Looking for buffing/polishing advice

rasbury

yes, it came out pretty nice but I still have the other side to do, what a job!

craigswardmtb

craigswardmtb

Today's project using Presta Super Cut compound on a very chalky blue hull. One side done. 

Handymans342

Looks good

craigswardmtb

Thx. I was surprised with results of only one pass. I still have to polish it. Sore shoulders!

06Rinker270

@craigswardmtb where did you get the Presta?  I am just finding it online and I need it by this weekend.  Did you wet sand?  

Dream_Inn

I'll add that a good friend/dock neighbor is currently doing their blue hulled 390 with fantastic results.  They are using some kind of cut by 3M.  I am extremely impressed.  It has been several years since they've done anything to their hull, so imagine what it would take.  Well, their Makita buffer and the 3M stuff and you can see reflections in it 50 feet deep (things 50 feet away reflect in it).  It is their first cut, as they are planning on two other stages of other things as well.

06Rinker270

Handymans342 said:

I washed and scrubbed my hull with a heavy duty degreaser

What degreaser did you use?

rasbury

Dream- I saw at WM by 3M a combo wax and cleaner for heavy oxidized finish and the just a liquid buffing compound with no wax which is what I used for equally good results- great stuff!

rasbury

and then I followed up with a Maquire polish and then a final coat of wax...looks great and I put a picture up there somewhere in this thread....

06Rinker270

In the article @TikiHut2 posted(I am following this step by step as I am OCD) it mentioned not using a Dual Action Polisher.  Per this forum, I bought the Shurhold dual action polisher.  Anyone have an opinion?  Dont feel like spending another $180 if this one will work just fine. 

frenchship

This will be fine when you start with the compound  just use the slow speed to start so you don't fling the compound all over, and when the compound  is well spread over the area you working on (about 2 feet by 2 feet) or a bit more then go to the higher speed to finish.
ps. Leave a bit a compound on the finish edge or a small piece of tape so you know where to start the the next area specially when you would use the finer compound 
good luck.
Paul

craigswardmtb

From my research Presta super cut is the strongest grit compound out there. 3m use to have a product years ago which was semi-comparable but from my understanding it is no longer available. Presta is nice because it sets up at a heavy grit, 600, and breaks down to a finer grit. It leaves it with a high deep gloss and you can barely see any swirls whatsoever. I polished as well but it really didn't need it. With that said my boat was heavily oxidized and quite honestly I thought I was going to have to wet sand. I had used buff magic in the past and it helped but didn't hold up and did not cut deep enough to get to the oxidation. I had read a lot of good things about buff magic as well so I was cautiously optimistic when I bought the Presta super cut.  I was amazed with the results after 1 coat (pictured) and did a second coat for good measure. We will see how it holds up and if any hazing comes back but on initial impression it was night and day to the buff magic. I had some friends come by the marina yesterday and they too were amazed and complimentary of the "new boat look".  I'll update this thread mid season with some additional feedback. 
Now perhaps your boats hull color isn't too oxidized, and you very well could use a host of other compounds and get good results. If you are chalky and heavily oxidized I would reccomend Presta Super cut. Unfortunately I too couldn't find it in stores and had to order online. 
If you want the best results use a true rotary buffer. I also have the shurhold random orbital and it does not work nearly as well as my dewalt buffer, and it takes you a lot longer given the pad size and increased work time.  Again if not heavily oxidized than I'm sure the RO will work fine for you. Good luck!
p.s.- I too had an 06 270. What a great boat it was. Enjoy it before you get the "x" footitis.

06Rinker270

Good info paul and craig thank you.  Here is how oxidized I am.  Before really understanding I used Meguiars one step compound which you can see the before and after.  I will be doing this the correct way this weekend.

 

@craigswardmtb what is "x" footitis? small boat syndrome? haha

craigswardmtb

yes, normally it seems most have a boat for a couple years before they get the 2 footitis and want to step up.  For me it was 10 footitis.

Tough to tell from your pictures but your oxidation does not look that bad.  Presta would work great but I'm sure you will be fine with many other proven compounds.

06Rinker270

I had a 1995 Silverton 312 and downsized.  Many people were shocked I went in the opposite direction of most.  Lets see how this season goes...  Luckily there is just two of us for now.

I will take pics once I am done.  I want to go the Presta route but I could not get everything in time and I only have this weekend to do it.  I will be going with the 3m way. 

