Matts94z28
Active member
I know everyone here has different ways to go about it, but what is your most favorite method/product? Looking for some advice on bringing the life back to this mate:
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What's your buffing process?
- Thread starter Matts94z28
- Start date
Matts94z28
Active member
Unfortunately it is not mine and I am not sure of the model either. The boat isn't chalky per se... but it seems like it is absorbing the fine grit compound after color sanding with 3000 grit and buffing with a foam pad leaving a splotchy look to it. Almost like some areas were missed or something.
It's hard to explain so I am going over in the morning to get better pictures of the problem area (bow) so maybe we can go from there.
It seems like most use a 1000 grit and move to a 1500 before buffing. Do you guys like foam pads over the wool pads?
wired
Well-known member
3M marine imperial compound after 1800 grit sanding. A couple of drops of detergent in a bucket of warm water to clean the sandpaper. I use a constant speed dewalt buffer with a wool pad . Wax with fleet wax.
This sat in my dads backyard for 10 years and had to get pulled out of the mud with a tractor.
This sat in my dads backyard for 10 years and had to get pulled out of the mud with a tractor.
Matts94z28
Active member
Thanks for the input thus far guys. Gel is MUCH different than the automotive stuff I am used to working on. We were thinking that 1500 was too course, but then we have read that some guys use 600 or lower to start! 
I will have some pictures for you guys tomorrow and hopefully some finished pictures shortly. They are hoping to have the 5xxci motor back in it in a week or two.
I will have some pictures for you guys tomorrow and hopefully some finished pictures shortly. They are hoping to have the 5xxci motor back in it in a week or two.
Matt read thru this and see if will help you:http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21226
RNGRDVE
Well-known member
, but then we have read that some guys use 600 or lower to start!
don't use the 600 that isn't in that bad of shape. I actually went coarser than 600 on the deck of mine but it was shot. I figured if I ruined it than into the spray booth it would go. scratches from that are a PITA to get out.
Matts94z28
Active member
It sure did. Very good article, Rob. I was just looking to expand on it a little and see what other have done and like.
Matts94z28
Active member
I used this on my Ranger bass boat, good stuff!! http://compare.ebay.com/like/120857882831?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar
Thanks for all the advice thus far on the boat. I am the owner of this 93 253 convincor. It has a bb 540 in it but the motor is out rite now because we are rebuilding it and hopefully it will be back in the boat next week sometime.
On to the gelcoat in question. The overall finish was in really good condition considering its a 93. The boat had a full cover on it but sat outside. The bow has really given me a hard time with trying to get it back looking nice again. I used the 3k sand paper because we didnt know if it had ever been done before and it looked like it just needed a good quick wet sanding and buffing and we were back in business. Well....that isn't the case. I guess tomorrow I will grab some 1500 and give it a shot again. I'm trying to get all this waxing and stuff done before the motor goes back in because I'm sure once that happens it'll be all about playing then and no more working. Ill let y'all know how it goes tomorrow night. Thanks again for the help
On to the gelcoat in question. The overall finish was in really good condition considering its a 93. The boat had a full cover on it but sat outside. The bow has really given me a hard time with trying to get it back looking nice again. I used the 3k sand paper because we didnt know if it had ever been done before and it looked like it just needed a good quick wet sanding and buffing and we were back in business. Well....that isn't the case. I guess tomorrow I will grab some 1500 and give it a shot again. I'm trying to get all this waxing and stuff done before the motor goes back in because I'm sure once that happens it'll be all about playing then and no more working. Ill let y'all know how it goes tomorrow night. Thanks again for the help
keith4216
Well-known member
Its hard to see the oxidation on the white. The blotches and soaking up feeling is from the oxidation still on there. Once you get on it with the 1500 with steady water flow you'll see the white water washing off. You'll also be able to tell the difference while your sanding. The paper will glide smoother once the oxi is off. Then you can polish it back up. This is where the white is great. Hard to see scratches and swirls.
topgun
Well-known member
Agreed. Gelcote is much harder than an automotive finish. For heavy oxidation I would use 1000 grit and follow with 1500 then polish away. White is easy and much more forgiving than the heavy flakes cause of the thick coat of clear gel on those. One thing is the same as an automotive finish, the darker the color the more elbow grease is required. Just my 02 cents.
UPDATE:
Well I went yesterday and bought some 1500 and 2000. I don't have a DA sander anymore because someone dropped it and broke it a while back. So on this wet sanding project I have been using my electic palm sander with a spay bottle so that it's not to much water with the electricity. So I sanded the whole bow with the sander and then went back a second time by hand and using the water hose just to make double sure that I had covered every inch of this thing. Then washed the bow real good with soap to clean it all up. Then I proceeded to sand with 2000 and did the entire bow again. Washed it a second time. The bow is looking alot better now since i used the 1500 and 2000.I then dried it all off and broke out the the buffer and the compound. I only wanted to do one side of the bow so I could get a pic of it coming back to life but then I forget about pictures and keep on keepen on. Well one side is done with compounding now. It's starting to get dark but I'm in work mode so I press on and change out to the foam pad and start waxing now. So I get the one side done and its looking a lot better then the previous 3 times I have done it so my hopes are high at this point that its what I'm looking for. Then the light comes on outside my garage because its that dark now. I stopped for a few mins a was looking at and put my head down next to the bow so that I could see across it and see if I had missed anything. It was kinda upsetting to see that it still didnt look all that great.I guess today when I get off of work I'm going to go and buy some new buffing wheels and pads just to see if its my pads that are just dirty and not cutting rite.
I wish I could get some pictures of what I'm talking about but since I'm doing this all outside nothing really shows up because I can't get the rite lighting that I need because of the glare. One thing that I have learned from this whole process is that if there is a next time I will get prices from a body shop and let someone else do it.
Well I went yesterday and bought some 1500 and 2000. I don't have a DA sander anymore because someone dropped it and broke it a while back. So on this wet sanding project I have been using my electic palm sander with a spay bottle so that it's not to much water with the electricity. So I sanded the whole bow with the sander and then went back a second time by hand and using the water hose just to make double sure that I had covered every inch of this thing. Then washed the bow real good with soap to clean it all up. Then I proceeded to sand with 2000 and did the entire bow again. Washed it a second time. The bow is looking alot better now since i used the 1500 and 2000.I then dried it all off and broke out the the buffer and the compound. I only wanted to do one side of the bow so I could get a pic of it coming back to life but then I forget about pictures and keep on keepen on. Well one side is done with compounding now. It's starting to get dark but I'm in work mode so I press on and change out to the foam pad and start waxing now. So I get the one side done and its looking a lot better then the previous 3 times I have done it so my hopes are high at this point that its what I'm looking for. Then the light comes on outside my garage because its that dark now. I stopped for a few mins a was looking at and put my head down next to the bow so that I could see across it and see if I had missed anything. It was kinda upsetting to see that it still didnt look all that great.I guess today when I get off of work I'm going to go and buy some new buffing wheels and pads just to see if its my pads that are just dirty and not cutting rite.
I wish I could get some pictures of what I'm talking about but since I'm doing this all outside nothing really shows up because I can't get the rite lighting that I need because of the glare. One thing that I have learned from this whole process is that if there is a next time I will get prices from a body shop and let someone else do it.
I am honestly afraid to do to much more sanding though. My driveway turned white yesterday from all the material that was coming off the boat. My biggest thing is is that I don't know if the boat has ever been wet sanded before so I don't know how much gelcoat is left. At this point I have done the bow 3-4 times with 3k, 2 times with 1500 and once with 2k and countless times with different grit compounds. I just don't want to mess this thing up and go to far with it.