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Thanks Gulf Coast.

On this one I used a simple tile scribe from Home Depot.  I don't do the scribe method anymore (you have to have hands of steel to complete anything over a couple hundred sq ft).  You have to get on the surface when it is dry enough to accept foot traffic without making any prints (start in your socks or barefoot).  If the Thin Finish is setting up quickly (areas in the sun), you better start there first.

I now do everything with  1/4" fiber tape.  Tape pattern first (on top of grout coat) then do your troweling over tape.  Pull tape & stain.

Dirk, if the surface appears to look dirty, I'll pressure wash first then acid & ammonia.  Then a good pressure wash & rinse.

If the surface is relatively clean looking, I'll do the acid, ammonia then pressure wash & rinse. 

It's always best to finish with a pressure wash and high-pressured rinse.  The acid will break loose particles on the surface (& just below the surface in the capillaries) and there will be a bunch of sediment that needs cleaned off.  If the capillaries of the concrete are full of residue from the acid, the polymer strands from the Thin Finish won't be able to stretch deep down in (for an ideal bond).