Birthday Detail with New Cyclo (Beware, Minivan)

[imported_Sludge]

My birthday is tomorrow and my wife let me get a cyclo for my birthday. She would not let me use it until my birthday, but with a 60% chance of rain tomorrow I talked her into letting me use it today :bigups .

My process was wash with Optimum No Rinse

Clay while wet with Optimum Clay and lubricate with Poorboy`s Spray & Wash.

Dry with MF Waffle towel.

Using Cyclo green pads (light cutting) applied Optimum Polish/Compound 50/50 by Cyclo.

Using Cyclo white pads (polishing) applied Clearkote Red Moose Machine Glaze by Cyclo.

By hand with MF applicator applied Natty`s Blue.

My goals were to achieve a swirl free finish and increase the depth and wetness of the finish. This particular Nissan paint has tons of metalflake and an equal amount of orange peel. I managed to eliminate ~ 90% of the swirls. I was under a tree for shade which was raining pollen, sap, and assorted debris.

I enjoyed my first cyclo experience. I don`t know if it improved my speed, but I don`t feel quite as beat up as I did with the PC. Of course the Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter beer (9.2% alcohol) I consumed after the detail might have helped. I started at 9 AM and finished at 4 PM with no breaks.



http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d164/Sludge55/DCP_0726.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d164/Sludge55/DCP_0727.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d164/Sludge55/DCP_0722.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d164/Sludge55/DCP_0725.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d164/Sludge55/DCP_0721.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d164/Sludge55/DCP_0717.jpg



My apologies to the minivan haters, but this is what I had to detail. Also sorry my POS camera does not do a Autopian level job.

Have a great weekend.

Sludge

[SpoiledMan]

No hater here! I`d rather see the real world utility of a mini-van than the perceived utility of a monster truck!



Looks nice by the way. How do you like the Cyclo? Happy birthday too.:D

[Accumulator]

A thread with both "Cyclo" and "minivan" in its title is sure to get my attention :D



Nice job, and I`m not surprised the Cyclo was easier on you than the PC. I feel the same way, it`s a tool I just *like* using.

[-KGB-]

Next summer I am going to have to spring for the Cyclo. Too bad I cant rent one to get a feel for it.

[imported_Sludge]

:) Accumulator

I wondered how long it would be before you showed up. I love the Cyclo. I told my wife I felt like I could do another car tomorrow, I never felt like that with the PC. Like many others, you were instrumental in my getting a cyclo. It is definitely not as heavy or clumsy as it looks.



SpoiledMan,

Thanks, my 56th birthday. Puts me in a new slot in the Autopian demographics. :hifive:

I look forward to more work with the cyclo. My cyclo has one coat of OCW and one coat of Natty`s Blue so far. May have to try Zaino. :bolt

[Accumulator]

Yeah, it`s a lot of money to spend on something that you`ve never tried. I floated the idea of an Autopia Tool Rental program a while back but it didn`t get any real traction....



I`m always glad when people like Sludge say they like it, as I push the Cyclo fairly hard- I`d hate for somebody to say "I bought this expensive thing and I hate it!" after I said it was so swell.



Don`t use it with AIO though, that product just doesn`t work well by Cyclo.



Oh, almost forgot- Sludge- try applying the Natty`s with the Cyclo; I just *love* it for LSPs. Good for buffing them off too, with MF bonnets over the cutting pads.

[Corey Bit Spank]

:) CYCLO! It`s so much more ergonomic than the PC. Looks great.

[imported_Sludge]

Accumulator,



Just so I`m straight, you apply and remove Natty`s with the MF bonnets? I`ll get some and give it a try. Have not maxed the credit card yet! :bounce

[Scottwax]

Damn! The depth and wetness for a metallic gold is amazing! Regardless of what the paint is slathered over, it looks terrific. :up

[Accumulator]

Just so I`m straight, you apply and remove Natty`s with the MF bonnets?



Not quite. I apply with the white Cyclo polishing pads and remove with suede-style MF bonnets from TOL (over the yellow Cyclo cutting pads).



Those bonnets will load up if your wax is thick (note that I`m sorta fanatical about *THIN* LSP applications ;) ) so get a bunch of `em. Buff with bonnets, then give a quick follow-up by hand I fog the surface with my breath before the hand work). I find that the bonnets get maybe 95% of the LSP off. Some people do it the other way around (hand then bonnets) but I like the burnishing from all those OPMs to happen while all the LSP is still on there.

[White95Max]

I bet your wife is glad she let you use the Cyclo early now! It looks terrific.



:birthday: :wavey

[imported_Sludge]

Scottwax,

Thanks for the compliment. Means alot with the quality of your work.



Accumulator,

Thanks for the clarification. I thought applying with an MF bonnet sounded a bit strange. Will definitely try it out! :thx

[imported_Sludge]

Paul,

Thanks to you and all the previous posters for the comments and birthday wishes. It is pouring out with lightning, so detailing today would have been a no go. Looking forward to a nice strawberry shortcake with real whipped cream later today.



Thanks,



Sludge :woot: