Orbital Polishers and Orbital Polisher Pads for Car Detail Shops

Restore paint surfaces with orbital polishers and orbital polisher pads!

These tools are vital for auto detailing shops and mobile detailing operations. Rotary polishers help to perform paint correction, removing swirls and scratches, polishing away oxidation, and applying wax. Moving at high speeds, getting the right polisher for car detailing will produce the best results in the least time.

We have a wide selection of orbital polishers, orbital polisher pads, and more, from leading names in the automotive detailing industry including Rupes, Cyclo, Flex, Meguiar’s, Lake Country, and more! Find the right car polishing pads for each task, with the right sizing and composition, to optimize your buffing and polishing processes. Check out our recommendations below to help you make the right decision for your car detailing polisher needs!

Orbital Polishers

These car detailing polishers spin on a central axis and in a random pattern. They are engineered with a disc that oscillates two ways simultaneously. This makes it easy to use and great for all skill levels, as it is less likely to cause swirl marks than a rotary polisher. This type of detailing polisher is best for polishing and finishing paint.

Orbital Polishing Pads for Specific Processes

Rotary and orbital polisher pads are designed for different processes. There are three different stages – cutting, polishing, and finishing.

Cutting pads tackle the most severe and deepest defects of painted surfaces. Swirls, scratches, oxidation and water spots won’t stand a chance against these heavy-duty pads. They are the first step to restoring clarity and reflection to painted surfaces.

Polishing pads are in the middle step for many processes. These pads will be more gentle than cutting pads, but can still tackle swirls and scratches. They are often sorted into heavy, medium, and light polishing pads. Heavy pads can cut and polish in a single pass, and are often better for use on softer painted surfaces than cutting pads. Depending on the needs of the paint for correction, these are also useful with one-step polishes.

Finishing pads don’t cut and tackle scratches. Instead, these buffer polishing pads finish off the job. They help provide the perfect coat of sealant or wax, eliminate holograms, provide a deep wet shine, and spread sealant to protect a vehicle against the elements.

Polishing Pad Composition

Choosing the right composition of your buffer polishing pads is important as well. Modern rotary and orbital polisher pads come in your choice of microfiber or foam pads. Wool pads used to be offered, but the benefits of microfiber and foam have made these obsolete.

Microfiber pads feature coarse, thick fibers made from a combination of polyester and polyamide. They allow for cutting deeper to tackle the most severe defects, and allow the operator to tackle flaws quickly. However, this makes them unsuitable for beginners, as you can cut too deep, too fast. These are also typically used on double action polishers and not so much on rotary polishers.

Foam pads are more forgiving, and are suited for use by all levels of detailers. They also allow for more variance in the foam itself for use across all parts of the process. By changing density, thickness, and coarseness of foam pads, they can act as cutting, polishing, or finishing pads. Microfiber, on the other hand, is limited in the processes that it can tackle.

Polishing Pad Size

Polishing pads and polishers like orbital polishers come with different-sized heads. Getting the right size for your task is important, for a number of reasons! Generally these pads come in half-inch sizes: the most common are 3.5”, 4.5”, 6.5”, and 7.5” pads. These polish pads change how much of an area you can tackle at once, and how well you can tackle difficult areas. Small pads are suitable for tight spots, curved areas, and spot work. Large pads are used for tackling larger areas, knocking out hoods and body panels efficiently. Don’t use a pad that is too small – you’ll do more work than you need to. A pad that is too large will mean you miss spots. Have two or three different rotary or orbital polishers with different backing pads that you can switch to as needed!

Car Detailing Polisher Accessories

Caring for your rotary or orbital polishers properly, and taking care of your pads, will get you the best performance out of them over the longest time. That’s why we carry pad cleaning tools and buffing pad washers to make sure that you get the longest life span out of your investments.

These polishers and polish pads are the key to giving your clients the best results, and keep them coming back to you for future exterior detailing jobs. Check out the great variety of polishers and pads we carry from the leading brands in the car detailing brush space!