Pressure washers are used to get the worst of the mud etc off
I use a garden hose. Cheaper, quicker to use and far fewer parts to go wrong.
And it does as good a job..
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I think paint marks more easily than it used to - I know Ford paint does.
One theory is the lack of noxious chemicals in modern paints.
I had the gloss-work at Ifithelps Towers painted by a professional - lovely neat job - but I can see it's not going to last long.
Bring back the lead, I say.
As regards detailing the car, I'm just not interested.
The difference is, I don't look down on the detailers, but from this thread, it seems they are inclined to look down on the likes of me.
Edited by ifithelps on 14/01/2010 at 09:46
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"I had the gloss-work at Ifithelps Towers painted by a professional - lovely neat job - but I can see it's not going to last long."
Main problem is usually failure to use a decent oil based undercoat. Many painters use a water based acrylic because it dries quickly allowing another coat in the same day. Painting is one of those jobs where an amateur, with time can do a better job than a professional.
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... Many painters use a water based acrylic because it dries quickly allowing another coat in the same day...
CG,
Thanks for that.
I suspect that is what this guy did, which puts a slightly different complexion on things.
Will try to remember to ask about oil-based undercoat next time.
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Pressure washers are used to get the worst of the mud etc off , I use a garden hose. Cheaper quicker to use and far fewer parts to go wrong. And it does as good a job..
Hear, hear! Ialso use a hose, terminated with either a garden watering trigger 'thingy' for general wetting or around the wheel arches and then fix on a Hozelock water-fed brush. The fact remains that a jet of water alone, unless it is at a dangerously high pressure for paintwork. will NOT remove plastered on dirt. And what is the point of setting all that equipment up just to apply foam or wet the car's surface?
I do have a Karcher PW. but only use it for my patio and other outside jobs. It can severely damage wooden surfaces and I blew a hole in a somewhat old and brittle plastic garden chair. The thoughts of using these on my car's paintwork, around my door seals and tyres etc. leaves my cold.
Edited by oldgit on 15/01/2010 at 09:40
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I also have a power washer here at work,i too use it for cleaning the floors.
As for using it on tyres if you inadvertantly hit the sidewalls on full power then it turns the casing brown,not good is it
I know its been said before but i will repeat, if your car has had some paintwork done (even if car brand new) and the surface wasn't prepped properly to key the paint ,then a power washer can and often will rip the paint straight off especially on bumpers/wing mirrors/filler caps etc
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The thoughts of using these on my car's paintwork, around my door seals and tyres etc. leaves my cold.
I think this is a largely unfounded fear. If you use a fan shaped spray pattern the focus or psi can be varied according to surface. for example, when using a commercial pressure washer, I don't get in close on door seals & the like, I move away a bit. Likewise with any junction or sealing point. Paint? Again, I never get the pressure over less than, say, 4-6 sq inches - if your paint will 'lift' at that point, then it's going to fall off pretty soon anyway!
Finally tyres. Maybe very old/brittle could be damaged by extreme water prssure - I don't know. My tyres though, put up with greater impacts & forces in my everyday driving than they do from pressure washing. As an experiment I've tried focussing a pressure washer on tyres I was about to get changed - I mean really trying to make a mark of some kind - not a sausage! Just very clean tyres.
I can imagine an old banger falling to bits with a pressure washer, but with the average new-ish car in reasonable nick, I find it hard to imagine. If you've got sub-paint or structural corrosion going on - yes - you can imagine a hole or cavity being blasted, but with no 'key' to focus on, pressure won't find weakness.
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The thoughts of using these on my car's paintwork around my door seals and tyres etc. leaves my cold. I think this is a largely unfounded fear. If you use a fan shaped spray pattern the focus or psi can be varied according to surface. for example when using a commercial pressure washer I don't get in close on door seals & the like I move away a bit. Likewise with any junction or sealing point. Paint? Again I
The question still remains in my mind though and that is, why use one at all?
In my case, as a 'non-professional' but who has been cleaning cars since the late 1950's my pressure washer, should I want to use it, is a pain to set up as it resides on a garage shelf along with all its paraphernalia.
I don't mind getting it assembled along with my protective clothing, several times a year for external household jobs but as I have already said I would not dream of using a potentially damaging piece of equipment on my new car's paintwork or nice new supple door seals and tyres etc.
I have a hose, dedicated to car cleaning, set up and this runs around the house from the rear to the front drive and this is easily connected to the outside tap. This together with a bucket or two of warm water into which I rinse a synthetic Autoglym 'leather' and my hose-fed devices are more than sufficient for the job - as outlined in my previous postings on this matter.
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And what is the point of setting all that equipment up just to apply foam or wet the car's surface?
I think this is a good use for them since it means suds can be applied without any agitation that would score the surface, and then be rinsed off quickly without using too much water (handy if you're on metered water).
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There's a whole host of various types of stuff that can be applied, TFR, degreasers and so on, some use this as part of a contactless wash. Not done this myself though but means a touchless wash with no sponge/mitt or brush. Useful for cars that perhaps arestored for shows or something.
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