Once again, you beat me to the punch, Mike.
Also, it is best to only ask one question in a thread. That keeps things more on topic and raises your chances of getting help. Oh, and don't forget to search before posting. Good luck Poppasnapple.
Good question, since you need to be careful about the "glue" that holds the velcro to the pad. It's pretty hard to really clean them without getting them wet so I am sure that is part of their design. However, after cleaning lay them foam side down to dry or let them drain sideways. Some folks...
Nice site. Since you asked... maybe consider changing the fonts, and the picture gallery takes too long to load. Maybe smaller picture file size or a better host for the site. Keep up the good work.
I just tried OZIUM. Wow! That stuff really works. Or at least it is covering the other smell. I will give it a little time and try to report back in a couple of weeks. But, if you have bad smells OZIUM is definately worth a try. It's like $4.50 at WalMart.
So, how did you make out with the 6 inch weight? I use 5 inch pads with the 6 inch weight with no issues on my PC 7346 from Lowes. How is the 3.5 inch backing plate working?
I think if it is working at the lower speed and not at the higher speed then your answer is self evident. I'd use the slower speed (2-4). Not really sure but maybe you are heating it up too much at the higher speeds.
What PoppaJ stated is an option. Do a search and read the posts on Helmsman. (You may have already run across it since you said you have been reading up on this subject.)
I agree with your thinking that you don't need to buy a kit. (The only nice thing about the kits is that you get a drill...
You have to buy twice as many pads for a Cyclo. As already stated, that they are hard to use other than for larger areas. The PC is a great tool, especially for a first time machine user.
Maybe Mike (Phillips) will chime in but I thought he said to compound on 5-6 and to polish\wax on 3-4. There is no benefit to fast speeds since you are basically just applying product and not really doing any "work". This may be wrong since 205 is a very mild abrasive thus it is doing some "work".