'02 H-D #677

I finally broke down and bought the "Rolls Royce" of polishing machines ... a Cyclo Model 5 dual head. The issue is that Cyclo Toolmakers Inc also offers their own polishing products under the brand name of CTI Pro Paint Care. Has anyone had any experience using their products? I figure that since they make the finest polisher the world has ever known, that their polishing products have got to be pretty good too?

Harley#356

never heard of them

'02 H-D #677

Josh, Cyclo is the absolute premier polishing tool ever made they have been around for over 50 years. Their polishers were originally designed/manufactured for the military to polish aircraft. The machines are expensive though! ... almost $400 with pads, bonnets, etc, etc. Check-out the following:

Cyclo Orbital Polisher - The Cyclo Dual Head Polisher

Cyclo Toolmakers

Don't H8

Most detailers I've talked with, and through research I've done on the cyclo in the past, do not use the cyclo brand polishes. menzerna seems to be a favorite with the cyclo.

Tazz

He's right.
Though Im not sure about the correct way to use the polisher. Some sites say use a up/down motion then side to side while others say use a figure 8 like motion that may take some practice to learn but does produce some great results. The lowest Ive found the Cyclo 5 is around 249 and that's just the polisher without the pads and bonnets. I was thinking about using Zaino with the polisher but really don't have $500 to spend on all the goodies right now.
Tazz

'02 H-D #677

Got all the stuff ... terry and micro-fiber bonnets, white/blue/green pads ... gonna do the wife's car first to "get-it-down" ... then move to #677. Will report findings. I, likewise, have heard different stuff regarding use of Cyclo ... but still have notion that vert panels are "up-down" and horizontal panels are "back-forth/north-south". All the young guys in my old shop (now owned by my kids') won't even touch a 7424 unless they are paid extra! I guess I gotta keep learnin'!! Funny that Cyclo was designed/built even before MY time! I used to use big 7" wool bonnets on a 4K RPM/10lb. machine!!! ... talk about building some 'ceps!!

'02 H-D #677

Did the wife's car this weekend. This machine is absolutely INCREDIBLE!! Tried different approaches on different vertical and horizontal panels. Found that easiest/fastest method is side-to-side then opposite direction ... with second direction "in-line" with direction of applicable panel (hood/roof/trunk ... front-to back and fenders/doors/quarters ... up-and-down). I did nothing more than wash, clay bar, and use Crystal-Glo with a Cyclo Green pad. Whole thing only took about 75 minutes and the results are absolutely fantastic! I can only imagine what the end-result will be with a full complement of steps. I guess this is why the folks that have $10K-$15K paint jobs on their show vehicles use the Cyclo polishers. $450-$500 is definitely a big chunk to justify at first but I am now glad that I finally got over that aversion/shock. I really am happy that this tool set-up is now in my detailing/paint-care arsenal!

Tazz

Got mine from Auto Geek for $329 shipped with 16 pads and used AGO code for checkout for free shipping.
http://www.autogeek.net/megacyclokit.html
Tazz

'02 H-D #677

I assume you understand the significant advantage of Cyclo?! ... wished I had the The Boeing Co. inform me of this tool much earlier!!

'02 H-D #677

That is a GREAT deal!

Tazz

Been looking at Cyclo for some time even before your post and I had some $$ this month so I pulled the trigger on the Cyclo after I found the deal on Auto Geek.
Tazz