RAD GARAGE - Rick's Residential Detailing Theatre and Dream Garage
  • Home
  • Affiliates
  • Audi
    • 2018 SQ5 Technik (Current)
    • 2014 SQ5 Technik (Previous)
    • 2009 Q7 S-Line (Previous)
  • Blog
  • Build
  • Contact
  • Design
  • Detailing
  • Door
  • Drainage
  • Gallery
  • Heat
  • History
  • Lighting
  • Livestreams
  • Merchandise
  • Music
  • Organization
  • Pressure Washer
  • QuickJack
  • Swisstrax Floor
  • Videography
  • YouTube

BLOG (RETIRED)

FOLLOW ALONG WITH WHAT I GOT GOING ON

Seeking Enlightenment

10/31/2014

 
My garage isn't dark by any means, but I need it brighter.  I have 4 2-lamp 48" T8 fixtures, but I am playing with the idea of replacing them with 4-lamp models.  I am having some difficulty finding exactly what I have in mind, since most 4-lamp fixtures are designed for high bays.  Part of me thinks mounting fixtures designed for commercial warehouses would be awesome, but the practical side of me realizes that would be overkill.  

Here's what I'm currently dealing with.  It's adequate, but I think a world-class garage deserves world-class lighting.  Once I have the fixtures, it's just a matter of having my brother-in-law's electrical firm mount them up.  
I thought these 4 fixtures would be enough, but the time has come to really light things up.
The garage is not nearly as dark as the photo would make it appear, but it could be brighter.  

New Additions

10/27/2014

 
I added a few new things to the garage.  I picked up a foam gun that works with a regular water hose.  I already own a pneumatic gun along with a gun that works with my pressure washer, but this gun will allow me to take care of smaller scale jobs more efficiently.  I tried it out the other day when I was cleaning my summer wheels prior to storing them for the winter.  It allows you to really control the amount of soap in the stream and it uses the soap additive frugally.  I wasn't over the moon with the quality of the fit between the gun and nozzle, but I made it work with some teflon tape.
Picture
I also picked up another 50ml bottle of GTechniq EXO v2 hybrid coating/sealant.  I plan on re-sealing my SQ5's paint over the Winter Break.  EXO does a fantastic job of protecting my paint from the harsh winter elements.  I also stocked up on Lake Country polishing pads.  I snagged 4 orange and 1 yellow CCS 5.5-inchers.  
I'm excited to have pulled the trigger on a new creeper stool.  I have been looking for a good deal on a Craftsman one for ages, and I finally found one through a seller on eBay.  The bloody exchange rate was a bit of a pill, though.  I'm going to enjoy the versatility this stool will offer me in terms of height.  The big creeper I use now is a bit too high for comfortably cleaning wheels and the lower portions of the body.  Should be here in a week or so.
Picture

Goodbye Rubber, Hello Carpet

10/27/2014

 
I have a number of work surfaces around my space, and they are invaluable when I am in the throws of an intense detail job.  I find it frustrating to put something down and then lose track of it, so having a variety of accessible work surfaces makes things much more efficient and pleasant for me.  
I have experimented with a variety of materials to line the tops of my various work surfaces.  Until the other day, I had heavy duty rubber lining atop my benches and rolling cabinets.  The price of the lining was ludicrous especially after customs and shipping fees, but Rubber Cal carries an extensive selection of high quality products that are great for protecting the tops of your work surfaces.  Just be prepared to pay through the nose if you are shipping to Canada.
So, I was using Rubber Cal's "corrugated wide rib" rubber runner mats.  They were working okay, but I didn't like the way they marked up so easily and they did require regular cleanings in order to look good.  Plus, they never did sit flat on the top of my tool box or workbench.  I had to anchor them down along the edges which has never sat well with me.  It just looked bad, but without them, the ends of the rubber mats would start to roll up.  If you haven't caught on, I'm a little bit particular about things, and I just couldn't deal with it any longer.  I had an extra strip of industrial carpet laying around so I thought I'd give it a shot.  I cut a piece to fit the top of my rolling 4-drawer cabinet and I was pleased with the result.  That was a few weeks ago, but now all my work surfaces sport carpet.   
I know what you are thinking, "Carpet on a workbench"?  But, before you start questioning my sanity, you have to understand that the most abuse my work surfaces see is the placement of spray bottles, polishing pads, and the occasional detailing brush.  Obviously, this solution wouldn't be practical in 99% of garages, but I think this will suit my needs nicely.  
If you are wondering what I did with the expensive corrugated rubber, don't fret.  I used it to line my two Craftsman carts which do come into contact with water quite regularly.

Decals

10/27/2014

 
My garage has seen more than its fair share of decals over the years.  The bulk of them came from eBay, but most of them are now gone.  I now have only 3 decals on the walls.  I have a few stickers on my metal magnet board.  The large "SQ5" decal was a custom job I used a guy in Latvia for.  I paid too much, but he was very willing to work with me and I got the exact decal I wanted in the exact size I requested.  The "quattro" by the clock was your basic eBay search and purchase, as was the "vorsprung" decal on the car door.  The "Audi" above the floor mat wall is actually raised letters I purchased online.  I also applied a couple of decals to liven up my Craftsman rolling cabinets.  They began life grey, but I rattle-canned them blue.  

Most of the standard decals can be had for pennies on the Internet.  My current decals are all incorporated into the paint scheme which, in my opinion, brings more cohesion to the overall design.  This is in stark contrast to my decal philosophy of the past, which was a "more is better" approach.  
The Current Decal Situation
If you spend any time browsing through the garage gallery, you will see a multitude of decals that have come and gone.  

Winter Wheel Swap

10/26/2014

 
It has taken a few years, but I have finally mastered the art of the winter wheel swap in my garage.  The RaceDeck Free Flow floor requires some protection from the floor jack, so I picked up a heavy duty rubber mat that provides the perfect amount of protection.  My brother-in-law swung by with his S4 and we swapped out his 19" summer performance setup with his 18" winter setup.  Here's some pics that demonstrate what a painless process wheel swaps are with a RaceDeck Free Flow floor:

Great, but not-so-Great G8

10/19/2014

 
In March of 2009, GM was on the verge of bankruptcy and dealers in our city were offering handsome discounts on their stock.  We ended up trading my wife's 2007 Lincoln MKZ in for a 2009 Pontiac G8 GT.  This car was essentially a Holden Commodore with Pontiac badging.  We received a $7500 discount on the car and ended up driving it off the lot for $31k.  It was a smoking deal.  Within three months, the shine had worn off the penny and we listed it for sale.  It sold in less than an hour for $30,500.  While I absolutely loved the looks and performance of the car, it wasn't really fitting the bill for us. 

Love

Price
6.0 V8 pushing 355bhp/385 lb-ft
Size
Excellent handling
Rarity factor

Hate

Weak Blaupunkt stereo
Poor paint quality
Low-quality interior finishing (lots of plastic)
Lots of squeaks and rattles 
Stupid name
One thing that really irritated me about this car was the fact it arrived from the dealer with all kinds of scuff marks on the paint.  I took it back to them twice, but their detailing staff lacked the skill to rectify any of the paint issues.  I spent a month trying to get the paint back to factory-fresh condition, but the paint was so thin and weak, it proved useless. The paint seemed to scratch incredibly easily and it was a magnet for dust.  I actually think the paint held an electrostatic charge that attracted dust particles.  A few other maintenance issues began to surface and the dealer proved unable/unwilling to address them.  After three frustrating months of ownership, I was done.  
Pontiac went out of business shortly after this car arrived in Canada ('08 version was available in the US), and it's a shame because this car had great potential.  I imagine the second generation of this car would have been something really special.  This YouTube clip will give you an idea of what this car was all about:

Hemi Hunting

10/11/2014

 
I was, and I wasn't surprised to learn that the 485 bhp Challenger SRT is only 0.1 sec faster to 60 mph than my SQ5.  You would assume a 131 bhp boost would equate to more of an acceleration advantage.  I imagine more than one SRT driver would crap his Nascar boxers if a gussied up station wagon gave him a run for his money.  Lucky for them, I don't street race.   

Grandpa's Garage

10/11/2014

 
Back in 1989, I inherited my first car.  A 1982 Plymouth Horizon.  It was a nice little car with a two-tone blue paint scheme.  My Grandpa Sam was an auto body shop owner for years, but his shop had burned down in 1981.  He built a substantial detached garage complete with everything you might find in a professional body shop.  I took the Horizon up there in the summer of 1989 and, with the help of my grandpa and uncle, gave it a thorough respray in its original colours. I drove the snot out of that car for a few years, then purchased a 1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo off a friend.   

I remember that car, that summer, and especially my grandpa fondly.

The Underground

10/11/2014

 
My wife and I spent a number of years living overseas.  When we returned to Canada, we lived in a condo we had purchased years prior.  We left that condo when the construction of our current home was complete, but we still own the condo and rent it out.  

The unit has one titled spot, but many of the residents do not drive, so it is possible to rent out additional spots.  That's what we did.  Our titled spot is on the end of a long row, which I appreciated.  The man who owns the neighbouring space is almost as obsessed with his car as I am so there was never any worry about door dings.  

