Now Detailing Bliss has a full complement of forum moderators I thought it might be an idea to get to know them, with this in mind – a quick Q & A An interview with a Moderator Avatar: What does it mean- What is the most important thing a moderator does? What makes a good moderator? Have you been or are you a moderator on other forums? What do you feel yon bring to this forum? How can forum contributors help you do your job? What do you like most about detailing? What are your favourite products/processes and why? What’s your dream car(s) and why? What’s your favourite previously owned automobile? Tell me about your first detail? What’s the best thing you’ve learned? What are some of your other hobbies and interests? Do you have any pets? Name three techniques that you think you should share to fellow Detailers. Where are you from and where do you live now? What was your first car and what got you interested in keeping cars perfect? Current automobiles- What motivates you to detail? Would you ever pay someone else to detail your car? Does detailing run in the family at all, or are you the only normal one? What is your favourite part about detailing? If detailing is a hobby for you, would you like to do it full time, or do you feel that it would take the fun out of it? What is your favourite car to detail and why? Do you prefer to detail a Supercar or everyday car? What detailing tool do you think every detailer should have in their arsenal? (Excluding the obvious stuff like wash mitts etc.) What are your current favourite brands and why? What do you do when you’re not detailing? A few quick fire questions: • Ferrari or Lamborghini? • Wax or Sealant? • Hamburger / French fries or Healthy food • Coffee or Cola Other Things
I will man up as first to do this! An interview with a Moderator Avatar: What does it mean- It’s my car hausin’ around in the snow like a Subaru should be! Afterward I spent 2 days detailing it again What is the most important thing a moderator does? The most important things moderators do are not seen by the public. If they can do their jobs without everyone seeing/noticing it – then they’ve done a good job. We answer a lot of general questions (or at least I do) move threads to the proper places and have a sense of “presence” so people know to be on their best behavior. I probably send 4-5 PMs a day reminding people of the rules. If I can do that in a nice, pleasant manner; I feel like I’ve done a good job. What makes a good moderator? A good moderator MUST be level-headed and able to act fairly but swiftly. Sometimes a decision has to be made NOW to keep general order and sanity of a forum. So a quick judgment has to be made regarding the situation. I’ll often be writing down notes as I browse through post history and whatever information is available to me while I’m rendering a solution. Have you been or are you a moderator on other forums? Yes! After leaving a forum (no longer interested in what it has to offer as some rules have changed) I am moderator on two other forums and an administrator of one other. What do you feel you bring to this forum? I try to have fun. That is the number one purpose I belong to Detailing Bliss. In my “lurking” days I saw how much you guys had as a community and I wanted to join in on that. I love to joke around and have a good time, but a time does come when things need to get done, and I think I make that transition flawlessly. How can forum contributors help you do your job? Just follow the rules and have a good time. We (or at least I) don’t mind answering questions if you need clarification of a rule. A PM is a great way to get ahold of me! I also have pretty much every Instant Messaging service out there. What do you like most about detailing? The things I like most about detailing are how it centers me and takes the stress out of a long week. I DO operate a business in addition to my regular full time job, and it doesn’t feel like work. Spending 20 hours on the weekends detailing after 40-50hrs at my regular job just feels good. And if people want to give me money for it – then that’s even better! What are your favourite products/processes and why? Wellllll…. That would all day to answer in full! I’ll summarize. I really like Menzerna for polishes. Uber pads as well as LC Flats. Detailed-Image Waffle Weave Drying Towels are my favorite for drying, and Eurow towels are my (new) favorite paint-safe towels (thanks Luis!) I have the Swissvax Wheel and Detail brushes from Phil, as well as the full RaceGlaze brush set from Ken. I’m currently saving up for a quality steaming and extracting unit and will decide on which one to purchase when the money is there. What’s your dream car(s) and why? I have many. Most are more practical than you would think. I’d really like to finish my car. The 2003 Subaru Impreza WRX has always been a favorite of mine – which is why I own one! Other than that I’d like a Lexus IS-F, Audi R8 (5.7L only please ) and cars of that nature. I’m not a fan of extremely expensive cars as I don’t want to be afraid to drive it. I’m all about practicality and daily drive-ability. What’s your favourite previously owned automobile? Hah! I had a 1994 Honda Civic EX Coupe that I ended up swapping the engine for more power. It still wasn’t enough so I went a little crazy with an HX35 turbo and ended up melting the piston rings. A quick rebuild later and it was 550whp daily. Fun car, but fwd really wasn’t my thing. Tell me about your first detail? Like many I started out washing my parents’ cars for a few extra bucks when I was younger. This developed into me taking care of my own cars. And then from there, taking care of my friends cars. And then eventually leading to me getting paid for work for friends. And then friends of friends starting coming to me. And then friends of friends of friends, and I figured it was time to get a business license. Back to the first detail – I’m not sure what you consider a “detail” My first time claybarring? My first time with a PC? First detail with a rotary? Elaborate and I’ll edit to satisfy. What’s the best thing you’ve learned? Ken at Autowerkes has been a great resource to me. Luckily I don’t live very far from him and I’m able to call on him I need to. He taught me to use less polish than I was, and to take my time. I used to watch the clock a lot when I detailed, but he told me not to as the job was done when it was done and customer satisfaction is more important that me hitting the hourly wage I’d like to. Since then my customer base has nearly doubled and I’m getting more calls than before. Thanks Ken! What are some of your other hobbies and interests? Well, sports used to be my life before I had a major reconstructive surgery on my shoulder. I’d be snowboarding every weekend in the winter, and playing baseball all spring and summer and fall. I raced sailboats for a while out here in the San Juans Islands. But since my surgery I’ve turned more to detailing (when my shoulder isn’t hurting) and computers a bit. I also spend a lot of time modifying my car and friends cars. I sail for pleasure and relaxation as that is all my shoulder can take. It’s unfortunate to say it, but my shoulder really dictates a lot of my life now. Do you have any pets? I have one cat name Butters. He’s a jerk. I’m pretty sure he makes it his goal to impede on any progress I make doing and anything and to make my days more difficult. He’s pretty awesome. Name three techniques that you think you should share to fellow Detailers. TAKE YOUR TIME. The job is done when it’s done. No need to hurry. This is supposed to be enjoyable! Don’t be afraid to step up to a rotary. It’s not as scary as you might think. You CAN still get good correction with a PC. (Ken blows my mind with his mad PC skills) Microfiber care. Learn how to properly take care of your microfibers and they will last you much longer. There are several good posts and methods on this forum. I use Chemical Guys Micro fiber wash and it works very well. Where are you from and where do you live now? I was born in Bellingham, Washington and that’s where I work. I live in a small town called Lynden as that is where my wife would like to live for now. The sacrifices we make! What was your first car and what got you interested in keeping cars perfect? First car was a 1986 Subaru GL Wagon. Paint was in great shape and after a quick hit with my PC was shining again! For a car as old as it was, it really was quite reliable and looked stunning! I really liked having a clean car for some reason. Just driving to the store, or to the mall, or to a girl’s house just felt good in a clean and shiny car. It usually got a lot of comments as well. Current automobiles- 2003 Subaru Impreza WRX (modded pretty heavily) 2008 Mazda 3i (Wife’s car) What motivates you to detail? The satisfaction from a job well done and a hard day’s work are up there. But one of the main things is the look on a customer’s face when they see their car for the first time. It really makes ME happy that they’re happy! Would you ever pay someone else to detail your car? Probably not. Maybe. If I was 100% unable to then maybe I’d take it to Ken as he’s the closest. Not entirely sure though. It’d probably be cheaper to fly someone in! Does detailing run in the family at all, or are you the only normal one? My dad likes to keep his truck washed, but that’s about it. I’ve been slowly migrating him over to quality products and better methods but it’s slow going. What is your favourite part about detailing? My generation always gets teased for being the “instant gratification” type and it’s true in this regard to detailing and me. I like the instant feel of a job well done. I’m usually exhausted after a full day of detailing and that means I worked hard! I seem to always have more work than time for the day, though. If detailing is a hobby for you, would you like to do it full time, or do you feel that it would take the fun out of it? I do as a part time business right now. Eventually the goal is for me to quit my full time job so I can detail full time – but current responsibilities are in the way of that. In due time. What is your favourite car to detail and why? My wife’s! For reasons I’m not getting into. Do you prefer to detail a Supercar or everyday car? I enjoy both! I’ve worked on a couple “supercars” and while they’re nice to work on, they’re usually very clean and well taken care of already. If you want a major transformation (and usually much more work) then you need to go to the car that drives the kids to school, the groceries home, and the parents to work every day. Cars that are actually used. What detailing tool do you think every detailer should have in their arsenal? (Excluding the obvious stuff like wash mitts etc.) Water bottle! Fill it up 3-4 times a day and be sure to drink it. It really helps. Since I’ve been drinking a much larger volume of water a day I sleep better, have more energy and am able to detail for a longer period of time. What are your current favourite brands and why? For detailing? Menzerna, Rubbish Boy, Chemical Guys (select products) Autoglym, Uber, Poorboy’s World, RaceGlaze… list goes on and on and on. What do you do when you’re not detailing? I spend time with my wife. And time with my car driving it, tweaking the suspension. I enjoying working on computers and have recently built a sweet little server for my place. I enjoy learning so I spend a lot of time on the internet trying to learn new things, new processes and just stuff in general. A few quick fire questions: • Ferrari or Lamborghini? Probably Ferrari. • Wax or Sealant? Sealant then wax! • Hamburger / French fries or Healthy food Depends on the day. But the 20lbs I’ve gained since my wedding will tell you Cheeseburger and fries! • Coffee or Cola Usually Cola. But I can’t deny a good mocha shake. This was fun! Be sure to ask if you want to know more!
