Electric Polisher Recommendations?

[KDreese]

I did a search on electric polisher recommendations and a post on that recommended using 3M products and a Makita 9227C. When it comes to electric polishers I am a little concerned about having one that is for pros only... I heard some of the polishers can be very powerful and leave swirl marks on the hull.

I heard this polisher (first link below) would not cause the swirling issue and can be used by novices. I saw on a boat maintenance TV show, but I am skeptical when looking at the detail OPM specs, etc it looks like the Makita is similar... also the Makita while a nice tool is similar to the Harbor Freight cheepo...

http://store.shurhold.com/Random-Orbit- ... buffer.htm

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=92623


Are there polishers out there that people have used that are designed for novices? I plan to use it to compound and wax my 1974 CD25 hull.

KD

[Joe Myerson]

I don't know the brand name, but instead of paying about $40 for a polisher at West Marine several years ago, I went to my local Auto Zone and bought a relatively cheap one for about $15. That was five years ago, and I'm still using it.

--Joe

[brian w]

I'd suggest a Porter Cable random orbit polisher, like this:

http://www.coastaltool.com/a/port/7424_car_buffer.htm

It's widely used by car buffs for detailing. I recently used one on the 20 Year old paint on a Saab that had been sitting uncovered look like showroom condition. And as it's a random orbital, it's comparatively gentle on the surface (won't burn the paint on a car). All this translates nicely to fiberglass (won't leave swirl marks on the hull). It's less aggressive than commercial buffers I've used, and the small pad size can reach in the space between the bronze ports. And you really can't do any wrong with it.

Regards,

Brian

[Joe Myerson]

Last weekend I dragged out my 10-inch random orbital polisher to slap some wax on my dinghy. The brand is Vectra, I think (the polisher is 85 miles away from here).

I'm sure it's not up to quality of a Porter-Cable. I bought it at Auto Zone. It was cheap, and it works well enough. I'm not really endorsing it all that much--I just remember that it was about 1/3 of the cost of the polisher sold at West Marine.

--Joe

[Maine Sail]

I did a search on electric polisher recommendations and a post on that recommended using 3M products and a Makita 9227C. When it comes to electric polishers I am a little concerned about having one that is for pros only... I heard some of the polishers can be very powerful and leave swirl marks on the hull.

I heard this polisher (first link below) would not cause the swirling issue and can be used by novices. I saw on a boat maintenance TV show, but I am skeptical when looking at the detail OPM specs, etc it looks like the Makita is similar... also the Makita while a nice tool is similar to the Harbor Freight cheepo...

http://store.shurhold.com/Random-Orbit- ... buffer.htm

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=92623


Are there polishers out there that people have used that are designed for novices? I plan to use it to compound and wax my 1974 CD25 hull.

KD

If you buy a novice polisher you'll get novice results. The Makita 9227C is perhaps the BEST novice polisher because it has a low speed of 600 RPM and has a no load motor and soft start to prevent slinging..

RO buffers don't work very well on oxidized on gelcoat. I own a very expensive one and the Makita 9227C, you really want an orbital machine for gelcoat, and also the right pads and the right products. An RO is good for polishing but not for buffing..

[Maine Sail]

Buff Polish & Wax For Gelcoat (NOT Awl Grip)


Try these products (for Gel-Coat)

The Cliff Note Version:
Steps:
#1-Clean the hull with an acid base cleaner like FSR or On & Off to remove tannin staining.
#2-Wet Sand by hand 600 then move up the grits to P1000 (only if severely oxidized other wise start at #3)
#3-3M Marine Rubbing Compound (use a wool 3M super buff COMPOUND grade pad)
#4-3M Finesse It (Use a foam 3M #05725 pad)
#5-(OPTIONAL STEP) Meguiars #9 Swirl Remover (professional grade automotive product tan bottle - Use 3M #05725 pad)
#6-Collinite #885 Fleet Wax Paste Version- or any top quality carnuba paste wax

The Full Detailed Version:

Tools & Supplies:
To be successful in completing this project you'll need a few items first. Don’t be bashful in pulling out the wallet for these supplies, and while you do, think about how much money you’re saving over a new paint Job. The tools for this project can be used, and will last, for years and years and with each use they cost you less.

#1) Buffer- A good Buffer is an absolute necessity! Unfortunately, one of the cheapies from Wal*Mart or Auto Zone doesn’t count as quality. If you’re buffing a Yugo these “budget buffersâ€

[Joe Myerson]

MainSail:

Wow!

Luckily I only use the Meguiars "marine" wax on my dinghy.

Is the text back on your website? In case it's not, I'm saving this.

BTW, are you thinking of publishing a guide? (No, you won't be able to retire on the royalties, but you'll be giving a lot of boaters good info.)

--Joe

[Sea Hunt]

Double Wow!

"WOW "; "WOW "

[Len]

Maine Sail

How much of your excellent tutorial on cleaning/polishing/waxing applies to awl gripped hulls?

Love that 356 !!!

Len

[Maine Sail]

Maine Sail

How much of your excellent tutorial on cleaning/polishing/waxing applies to awl gripped hulls?

Love that 356 !!!

Len

NONE !!!!! You should NEVER compound or polish Awl Grip and should only use Alwcare their own polymer sealer. Awlcraft 2000 can be polished but Awlgrip can not after cure. If you do buff it you'll be a slave to it..

