Tips For Compound, Polish & Wax

[night0wl]

MaineSail...here's my conundrum.

I have a relatively new boat, 3 years old. Live near an area of a power plant incinerator, so I get this particularly nasty soot that is not even coming off with dawn detergent wash. So I've thought about a few options, but I'm wondering what the long term effects of these are:

1) Using Collinite #920 to get down to bare gelcoat to rebuild the wax process. This stuff is cheap and is in the Collinite family. What I dont know or like very much is that it appears to use silica which means its an abrasive. I dont like abrasives at all because modern production boat gelcoats are thin as it is and I want to minimize the use of anything that could wear through it. Plus, abrasives inevitably mean a wax/buff application...which will be hard work to do right. Like a waxing/buffing process.

2) Using Interlux 202 solvent. This takes the grime *RIGHT* off. But I dont know what the long term effects of continual use of solvent are on the gelcoat. I intend to own the boat a long time, so solvents in general make me concern. I've heard things like it can make gelcoat soft/sticky, etc. In looking at the ingredients on the quart bottle I bought, the 3 components of this wash are: Methyl Isobutyl Ketone, Cyclohexanon, Aromatich Naptha. Also, this stuff is pricey...at $50 a gallon or $25 a quart

3) FXR or Oxalic acid wash. This stuff is in Black Streak Remover, FXR wash, ON/Off wash, etc. Seems to remove the soot/grease/grime and is a cheap product. I worry about its effect on metal including my aluminum toe rail, various stainless bits/bobs. Its impossible to mask everything off and then do a wholesale cleaning of the boat using this stuff. How much contact with metal is needed before pitting or damage to metal occurs?

Basically, I'm trying to get to bare gel-coat and working my way back up with wax coats of Collinite #885

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by night0wl

MaineSail...here's my conundrum.

I have a relatively new boat, 3 years old. Live near an area of a power plant incinerator, so I get this particularly nasty soot that is not even coming off with dawn detergent wash. So I've thought about a few options, but I'm wondering what the long term effects of these are:

1) Using Collinite #920 to get down to bare gelcoat to rebuild the wax process. This stuff is cheap and is in the Collinite family. What I dont know or like very much is that it appears to use silica which means its an abrasive. I dont like abrasives at all because modern production boat gelcoats are thin as it is and I want to minimize the use of anything that could wear through it. Plus, abrasives inevitably mean a wax/buff application...which will be hard work to do right. Like a waxing/buffing process.

2) Using Interlux 202 solvent. This takes the grime *RIGHT* off. But I dont know what the long term effects of continual use of solvent are on the gelcoat. I intend to own the boat a long time, so solvents in general make me concern. I've heard things like it can make gelcoat soft/sticky, etc. In looking at the ingredients on the quart bottle I bought, the 3 components of this wash are: Methyl Isobutyl Ketone, Cyclohexanon, Aromatich Naptha. Also, this stuff is pricey...at $50 a gallon or $25 a quart

3) FXR or Oxalic acid wash. This stuff is in Black Streak Remover, FXR wash, ON/Off wash, etc. Seems to remove the soot/grease/grime and is a cheap product. I worry about its effect on metal including my aluminum toe rail, various stainless bits/bobs. Its impossible to mask everything off and then do a wholesale cleaning of the boat using this stuff. How much contact with metal is needed before pitting or damage to metal occurs?

Basically, I'm trying to get to bare gel-coat and working my way back up with wax coats of Collinite #885

Try NAPTHA. One of my favorites for removing wax, grime etc. and a lot cheaper than Interlux 202.....

PLEASE DO NOT worry about the thickness of your gelcoat. Even the thinnest gelcoat is 20-30 times thicker than the clear coat of a car and cars are buffed with the SAME polishes and compounds as boats are.

The new boats have gelcoat just as thick as any other boat. I buff 40 year old gelocaot boats that are still not burned through and that have been buffed with abrasives for 40 years. I'm buffing/polishing a 1978 Cape Dory 36 next week and this boat is buffed EVERY year and has been since about 1981 when this owner bought it. Boat still looks amazing for a 33 year old boat..

[lancelot9898]

Hi Maine,

Appreciate all your posts. Speaking of waxing the hull, have you ever heard of wet sanding with 1000grit sandpaper to remove small imperfections in the gelkote prior to putting on the wax? The imperfections are small raised dimples that have appeared over the years. It's not over the entire hull just around the bow on the starboard side which for years received the afternoon sun. It's an area about 2 to 3 feet above the waterline.

[bateauras]

Chapeau Monsieur Maine Sail!
Followed your instructions and my 32 years old O'Day look amazing after 3 days of work (hull & cockpit).
I used a 35$ 7" Variable Speed Polisher/Sander from Harbor Freight.
Thank You!

