Newbie with a cyclo, need help with choosing pads and polish

[simplybao]

I'm still so new to the world of Autopia that I'm probably asking some very basic questions. I have a Cyclo that my brother has "given" to me on permanent loan. All I have is the Cyclo, the hook and loop pad holder, and 4 white pads that have really been used used up.



I have 2 cars I want work on:



'01 Jeep Wrangler in yellow -- The paint is badly swirled and scratched and all sorts of nasty things in the paint. I'm not too concerned about making this vehicle shine like show room condition. I take it down the trails too much to care too much about what the paint looks like. But it does give me a nice place to try new things without worry about damaging paint.



'08 Cadillac CTS in Black -- The paint looks pretty good but there are some swirls that I caused prior to my finding Autopia :bawling:



I would like to learn how to use the Cyclo to clean up the minor blemishes on the CTS and will use the Jeep as my experiment vehicle. I am currently on the Autogeek website and am getting ready to place an order but am not sure as to which polishes and pads I should buy. I've read through alot of posts in the forum and it still leaves me confused. Can you help me out of my confusion and let me know if I'm getting the right pads and if I'm using them as they are intended to be used?



This is what I'm thinking:





Pads --

1. 6 White pads for finishing work. Applying sealers, etc...
   
2. 6 Blue pads for removing the light swirls
   
3. 6 orange pads for removing the heavy swirls on the Jeep (I just want to experiment)
   

For Polish I'm thinking:



1 Z Lack-Politur for removing the light swirls on the Cadillac (1Z Einszett Paint Polish Lack-Politur�



1Z Extra to remove the heavy swirls and blemishes on the jeep 1Z Einszett Extra Paint Cleaner Compound



I'll follow up the polish with Klasse AIO by hand and then TOTL Trade Secret also by hand.



So really I have 2 things I'm doing:



The Jeep:

1. 2 Bucket Wash
   
2. Clay bar
   
3. Polish using 1Z Extra Orange pad
   
4. Polish using 1Z Lack Politur with blue pad
   
5. Klasse AIO
   
6. TOTL Trade Secret
   

The cadillac:

1. 2 Bucket Wash
   
2. Clay bar
   
3. Polish using 1Z Lack Politur with blue pad
   
4. Klasse AIO
   
5. TOTL Trade Secret
   

 

[Accumulator]

I'm still so new to the world of Autopia that I'm probably asking some very basic questions. I have a Cyclo that my brother has "given" to me on permanent loan. All I have is the Cyclo, the hook and loop pad holder, and 4 white pads that have really been used used up... I am currently on the Autogeek website and am getting ready to place an order but am not sure as to which polishes and pads I should buy...



Can you help me out of my confusion and let me know if I'm getting the right pads and if I'm using them as they are intended to be used?

LONG time Cyclo user here, and also a big fan of 1Z polishes. Here's my $0.02:

Pads --

1. 6 White pads for finishing work. Applying sealers, etc...
   
2. 6 Blue pads for removing the light swirls
   
3. 6 orange pads for removing the heavy swirls on the Jeep (I just want to experiment)
   

You're gonna need some green pads and IMO fewer of the white ones.



For the heavy marring on the Jeep, you might oughta look into the wool Cyclo pads (available from Cyclo Toolmakers if AutoGeek doesn't have them).

For Polish I'm thinking:



1 Z Lack-Politur for removing the light swirls on the Cadillac (1Z Einszett Paint Polish Lack-Politur�



1Z Extra to remove the heavy swirls and blemishes on the jeep 1Z Einszett Extra Paint Cleaner Compound

I'd get the Pasta Intensiv instead of the Extra. The Pasta Intensiv works very well by Cyclo, but (like the Extra), requires a follow up with the milder Paint Polish (AKA Lack-Politur).



Use Pasta Intensiv/orange, then Pasta Intensiv/green, then Paint Polish/green.



I dunno if the Paint Polish will give the finest finish possible. I often see a slight improvement by following it with something like their Metallic Polish with Wax (with a blue or white pad).

I'll follow up the polish with Klasse AIO by hand and then TOTL Trade Secret also by hand.

OOPS, bad idea IMO. The KAIO will clean off the wax/etc. that the 1Z polishes leave behind, and I wouldn't do that. IMO they're good stuff, at least as nice as what the KAIO will leave behind in their place. So I'd strongly encourage you to skip the KAIO.