[Len]

So what else is new.I feel that owning a boat is voluntary servitude anyway. I would like to get rid of those unsightly marks made by the shrinkwrap edge. The marks are not scratches into the paint (I have many of those also), on a car I would buff them out. Ive always used only Alcare but after 7 years the paint job has many divots and scratches. I am trying to hold out to ten years before repainting, after which I will park it at the loneliest part of the parking lot!!
So any suggestions anyone for sprucing up my algrip job?

[Maine Sail]

So what else is new.I feel that owning a boat is voluntary servitude anyway. I would like to get rid of those unsightly marks made by the shrinkwrap edge. The marks are not scratches into the paint (I have many of those also), on a car I would buff them out. Ive always used only Alcare but after 7 years the paint job has many divots and scratches. I am trying to hold out to ten years before repainting, after which I will park it at the loneliest part of the parking lot!!
So any suggestions anyone for sprucing up my algrip job?

Len,

If you paint job is already toast and you're close to re-painting then polishing with Finesse It II can make it look a little better but you will burn through the "shine" that is Awlgrip thus requiring constant attention and maintenance with Awlcare.. Polishing Awlgrip is a LAST resort to maybe get another season out of it.

As for your cover marks those generally are areas where the cover has chewed through the hard surface shine or Awlgrips hard shell. NEVER allow a yard to shrink wrap Awlgrip or any painted finish below the toe rail!!!!

Unless you have a full canvas fitted cover like a Fairclough nothing should touch the finish or cover it. Paint jobs are 10k these days and it cost me $50.00 more per season, basically an extra hour of labor, for a custom toe rail shrink wrap job over the one that will wreck a 10k finish.

This is how an Alwgrip hull should be covered..
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[Len]

Maine Sail.
Your cover job lets water/snow melt onto the deck which refreezes. Doesn't this do damage to your varnished teak.?

Len

[Duncan]

Buff Polish & Wax For Gelcoat (NOT Awl Grip)

The Cliff Note Version:...

Thanks for the thorough guide, which inspired me.

I had a crack at it over the past three days, but I didn't get the sort of results that I'd like. If you don't mind, maybe you could offer further advice?

On the good side, the hull is now very clean, but it's not shiny unless you squint at it from just the right angle.
I didn't wax it, since I think there's more work to do before that stage.







1. Wet-sanding wouldn't get me to "shiny", although it did, in the past on a different boat. I did 600 grit (2x), then 1000, then 1200.
It still looked dull and hazy, a bit shiny in spots, but nothing glossy.

Q. Needs more elbow grease, another round, or is this about what to expect?


2. Compounding - I am not experienced at this, and I am not sure I'm doing it right. I did about 3X3 areas (2X2 seemed very small), kept the pad damp, and made about four passes over each area (side to side, then up and down, and repeat). Maybe 5 minutes or less per section.

It was hard to tell when I'd done enough, since it looked shiny when it was washed off after. It certainly wasn't glossy when it dried, though, just "sort of a bit shiny". I was also surprised to see swirl marks, since I thought I had sponged it off pretty thoroughly.


On the other hand, (forgive me) I didn't follow your tools and products instructions to the letter. I didn't want to obsolete my "practically new" Simoniz RO polisher, and I couldn't get the woolly compounding pad or the 3M compound without spending more time shopping than I wanted to.

Leaving aside the polisher itself, I suspect that the "wax applicator" bonnet I used (rubber backed terry) was probably the main reason the results weren't too inspiring? I also used Turtle Wax "Polishing Compound" vs. the heavy-duty version (because I didn't trust myself with the more aggressive stuff).

Questions:
- am I right in thinking the wrong pad is probably the worst part of this?
- does my technique sound all right?
- should I be using a more aggressive compound? Should I go shopping for the 3M compound, or is it worth it vs. spending the time working on the boat?
- why am I getting swirl marks?

Anyway, I appreciate your patience and your goodwill in reviewing the results of someone who didn't follow the directions

[KDreese]

I am totally new to this process and followed some of what Mainesail said and got really nice results. The steps I have done thus far to my CD25 with original fiberglass that looked like it had been waxed but never compounded:

- Washed and waxed the boat
- Applied 3M Super Duty Rubbing Compound product using a cheaper buffer from Autozone (I couldnt afford the good buffer this year)
- Used a wool pad to apply the 3M
- Applied Collinite's Fiberglass Boat Wax (I had already bought this or would have bought Finesse It and Other wax) by hand and removed by hand once it started to dry (like car wax)

The results looked really great. The white hull color really came back and shined nicely. Some guys I had talked to earlier at the yard that also use similar products (one had recommended the Colllinite's Wax) couldnt believe the hull was 34 years old and made comments like WOW beautiful, etc. It wasnt as perfect as Mainsail's pictures but for how old and worn it looked before I am really very happy with it. Maybe next year I will do more to the letter of what MaineSail recommended, however for a half day of work it looked really good in my opinion.

That being said it sounds like the 3M product and pad are really important. Also, the Collinite wax was recommended by a guy that got the recommendation from some guys that had great results in Florida working on mega yachts. Anyway, I think the better products really do make a difference.

Good luck!