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Technician's Choice Ceramic Detail Spray: It's like a ceramic Bead Maker
- Thread starter joebruin77
- Start date
I can't speak for TyH2009 and I have not done a direct comparison like he did. But I have used both products. I think TW Seal and Shine and the TC CDS are both very durable and offer a lot of protection. Honestly either one is a great product. I personally prefer the TC CDS because it has a slicker feel when applying it and I think a bit more gloss than the TW. And I also prefer the scent of the TC CDS. But again it is really a personal preference and the TW Seal and Shine is a great product and esp a great value.
I've seen some of the you tube detailers dilute TC CDS 1:1 which would make it much cheaper than S&S. Any experience doing this and its effect on performance?
Also, do you reuse your microfiber towels used for TC CDS, or any ceramic spray for that matter? I read mixed opinions on reusing them due to the ceramic hardening within the microfiber and potentially causing scratching.
I personally do not dilute the TC CDS. I wash my car on average at least once a week and even at that frequency, i took me about a year to go through a gallon bottle of the stuff. But yes, Apex Detail said you can dilute it up to 5 to 1.
You can definitely reuse MF towels after applying the TC CDS, but you do need to take a couple precautions. At the very least, make sure you wash the MF towels immediately after use. Do not let them sit around for several hours or days before they are washed. Then what you descirbed, in terms of the ceramic bits hardening, could happen. If you want to be extra cautious, you could fill a pail with warm water and put the used MF towels in the pail submerged under water. Then wash them once you are done washing your car.
The only time you cannot reuse MF towels is if you applied a full on ceramic coating. In that situation, I would discard the towels in the trash.
I love Meguiars D156 and it does add some gloss. I also use Meguiars D115 Express Wash and Wax, a waterless wash, to wash my car. I find that the wax in this waterless wash adds a lot of gloss. So you can wash your car and add shine and gloss in one step. I have not used Optimum Spray Wax but I have used Optimum Detail Spray and Gloss Enhancer. My guess is that both products add gloss.
Technicians Choice Ceramic Detail Spray could be used on top of the Turtle Wax Seal and Shine to add gloss and more protection. You could use TW S and S as your base sealant, applying it once every 3 months and then use TC CDS for more regular maintenance.
There is a YouTube detailer whose opinion I really respect, Brian with Apex Detail, and he has tested numerous products. He uses a gloss meter to measure gloss. I believe he found that among spray waxes and detailers, Adam's Spray Wax and Griots Garage Best in Show Detailer provided really high gloss. He also reviewed a product called TAC System Shinee Wax which also improved gloss substantially. Oh, and, BTW, Brian with Apex Detail also reviewed TC CDS and gave it really high marks.
Finally, the makers of The Last Coat 2.0, my current favorite ceramic-infused spray sealant, also make a product called Amp. Amp is a ceramic-infused topper, designed to be used on top of TLC 2.0 . It is not designed to provide long term protection, but rather adds a pop of gloss and slickness. My guess is that it work well on top of TW S and S, although I have not personally tried that.
Normally, you would apply a sealant to clean, unprotected paint so it can form a good bond with the surface. So when first applying, I would personally apply the TW S and S first and then use the TC CDS on top of the S and S. I think it is overkill to use both products after every wash. I would apply S and S once every 3 months and then use the TC CDS as a detail spray and drying aid after each wash.
Because TC CDS is so durable, it could be used as a stand alone protectant .
It's kinda hard to say, this winter hasn't been great and I haven't washed that car in a while, haven't been driving it much, since I don't really drive it in the rain/snow/wet roads/etc, but I would say they're pretty close. I will admit that I didn't care much for how the TW S&S smelled, the TC was more pleasant, and the TC was much easier to apply/remove than the TW S&S.
Once I get a chance to wash the car again, I'll compare and do a follow up.
