Can a Cyclo orbital cut?

P

Pstone

New member
I bought a Cyclo 4 years ago and it's great. But now I have 2 Saabs which I bought off 2 and 3 year leases that could use some cutting to remove small scratches and swirls.

Should I go out and buy a rotary polisher to cut? I've read in various threads that you can't use an orbital for this. I know I could make use of a rotary for future sanding or grinding projects, so it would not be a waste of money.
 
His post still does not convince me that one can get by with only a Cyclo for quality cutting purposes with speed. Sounds like too many steps for my needs. From what I read it took him a lot longer to get a less than perfect job done on removal of the swirls and scratches. But my Cyclo was $250 and I don't think I need something that pricey for a rotary. Can anyone recommend a rotary at a decent price and maybe a pad package that can be bought at the same place. I bought the Cyclo on the net because I new I'd like it. But a rotary might have to be exchanged for another brand if it's unbalanced or bogs down. I'm thinking Lowes or HD, but I don't want one of their own brands?
 
Pstone- I'd say get the rotary. I hardly ever need mine, but when I do I'm glad I'm not trying to get by with the Cyclo (let alone the PC). Can't help you with an inexpensive one, though; I got a Makita. Note that many of the less expensive rotaries *do* bog down a bit under load. Some people don't mind, others do.



If you haven't already, you might try cutting pads on the Cyclo. MUCH more aggressive than the green polishing pads, IMO. But still not like a rotary.
 
I'm highly interested in the $25 rotary at harborfreight.com Seems like it will work great for occasional use.
 
Bill D said:
I'm highly interested in the $25 rotary at harborfreight.com Seems like it will work great for occasional use.
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That's why I sprung originally for the Cyclo and it's worth every penny. $25 dollars for a rotary is only going to get you a piece of cr*p that bogs down and eventually smokes the motor. I 'd also worry that a cheapy might short out while you're standing in that puddle from washing the car:scared
 
I was just looking up the Makita. It looks like it's around $57. I don't have luck with cheap tools. I bought a battery operated circular saw from Sears, the Black and Decker small one that runs off the same batteries as my drill and flashlight. It's a joke. I bought it for trimming small branches. This thing bogs down on twigs! Might do a good job on a cardboard box. It's going into my next garage sale.

I looked up the Porter-cable rotary. Looks like a nice machine. runs about $150. I know that's a big outlay, but running a cheapy over a car finish, you might get away with it. But I figure it's also a sander and a grinder, so I'm looking for decent power. I buy Saabs off leases and clean them up to flip them. If I can make a few bucks, I'm looking to lower the mileage on each one I buy and lower the years each time. So the cost of my equipment to detail them is factored into the first few I flip. I'm going to check sears, lowes, hd tommorrow. Sometimes you can get a great deal on one that someone used for the weekend and returned.
 
Accumulator said:
Pstone- I'd say get the rotary. I hardly ever need mine, but when I do I'm glad I'm not trying to get by with the Cyclo (let alone the PC). Can't help you with an inexpensive one, though; I got a Makita. Note that many of the less expensive rotaries *do* bog down a bit under load. Some people don't mind, others do.



I looked up the Makita but it may be too inexpensive for me. The Porter-Cable rotary looks sweet. If I can snag a return at one of my local stores for $100 that would be even sweeter. They run just over $150. I'll be sniffin around the sears's tool section tommorrow where they toss the returns. It's the place where people build their deck and then have the B*lls to return their power tools after and sears is dumb enough to take um back. Go figure!
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I suppose I'll look into that too but around here I've never seen a rotary in Sears, HD or Lowes :( I've only seen the PC DA 7336 at Lowes. I won't think twice about getting one if I see any rotary in the return section.



Let us know if you get one :xyxthumbs
 
Update on Cyclo vs. rotary- I'm *finally* working on the S8 after the completion of (almost) all of its deer-incident repairs. Plenty of marring, a lot more than I was expecting (grrrr...I'm *not* happy about this..)- scratches, light swirls, and some rotary holograms.



The Cyclo is working well, but there are plenty of spots where I'm having to use the rotary. I'm *SO* glad I got it, I honestly don't think I could get the S8 the way I want it without the thing.



I'm using pretty mild products (3M PI-III RC/MG/ Menzerna FP) and so far I've only used polishing and finishing pads. The sequence of RC/rotary, RC/Cyclo, MG/Cyclo, FP/PC is working well so far...though I'm gonna start experimenting with MG/rotary instead of RC/Cyclo. Heh heh, experimenting with the S8, sure didn't think I'd be doing THAT :o



The Cyclo is doing work that (IMO) the PC could never do, but the rotary is capable of even more than that. It's a big difference.
 
Hey Accumulator,



No 1z polishes huh? Hmmm..maybe I should pick up whatever 3m products you're using that I don't have as back up since we both work on Audi paint.
 
Bill D said:
No 1z polishes huh? Hmmm..maybe I should pick up whatever 3m products you're using that I don't have as back up since we both work on Audi paint.
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The next time I do it, I'll be going back to the 1Z stuff; this is an exceptional situation. But those three products (05933, 05937, FP) are all *very* good to have on hand.



