falcaineer

Long enough that my wife tells me that I'm too slow.  It doesn't matter what I do, I'm slow in her opinion.  And she makes sure I'm aware of it.  However, she does like the end result.   My full size truck takes me about 24 hours.  
 
Nobody understands the work involved, until they do it themselves.  

Totally agree.
 
Marking the side of the pad makes it easier to see if the pad is rotating.

I would try the orange microfiber cutting pad. It, by definition, has more cutting properties than the orange foam pad.

If you need some things immediately for emergency details we have expedited shipping options that we could get products to you overnight or Thursday at the earliest if you're in the continental 48 United States, but if you have enough things to hold out for a little while, I have a feeling next week is going to be a pretty incredible week!
 
So many cool new things coming your way...it's difficult for me to stay quiet I'm so excited! 

Sweet car! Love the Audi in Brilliant Red. 
 
"Laying into" the PC won't necessarily help, as you very well could've caused it not to oscillate properly and just sort of "sit there" not doing much of anything (check out Junkman videos for his explanation). The orange microfiber pad will cut more, yes. You could also slow the passes down...arm speed, not necessarily PC speed...over the swirls/scratches, making sure you go in "all 4 directions," i.e., left, right, back, forth.
Oh, and my first detail (Xterra) was a good 8-12 hours, if not longer (with breaks  ). I used a PC 7424, like you, and much like BRZN, I started on a Fri evening with strip wash and clay. Then I got going bright and early the following morning with PCP, LPS and full interior detail. 

I certainly was impressed, Mike. Used it for PCP and LPS, and the truck came out GREAT! I also understand the vibration discussions, but like Wayne don't really have anything to compare it to, either. I should say I demoed the Cyclo once for a couple minutes, and it was smooth, but the PC is more cost effective and will likely yield the results you want for a beginner's tool.

WElcome to the forums! Check out the vids, do some reading, ask questions and then try it out. It is not hard to get into when using great products like these. 

Welcome to the forum Paul.  None of us were good when we first started (well, Adam was).  Best advice is to head to You Tube and watch Adam's Polishes detailing videos. Talking about stuff is easy,  watching and learning the steps is the best way. 
Glad to have you join us. 

This is a little tip I came up with (until someone else claims it, lol) for cleaning and dressing the whole sidewall of your tires without having to roll up a few feet to clean and then back again to dress.
 
I had some 2X4s laying around the shop, so I cut a 45 degree angle on one end and place one in front of each tire.
 
Untitled by Chris Dunlap, on Flickr
 
The plank is set in about 1-2" from the top of the sidewall. Then I drive up onto them. I usually get a little bit of a rolling start.
You wont believe how hard it can be to just roll up them LOL! Oh, and don't forget to set your parking brake...
 
Untitled by Chris Dunlap, on Flickr
 
Here you can see how they are set back from the sidewall.
 
Untitled by Chris Dunlap, on Flickr
 
Now, I can clean & dress all the way under the tire!

I would do it after you clay. The reason I say this and this is just my thought, but after the car is clean I wouldn't want the chance of any products getting inside the chips and not allowing the paint to stick.
 
Edit because apparently I can't spell!

Hi Jaden! Very cool to hear that you're ready to start a business at your age.
 
Especially if starting a business, you can never have enough towels. For Detail Spray and H2O Guard, you could use the Single Soft or Borderless Gray Towels, a 6-pack of each is $39.99 before discounts, and that would be a good start. Both are very soft and will not scratch if cared for properly. We recommend dedicated towels for H2O Guard, specifically the Borderless Gray, since the chemical can stain the white towels somewhat and some people don't like that. For higher-end vehicles or vehicles with a very delicate clear coat, I will use the Double Soft or Triple Soft Towels for Detail Spray wipe-downs.
 
For Leather & Interior Cleaner, our Edgeless Utility Towels or Cockpit Brush will work best for most scenarios. The tight weave pattern of the Edgeless Utility Towel is soft but helps in scrubbing dirt away more easily on textured interior surfaces. 
 
For Leather Conditioner, it is best applied with our red foam Premium Interior Dressing Applicators since it is a thick cream. If unwanted levels of shine are still on the surfaces after applying, you can buff them down some with a Single Soft or Borderless Gray Towel.
 
For Tire Shine, there's no towel really necessary for this product. Applying it with the VRT Block Applicator or Pro Tire Hex Grip Applicator should level it off nice and even.
 