I agree with you. Between the two, I think the TC CDS has a more pleasant scent and is easier to apply and remove. The TW S and S was just a bit more "grabby" and, if you use too much, it can streak. I know some people who use Bead Maker talk about what a joy it is to use, in terms of the slickness and gloss. That is why I titled this post what I did. The TC CDS is also a joy to apply and work with. TW S and S is a great sealant and a great value, but just not quite as much of a joy to use as the TC CDS.
GreenHokie
Member
Joebruin77, May I ask why you have switched from TC CDS to The Last Coat 2.0?
I’m currently using Bead Maker as a topper over my professionally applied Kamikaze ISM ceramic coating. As you know, BM has insane slickness & gloss, but is not very durable. For me, it probably lasts only about 1 month before the slickness & gloss drops to a point where I want to apply another coat. To be fair, I like to keep my paint surface super slick all the time, so I use BM as a drying agent at least every 3 or 4 ONR washes, and I probably do an ONR wash at least once a week.
I think The Last Coat 2.0 is quite a bit more expensive than BM (which is not really a concern for me). I’m trying to figure out if TLC 2.0 is durable & keeps its gloss/slickness long enough where I feel I don’t need to apply it but perhaps every 3 or 4 months.
I’m currently using Bead Maker as a topper over my professionally applied Kamikaze ISM ceramic coating. As you know, BM has insane slickness & gloss, but is not very durable. For me, it probably lasts only about 1 month before the slickness & gloss drops to a point where I want to apply another coat. To be fair, I like to keep my paint surface super slick all the time, so I use BM as a drying agent at least every 3 or 4 ONR washes, and I probably do an ONR wash at least once a week.
I think The Last Coat 2.0 is quite a bit more expensive than BM (which is not really a concern for me). I’m trying to figure out if TLC 2.0 is durable & keeps its gloss/slickness long enough where I feel I don’t need to apply it but perhaps every 3 or 4 months.
Hi, GreenHokie. Since TC CDS is labled a detail spray, albeit one with ceramic in it, and not a sealant, I just like the idea of having a dedicated ceramic-infused sealant as my main protection. I have used the TC CDS on top of The Last Coat 2.0 as a drying aid and detail spray. As I mentioned elsewhere, The Last Coat 2.0 also makes a topper called Amp. I enjoy using all three of these products (TLC 2.0, Amp, and TC CDS).
If you sign up on the mailing list for The Last Coat, they will send you all sorts of discount codes. I routinely get offers for 15 or 20% off.
TLC 2.0 is an extremely durable sealant. Here is one example of a video from a detailer I trust (see below).
I have to give the disclaimer that I have PPF but no ceramic coating. So I do not have any direct experience using Bead Maker on top of a ceramic coating. But from what I have read, if you have a ceramic coating, it is best to use a ceramic boost spray that contains ceramic. Bead Maker has no ceramic in it. So you are not replenishing or boosting the ceramic in your coating by using Bead Maker. Plus, there are a couple videos on people using BM on top of a ceramic coating and the BM actual degraded the hydrophobic properties of the ceramic coating.
Here is a video comparing The Last Coat 2.0 to some other sealants:
and here is a video reviewing Bead Maker. In this video, the reviewer notes how Bead Maker has a negative impact on the hydrophobic properties of ceramic coatings:
GreenHokie
Member
Wow, thanks for the reply and all the great information!
After using Bead Maker on my ceramic coated vehicle for the past several months, I can say with absolute confidence that it does not degrade the hydrophobic properties of the particular ceramic coating that I have (Kamikaze ISM). My observation is that BM does actually give the ceramic coating a boost in gloss & slickness without negatively affecting the other desired characteristics of ceramic coating (namely hydrophobic properties). I have not experienced any of the degradation that the reviewer demonstrated/observed in his video. I’m sure you’ll agree that real world experience trumps any controlled experiment done on a test panel.