The spot we leased for my wife's car at the time was on the very opposite end of the row and was also an end spot.  Eventually, we lost her space and had to pick up a different one in the middle of the row.  Luckily, the car to the left was rarely used, and the couple with the stall on the right were very particular about how they parked their Dodge truck.

While it was nice to have a designated spot in a heated underground garage, I'll never take my current garage for granted.  I don't miss all the walking to and from the car, especially carrying bags of groceries.  

Details of the Past

10/11/2014

 
Prior to moving into our current house in 2010, I did my fair share of detailing in the parking garage below our condo unit.  It was dark and dusty, but I managed to do some pretty good work down there. 
My "clients" were friends and friends of friends.  I would wash the car at the coin-op across the street and then take care of the finer details down in my assigned parking space.  I probably did 40 cars in the 1.5 years we lived there.  I didn't have nearly the tools and equipment I have now, but I was younger and had way more elbow grease than I do these days.  

What the Wife Wants...

10/8/2014

 
It's no secret I like cars, and our garage has seen its fair share of new ones in recent years.  I have enjoyed all of them, but none really ticked all the boxes.  I'm really enjoying the overall SQ5 experience, and I'm very happy with our choice, but when friends ask why we went with the SQ5 I like to joke that my wife had two demands.  

1. It needs to have a back-up camera, and 
2. It needs to hit 60 in under 5 seconds.  

Even though only one of the above wishes is true, the SQ5 was able to grant them both: 

    Picture
    RAD GARAGE is my personal detailing theatre. I am a teacher who finds immense pleasure in completing deeply therapeutic, thorough and highly satisfying detailing projects in my residential garage. I have converted my suburban double car garage into a world class detailing environment and I enjoy caring for my own car and select cars belonging to others. The garage and the work I complete in it have allowed me to connect with other detailing enthusiasts from around the world. ​
    Contact me

    Picture
    I have teamed up with Teespring to offer viewers an opportunity to grab some RAD gear! Click here to see the current inventory of RAD merchandise available at my Teespring store! 
    Use "RAD10" to save yourself 10% until the end of March, 2021. 
    Picture
    Picture
    Carzilla is a local detailing store that caters to the North American community of professional and enthusiast detailers. I have been a longtime customer and I am fortunate to call the owner a friend. Besides stocking a vast quantity of top quality detailing products, the owner has supported various garage and detailing projects of mine over the years.

    5 %   d i s c o u n t   c o d e
    "RADGARAGE"

    Picture
    I am able to offer all Canadian detailing pros and enthusiasts a 5% Carzilla discount code. Check out the awesome Carzilla online store here.

    Picture
    The team at Annovi Reverberi North America reached out to me and commended my work. They generously offered to supply me with one of their pressure washer systems. I can't express how satisfied I am with the performance of my AR630TSS pressure washer and highly recommend this machine to all enthusiast and professional detailers. If you are considering upgrading your existing pressure washer system, I highly encourage you to price things out over at the Obsessed Garage website. 

    Picture
    I have equipped my garage with a variety of LED lighting systems from this family-owned company out of Saskatchewan. They have a variety of garage lighting solutions to fit every need. Be sure to visit their website and use "RAD10" at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your order.

    Picture
    I am proud to rep Obsessed Garage. Click on the banner below to explore the complete OG inventory. By using my affiliate link, any purchases you make will help me equip and enhance my garage. 

    Picture

    25¢ per sq ft discount
    "RADGARAGE"

    Swisstrax manufactures the highest quality modular flooring system you can get for your garage. I am able to offer a 25¢ per square foot discount to Canadian friends wanting to install a Swisstrax floor in their garage. Simply reference "RAD GARAGE" in your email or phone call correspondence with the Swisstrax Canada sales staff. 

    Picture
    The  expert team at Glove Box curates boxes of high quality products that work together towards a common goal. I highly recommend you check out their website to see the various boxes and purchase options they offer. You can make a one-time purchase of any past or present boxes, or opt for a 3, 6, or 12-month subscription. Whatever option you decide to go with, use "RAD20" to receive 20% off your introductory order. 

    Picture
    Adam's is one of my all-time favorite brands of car detailing products. I have made friends with a number of team members and I appreciate the support I have received from them over the years. I have also been fortunate to meet many other Adam's fans from all over the world. Check out the Adam's website here. 

    Picture
    If you are in the Calgary or surrounding area and you are looking to have some concrete work completed, I highly recommend reaching out to the team at Concrete Innovations. They did a tremendous job on my garage drainage system. You can save $300 on your own double garage drainage solution by contacting them and telling them I referred you.

