Buffing and Polishing advice

[qstufflebeam]

I am working on buffing out some scratches and putting on a nice coat of wax. I am using a sander/polisher that turns about 1500 rpm. I have 3m rubbing compound, 3m finesse it, and 3m marine wax. I am noticing that I get quite a few swirl marks with the rubbing compound. What is the best way to apply the compound without getting swirl marks? The finesse it seems to help with the marks left by the rubbing compound but you can still see them. I also have notice that the rubbing compound is not taking out the small scratches like I thought it would. Do I need to look at wet sanding or apply more coats of the rubbing compound? These are scratches that come from the rope rubbing on the top rail of the boat so I wouldn't consider them deep. Any help would be great.

[AirTool]

I am working on buffing out some scratches and putting on a nice coat of wax. I am using a sander/polisher that turns about 1500 rpm.

If your polisher is not orbital, it will likely leave swirl marks no matter what the speed.

I'll let others with more detailing experience comment on the other questions.

[ClemsonDave]

You have some great products, but you definitely need the right tool and pad or you will do more damage than good. I have written most of the steps out before and I will try to track it down. It's a lot to type. If you PM me, I'll send you my phone number and we can go over it.

As Airtool said, you need a random orbit buffer. I use the Porter Cable 7424. It can sometimes be found at Lowes. However, don't use the pad that comes with it. Here is a link to where you can get the pads or the buffer and pads as a kit. Once you have this stuff, the rest is easy. http://www.autogeek.net/porter-cable-7424-kit.html

If the polishing compound doesn't get out the marks, you will need wet/dry sandpaper. Other than being scary, it is very easy to do and safe if you do it right.

There is not a single mark I have not been able to get out. For chips, you just get some matching gel coat and go through the same process. spectrumcolor.com has the factory matched gel coat.

[Nautiquehunter]

Make sure you keep the buffing pad flat and apply pressure at the 12 o'clock to the 2 o'clock area of the pad. It should help if not try a less aggressive pad.

[riderite]

product

What you can do is use the 3m cleaner/wax after the 3m compound it works way better then 3m finesse it 2 and as it starts to dry lighten your presure till its gone. then put another coat of wax over top

[xrichard]

I had to wet sand some marks on my boat...once I got going, I did about 60% of one side of the boat. I think I started around 220 and worked up to 1500. Then I hit it with 3m Imperial compound & finishing material with a white 3m wool pad...then finesse it with a yellow 3m wool pad. Came out looking great, but if I had it to do over again, I'd go to 2000 before hitting it with compound. Your selection of pad is pretty important...if it's too aggressive, you're going to get swirl marks. 3m has a section in their catalog re: selecting compound and pad material....I followed it and was happy.

http://www.planetnautique.com/vb3/ne...7704&noquote=1

see p. 61 & those following. I don't think you'll need a random orbit...but I could be wrong. I didn't.

[DanielC]

I am going to go with some more general advise, rather than specifics, but I will mention what has worked for me. I use Meguires products, they make both compounds, and pads. I am not saying you are using the wrong stuff, there is more than one way to polish a boat.

First recommendation. is to use a "cross filing" technique. By cross filing, I mean to make your filing, or sanding, or polishing marks at angles to previous ones. Example: sanding down a gelcoat repair, start with 220 grit sandpaper on a block, moving one direction, back and forth. When you switch to 320 grit, sand 90 degrees to the motion you made with the 220 grit. This way, the 320 grit cuts across the 220 grit sand scratches, and takes them down, instead of following the old grooves made by the 220 grit. When you switch to 400 grit, sand across the 320 grit scratches. I do this process with 500, 600 up to 800 grit sandpaper, on rubber blocks. After that, I use sponge pads, with 1000, 1500 and finally, 2500 grit sandpaper. If this is done right, the surface of the gelcoat should have a fair amount of a shine, but it will look a little "cloudly" or "foggy"

This is when I use the buffing compound. Realize a lot of buffing compounds break down, or get finer, as you use than. Apply the compound, and try to keep the marks, or scratches going one way. Work the area at a slow speed. and the compound starts to break down, angle the buffer so you are buffing across the marks left by the first passes. Use a lighter pressure now, and maybe a slightly higher speed. I also use a spray bottle with a few to several drops of dish washing detergent (Dawn), filled up with water to spray on the surface, to keep the compound wet. As a side benefit, this also helps keep the buffing pad clean.

Different pads have different characteristics. Some pads cut well, but tend to leave scratches, other pads are "softer" , do not leave as many scratches, but do not cut well. Start buffing with a more aggressive pad, and switch to a softer pad ad the shine develops. do not use your coarse rubbing compounds on your soft pads. Use a different softer pad as you get close to finishing up, with finishing compounds.

You do not have to use "marine" compounds exclusively. I actually use Meguire's "Diamond cut" compound, #85 and then followed that with Meguire's "swirl remover" on my boat. Both of these products are more easily found at an auto paint, or parts store, than a marina. Both of those products I apply with a rotary buffer. I then use Meguire's "Boat/RV polish" #45, applied with an orbital buffer, the Porter Cable one mentioned in an earlier post. I then apply Meguire's "Pure Wax" #56 again with an orbital waxer, a cheap one made by "Turtle Wax". Then, I hand wipe the excess wax off with a microfiber cloth. Keep the cloth clean. If you drop the cloth, do not use it again until you know it is clean, they can pick up dirt off the floor, and put new scratches in your freshly polished boat.

I store my pads both rotary and orbital buffer in plastic bags to keep then from drying out.

Using a rotary buffer will throw compounds all over everything. Mask it off, cover it, or be prepared to clean everything.

Again, I am not saying my way is right, and you have to use the products and equipment I use exactly the way I said to, and everybody else is wrong. There are many ways to polish a boat. There are people who only sand down to 600 grit sandpaper, and then finish up with compounds and buffers, and get good results.

[mhaaland]

Listen to DanielC! He helped me out a ton with my gelcoat restoration!

[GoBig]

I had some bad surface scratches on my midnight blue hull from my trailer bunk. I used the same suite of 3M products as you. Only difference is I applied/removed the rubbing compound by hand then used the buffer for the glaze and wax. It turned out great. Using a buffer for the rubbing compound can definitely do more harm then good if not done correctly.

[fortnox]

If you are getting a lot of swirl marks with rotary buffer; You can get a different style and go back over what you polished with a Waffle Pad. It looks like foam packing material basically, but it does not really leave any swirl marks. It works pretty well and is cheap and much faster than wetsanding.