I just wax over top of what the 1Z polishes leave behind.



(Note that the Pasta Intensiv doesn't leave wax behind, but it always gets followed by something milder anyhow).

 

[simplybao]

Accumulator, thanks for your reply to both my newbie posts.....



You said:

I'd get the Pasta Intensiv instead of the Extra. The Pasta Intensiv works very well by Cyclo, but (like the Extra), requires a follow up with the milder Paint Polish (AKA Lack-Politur).



Use Pasta Intensiv/orange, then Pasta Intensiv/green, then Paint Polish/green.



I dunno if the Paint Polish will give the finest finish possible. I often see a slight improvement by following it with something like their Metallic Polish with Wax (with a blue or white pad).

So this is the process you'd use on the Jeep?



What about the Cadillac that only needs a little bit of help?



You said to go with 1Z PP/green and follow it up with Collinite (per my other post). I'll skip the KAIO per your advice. Or should I add another step in there?



So for my order, I'll go:



6 orange

6 green

2 white



1Z PP

1Z Pasta Intesiv

Collinite 885



Autopia is getting expensive for me to read and follow. In 6 weeks, I've spent close to $400 on supplies -- not including this order.

 

[Accumulator]

So this is the process you'd use on the Jeep?

Yeah, the multi-step starting with the Pasta Intensiv/orange.



Work the Pasta Intensiv a good long time but not until it's completely dry. Don't use too much product and don't press hard at the beginning (before the abrasives have broken down any).

What about the Cadillac that only needs a little bit of help?

I haven't worked on a Cadillac since forever, so I'm not sure how hard/soft it'll be. I'd expect the 1Z PP to do OK unless the marring is worse than you think (then try the Pasta Intensiv/green).

You said to go with 1Z PP/green and follow it up with Collinite (per my other post). I'll skip the KAIO per your advice. Or should I add another step in there?



So for my order, I'll go:



6 orange

6 green

2 white



1Z PP

1Z Pasta Intesiv

Collinite 885

If you think you want/need another step, I'd get some 1Z Metallic Polish with Wax to use for a final polish. On some paints I really see a difference, on others I don't. It'd be a better choice (considering what you're doing here) than the KAIO.

Autopia is getting expensive for me to read and follow. In 6 weeks, I've spent close to $400 on supplies -- not including this order.

The good news is that if you wash properly (easier said than done though ) you won't have to polish again for a long time so the 1z stuff will last a long time.



Just *DON'T USE TOO MUCH PRODUCT*. Use only enough polish to keep the pads lubricated, more is *not* better.



The Collinite lasts a long, long time too and should be applied very thin (a can oughta last for many years). It should hardly take any wax at all to do both vehicles.



So you should be all set for a good long while if you can resist the temptation to try every product that sounds interesting.



About the only additional thing I think you oughta consider is some kind of QD to use when drying the vehicle off. You get most of the water off, spritz on the QD, and then finish drying. This provides a little protective lubrication and, if you use the right QD, it'll give your wax a tiny little boost. I like FK425 or Griot's SpeedShine, but others love AquaWax and various others.

 

[simplybao]

Thanks for the really quick reply. Yep, I figured that after I did this, I wouldn't have to polish for a long time. I'm just going to do the 1Z PP/blue and the collinte on the caddy and see how it works out. If 1Z PP/blue doesn't work, I'lll try the 1z Pasta Intesive/blue then 1Z PP/blue, then collinte.



I'll have to resist the urge to buy more stuff just to try it...LOL. I do have a QD, I am using Mother's but am going to switch to Adam's QD.



I usually dry the entire car, blow all the water from the cracks and crevices, and then spray some QD and wipe it off. So far, the Mother's has been ok. Even with my Detailer's Domain Uber microfiber towels, I have to spray it on, wipe it off, then use a dry towel to buff it. I want something easier to use.

 

[Accumulator]

.. I'm just going to do the 1Z PP/blue and the collinte on the caddy and see how it works out. If 1Z PP/blue doesn't work, I'lll try the 1z Pasta Intesive/blue then 1Z PP/blue, then collinte...

I wouldn't try the Pasta Intensiv with the blue pads, IMO it requires something more porous like the green ones. Using the wrong pad with Pasta Intensiv could result in some pretty nasty marring, so don't try to mix this aggressive product with such a mild pad.



FWIW, I use the green pads most often by *far*.