Much as I love the 1Z stuff, I didn't want to bother with alcohol spritzers. Since I don't know what kind of marring I'm dealing with the way I usually do, I want to make sure I see what's really going on. This is enough of a pain as it is, pulling the car out into the sun to check, back into the shop to check under three different types of lighting, etc. etc. It's taking *forever*...and the light in my magnifier just quit working.



The 3M RC (05933) is probably a little too mild for what I'm working with, but it's what I feel comfortable with (I've used a lot of it). And it's probably best to take this slow and easy.
 
Yeah, I'll spend five minutes finding a bit of marring, finding just that right angle/lighting combo where it shows. No way anyone else would *ever* see it, let alone on silver. Even by "Autopian" standards, I'm being pretty over the top on this, most of the stuff I'm dealing with would truly "disappear" under one coat of PP/MP, but I want to get it *gone*.



Saw on the other post where you've got the 1Z UP/wool combo working on the Cadillac...I was thinking about that and wondering how to twist your arm about getting a rotary. Having used both approaches, I *really* think you oughta get one, especially with the cars you're dealing with (nudge, nudge).
 
Accumulator said:
Update on Cyclo vs. rotary- I'm *finally* working on the S8 after the completion of (almost) all of its deer-incident repairs. Plenty of marring, a lot more than I was expecting (grrrr...I'm *not* happy about this..)- scratches, light swirls, and some rotary holograms.



The Cyclo is working well, but there are plenty of spots where I'm having to use the rotary. I'm *SO* glad I got it, I honestly don't think I could get the S8 the way I want it without the thing.



I'm using pretty mild products (3M PI-III RC/MG/ Menzerna FP) and so far I've only used polishing and finishing pads. The sequence of RC/rotary, RC/Cyclo, MG/Cyclo, FP/PC is working well so far...though I'm gonna start experimenting with MG/rotary instead of RC/Cyclo. Heh heh, experimenting with the S8, sure didn't think I'd be doing THAT :o



Thx, these are just the things I'm looking to learn when it comes to which products to use as I will be ordering them online. Sounds like a sequence that I might follow. Going out now to look for a rotary. Please keep me informed if you need to go more abrasive. I'm going to stop by pep boys and see which Meg. cutting products they might carry. Both my cars are dark which leaves little room for a learning curve for me.
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I've noticed that the smaller auto parts stores tend to have a larger selection of Megs pro products
 
Pstone said:
.. these are just the things I'm looking to learn when it comes to which products to use as I will be ordering them online. Sounds like a sequence that I might follow. Going out now to look for a rotary. Please keep me informed if you need to go more abrasive. I'm going to stop by pep boys and see which Meg. cutting products they might carry. Both my cars are dark which leaves little room for a learning curve for me.
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On 99.9% of the vehicles I'll ever do, I'd use 1Z polishes. Whether by rotary, hand, or PC, I *generally* think they're the way to go. Remember, the job I'm doing on the S8 is a special case.



If you're gonna use Meg's stuff by rotary, I'd go with #83 and #82. Be sure to work the #83 until it's gone and to *not* work the #82 so long that you get a "dry edge" on the pad. This is per Mike Phillips, BTW.



A good Meg's polish for hand/PC use is the #80 Speed Glaze. It's one of my favorite Meg's products.



If I need to get more abrasive on the S8 I'll be using my 1Z UP. I used it (by rotary, with a cutting pad) before on some nasty scratches, so I know it'll work as aggressively as I'll ever need on that car. But I'm really trying to get the job done with nothing stronger than the 05933.
 
I checked out a few stores for a decent rotary today. Lowes was the only one who listed one the #7428 PC. They offered to order it, but they wanted $209. Iv'e seen it on the net for $159. I'm going to search around the net and buy that one. Comes with a I think 7 inch velcro backing plate included. It's the new model with the handle that looks like one from a chain saw.

What pads should I get and where might be the best place to order from.



I'll check out the Z products you are using as I'm going to have to order off the net anyway. Pep boys had a few Meg products but not the ones I was looking for. I picked up a bottle of 3M perfect-it rubbing compound-fine cut #39002 and their SMR for dark cars #39009. I'll have to find that thread that listed the abrasivness of the various brands and see where these two 3m products fall. I'm not familiar with the ones you use yet. Do either of these two equal any of the ones you listed above. I don't care if not because I can return them. Before I order off the net where it's a pain to return I want to make sure they are the ones I want.
 
I have both the 3m products you mentioned and I also bought them from Pep Boys. I almost never use the FC because I found the 1z and Meg's products to be better for my needs. I have the smr for dark cars and I'm just about ditching it. For me, at best, all it did is cover up swirls. I haven't used it in about 2 years :down



I would definitely get the 1z polishes, I think you will be quite pleased with them.



I think Coastal Tool and Harbor Freight.com are really good online sources for the rotary.
 
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