Rubbing/Buffing Compounds?

[wotan2525]

Anyone have any advice? Last year I tried the aquabuff 2-step process and the results were nowhere near what I expected. It brightened it up but required constant waxing and never really had that SHINE to it. (Granted, I only used a really crummy Wal-Mart buffer instead of the rotary tools.)

So... this year I'm going to do it again.... anyone have any recommendations on products that actually work and aren't too difficult? I see 3M has a fast-cut 1-step compound.... is it silly to think that the 1-step products can ever work?

[Salty87]

I see 3M has a fast-cut 1-step compound.... is it silly to think that the 1-step products can ever work?

in 1 word...depends. depends on what you have to work with. if you're back to faded/chalky then no, you won't be too happy with the results.

i've had luck with 3m heavy duty marine compound but like you said, you have to have a real buffer. it doesn't have to be a real good buffer...harbor freight time.

you can find velcro-backed wool pads at lowe's sometimes. you're still gonna have to bust yer butt though.

follow-up with Finesse It to polish anything left behind. this will give you the really deep shine. Finesse It is expensive, it's worth it too. got any west marine's going out of business? might find some decent discounts.

wax...it's a 3m sweep for me there. wax doesn't last forever though so i don't sweat that too much.

[Okie Boarder]

My boat is pretty heavily oxidized and I am just getting ready to get mine all buffed out. I was recommended to follow this process:

Wetsand
3M Super Duty Compound
3M Imperial Glaze
3M Finnesse-It Glaze
Wax

I started one side before I got side tracked with my repair. I started with 2000 grit paper, then the Super Duty and decided it wasn't getting it down far enough. I am going to a 1000 grit paper and starting over. Here's a few pictures.

If yours isn't too bad, you could start with the Super Duty Compound or Imperial Glaze. Definitely look at getting a rotary or a DA. The Super Duty is somewhere lighter than 1000-2000 grit.

[Salty87]

i haven't wet sanded mine. might be quicker than buffing, i dunno.

a job like this takes me about 10-12 hours for buffing, finesse it, and wax.

last signs of the stripes:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a10/salty87/DSCF0145.jpg

during
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a10/salty87/DSCF0148.jpg

after
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a10/salty87/stbdshining.jpg

[Blackntan90]

WOW! Salty, that looks great! I need to do that this spring also.

[wotan2525]

Wow... great job! Mine doesn't look as bad as either one of yours did... I have hope, now!

[Okie Boarder]

I'll post more pictures as I go along. I wetsanded half the other side on Saturday and I'm making some good progress. I may work on more buffing over the next week or two.

[mapleleaf]

Salty, what kind of pad are you using on the buffer?

[Salty87]

i use wool all of the time. lots of people say you should use foam for polishing or waxing. i don't like foam pads, they don't cooperate.

[mapleleaf]

definitely looks like the wool is cooperating!!!!!

[TayTay]

I have a question on this subject. I have a 2005, so a fairly new paint job and such, but I have slight oxidation and some scuffs that look like they are from fenders from the previous owners (i bought black ones, so I wouldn't have white scuffs on a black hull) Anyway, I dont think I need to wetsand, that seems a little intense. What should I use for just a slight oxidation? Thanks...

[Salty87]

with a mostly new boat, i'd use finesse it and then wax. the finesse it should get light oxidation and will still polish everything up real shiny.

[Okie Boarder]

Do you have some good pictures close and far showing the slight oxidation? You may not be able to get it off without getting a "little" aggressive. Seeing what it looks like would help.

[TayTay]

I will get some pictures this weekend and post them. You cant really tell from a far. It looks like a pretty clean boat, up close though, you can kind of see it. Its probably not biggest deal, but I KNOW its there, and that will bother me, haha. Thanks for the advice and ill get some pics.

[rickr]

3M and paint supplies
http://www.tcpglobal.com/3m

[TayTay]

Here are a couple pictures from a few feet away and one close up... Let me know what you think. Thanks!

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/TaylorAR/DSC06120.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/TaylorAR/DSC06124.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k301/TaylorAR/DSC06123.jpg

[Salty87]

i'm sticking with my finesse it suggestion. i wouldn't compound that, mainly because it adds another lap around the boat. 50/50 vinegar water mix to strip the wax and water spots first.

ss rubrails look so sharp, wish mine was.