I usually dry the entire car, blow all the water from the cracks and crevices, and then spray some QD and wipe it off. So far, the Mother's has been ok. Even with my Detailer's Domain Uber microfiber towels, I have to spray it on, wipe it off, then use a dry towel to buff it. I want something easier to use.

Well, I dunno if you're gonna get it much easier than that

 

[Mark77]

Well as I guessed when I saw the post, Accumulator already gave the perfect answers

I myself got the Edge system and I have found my self using the green pads the most(like Accumulator said, you will need those a lot more than the white ones). I have never used the 1Z products but the green pads work great with everything from Poli Seal to SSR 2,5 or Megs #83.

 

[simplybao]

I wouldn't try the Pasta Intensiv with the blue pads, IMO it requires something more porous like the green ones. Using the wrong pad with Pasta Intensiv could result in some pretty nasty marring, so don't try to mix this aggressive product with such a mild pad.



FWIW, I use the green pads most often by *far*.

DOH!, I meant green pads and not the blue.

 

[simplybao]

Well, I've placed my order, let's see if I can make a difference in my finish



I ordered:

• 2 white pads
  
• 6 Orange
  
• 6 green
  
• Collinite 885
  
• 1Z PP
  
• 1Z Pasta Intensiv
  
• Pro Blend Bottle Proportioner (I have a bunch of 1 gallon bottles and I think this will be awesome. I hope if works)
  

 

[Accumulator]

simplybao- OK, that should be a good batch of stuff. The 1Z stuff seems pretty straightforward so I don't think you'll have any problems.



Just remember to not press hard with the Pasta Intensiv until it's broken down a bit and don't use too much product (and product).



If you get a chance, post something about how it goes. In the unlikely event that something doesn't go smoothly, I'd a) like to know about it so I can tweak my advice and b) like to try to help sort it out. But I really don't expect you to have problems :grinno:

 

[simplybao]

Thanks for the advice. Since I've never done this before, I didn't know that I needed to apply pressure at all. I thought I just had to use the weight of the polisher. I'm going to experiment on the Jeep first and see what happens. If I mess up the paint on it, then no harm no foul since the paint looks like crap anyway...LOL. It's almost like having a piece of a car part from a junk yard to practice on.



If I weren't just practicing, I would not bother with the Jeep. I'd just put a layer of collinite on it and call it a day. As it stands now, all I have on it is some cheap Meguire's Paste wax.



I'll post up my results. It's unlikely that I'll be able to do it for a couple of weeks, but I'll post up my results on the main board.

 

[simplybao]

By the way, how long do I work the polish? Until it's dry or until it hazes?



So this is what I was planning:



I'll have a water bottle that I'll spritz the pads with. I'll do this first to get the pads a little moist.



I'll apply the polish to the pads (just a little bit, I've watched a bunch of videos on this) and then work it around in a 2' x 2' area, then turn the cyclo on.



I'll work it around in an up and down and around motion until I see hazing and then turn off the cyclo, then remove polish. That's it right? Am I right in assuming that I don't go until it's dry?



I'm used to using very little product. I have KAIO and I've used it and I know that very very very little goes a long long way. I gather 1Z is the same way?

 

[Accumulator]

By the way, how long do I work the polish? Until it's dry or until it hazes?

Until it's almost dry, which is a little longer than the "hazing" point. I think you'll quickly get a feel for this. With the Pasta Intensiv, try *not* to let it dry completely. With the Paint Polish it doesn't really matter as that product basically breaks down into cleaner wax.

So this is what I was planning:



I'll have a water bottle that I'll spritz the pads with. I'll do this first to get the pads a little moist.

I don't do that. I use the pads dry and merely prime them with the polish. It's not that hard to distribute a little polish pretty evenly on the pads. I'd worry that the water might a) render the Pasta Intensiv more aggressive and hinder breakdown and/or b) generally mess with the Paint Polish, perhaps creating a tenacious residue.



If you really want to prime the pads, I'd use a *little* spritz of a "clean" QD like Meg's #34.

I'll apply the polish to the pads (just a little bit, I've watched a bunch of videos on this) and then work it around in a 2' x 2' area, then turn the cyclo on.

I don't really spread the product around much before turning it on. Be careful doing that with the Pasta Intensiv. I wouldn't spread it over that large an area either, but that's just me. I will often expand the area I'm working out until it's that large, but I usually start with a smaller area and see if I have the right amount of product for that size.