The Blue Plush Waffle Towels are a great utility towel that can be used for many uses, but they are a bit less soft than our other towels, hence the reduced price. So on delicate finishes there is a slight chance that they could cause light marring, swirls, etc. Always test them in a small spot first to make sure you will not have any issues.
 
Lastly, you didn't mention it, but the Microfiber Bundle that Dustin and Ron mentioned above also comes with one of our large Great White Drying Towels for drying vehicles. It's a waffle weave towel that is very absorbent that works awesome for drying a vehicle.

Also, once you do pick up some towels, only wash them in detergent without perfumes or colors. Also, NO fabric softener! Pick up some Microfiber Revitalizer to help with the cleaning, too. http://adamspolishes.com/shop/accessories/microfiber-towels/adam-s-microfiber-revitalizer-brightener.html

Only fix I've found that works for my cars is to clean the inside windows with a wet cloth with Dawn (blue) dish soap, rinse it, then I use the Adam's Glass Cleaner. Sometimes I use the Glass Cleaner two or three wipes to get it streak free, but I have glass that has no film, and looks almost invisible.  I use the newer yellow/green glass towels.

I do, and for an affordable choice to use as a first timer, I'd recommend the Porter Cable 7424XP:
 
http://adamspolishes.com/shop/exterior/polishing/adam-s-porter-cable-7424xp.html
 
You could also check out the Garage Sale Forum to see what others on here have posted for sale. Sometimes you'll find polishers, pads, etc., on there.
 
Very capable machine, and it won't burn or damage your paint. Watch these for some comfort factor:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XAqpOe9Zt4 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7A5BCCb7Gg
 
Rememeber the Adam's pads are color coded to the polish, etc, and don't forget the backing plate.
 
Above all, have fun!

I agree with Chris, And also be sure to check out Adams Kit's, they can save you a lot in the end.

I do, and for an affordable choice to use as a first timer, I'd recommend the Porter Cable 7424XP:
 
http://adamspolishes.com/shop/exterior/polishing/adam-s-porter-cable-7424xp.html
 
You could also check out the Garage Sale Forum to see what others on here have posted for sale. Sometimes you'll find polishers, pads, etc., on there.
 
Very capable machine, and it won't burn or damage your paint. Watch these for some comfort factor:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XAqpOe9Zt4 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7A5BCCb7Gg
 
Rememeber the Adam's pads are color coded to the polish, etc, and don't forget the backing plate.
 
Above all, have fun!

It used to be a "pet" peeve of mine too, but then I adopted 2 dogs. The nose art is unreal. With my 7 window SUV (9 if you include the split in the back windows), only the windshield doesn't have dog snot on it. So now, glass cleaning is more on an as needed basis lol.

This is a bit off the wall, but I'd like to have a magnet for the car that says "Shine by Adam's Polishes" or "protected by Adam's" or something similar.  
Both my wife and I are almost getting tired of answering people when they comment how good our cars look and ask us what we use.  
She was at the store last night after dark but the lights from the grocery store were shining on the car and it was nearly the only one in the lot. Some guy parked his car across from her and  yelled over "Nice car!  How do  you get it so shiny?"  My wife yelled back "Adam's!  It's all Adam's".  Of course he had to go over and ask her about it.  He was impressed enough to write it down. 
Anyhow, having a magnet on the rear of the car might cut down on answering that question every time!!  
And it has to be big enough to be seen and read! 
 
A real problem, huh?    

Don't use it.  If it gets on your tread it makes the tires slick.  Tire Shine or VRT are best. 

I'm from Ohio, but it was about the furthest east you could go before falling in the river.
 
Welcome!

Gotcha. I assume that'll be OK (not a pro, though - new to Adam's). Just remember to apply the H2O relatively often to keep the protection through the winter. And the Americana if you just want to show off  .

Had one question for you, Wayne. Did you decide purposefully not to use the LPS? Just concerned that since it's a daily, or at least that's what I think you said in another thread, the HGG and Americana (despite the extra pop) won't last nearly as long and thus not offer the lasting protection you may be looking for.
 
But either way, the car looks great!

A couple years back I decided to get a new Corvette. The sales rep gave a small collection of Adam's products to buyers as a thank you for the purchase. I started adding to the collection before the car or the thank you was received!
 
Now I use Adams exclusively. Before that I was using mostly brand M and before that whatever I could hijack from the kitchen and laundry room!   

Put a couple of bath towels across the dash before you clay it. Then all the overspray will land on the towel....not on the leather dash.