694doorbird

Andrew, some streaks on the inside after use? Two glass towels come together. Try cleaning with one of the towels, then buffing the glass with the other towel dry. If not the second dry glass towel, buff with a Single Soft Microfiber towel. I've been doing the inside glass this way for a couple years now and my glass is absolutly clean.

You should be able to find this guy somewhere.  That belongs to him.
 

I've got the same cup!!!
Your picture reminded me of this one that I captured while playing with the camera after building a fire pit for my wife. This also is not a photoshop image. I call it Hell's Kitchen Flame.

Here's a barn on a piece of property up for auction.
Taken with my Nikon D5100  F22  1/80 sec  ISO 400

This is Portage Lake Alaska. I used full auto on my Canon xsi.
This is probably one of the best I've taken and one of my favorite scenery pics I've done.

 
I took this pic of a Dall Sheep with my new long range lens.

I'll play along. Got into photography last summer and have been loving every moment of it so far, and glad to see this thread on the forums. Here is a picture of the Freedom Tower that I took last November.

Great stuff in this thread.  Thanks to everyone for posting photos!
 
 
These were taken on Rt 66 going through Williams, AZ.
 

 

 

 

 

 

I stopped traffic for this one.  Lucky for me, the people were extremely accommodating.  

Hers a picture my son took with his camera phone. He's been out in Arizone working on getting President Eisenhower's Air Force one back into flying condition.

Hers a picture my son took with his camera phone. He's been out in Arizone working on getting President Eisenhower's Air Force one back into flying condition.

I have these in my garage and have posted links up with them:
 
http://www.adamsforums.com/topic/27849-bottle-labels-for-mounted-rack/
 
 

Quite the opposite - I miss having enough time for more of it. I talk detailing all day at work, and I get to test/play with new products all the time, but long gone are the days of spending a full weekend on my cars. With 2 kids, a wife, a house and a 'honey do' list that seems to get longer every week I just don't have time for non-work related in depth detailing.
 
If you find yourself getting frustrated or not enjoying it anymore perhaps its time to roll back your involvement. Even just a basic wash and wax can be gratifying, not everyone can justify endless hours making a car perfect, but that doesn't mean you can't find a regimen that will keep your car looking good (better than most) and with minimal effort.

Very nice!! You could probably sell some to members here.

Welcome aboard.

I don't know.  Dress it up like the Ghost-Busters hearse and call it "Swirl-Busters".  Might just work.
 

 

I'd put the car on the lawn and kill two birds with one stone!

Some of Craftsman tool (sockets for sure) have gone down hill a long time ago. Last time I bought one, I had a hard time finding one where the wall thickness was equal around the whole thing. I've been finding better sockets at Lowes.

What guilt?  she should be thanking you because you are encouraging exercise LOL

So. Some background first. My father is a Snap-On Tools dealer since before I was born so I've grown up with him always telling me "Buy the proper tool once." Which means don't keep buying cheap tools that break and make you rebuy them, which I have always tried to follow...when I can afford to. Naturally I've always had a love for these tools as they have always put a roof over my head my entire life. However, my love for their tool boxes is even greater so imagine my giddiness when I see the Epic series toolbox in the adams videos.
 
Now, background and neurosis aside, this brings me to why I'm posting. A few days ago one of my father's customers had a fire in their shop. The fire damage wasn't bad, but the smoke damage was. I happened to be riding with my father that day and we stopped in to see the damage. My heart went out to these guys. Some of their tool boxes cost them more than $8000 and they were all covered in smoke, which when mixed with water from firehoses can become caustic and eat away at the paint. I was watching some of the fire cleanup crews using bags of tshirt rags and buckets of whatever to clean these boxes and scratch the paint and had to do something. I talked with the owner, told him I wanna try something on one of the boxes. I went home, grabbed all my microfiber clothes I had and a gallon of APC and Detail Spray and showed them how they can be cleaned better. Well, that was 3 tool boxes ago, and I have many more to do. The All Purpose Cleaner is kicking the carp out of the smoke damage and grease and anything else that's on these tool boxes and it's bringing them back to brand new. Then the detail spray is taking it to another level, one guy told me the box looks better than when they got it. And not one box smells of smoke anymore. I will talk to the mechanics and ask permission to take pictures of their boxes to post. I don't want to invade their privacy but there are a lot of happy mechanics now in the shop.
 
Adam's Polishes is the best, I had my doubts but every product that I've tried of competition still cannot beat the performance of Adam's.
 
 
Play hard, Clean hard.
Customer for life.

going to be watching the updates, can't wait to see it when completed.

Sweet looking ride!!

So you've invested a good amount of money into detailing chemicals to care for your car, truck, SUV or bike. Because some chemicals, like polishes, are low volume use its common to start to have bottles that are a few years old before they're completely used up. The listing below is to serve as a guideline for product 'expiration' and means to determine if you need to replace something. This by no means is an exact timetable. Products should be evaluated regularly to determine their usefulness. If you have any questions about the current condition of a product you own please email tips@adamspolishes.com with a description of your concern and a picture of its undisturbed state.

