular polisher) These are the same professional, machine polishers used by automakers and body shops for removing sanding swirls, scratches and paint defects. These machines are best used for compounding which abrades away or levels the top paint surface. The pads do rotate on circular polishers. Most circular polishers have detent speed settings which allow the operator to control the speed up to a pre-determined limit. Many enthusiasts are afraid of these machines but they shouldn't be. When used in the 900 to 1100 rpm range, these machines are very safe for novice users. Unlike orbital polishers where the pad is used flat on the surface, a circular machine is tilted slightly to work only on the side of the pad. Professionals will use a circular polisher to remove swirls, scratches and paint defects and then follow with an orbital polisher for polishing (removing compounding haze) and finishing (applying a wax or paint sealant). The Makita 9227 and DeWalt 849 are examples of circular polishers. Scratches - A scratch is a deeper break in the paint or clear coat. Scratches that go part way through the top clear coat can be removed by compounding, polishing and finishing with a wax. You should not attempt to remove a scratch that goes through or almost through the clear coat. As a general rule, if you can feel a scratch with your fingernail, you should not attempt to remove it completely. Deeper scratches can be made to look better by hand rubbing with Eagle One Scratch Remover and finishing with a wax. Silicone - Silicone is a chemical polymer that can be engineered to posses exceptional water repellency, gloss, slipperiness and bonding properties. Silicones are commonly used in automotive products to enhance gloss, make product application and removal easier and improve durability. Silicones got a bad reputation in the early 50's when they were found to cause "fisheyes" in freshly painted panels that were not properly cleaned. Early silicones were also very greasy which attracted dust and dirt. Today, silicones can be engineered with almost any property but the myth of silicones being "bad" persists. For this reason, manufacturers typically refer to their products as containing "modern polymers" and drop the word "silicone" from their literature. In fact, today's automotive products would not be as good as they are without these modern miracles. Swirl marks - These are curved, minor scratches in the top paint or clear coat surface. Swirls can be created by using an abrasive polish or compound, wool buffing pads or by setting the speed too high on a circular polisher. Very fine swirls can be created when washing or drying the vehicle if a grain of sand or any grit gets trapped between the sponge (towel) and the car's surface. The only way to remove a swirl is to abrade away the surrounding paint or clear coat to the lowest point in the swirl. This is best accomplished with an abrasive compound and a circular polisher. Swirls can be visually reduced by hand or with an orbital polisher using a non-abrasive polish. While these polishes are often called "Swirl Removers", they do not actually remove the swirl. They typically use a solvent cleaner to round-over the top edge of the swirl which robs sunlight of a sharp edge to cause a reflection. Fillers in the polish then fill-in the swirl. Waxing over the polish seals the fillers in place, visually hiding the swirl. This is a cosmetic fix, not a cure. As the wax ages the swirl will re-appear and the process will need to be repeated. Synthetic Wax - (Also called paint sealants and paint protectants) These are formulas of man-made polymers, oils, and gloss agents designed to protect painted and/or clear coated automotive finishes. They can be water-based, petroleum solvent-based or a combination of both. These formulas offer several advantages over Carnauba Waxes. They are very durable, capable of lasting six months or more, are easy to apply and wipe off and produce a very bright shine. Water-based and oil-in-water emulsions are very paint friendly making them perfect for historic, collector and exotic vehicles. They create a very hard, glass-like barrier which resists detergents, acid rain and pollution. On the down side, some enthusiasts feel synthetic waxes produce a "sterile" shine that is bright but lacks emotion. While this may be true of some products, other synthetic protectants can be engineered to mimic the look of Carnauba. The word "sealant" is being dropped by many manufacturers as it implies that it prevents the paint from "breathing". This is a myth. First, paint does not breath. In the curing process, paint should be exposed to the air so solvents can evaporate. After 30 days, cured paint should be protected or "sealed" with some type of natural or synthetic "wax". Waxes - (Also called Carnauba Waxes) Waxes are typically blends of Brazilian Carnauba Wax (nature's hardest, natural wax), polymers, oils and gloss agents in a petroleum solvent base. Waxes create an easily renewable, glossy, transparent barrier to protect a vehicle's finish against a hostile environment. Waxes have withstood the test of time having been used for over 100 years to protect custom painted surfaces. Waxes are considered to be paint-friendly and are preferred by many enthusiasts for their deeper, richer shine. On the down side, Carnauba starts to melt at 160 degrees F. which limits its durability. A general rule of thumb for all Carnauba waxes is: 50% of the wax is gone after 30 days, 75% is gone after 60 days and after 90 days the surface should be re-waxed. |
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