[TayTay]

Ok, thanks for the info. I will let you know how it turns out. I like the rubrails too. I am very happy with my decision to go with a Supra. Unfortunatly I dont know anybody else in my town who has one. We only have Malibu, Tige and Moomba dealerships here so thats mainly what you see. Mostly Malibus honestly. I have a nice big family of Supra owners on here though :D

[tg0824SSVGG]

Depending on how long those water spots ahve been there, you may need to get
more aggressive.

I used to always use 1/2 vinegar, 1/4 water and 1/4 windex IMMEDIATELY after
coming out of the water to wipe down the entire boat.

If they have been there a while, - Babes Boats makes a water spot remover that
works great.

I use Babe's Boat stuff all the time -

[TayTay]

I have never heard of the vinegar thing. Thats cool though. The water spots were there when I bought it and it was outside in Seattle during last winter so I am sure they have been there a while. I will put a solution together to use after I get done. I usually just wipe it down with a towel. If you dont mind explaining, why the vinegar and windex. Thanks.

[tg0824SSVGG]

Vinegar and Windex ... don't know, was recommended to me - vinegar to cut
the hard water spots, windex to clean?

I also used to use Ducky - which works GREAT on water spots, but is a little $$

http://www.duckyproducts.com/p5.php

http://www.duckyproducts.com/images/p5.jpg

We go to Lake Powell a couple times a year and that water is NASTY hard - the ducky
always took the spots right off.

babes boats:

http://babesboats.com/prodSpotSolver.php

http://babesboats.com/images/prodSpotSolver.jpg

I always use this now, to wipe down just coming out of the water:

http://babesboats.com/prodBoatBright.php

http://babesboats.com/images/prodBoatBright.jpg

(comes in gallons too)

[jamisono]

I have an 06 22 SSV with some light oxidation and I'm going to give the finesse a try with a rotary buffer. Is it okay to do just the sections that have the oxidation or should I go over the whole boat with the finesse before I apply a wax? What type of waxes have you all been using?

[Okie Boarder]

I'd try the solution to get those spots out then wax if it works. If not, go to the 3M Finesse-It II with a 3M Perfect-It foam pad and a rotary buffer with variable speed. If that doesn't take it off you'll want to go one step more aggressive with something like 3M Imperial Machine Glaze, again with the foam pad. Then follow up with a good wax. If you can find a detailer that will do this for you for $100 or so, it might be worht it. You'll be into supplies for around $60-80, not counting a buffer.

jamisono, I'd guess it is better to go over the whole boat, then apply wax. Doing sections usually doesn't yield very good results in my experience. 3M has a couple good waxes and I've heard good things about a couple others out there, that I've never tried.

[Salty87]

agree with okie...there's nothing to stop you from doing sections except when you're done you'll wish you had done all of it. you'll be able to tell where you didn't polish.

[wotan2525]

Here's a picture.... right half has been buffed with 3M Heavy Duty Rubbing Compound.... Left side is what I started with.

At this point I have the whole boat buffed, half of it polished/waxed, and should finish up the rest tonight. The shine is back but I do have "waves" in the finish that i'm not too happy with. Could just be old fiberglass? It's very hard to take a picture of.

[Salty87]

that looks a ton better. red fades the most so you def have your work cut out for you. i'm curious about the 'wave'. i've got a few dimples in my fiberglass but they'll still shine up. i'm wondering if there's some haze left. if you don't get it all, it will fade again pretty quickly. it's all about removing the surface imperfections.

did you use finesse it?

[wotan2525]

I used Finesse It II and it certainly turned the dull color you see into much more of a SHINE. Not mirror-like.... certainly doesn't feel like a new-boat... but it does sparkle and look the best this boat has ever looked since I've owned it. It's hard to take a picture of it in the evening when I get to work on it, but I'll try to take a picture tonight that shows the waves.

[Blackntan90]

Just went 3 laps around mine last saturday! It was pretty badly oxidized from the winter! started with Mequires#49 oxidation remover, then switched to #45 polish, and finished up with a good coat of Hi-Tech yellow wax. Came out really good, but damn it wore me out- that buffer is kinda heavy! Last year I wetsanded and then buffed because it looked really bad, and I wanted to remove the stripes and wave decals that were messed-up and did not want to see ghosts of the old behind the new!

[mvd]

What is the best way to remove some minor light scratches from the gelcoat.
My boat has some verry small scratches (almost not visible) from the fenders when i was docking beside another boat.

What is the best way to clean/polish and what can i use.

[wotan2525]

that looks a ton better. red fades the most so you def have your work cut out for you. i'm curious about the 'wave'. i've got a few dimples in my fiberglass but they'll still shine up. i'm wondering if there's some haze left. if you don't get it all, it will fade again pretty quickly. it's all about removing the surface imperfections.

did you use finesse it?


