Professional Carwashing & Detailing - Feb 2012
Detailers Spotlight Continued from prior page 58 Professional Carwashing Detailing February 2012 Central chemical dilution and dispensing center A system whereby all chemicals are automatically diluted and dispensed from a central center and piped out to the work bays These have been available since the 1980s but not universally embraced by detailers because of cost The carwash and auto dealer industries have embraced the concept because they realize the cost savings by eliminating the use of chemicals in small plastic squeeze and spray bottles Dispensing work stations The work station is installed in every vehicle bay in the shop and includes ready to use chemicals a wet dry vacuum a heated soil extractor and air lines for powering air tools and blowing out interiors A detail work station creates an operating room atmosphere for the detailer where everything they need is at their fingertips Stainless steel chemical dispensing tanks A great piece of equipment to eliminate the disorganization and timeconsuming chore of filling and refilling small 32 ounce spray bottles are the stainless steel 3 gallon and 5 gallon chemical dispensing tanks The heavyuse chemicals are poured into the tank closed and then pressurized They come patented tool was invented by a detailer in Florida who was looking for a way to eliminate the swirls and holograms that come with the use of the rotary buffer The tool is very slowly being accepted by the detail industry because it is a dramatic change from what detailers and even polishers in body shops have been accustomed to using and like all new innovations it will take time to be accepted It is gaining popularity with those who detail airplanes boats and especially aluminum trailers There has been a drumstyle air tool available for a few years in the airplane polishing business but its downside is that it requires a large air compressor and is quite heavy The electric drum style buffer is smaller and more portable for airplane and boat detailing Vapor steamer One of the most innovative pieces of equipment introduced to the detail industry has been the vapor steamer Whats interesting is it was presented to the industry over 15 years ago but was not immediately embraced Why The normal reasons that new innovations are confronted with Its not the way we do things and of course the more than common Its too expensive However today the vapor steamer has become as major a part of the detailers equipment arsenal as has the extractor The vapor steamer is an excellent tool for cleaning hard surfaces such as leather and vinyl seats dashboards door panels ashtrays map pockets the insides of glove boxes center consoles and even windows They are an absolute necessity for removing stains from carpets and fabric upholstery Systems are available for as little as 100 and can go up to 1400 Companies primarily from Korea and most recently from China have been trying to get the American market to buy into the larger vapor steamer systems they claim will wash the car without water The claim is true very little water is used but these large systems cost as much as 6000 to 7000 or more and the process is not exactly as good as they claim After steaming the vehicle with the vapor steamer the worker still must wipe the car down to get it clean It seems to me that you would be better off using waterless wash chemical which you spray on the car and wipe off for a clean shiny car The chemical costs no more than 20 a gallon and does the same job as the vapor steamer While the concept has not caught on in the U S it seems to be gaining in popularity in many Third World countries Drum style buffer This is certainly the newest innovation and the most revolutionary concept introduced to the industry It is a drum style electric swirl free buffer that eliminates swirls put in the paint from a highspeed rotary buffer and does not leave swirls or holograms in the paint This Pictured here is an electric drum style swirl free buffer For use on cars boats and airplanes Pictured here is an automatic dilution and dispenser center This delivers detail chemicals to the work area Pictured here is a dispensing work station This provides chemicals vacuum a soil extractor and airlines at the detailers fingertips
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