Now that we have an understanding of the different styles of machine polishers, we’ll provide an overview of the machine options that we offer under our line of Swirl Killer Polishers to help you determine which polisher(s) will best suit your applications.
Swirl Killer 15mm
Adam’s Swirl Killer 15mm is our most commonly used polisher for many and is an excellent choice for a first polisher. It uses Velcro-backed 5.5” pads, which are a nice overall size for most cars, trucks, and suvs that usually cover 75% of painted surfaces or more on a vehicle. The 15mm in the name refers to the orbit throw of the machine, meaning that it is a long-throw polisher that oscillates 15mm in multiple directions. It features a slow-start trigger with variable speed of 1-6, from 2000-4500 orbits per minute, which both allow for very easy control. It is a reliable workhorse - we use the Swirl Killer 15mm on hundreds of cars each year as the official detailers of the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auctions.
Swirl Killer 12mm Mini
The Swirl Killer 12mm Mini is a small but powerful dedicated 3” polisher with a 12mm throw. It uses smaller 3.5” pads that can reach even more areas than the 15mm polisher. The smaller casing of the Mini makes it ideal for accessing tighter areas such as headlights, mirrors, pillars, complex bumper curves, and so on. It has speeds of 2500-5500 OPM, so the higher speed combined with smaller pad diameter allows it to do very significant levels of correction, since you are focusing the compounding work into smaller areas at a time. The Mini polisher is another option that if you were to choose only one polisher, it is highly recommended with a very affordable price. Adam often mentions that “You can polish an entire car with the Mini, it will just take longer.”
Swirl Killer 21mm
Adam’s Swirl Killer 21mm is very similar to the Swirl Killer 15mm, but with a massive 21mm throw orbit that uses larger 6.5” pads to make short work of compounding, one-step, and finish polishing. The 21mm is ideal for use on long, flat body lines, such as panel trucks, vans, trailers, and so on. This would make for an excellent secondary machine or backup polisher if you are starting a detailing business.
Swirl Killer Pro 15mm
The Swirl Killer Pro 15mm is an upgraded, professional version of the Swirl Killer 15mm. It uses the same 5.5” pads, but has a stronger motor for less stalling on complex curves, near-zero vibration, and quieter operating noise levels. It has a progressive trigger, 1000 watt motor, comfortable rubber grips, improved cooling, detachable power cord, and an integrated polishing light. This is without a doubt our most powerful machine polisher, and is a great choice if you will be paint correcting multiple vehicles with tighter time constraints in a business environment. It is a very capable machine - safe and easy to use for beginners and experienced professionals alike.
Swirl Killer Pro 12mm
The Swirl Killer Pro 12mm is our second professional grade polisher option. It is an upgraded version of the Swirl Killer 12mm Mini. This mini polisher uses 3.5” pads and features many of the same enhancements of the Pro 15mm - stronger motor, reduced vibration, quieter operation, more comfortable grip areas, and improved cooling. The detachable power cord is the same design as the Pro 15mm, so it is interchangeable between both polishers, which is a very convenient feature that reduces down-time when paint correcting.
Swirl Killer Pro Micro 2.0
The Swirl Killer Pro Micro 2.0 is much more specialized in its use, but it is a game changer. This very small battery-operated machine polisher uses 2” pads and has multiple configurations. The polisher head swaps from 3mm and 12mm random orbital throws, to a direct rotary head, and even a brush attachment for scrubbing carpet and upholstery. We recommend using the 12mm attachment head for most correcting work. This polisher is intended for spot correction in small and very tight spaces, such as door handles, painted trim pieces, wheels, grilles and emblems, and other intricate areas. One other application where it is a standout performer is for polishing various areas on motorcycles. The kit comes with two rechargeable batteries with up to 1 hour of run time per battery depending on speed setting, the charger, and a carrying case. The SK Pro Micro also has an optional Rotary Polishing Attachment Kit that uses an even smaller Dremel-like hand tool with an assortment of very small polishing cones and pads down to 1/2-inch in size, to polish in between emblem lettering, behind door handles, grille sections, and other areas that are not accessible with other machines.
Swirl Killer 9mm
The Swirl Killer 9mm is our most affordable, entry-level machine polisher. It has a shorter throw orbit of 9mm, but with a very powerful 1000 watt motor. This polisher has less bells and whistles than our other machines so that it can be a less expensive option for someone buying a polisher for the first time, but it is still a more than capable machine. It uses the same 5.5” pads as our 15mm machines, but it lacks the slow-start feature and does have more vibration into your hands and arms.