First Weekend with the Cyclo

[bshertzer]

I got my Cyclo last Tuesday (thank you dear :sign ) and we just picked up a new(er) car for my wife on Wednesday. This weekend we went to her parents, and i took my trunk full of detailing supplies along. I did our Passat Wagon on Saturday, and my sister in laws maxima on Sunday.



i would like some critiquie on what i can do better, i know i need to try some other polishes/waxes/etc.... and already have a few that have been recommended.



The Passat

cyclo

wash by hand w/ lambswool mitt

brand "x" carwash soap i am using the last of

claybar

scratchx on scuffs and scratches

megs #80 on lc green pads x1

nxt on cyclo white pads x2

megs qd



there is still some swirling, but drastically reduced. some of it may be techniqe, or supplies. i think i was going too fast maybe. i tried to work an area for a little while, but i dont think i spent enough time... as well as maybe using too much product?

 

[bshertzer]

The Maxima

My sister in law lives at the end of a mile or 2 stone road. this is the nicest the car will look, as it is very dusty. i didnt even bother doing the tires and such as they would look worse inside of 5 minutes of driving back there. Very bad chipping all over (all the black spots... not tar like i orig. thought. Front end was replaced at one point as well... hood, DS fender and bumper cover.

my buddy... aka 3 year old son

cyclo

self serve carwash w. pressure (not the best, i know... but needed to get crap off quickly)

wash by hand w/ lambswool mitt

brand "x" carwash soap i am using the last of

claybar

scratchx on scuffs and scratches

megs # 83 on cyclo orange pads (on tops) x1

megs #80 on lc green pads x1

nxt on cyclo white pads x2

megs qd



again... any critique is welcome. as well as how to take better pics... i tried to get the sunspots to show, but not all of the befores/afters are at the same angle. i do like the trick of splitting the hood. that was where i noticed the most differences in finishing.

 

[Accumulator]

Glad to hear you like the Cyclo and to see that you're getting good results. I *really* like your VW wagon and that was nice of you to do such a great job on your sister-in-law's car.



IMO you're just being a little too gentle on the VW if you *really* want to get it better (it sure looks good in the photos). Try the orange pads next time or do more passes with the green ones or do a first pass with the #83 as you did on the Maxima. #80 by Cyclo is a fairly mild approach, the abrasives seem to break down pretty fast. The how-much-product? thing isn't the easiest to get right with the #80 either, as it leaves a lot of trade secret oils/etc. behind (both on the finish and in your pads) and it's easy to either use too much or to at least have too much (already broken down) product in the pads. You might try cleaning the pads out a few times during the course of the job.



Oh, and I thought your pics did a good job of showing the before/after effect.

 

[bshertzer]

thanks.



i really do like the cyclo. i've wanted one for a long time now, and got to the point where i needed some sort of machine. i am very happy with it. i know that there is a learning curve to take into account.



i actually did the maxima, for 2 reasons... one, it was really rough... and two, i needed the extra practice :chuckle:



i figure if i work my way thru all of the family cars, i should be set and comfortable enough to work on other peoples and be confident enough to charge for my time :getdown

 

[Joshua312]

Great job on the cars and Im glad you like the cyclo. I used it again today on a detail and you just dont get tired of using it because it basically glides over the paint so easily. Once you get the hang of the cyclo (Im sure you already are, its such a great tool) and start charging people you will be suprised as to what the cyclo can accomplish with the right polishes.



Once you start getting up there in aggressiveness, I find the cyclo with a finishing polish and on finishing or polishing pads works great and leaves no micromarring. The cyclo in general leaves minimal micromarring for me compared to pc.



Anyways, you did an excellent job and I love the pics you took. You did a really nice job showing the before/afters on the Maxima and thats really hard to capture with white! Can't wait to see your future details with the cyclo!

 

[awahl63]

That white looks great...nice job!

 

[Scottwax]

I agree with Accumulator, get more aggressive on the VW. Turned out pretty nice though, even if you didn't get it 100% swirl free.

 

[Jason M]

Not sure how long after the NXT you applied the QD but it's not a good idea to apply it right after. It's much better to let the NXT cure for at least 12 hours before using QD. I have had good results applying NXT, wating 30 minutes, removing, waiting overnight, and then applying another coat. If you don't have time for that, then apply NXT, wait 30 minutes, remove, wait another 30 minutes, and apply another coat. 2 coats of NXT always looks better than one.