Hand waxing, ill never do it again

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A Porter Cable is definitely the way to go! They are so easy to use, the only way you can damage your paint is by turning it upside down!

It will take you 40hrs to correct your paint by hand, properly. A PC can do a more consistant job in 8hrs. Your choice.

If you really want to learn how to use a PC, don't miss this event:
http://www.ramforum.com/f99/pa-adams-detail-clinic-15oct2011-8881/

 

[HemiBabe]

Sounds awesome, gonna have to look into gettin one of those bad boys!

 

[MiRamDriver]

I use an Adams PC kit as well and have become quite good with it. I will tell you that it is still a lot of work but the outcome is 100 times better.

 

[sommerj75]

Hand waxed mine yesterday. Took a few hrs. Shoulder was a little tired, but it was worth it. Paint looks like a mirror.

 

[ihnken33]

Ugh you guys are making my shoulder hurt just looking at these posts... I'm very nervous to use a machine mainly because I have NO experience at all. All I have ever done is hand wax it , but then again, it was never to get scratches out and never very good. I have alot to learn. It's going to be hard enough to keep a black truck looking perfect.

 

[5hole]

I bought a da polisher from harbor freight for like 30 bucks and it works great. I want the porter cable but this was my first polisher and wasn't sure if a machine was for me. When it craps out then I will go for the PC. I had never used one before it was way easier and I didn't kill the paint.

 

[AdamsPolishes]

HOLY OLD THREAD, BATMAN!

For those of you that are still scared of machine polishing, I'm guessing you are referring to high speed rotary polishers. Your concern is valid with those, as a Rotary buffer can and will burn right through your clear coat if used incorrectly.

This business has come a long way in the past few decades and there is a lot of new technology out there (in the form of Dual Action and Orbital Polishers) that will correct paint nearly as quickly as a rotary, finish down better, and are totally safe for a novice to use.

Our videos have been updated a few times since this thread was created, take a stroll though them when you have a chance and check out the info in them, especially the machine polishing chapters:

Adam's Instructional Videos

 

[RAtmosphere]

I had a Porter Cable, but learned quickly that I can get all the nooks and whatnot much easier by hand.....But thats just me.....For big flat areas, I can see the polisher doing it a bit quicker, but you still have to wipe it off by hand...Id rather do it all by hand then do part with the polisher, then do the nooks by hand, then use the polisher. Id rather just use a good polish pad and one of those "pad pal" handle things and go at it.....my paint is original 2004 and theres not a swirl on it....but thats just me.....

 

[Sybil]

Pay someone to do it Or crack the whip and make your other half do it, geez!

 

[shibby927]

ill pay for someone to do mine lol

LoL if you weren't so far away from me I'd do it. I do a full on detailing job on trucks for $150. That includes Wash, Clay, Polish, Wax, Interior, etc... I've been doing detailing on the side this year. I'm told I'm pretty cheap, but I enjoy making dirty vehicles look showroom clean.

 

[Alex]

LoL if you weren't so far away from me I'd do it. I do a full on detailing job on trucks for $150. That includes Wash, Clay, Polish, Wax, Interior, etc... I've been doing detailing on the side this year. I'm told I'm pretty cheap, but I enjoy making dirty vehicles look showroom clean.

Damn I would kill to find someone around here to do it for $150. Only wax I've ever used is one time with Fukken, need to find someone who really knows their stuff to teach me this stuff. Just don't trust myself not to screw up the paint

 

[fla crkr 1 ton]

I have read thru this post and on the last page realized that [with exceptions of some] older guys hand wax their trucks and the younger guys resort to powered polishers to do the same job. This does not include the ones old and young that pay??? someone big dollars to detail their trucks/cars. I have come to my own conclusion [remember this is my opinion] and here it is, us old guys are not afraid of doing a little work just the gleam of the paint makes it worthwhile and the risk of destroying the paint is slim which proves that our younger generation is getting lazier and lazier. My sons are the same way they go to the local pay as you go car wash and wax with a spray detailer. I take my truck to the car wash area where I live and hand wash it then hand dry it then hand wax it, did it today took me around three hours!!!! Just don't get it with the younger generation [and don't use the excuse I don't have time] your vehicle is an investment that your paying for taking care of it yourself is cheaper and gives you a sence of pride plus that little extra when it comes time to trade it or sell it. RANT OVER THANK'S!