LaRea

For anybody who has never applied compound with a buffer, here's a good way to learn how.

Get a small clean rag that is wet but not dripping.  (Water is key here.)  Squirt a couple lines of compound on the rag, and start rubbing by hand on a 18*x18" patch of hull using a large circular motion.

At first, the compound will feel and sound gritty like sandpaper.  Some portions of the hull might look darker than others, producing a blotchy appearance.  After 20-30 seconds, you should start to notice a distinct difference in how it feels and sounds.  The compound will smooth out, the gritty sound will go away, and the hull will look uniform in color.  That's when you know it's done.

Next, do the same thing with the buffer on a different section of hull.  Sprinkle a few drops of water on the pad, add a couple lines of compound, and start buffing.  Use a SLOW speed so you don't sling compound all over the place.  Try to recreate what you felt doing it by hand. 

The water is critical.  Too little water, and the compound gums up on the pad.  Too much water, and you dilute the compound too much (and make a big mess).  

The other key is to keep going until you feel it smooth out.  Otherwise, you won't get a uniform finish.  

rasbury

LaRea- no one mentions the water enough- when I first started working on mine, no one really mentions the water and how critical it is to the process.

06Rinker270

Good advice about the water, I had no idea until this discussion.  

I started buffing with a one step compound from Meguiar's before knowing the correct way.  It took off a good layer of oxidization but still needs a good amount of work.  I bought 3m Super Duty compound but I feel that may be too rough now.  Should I go with lighter compound?  I have only done one side of the hull.  Other I may still do with 3M super duty.

rasbury

Here was my results with the 3M for heavy oxidation with no wax

06Rinker270

@rasbury looks fantastic.   Which 3m compound did you use?  The super duty?

craigswardmtb

I agree water is key. I keep a spray bottle and mist the wool pad every section I lay new compound down. Also I start at around 1200rpms and work up to 2000.

frenchship

O6 Rinker said
In the article @TikiHut2 posted(I am following this step by step as I am OCD) it mentioned not using a Dual Action Polisher.  Per this forum, I bought the Shurhold dual action polisher.  Anyone have an opinion?  Dont feel like spending another $180 if this one will work just fine. 


I thought you  where going to follow  the instruction to the letter, you should have read about a bottle of water to keep your pad moist   

06Rinker270

So I posted that on the 7th, made the water comment this morning...doing the correct way this weekend.  Did you miss something frenchship?

frenchship

No, just pulling your leg. 
Good luck for this weekend.

06Rinker270

I know it!  Believe me I wish I would have read that article before I spent 4 hours last weekend using one step compound.  

rasbury

At west Marine, at least my store, they have two different 3M "compounds", one is a one step and one has no wax- that's the one I used and then I finished with a Maguire polish and then I used, I forget the name, but the wax everyone recommends...I was very pleased with the results but still need to do the top deck- the seating area has been covered up so that will be a clean and a wax. I don't have my carpet in. The top front deck is a real mess- I tried to buff a little section and it tore up the non skid- I found on another site a recommend for "Bar Keepers Friend" which is like a comet type product but does not have any aggregate or ruff stuff in it. It does have a mild acid in it which I read should eat up the oxidation with a scrub brush doing a section at a time. I tell you, after working on this, this is the one time I'm glad my boat is not any bigger!

frenchship

I always use a product call Vim that contains a bleach, on the non skid, does a great job on the white surface.

Dream_Inn

Ras, I use bar keeper's friend on the top deck sometimes, but all the time on the swim platform.  I just always make sure I get it thoroughly washed off anywhere it may flow when I'm done scrubbing.

& the 3M I was talking about also was the one that did not have any wax.

As far as the bigger boat, you just need to get a white hull!  Guarantee I spend less time on my white hull than you do on your colored 270!  (but yes, the colored hull really shows nice when they are all cleaned up!)

rasbury

I use the starbright I thinks it's called on the deck? It does a great job but does not get oxidation off but really cleans well. I love the colored hull, really sets it apart from the "sea of white" boats out there. The last boat I had also had a colored hull...but it was garage kept so was a piece of cake. That boat looked new when I sold it. My 270 stores on a trailer outside and boats are right next to each other so I hope the buff job holds for a while...the top however sure takes a beating. I bought some tarps that are reflective I hope will hold off the sun a bit after I get that all cleaned up. I've spent way to much time this past year getting this rascal up to snuff and now cleaning it up, my poor yard!