    Picture
    Tim and his team at Ethos have been hard at work bringing innovation to the detailing industry. I have been fortunate to have received a number of high quality Ethos products and I have found all of them to be highly satisfying. I am a huge fan of this company and their "Defy" ceramic protectant spray is one of my all time favourite products. 

    Picture
    Picture
    Tunerworks is a performance-minded automotive service centre located in Calgary. It is my go-to source for wheels and tires and all other things automotive. If you are interested in connecting with the team at Tunerworks to see how you can improve your car's appearance and/or performance, give the team a call at 403.398.9833 and tell them Rick sent you. 

    Picture
    A few years ago, a Quickjack representative reached out to me because I had mentioned on this blog that I was looking for some sort of lift system. We corresponded back and forth and I ended up receiving a sweetheart deal on a QuickJack BL-5000 SLX lift system. I immediately fell in love with it. I sent the team at Ranger Products a variety of photos of the lift in action in my garage and they have featured them in various online ads, including the US and Canada Costco websites.
    Picture

    TRITON DOOR SERVICES
    Triton is owned and operated by Mike Awada and he is a highly skilled and experienced garage door technician. I highly recommend reaching out to Mike if you have any garage door concerns or if you are interested in upgrading your home's garage door and/or door opener system. 
    Picture

    Picture
    The team at Auto Shield Canada has been extremely supportive of me and my detailing pursuits. They have provided me with samples of their graphene coating and even gone to the lengths of helping me apply it on a friend's 2008 RS4. I look forward to watching this company make deeper inroads into the market with their high quality coatings. 

    Picture
    The team at Lithium Auto Care has been highly supportive of me and my detailing hobby by sending me a number of samples in exchange for my feedback. I have been very impressed with the products I have tried and I have been even more impressed by the quality of service they have provided me. 

    Picture
    Extra Tough is a highly effective and versatile all-purpose cleaner. The team at Extra Tough sent me two complimentary gallons of this cleaner and I have used it in a variety of jobs around the garage. Most famously, I used it to deeply clean the carpeted wheel arches of a pristine Misano Red RS5. It is available through their website. 

    CROWN RALLY 8
    Picture
    I was fortunate to have been invited to participate in the 8th edition of the Crown Rally. This is a high octane car rally that explores some of the most amazing drives in the Untied States. Click the image above to learn more about this amazing adventure. 

    OTHER RAD FRIENDS

    ​Custom Decals YYC
    Geoff Wilkings Photography
    Glenmore Audi
    ​Kaizen Foam
    Space-Ray Heaters
    ​Tire Rack
    Trek Bicycles
    ​TSW Wheels

    OTHER RAD GARAGES

    In addition to showcasing my own garage, I enjoy sharing other amazing garages. Here are some spaces that I have featured on my blog: 
    Tavin Garage
    Tyson's Acura Museum
    Larry's Charlotte Showroom
    dubber's double
    Chad's "Next" Makeover
    Gully's Dream Garage
    Orland Park Audi Oasis
    Cory's Industrial Arts Studio
    Brynjar's Icelandic Garage
    Pat's Controlled Chaos
    ​Greg & Nancy's Place
    ​Brandon Burrell's Toy House

    CATEGORIES

    All
    Adam's Polishes
    Affiliate
    Audi
    Automobiles
    Carzilla
    Ceramic
    Crown Rally
    Daily Life
    Design
    Detailing
    Door
    Drainage
    Equipment
    Ethos
    Evolution
    Floor
    Graphene
    Interior
    Lift
    Lighting
    Maintenance
    Organization
    Other Garages
    Painting
    Partners
    Polishing
    Pressure Washer
    Previous Rides
    Products
    QuickJack
    Rinseless
    Rupes
    Storage
    Swisstrax
    Tools
    Videos
    Wheels
    Work Bench
    YouTube


    ARCHIVES

    July 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    RSS Feed

All images and content © 2014-2022. All Rights Reserved.                                                                   
  • Home
  • Affiliates
  • Audi
    • 2018 SQ5 Technik (Current)
    • 2014 SQ5 Technik (Previous)
    • 2009 Q7 S-Line (Previous)
  • Blog
  • Build
  • Contact
  • Design
  • Detailing
  • Door
  • Drainage
  • Gallery
  • Heat
  • History
  • Lighting
  • Livestreams
  • Merchandise
  • Music
  • Organization
  • Pressure Washer
  • QuickJack
  • Swisstrax Floor
  • Videography
  • YouTube