 

[quietpeen]

I have read thru this post and on the last page realized that [with exceptions of some] older guys hand wax their trucks and the younger guys resort to powered polishers to do the same job. This does not include the ones old and young that pay??? someone big dollars to detail their trucks/cars. I have come to my own conclusion [remember this is my opinion] and here it is, us old guys are not afraid of doing a little work just the gleam of the paint makes it worthwhile and the risk of destroying the paint is slim which proves that our younger generation is getting lazier and lazier. My sons are the same way they go to the local pay as you go car wash and wax with a spray detailer. I take my truck to the car wash area where I live and hand wash it then hand dry it then hand wax it, did it today took me around three hours!!!! Just don't get it with the younger generation [and don't use the excuse I don't have time] your vehicle is an investment that your paying for taking care of it yourself is cheaper and gives you a sence of pride plus that little extra when it comes time to trade it or sell it. RANT OVER THANK'S!

while i respect what you are saying, there is absolutely no way you could ever get the results or better results by hand that i can get with a porter cable polisher with the adams product, and that has nothing to do with laziness. yes paying someone else to do it could be laziness, but paying to use new products and equipment to get better results without risk of ruining your finish is not.

 

[Sybil]

How much to do it in my bikini?

 

[fla crkr 1 ton]

What ever works for you, but I personally would not spend the money on expensive equipment [which is required to not ruin the paint] to do what I can do by hand [even if it does a better job] and paying for that service is ok if you have the money and don't mind spending it or your unable to do it. I don't have any brand new vehicles and the one I did have I did the same thing I have always done by hand. I have used a power polisher once [granted it was not one of the fancy ones] it took longer than by hand and I never tried again. To each his own, what ever works for each person some day I may have to pay someone as I am getting older.

 

[quietpeen]

What ever works for you, but I personally would not spend the money on expensive equipment [which is required to not ruin the paint] to do what I can do by hand [even if it does a better job] and paying for that service is ok if you have the money and don't mind spending it or your unable to do it. I don't have any brand new vehicles and the one I did have I did the same thing I have always done by hand. I have used a power polisher once [granted it was not one of the fancy ones] it took longer than by hand and I never tried again. To each his own, what ever works for each person some day I may have to pay someone as I am getting older.

more power to you man, just want to show the other end that getting better reults with less effort doesn't make someone suffer from laziness. As you said...to each his own.

 

[fla crkr 1 ton]

You got a very nice truck and I see why you go the extra mile to get that kind of result. I just have clean beaters [kinda original paint] and very shallow pockets.

 

[quietpeen]

You got a very nice truck and I see why you go the extra mile to get that kind of result. I just have clean beaters [kinda original paint] and very shallow pockets.

thanks man, i hear you on the shallow pockets. honestly yes what you do is cheaper than what i do, but what i do is a hell of a lot cheaper than what it cost to pay someone to detail my truck. The up front cost might seem a little high for the adams products and porter cable polisher but you get many uses out of that inital cost.

 

[fla crkr 1 ton]

Yea but after you buy the equipment your only cost is materials so your on the cheeper side also,We got more than a few people at work [upper crust] that pay any where from 80- 125 for a detail and that's not bad for several hours a car if you can do 3 or 4 a day that's a nice payday if you like doing that for a living, me I'll do my own till I can't cause I don't like doing it but I don't like payin worse!!

 

[Stangshcky12]

I detailed cars at my cousins dealership while I was in high school and did it on the side too
I stopped taking care of my own car cause I hated doing it lol
I'm finally back into keeping stuff cleaner then others now 4-5 years later