Thank you for your answers; I think it’s good for forum members to get to know (what should be, as you stated) the forgotten, behind the scenes Moderator(s).
An interview with a Moderator Avatar: What does it mean- My avatar is the front end of a Nissan 300zx which is one of the cars that I own. What is the most important thing a moderator does? One of the most important things is keeping the peace and tranquility on the forum. Since there are so many personalities on a forum, sometimes you feel like a “hall monitor” or a “teacher” in a school yard. I feel you are also there to protect the forum against spammers and shills. What makes a good moderator? Someone that is honest, objective, and fair. Have you been or are you a moderator on other forums? I have been a moderator on another detailing forum for 7 years and a moderator on a Z forum for 8 years. What do you feel yon bring to this forum? I feel I bring the ability to remain level headed when things tend to get out of control between different members. I have always prided myself in being honest and fair on all accounts. I tend to stay on forums if I like them. I have been on several forums since their inception. I have been part of one detailing forum for over 10 years. How can forum contributors help you do your job? By reporting potential spammers and shills. I feel every member is moderator in some capacity. If a post gets out of hand a member can report it and let the moderators take the appropriate action. What do you like most about detailing? I just love spending time with my cars and making them look their best. I find it to be a really relaxing opportunity to de-stress and forget about things if I had a rough day. What are your favourite products/processes and why? I love working on the smaller details that truly show when looking over a car. It’s funny when you see another a car detailed by somebody else and you notice the small things that they missed. I feel it’s those small tiny details that really make the difference and set you above What’s your dream car(s) and why? I am not sure that I really have a “dream car”. There are so many nice cars out there that I would love to own. It’s a long list What’s your favourite previously owned automobile? I am not sure I have a favorite. I tend to keep my cars for a long time since I take care of them. Tell me about your first detail? I am not sure I can remember my “first detail”. I can say however that I have been into detailing cars since I was about 16 years old. I can remember using Dupont Rainx in a blue container when it first came out. My Dad used to work for Dupont and he would frequently get some of their products to try out. I guess that is one way that I got interested in car care. What’s the best thing you’ve learned? Take pride in your work and do the best you can. There are always multiple ways to do things. Your way might not be the best but if you keep an open mind then you can truly improve yourself. Find products that you like and use them. Just because someone else didn’t like the product does not mean that you won’t. Different strokes for different folks. What are some of your other hobbies and interests? I love boating and jet skiing. I have a boat and 2 wave runners that keep me busy in the summer. I love to run and stay in shape which is critical for my job. Do you have any pets? Yes, I have two dogs (cockerspaniels) One is two years old and the other is eleven. Name three techniques that you think you should share to fellow Detailers. I am not sure that I can mention three but one of the most important that I feel is attention to detail. What was your first car and what got you interested in keeping cars perfect? My first car was a 1964 Rambler convertible. Current automobiles- I have way to many cars. Six to be exact. My toys are a 1990 Nissan 300ZX, a 2003 Nissan 350Z (touring) and a 1967 Chevy Nova. The rest are my daily drivers (Ford F150 and Toyota 4Runner). I also have a car for work. What motivates you to detail? OCD-I think all detailers are all a little bit. Would you ever pay someone else to detail your car? Possibly. There are several detailers on the forums that I have the up most respect for. I would probably let them work on my cars. Does detailing run in the family at all, or are you the only normal one? Nope just me. What is your favourite part about detailing? I don’t have a favorite part. I just love it in general. If detailing is a hobby for you, would you like to do it full time, or do you feel that it would take the fun out of it? No, I wouldn’t mind doing it full time at some point. I have been doing it as a side thing for about 3 years and I enjoy it. What is your favourite car to detail and why? I am not sure I have a favorites to detail. I love doing them all. Do you prefer to detail a Supercar or everyday car? Doesn’t matter to me. As long as they look good in the end. What detailing tool do you think every detailer should have in their arsenal? (Excluding the obvious stuff like wash mitts etc.) Some type of polisher for sure. PC, Flex, or rotary. What are your current favourite brands and why? I am a “product whore” and love trying out new stuff. I have more stuff than will ever use in 3 lifetimes. My 300zx was sponsored by Meguairs Wax for almost 7 years. They really took care of the people they sponsored. I love Meguiars, Menzerna, Poorboys, Optimum, and 1Z. What do you do when you’re not detailing? Answered above. A few quick fire questions: • Ferrari or Lamborghini? Both • Wax or Sealant? Both • Hamburger / French fries or Healthy food I love to eat healthy but that doesn’t stop me from eating a good burger. • Coffee or Cola Coffee in the morning. Cola at other times. Other Things That's all folks