[our38]

I'm glad I found this link. We just purchased (yesterday) a 1980 ericson 38' that hasn't been out of the water, or possibly the slip, for about eleven years; with the exception of the haul out for survey. I'm very new to all this, only just learned how to sail, and decided I want to spend time on the water. The bottom needs repairs AND buffing, and the deck needs buffing really bad (I guess); it's all powdery, so I guess it needs the rubbing compound. I'll go through your list, purchase the tools and materials, and start on the deck this weekend to see how it goes. Where would be the best place to purchase the buffer, pads, and compounds? Would Home Depot carry that stuff, or do I need to find a Marine Supply store, or do I need to mail order it?

Any additional information or direction would be much appreciated. I'll be sure to take before and after pics and post them on this link whenever I get done. It may take all summer though , as I'm also rebuilding my house, yikes!

[maine89]

Originally Posted by our38

I'm glad I found this link. We just purchased (yesterday) a 1980 ericson 38' that hasn't been out of the water, or possibly the slip, for about eleven years; with the exception of the haul out for survey. I'm very new to all this, only just learned how to sail, and decided I want to spend time on the water. The bottom needs repairs AND buffing, and the deck needs buffing really bad (I guess); it's all powdery, so I guess it needs the rubbing compound. I'll go through your list, purchase the tools and materials, and start on the deck this weekend to see how it goes. Where would be the best place to purchase the buffer, pads, and compounds? Would Home Depot carry that stuff, or do I need to find a Marine Supply store, or do I need to mail order it?

Any additional information or direction would be much appreciated. I'll be sure to take before and after pics and post them on this link whenever I get done. It may take all summer though , as I'm also rebuilding my house, yikes!

Congrats on your buy. I could only find the compounds online but I didn't check out any specialty shops. The buffer and pads I purchased on amazon but you could probably find those locally. The buffer on amazon came with a couple pads but I had already bought some others as directed so I'm not sure if yours will come with those or even if they are any good. Good luck.

[F15EWSO]

I have a Milwaukee 7" buffer I bought used and can't seem to get a handle on the type of pads/buffer that goes with my particular model. It has a hard black rubber disk that came to me with a wool buffer with a hard plastic interior that seems to have the "loop" of the "hook and loop" combination normally referred to as Velcro on the inside. The hard black disk has no "hooks" at all. The Wool pad is fastened to the disk using a metal type bolt that fastens the whole combination together.

My dilemma is that when I go to shop a new set of pads I can't seem to find anything that describes my attachment type. I've seen some sold that tighten with a string too but that is not what I currently have.

ANy help would be appreciated.

[bandaidmd]

Originally Posted by F15EWSO

I have a Milwaukee 7" buffer I bought used and can't seem to get a handle on the type of pads/buffer that goes with my particular model. It has a hard black rubber disk that came to me with a wool buffer with a hard plastic interior that seems to have the "loop" of the "hook and loop" combination normally referred to as Velcro on the inside. The hard black disk has no "hooks" at all. The Wool pad is fastened to the disk using a metal type bolt that fastens the whole combination together.

My dilemma is that when I go to shop a new set of pads I can't seem to find anything that describes my attachment type. I've seen some sold that tighten with a string too but that is not what I currently have.

ANy help would be appreciated.

Does the shaft on your buffer have external threads? (most of the HD models are 5/8") If so it uses a flanged nut that tucks down under the nap of your buffing pad and sandwichs/clamps the pad and backer togetherusually on this type the backer will have a hex to accept the flange nut.. I had a ole cheepie model made by wen that used a screw into a hollow sfaft on the tool but the principal is the same either way. Post a pic of the machine if you need further help.

[F15EWSO]

BandaidMD,
I'll get a photo but right now it's raining buckets. So you say the flange is enough to hold/press the pad to the rubber ring and just holds it there? Your description matches the Milwaukee, I'll need to go the shed when rain stops and confirm and get a digital snap.

[bandaidmd]

I went out in the shop to get the nut and take a pic for you but when i got in the drawer i realized i had lost it. What i used as a work arround was a nut like in the link that came off a cheepie harbor freight 4" grinder that has the same 5/8x11 thread. From my research it looks like we have old school tools and should upgrade everything from threaded shaft on.lol If you can make that spanner nut work the whole grinder from HF is less than $20 and when your done buffing you'll have a handy grinder to use.

Miscellaneous Hand Tools - Titan 22511 5/8 x 11 Flange Nut and Wrench Set

EDIT: looking back at your backing plate picture i think this style is probably exactly what your missing.