Good amount of Pads, towels, etc, to keep on hand?

[derek1387]

I am kind of getting into this pretty deep. Dan@Adams...you have ruined me in a good way.

That being said, I am looking for some information on how much "stuff" to keep around.  Right now, I am just stock piling for the spring. I have three cars, and I plan on working my way into doing friends vehicles, etc, and see where it takes off.

Current inventory of pads:
2 Finishing pads

2 Cutting Pads

1 Sealant pad

1 Microfiber cutting pad

Current inventory of MF Towels
6 Orange borderless

2 gray borderless

2 Double Soft's
4 Single softs

4 gray utility 

 

About 25 other "name which will not be spoken" "premium" 400-500GSM towels.

Things I know I am lacking-

Drying towels. Its pretty much winter here, so I havent bothered to get those yet, but I am about to.

Window/Glass towels

What else am I lacking? Is there anything else I should add/stock up on?

[Ricky Bobby]

Personally I used to use the glass towels and no longer, they grab on way too many types of glass for me - I use waffle weaves for glass (the WW towels would be great)

 

I'd pick up 2 more cutting and finishing pads - add the MF cutting pads if you don't have them.

 

Other than that you look fine, towels you can always have more of - I have about 85-90 total towels from Adams and other microfiber distributors depending on the type of job.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Ricky Bobby

[rkj4243]

Derek,

 

I would agree with what Jason mentioned about additional pads, as you really would like to have a couple of each on hand for each vehicle you may be working on.

 

Then you could clean them, and allow them to air dry properly without having to worry about any time delay if you wanted to work on another vehicle.

 

Towels, a good rule of thumb is that you can never have too many on hand, especially the towels used in detailing.

 

With (3) of your own vehicles, think of getting towels for each vehicle and process the towel excels at, and see if that amount meets your needs.

 

If used properly, a towel should have (8) possible areas on each one to remove product if folded into quarters as directed.

 

Double softs, single softs are used for painted surfaces. Utilities for tasks where you wouldn't want to ruin the others, and the waffle weave style for either waterless wash or drying purposes.

[mc2hill]

Add 1-2 more MF cutting pads.  They can get very hot, and switching them out (2 pads swapped after every other panel) can help from destroying a backing plate (ask me how I know.....).

 

Also a few WW towels.  They are great for WW, Rinseless washes, and for cleaning glass.  The same MF as the GWDT, but smaller and more manageable.

 

I have lots of small terry towels that are used for carpets and fabric seats.  They wick liquids better than MF.

 

 

[imcrazy]

I have,

Pads:

1 microfiber

2 orange

2 white

2 black

1 red

 

Lots of plush towels some Adams some of equal quality, I think I've got a dozen or so 'good ones' that I'll touch paint with.

A couple of waffle weaves, 3 or 4 glass towels and a whole tote of junk MF towels for dirtier tasks.

 

I'd like to grab another dozen or so plus MF's and a second MF cutting pad. I guess my birthday is coming up maybe good gift ideas for the family however, being in NE Ohio I doubt I'll get much use outta 'em till spring...

[pirahnah3]

I think at least two of the main pads, ie your orange and white, and certainly a 3rd if not 4th of the microfiber pads. The black can be questionable depends on what your applying, and probably only one for the red in my opinion. 

 

 

As to towels, 

 

There is no such thing as enough. 

[Audog]

One can never have too many towels on hand. They do wear out eventually and can be relogated to dirtier duties before they end up cleaning things like the lawnmower, etc. and part of the fun, at least for me,is getting new microfiber every once in a while.

[hemi1300]

I have about a dozen single softs, borderless blue, borderless gray, about 6 double soft, 4 glass towels and I think 4 waffle weave towels, along with a few great white's. Buy the bulk pack of cheap micro fibers at Sam's Club for dirty tasks. Have been trying to start picking up a handful of towels every so often to keep new in the package, so when I need to replace a towel I just go in the basement and grab a new one. Have quite a few single softs and borderless gray towels waiting to be added into the rotation!

[Rich]

Towels................can never have enough

 

Pads...............as soon as you see them breaking down, order new. 

[Audog]

No matter how many towels one has, can always use at least one more. Never can have too many. When pads show signs of breaking down, it's time fore new pads.

[csikx]

Edit... Let me reword this...

 

Is there a core group of towels one would recommend owning/using?

Edited January 19, 2016 by csikx

[LT1xL82]

There are many places to buy towels...from junk to great. The trick is knowing which is which.

 

Hence, I buy my towels from Adams. Low cost supplier? Nope. But Adams knows more about what makes a good towel then I will ever know. So maybe I pay a little extra, but I bet I'm getting quality towels and know for a fact if I have an issue (happened once) Adams will stand behind the products and make it right.

 

Consider buying the Adams assorted bulk bundle, wait for a sale, buy kits that include towels... And buy at least one Double Soft from Adams and you'll be sold! The things are addictive!  

[stripesace]

^^^ Me thinks that was a nice way of saying, out of respect for the provider of this forum we're not going to discuss what may be available from other vendors.

[LT1xL82]

^^^ Me thinks that was a nice way of saying, out of respect for the provider of this forum we're not going to discuss what may be available from other vendors.

 

That's me...Mr. Nice Guy. (As long as I get my way!  )

 

My last towel purchases were color coded. Orange for the pumpkin spice DS I got my wife and grey borderless so the G&G doesn't stain my white towels. Clearly I need help!

 

 

 

(Post edited to correct a miscommunication.)

Edited January 19, 2016 by LT1xL82