The Cyclo Polisher and Polishing Pads for Aluminum

This page features the Cyclo polisher with accessories for polishing bare aluminum. If you are interested in the Cyclo polisher with accessories for paint care, please go to our Cyclo Polisher for Paint page.

Two different  types of polishers are used to restore and polish aluminum, the Cyclo polisher and the Compounding polisher. The Cyclo polisher is used as the finish polisher and to restore aluminum that has been previously polished but is not corroded or scratched. If you've got new aluminum that has never been polished or old aluminum that is corroded or damaged, you will probably have to compound the aluminum first if you want a mirror finish.  Go to the Compounding Polisher page for information on that type of polisher.

We show how to use the polisher in the Using the Cyclo Polisher page. We also sell a DVD Package that shows how to use the polisher.

The Cyclo Polisher   

The Cyclo polisher has dual orbital heads that move in a random overlapping circular motion. This movement is almost identical to hand polishing and prevents swirls. The Cyclo Polisher's light weight, excellent balance and small pads let the operator work over complex curves and get into tight spaces. The Cyclo Polisher is the best tool for the beginner or casual polisher. The vast majority of the owners of polished aircraft use this tool.

This American-made product has been used in the automotive and airline industry for over 50 years. It has earned a reputation for durability and dependability. The Cyclo was designed and built at a time when quality mattered. Back then a tool had to be dependable, not disposable.

The Cyclo is virtually unchanged in 50 years of production. It features a lightweight aluminum housing, machined fittings, precisely crafted gears and hand assembly. In addition the tool is serviceable. Every part on the Cyclo can be replaced ensuring that it will continue to perform for decades after purchase.

To find out more about the Cyclo, click here to read the Factory Product Sheet (Adobe .pdf file, 240kB) or the complete Cyclo Instruction Manual (Adobe .pdf file, 230kB).

The polisher can be equipped with a variety of foam pads. But the pads are never used to directly polish the metal surface because they would quickly become contaminated with polish. Instead, a piece of polishing cloth about 1 yard square is placed underneath the pad and the cloth is then wrapped around the machine. This is shown in detail in the the Using the Cyclo Polisher page.

Old towels can be used as polishing cloth but the best material to use is cotton sweatshirt material. This can be purchased in the Polishing Cloth section. Be sure to read about our FleeceWraps in the Polishing Cloth section.

See Polishing Pads section below for a description of the various pads and Pad Kits

All prices include shipping.

Polishing Pads

A wide variety of polishing pads are available for use with the Cyclo polisher. Some are manufactured by us and some by Cyclo. Our pads are designed for polishing aluminum and Cyclo's are designed for detailing automotive paint. We stock the most popular  Cyclo pads in addition to our own. The Cyclo pads can be found on the Cyclo Polisher for Paint page.

Our proprietary Black Foam  pads are made from a very resilient and durable closed-cell foam (which is very different from the open cell foam pads made by Cyclo). We recommend that you cover them with the Spandex pad covers to help keep the foam clean. This combination follows the contours of the surface and get in close around rivet heads and lap joints and minimize polish build-up in these areas. See below for ordering information.

Our Black Foam pads are Velcro-backed and require the Cyclo rubber base boot with Velcro hooks No. 79-101.

Pad Kits

Our Pad Kits contain the items most commonly needed for standard polishing operations. Pad Kit 1 has the polishing pads and covers for the Cyclo polisher. Pad Kit 2 adds the FleeceWraps and the microfiber buffing towels. These items will handle the majority of polishing applications.

The photo shows the Cyclo polisher with Pad Kit 2.

Pad Kit 1 contains the following:

• 4 pair Black Foam pads

• 2 pair Spandex pad covers

Pad Kit 2 contains the following:

• 4 pair Black Foam pads

• 2 pair Spandex pad covers

• 10-pack of FleeceWraps

• 6-pack of our premium 16" x 24" microfiber buffing towels

Pads and Covers Individually

Pads for Paint Care can be found on the Cyclo Polisher for Paint page.