HOW MUCH OR HOW FREQUENTLY TO BUY
As tempting as it may be to show your friends up with a complete collection of 5 gallon refills, this might not always be the best practice when it comes to keeping your chemicals fresh. As a general rule try to never buy more of any one product than you can see yourself reasonably using in 1-2 years time. Not only are some products fickle when it comes to use beyond that time frame, at Adam's we like to reformulate and tweak formulas every few years. Often times its to keep up with advances in chemical engineering, but increasing environmental regulations and a diversified automotive finishes drive the need for product updates. If you're stocked up with 5 years of chemical, it can be rather frustrating when that new product is released.
 
BEST PRACTICES
There are a few general rules that should be followed with all your detailing chemicals for care and storage that will keep them usable and at peak performance.
TEMPERATURE - Products should be stored in a temperature controlled environment whenever possible. If your garage dips below 40* in the winter months or sees temps north of 85-90* in the summer it would be in your best interest to store the products indoors. Heat and cold will have a dramatic impact on some products, can alter their composition, and even render them useless or ineffective.
  SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE - Whenever possible detailing chemicals should be stored in a closed cabinet or at the very least out of direct sunlight exposure for extended periods of time. Sun can cause color and scent changes, as well as performance issues with products like Glass Cleaner, Waterless Wash, and APC. Chemicals being exposed to sunlight during use isn't a concern, but try to return the bottles to a shady or covered area if they won't be used for more than a few minutes.
  SHAKE BEFORE EACH USE - All chemicals should be shaken well prior to each use. Chemicals that have been in storage for extended periods of time should be shaken even more and for a longer period to ensure that they are fully mixed. If a product will be stored for an extended period of time without use, try to at least make a point to shake the bottle very few months to prevent permanent separation.
  LONG TERM CAPPING - Any chemical that will be stored for more than a few months without use should be re-capped with the red shipping plug that was inserted at the time of bottling. Remove any sprayers and replace with caps if possible. The red shipping caps under the lids ensure an air tight seal and reduce the chances of product failure from oxygen exposure.
  CLEANING BOTTLES - before storing your products be sure that there is no residual chemical residues on the bottom or sides of the bottle. Not only will these make a mess of whatever storage area you have chosen, there is also a risk of damage to the label or bottle which could potentially result in a leak or other issue with the product while not in use. Wipe each bottle dry before putting it away.  
 
INDIVIDUAL PRODUCT CONCERNS
In general we guarantee our products to remain in good, usable condition when stored properly for a period of up to two years, but this is only to serve as a general guideline. Some products will last longer if stored correctly.
APC, Leather Cleaner, TID, GWC, DS, and UCS are all relatively forgiving when it comes to temperature. They may have some visual chemical separation or slight color changes over time, but so long as the product can be shaken and does not re-separate it is safe to use. APC and LIC are especially susceptible to sun exposure. As little as 10 minutes in direct or intense sunlight will bleach these products out... it still works fine, but may have an odd aroma if this happens. UCS experiences a higher than usual expansion and contraction rate with heat... as such it can cause bottles to crack and/or leak when the bottle is outside of the recommended temp range. Keep this in mind when choosing your storage area as it can stain if it does leak. Super VRT, Original VRT, DWC, and Rinseless Wash are particularly susceptible to cold. Freezing of Rinseless Wash or SVRT will result many times in an odd separation, change in color, or consistency of the chemicals. Even after shaking these may not return to normal. Deep Wheel Cleaner will change colors dramatically. This does not necessarily impact the cleaning power of the product, but the color changing aspect can potentially be reduced by prolonged periods of freezing. Paint polishes including Paint Correcting Polish, Finishing Polish, & Revive are comprised of 2 parts (liquid and solid) they tend to separate mostly with time. Heat and cold tend not to play as large a role in their storage as other chemicals. Because of this polishes can generally be stored outdoors (garage) so long as no freezing occurs. Some separation will happen even after a short storage in ideal temps so it is absolutely required that all polishes be shaken well prior to use. Failure to get the product fully mixed can result in an abnormally high or low amount of abrasives suspended and ultimate change how the product performs on your paint during use. Metal Polish 1, Metal Polish 2, and Brilliant Glaze separate quickly. This is perfectly normal... a clearish solution will rise to the top while the larger, more opaque solids fall to the bottom. Its suggested that you not allow these products to sit in a 'separated' state for more than 3 months at any given time as they may become difficult to remix. Avoid freezing temps at all costs, all 3 products are more forgiving of heat than they are of cold. Buttery Wax, Leather Conditioner, Clay Bars, and Liquid Paint Sealant should be stored in a temp controlled environment. Freezing and/or excessive heat have detrimental effects on these products performance so storing in the proper location is key. Buttery Wax specifically may experience some oily separation on the upper layer if exposed to high heat. Try shaking the bottle well and inspecting to make sure it remixed. If it begins to develop that oily upper layer again the product is likely no good and should be replaced. Americana and Patriot Wax are mostly harmed by high heat which can cause melting, separation, and tub warping. On the positive side hard waxes like Americana can be stored in a refrigerator without any harm to the product. If storing in a refrigerator make sure to allow additional time before use for the product to come up to a usable temperature. DO NOT MICROWAVE THE PRODUCT AT ANY TIME! While refrigeration is a great way to keep your paste waxes at their best, freezing is not! Make sure you are storing in a way that they wax is kept above freezing. SPECIAL NOTE: When storing Americana or Patriot Wax the surface of the wax should be free of any debris and the applicator should be removed from the pot. Never store an applicator under the lid with the wax for any period of time. Applicators should be stored outside the container. Aerosol products like In & Out Spray and Quick Sealant can be stored in moderate environments without any degradation to performance. Some caution should be exercised in conditions of extremely high temps as the added pressure can result in sprayer failure or other problems. When done with any aerosol product dispose of the can appropriately by holding it upside down and expelling the remaining propellant into a trashcan. Avoid inhaling the fumes. Once fully discharged the can is 100% recyclable.  
WHAT DO I DO IF I FREEZE OR OVERHEAT A PRODUCT?
Don't panic. You left a bottle of Detail Spray in the garage and it froze? You left your Car Shampoo outside in the summer and it got cooked? Don't automatically assume the product is bad. If the appearance or consistency of the product has drastically changed start by taking a picture of the product and emailing it to us. Include a brief description of what happened to the product so we know what it was exposed to and can advise you from there.
 