I'll work it around in an up and down and around motion until I see hazing and then turn off the cyclo, then remove polish. That's it right? Am I right in assuming that I don't go until it's dry?

Yeah, that's basically it. But again, I wouldn't worry about buffing dry with the Paint Polish, only with the Pasta Intensiv. Be sure you work the Pasta Intensiv enough to break it down though, and I do think that'll be a little longer than you're expecting. There's a fair bit of wiggle room between the point of seeing a polish haze and the point where the polish actually starts to dry.

I'm used to using very little product. I have KAIO and I've used it and I know that very very very little goes a long long way. I gather 1Z is the same way?

You'll use a bit more with these polishes as you need enough to abrade the surface down. You'll see what I mean...if you work an area and it dries/flashes sorta fast, and you wipe it off and find the marring is still there, then that means that: a) you need more product so you can work the area longer and/or b) you need to go over it more times.



But if you work the area for a long time and still have wet polish, that means you used too much. If the pads get loaded with product to where you have to clean them after just a panel or two, that means you used too much too.



But you will have to stop now and then and wash out the pads. Blot them dry as best you can and then spin them with the Cyclo (the won't fly off like they often do with the PC, at least mine don't). Be careful where you do this so you don't spray a water/polish mix all over everything

 

[simplybao]

Thank you so much for your help. I'm so excited. I just washed the jeep today and well, I think I'm going to need a wool pad. I'm thinking the orange pads may not be aggressive enough for the hood. There's all sorts of stains in the paint.



I just looked at the caddy with a halogen on it and it only needs very minor correction. It's mostly on the hood, I'm not sure how I did that, but it was pre autopia days. I'm hoping the pp with green does the job.



I'll report back in a few weeks to let you know how it turns out.

 

[Accumulator]

..I just washed the jeep today and well, I think I'm going to need a wool pad. I'm thinking the orange pads may not be aggressive enough for the hood...

Check out the wool pads at CycloToolmakers and keep them in mind. I do think you'll find that the Cyclo isn't as aggressive as you might first expect, and might not be as aggressive as you'd sometimes *like*. But better safe than sorry when starting off with machine polishing.

I just looked at the caddy with a halogen on it and it only needs very minor correction. .. I'm hoping the pp with green does the job.

If not, the Pasta Intensiv/green pad combo is sorta mild, considering how aggressive the Pasta Intensiv is (in its own right). One pass with that, followed by the PP wouldn't be that big a deal if necessary.

I'll report back in a few weeks to let you know how it turns out.

Hope it goes well, and I expect that it will. If something does *not* work right, stop and ask for advice. And I strongly encourage you to do *one* panel and then inspect-inspect-inspect to make sure everthing is going the way you think it is. What you *don't* want is to do the whole vehicle and *then* realize that things weren't going right.



Heh heh, don't let the above caveat make you nervous..I just kinda when somebody says they "messed up the whole car" and now they need help. Mess up just one panel and it's no big deal, you can figure out what went wrong, correct it, and not have the same problem again.

 

[simplybao]

LOL...yeah, I planned on trying out the Jeep first. I'm going to do the hood and check it as I go. It's going to be hard to get the halogen on it because the Jeep is so tall. There really isn't much to polish on the jeep.



Do you have any advice on doing the areas that the machine can't get to? i.e. the panel above the rear fender and the top.

 

[Accumulator]

..Do you have any advice on doing the areas that the machine can't get to? i.e. the panel above the rear fender and the top.

One of the good things about the 1Z stuff is that it works OK by hand (it's the only line I recommend for by-hand use). Try to be gentle with the Pasta Intensiv if you use *that* by hand; the initial bite of the abrasives can leave some *really* nasty scratches that you won't be able to correct very easily.



I don't mean to say that you *can't* use that stuff by hand, but -man-oh-man you really do need to be careful. Maybe the Paint Polish will do the job...that stuff is great by hand, but it's so mild that you might have to do a given area numerous times.

 

[simplybao]

You've got me scared of Pasta Intensive now...LOL. I'll try both and see how it goes....I can hardly wait!

 

[Accumulator]

You've got me scared of Pasta Intensive now...LOL. I'll try both and see how it goes....I can hardly wait!

Well, be "scared" of it in the same sense that a woodworker is "scared" of his radial-arm saw (In other words, those scare-quotes were intentional Just have some respect for what you're working with.)