Perhaps there are some ceramic coatings that do not play nice with the polymers in Bead Maker. However, the chemist/developer of BM claims it is compatible with all ceramic coatings. I can’t speak for the other brands of ceramic coatings on the market. But when applied on top of Kamikaze ISM, BM has been/done everything they claim... add insane gloss & slickness. I just wish that crazy gloss & slickness would last 3-4 months instead of just 1-2.
Kamikaze does make (& I have used) a ceramic maintenance booster called Overcoat, which helps maintain/boost the hydrophobic properties of the original/base ceramic coating. However, it cannot match the (temporary) gloss & slickness that I get when I apply BM on top of my ceramic coating.
So, I’m looking for an easy-to-apply detail spray that will give me comparable gloss & slickness of BM, but lasts a little longer...
After using Bead Maker on my ceramic coated vehicle for the past several months, I can say with absolute confidence that it does not degrade the hydrophobic properties of the particular ceramic coating that I have (Kamikaze ISM). My observation is that BM does actually give the ceramic coating a boost in gloss & slickness without negatively affecting the other desired characteristics of ceramic coating (namely hydrophobic properties). I have not experienced any of the degradation that the reviewer demonstrated/observed in his video. I’m sure you’ll agree that real world experience trumps any controlled experiment done on a test panel.
Perhaps there are some ceramic coatings that do not play nice with the polymers in Bead Maker. However, the chemist/developer of BM claims it is compatible with all ceramic coatings. I can’t speak for the other brands of ceramic coatings on the market. But when applied on top of Kamikaze ISM, BM has been/done everything they claim... add insane gloss & slickness. I just wish that crazy gloss & slickness would last 3-4 months instead of just 1-2.
Kamikaze does make (& I have used) a ceramic maintenance booster called Overcoat, which helps maintain/boost the hydrophobic properties of the original/base ceramic coating. However, it cannot match the (temporary) gloss & slickness that I get when I apply BM on top of my ceramic coating.
So, I’m looking for an easy-to-apply detail spray that will give me comparable gloss & slickness of BM, but lasts a little longer...
I’m glad to hear BM works well with your particular ceramic coating. I also have a good understanding of your needs.
Here are some products to consider:
TC CDS is definitely something you should try. As discussed above, it does remind me of BM in terms of its ease of use and slickness. But it is much more durable and provides better protection than BM.
Opticoat (Optimum’s professional line) makes a ceramic infused spray sealant I love called Hyper Seal. I did notice enhanced gloss after applying it. It is pricey ($39) but you only need to use a little at a time.
The Last Coat 2.0 and their topper Amp is a great combo. Both are ceramic infused. The Last Coat 2.0 sealant offers very durable protection. Amp is not designed for long term protection but rather focused more on pumping up the gloss and slickness for about a month. The two are chemically compatible and work well together since they are made by the same manufacturer.
Finally, there is a whole new category of products coming on the market that contain graphene. IGL makes a graphene liquid. In one review I saw, the graphene product achieved the highest gloss readings I have ever seen. However, I do not know if you can apply graphene on top of a ceramic coating or if you should only use it directly on paint. You could contact IGL and ask them.
Hope that helps!
GreenHokie
Member
Thanks, Joe. I may give one of those products you mentioned a try, as a topper/maintenance over my ceramic coating.
Yeah, I've seen some of the information/videos on graphene. Sounds promising, but most seem to feel it's still a bit too early in its development stage to go all in. In a few years when more manufacturers refine the product, it may actually supplant ceramic coating as the best long term paint protectant.
Thank you for the heads up. I went to their website and at first, got excited to buy a gallon for $29, which is an awesome price. But unfortunately they charge nearly $20 for shipping to California. Total cost with shipping was slightly more expensive than buying it for $44 on amazon and free shipping. So looks like it is a great local deal for those of you in NJ.
Thanks for taking the time to shoot and post the video. I agree with you, they both seem to be holding up well and beading water nicely. How long has it been since you have applied the two products?
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