After you've documented the current state move the product to something that will contain any leaks. Extreme heat or freezing can cause unwanted expansion and contraction of the PET plastic used in our bottles. While this plastic is great for its sturdy construction and crystal clear appearance it can be damaged by extreme temperature changes. A frozen bottle might not show signs of leaking right away, but as it thaws it will begin to seep product in some cases. Setting the bottle in a bowl, bucket, or even a gallon freezer bag while it thaws will prevent messes and lost product.
 
For frozen products NEVER heat the product. Allow it to thaw at room temperature until it is completely thawed then shake well to mix the product and set it somewhere for a few hours. If you return and the chemical looks normal you're good to use it again. If the color has changed drastically or the product has separated out significantly (for products that don't typically separate) it may be a product you want to replace.
 
For products that have been exposed to high heat move them somewhere at a reasonable temperature and allow them to cool naturally. Do not place them in ice or anything that will accelerate the cooling process. Place the product in a bag, bowl, or sink in case the bottle begins to leak after heat expansion. Once the product has returned to room temperature give it a shake and inspect. If you notice a drastic change in color document it and send us a picture. Open the lid and note any changes to scent. For products like Glass Cleaner and TID which will be used on the interior of your car, odor changes can be less desirable.
 
WRAP UP
Long story short - take care of the products that take care of your car. While it can be inconvenient to have products stored in your laundry room or basement in the off seasons your detail products represent a sizable investment in the care of your vehicles appearance, so you don't want to waste them.
 
Obviously gallons are easily transported and stored with the handle built in and 16oz bottles can be stored easily inside of our wash buckets. The gamma seal lid keeps the smell of car care from permeating the room you're storing them in. For frequently used products a travel bag or even a 6 pack bottle holder from your favorite brewery makes a great way to manage your most frequently used products.
 
However you choose to store your products, rest assured if you have a question about a product you can always reach us via email for guidance and advice by emailing tips@adamspolishes.com

for more info visit adamspolishes.com/origins

More testing - this morning came out to a pretty nice buildup of ice beads on the Honda. It rained pretty good just after sunset last night and then the temps dropped. Shot this to show the difference between how ice sticks to the paint on the coated surface vs. the non-coated surfaces. Before anyone says anything about swirls or scratches - this thing is being abused on purpose, not trying to baby it. Its being subjected to regular tunnel washes and 'not-so-nice' wipe downs to see the level of marring in the coating surface as compared to raw paint. I would never rub ice/dirt into a paintjob I was trying to take care of - this is the kind of abuse I subject my personal cars to in the name of testing so you don't have to.
 
As you can see though, the ice beads just wipe off the surface where its been coated. Cool stuff! (pun intended)
 

Today, we let the cat out of the bag.  The Shine Doc is in, and Dylan holds an honorary Ph.D in OCD detailing!  He dialed in our product line and upgraded our detailing system since 2008, and manifested multiple product and process improvements....at all times.
 
Dylan's attention to detail, his process of measuring perfection, and his pursuit of a flawless finish has earned him an incredibly positive reputation in this company, and industry.  Our company suffered without him.
 
Adam's is way better, and more complete with Dylan on our team, and it feels FANTASTIC having him back.
 
Welcome back my friend, and I'm honored to be on the same team again!
 
-Adam