Salty -- If you look as far down the transom as possible you can see the "waves" show up... they look like ripples/ridges in the clear coat. Something I did or just the age of the boat?

This picture makes it look quite shiny!

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/5324/photoq050709q001.jpg

[Salty87]

i see what you're looking at. you didn't do it but i don't have a good explanation other than something happened during the hull layup. i have a few areas with some sort of imperfections.

that shine is badass! looks great.

are you replacing the blower vents?...west marine can get them if they aren't in stock.

[Okie Boarder]

Mine has some "ripple" too and so did my last boat. It may be kind of a common thing or could happen as they age.

Salty, West Marine has the vent covers for the back?

[Salty87]

yep, they didn't have them in stock but they got em

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/24798/377%20710%201657/712/vent/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/0/0?N=377%20710%201657&Ne=712&Ntt=vent&Ntk=Primary%20Search&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&Nao=0&Ns=0&keyword=vent&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=5002&subdeptNum=12&classNum=12408

the picture is messed up but those are the ones for the saltare.

[wotan2525]

Yep... I ordered new rear vents and new side vents from Viper Customs.... his prices seem to be a little lower than West and I enjoy dealing with him!

I bought some Attwood Pop-Up Cleats from eBay but they didn't come with the right backing plates. As soon as my local marina gets in the backing plates I'll be able to fill all the holes in my boat and get it on the water. Should have pictures of the new stainless rubrail in the next couple of days!!

[Salty87]

stainless rub rail....sweet! how did that work out? how much $$??

[wotan2525]

stainless rub rail....sweet! how did that work out? how much $$??

Haven't finished the install yet but I think it will look great.

It was $395 from Viper and $105 for shipping.... so.... $500 total.

I've been busy busy busy with my projects this year. I moved all my amps from the rear ski locker to the space underneath the glovebox. It was a wiring nightmare... but... that area stays a lot drier and wasn't being used for anything. Buffing/Polishing/Waxing was probably 10 hours. Pop-up cleats were a major PITA. Pop-Up LED bowlight was easy. Tower Speakers and a Tower Anchor light. SS Rub Rail. All LED lights on trailer.

Still to do: Built in Ballast for the rear locker and bow. Finish stereo wiring. Figure out a cupholder solution. Trailer brakes need TLC. Try and figure out if a Monster Cargo Bimini will fit.... if not.... need to figure out some way to store 3 surfboards!!

[Salty87]

that's a really good price from what i remember (wish i had stainless). and, that's a hell of a list.

i need to do trailer brakes too.

pop up LED bow light? i need one, got a link or was that viper?...did you change the light on the transom to LED?

[wotan2525]

This is the one I went with...

http://www.danamarineproducts.com/ProductDetails.cfm?group_id=9&catid=92&productid=4655&CFID=614801&CFTOKEN=3036bc7-b005ef34-8ddb-4292-8487-4f7addb489e8

I plan on replacing the transom light and anchor light bulbs with LED bulbs. I also want to install some LED interior lighting while I have all the speakers out since it will be much easier to wire right now. I suppose I should start googling for LED courtesy light options.....

[Salty87]

youch, they're proud of that light. uscg certifying isn't cheap i guess. def on my wish list.

thx

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Non pop-up LED bow light only $34. Cooooool.

http://www.danamarineproducts.com/ProductDetails.cfm?group_id=9&catid=92&productid=2369&CFID=614801&CFTOKEN=3036bc7-b005ef34-8ddb-4292-8487-4f7addb489e8

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Woton are those vents you got from Viper the round 3" rear blower vents? Sorry I keep forgetting, what is your year/model Supra? You should post that info in your profile or signature, yo... :)

[wotan2525]

Yep! I searched around to try and find some kind of "upgraded" rear and front vents.... I couldn't find any options. I could have had some built/made from billet aluminum but it would have been super expensive. I've decided to just go ahead and replace them with the stock ones.

Next question... About the only thing I have left on my hull (besides tower) is the front railing. Anyone have any opinions about removing this? I keep looking at it... keep consider taking it off.... keep having second thoughts. I'd like to do it soon because I need to take my cover in for some modifications and this would obviously effect how it fits.

Oops: Also.... 87 Supra Saltare. I'll get a pride and joy thread going on soon.

[Salty87]

i find myself using the railing more than the cleats for tying up. most slips are too small to use the cleats on my local lake. well, i could still use them but the rails are often easier.

it would look more modern without them though.