Gelcoat Polish Question - Removed swirls but also deep gloss? - Pics

[Mike Phillips]

The majority of the boat is actually a deep red in good shape with little oxidation, so with this new info I am hoping I can use the blue coarse pads and have a stunning result.




Nice boat!

https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/attachments/boat-and-marine-craft-detailing/68904d1583296255-gelcoat-polish-question-removed-swirls-but-also-deep-gloss-pics-img_2393-large-jpg


Keep us updated as to how this project turns out.


:)

[dnadrifterr]

Keep us updated as to how this project turns out.

:)

Thanks! Will do. :xyxthumbs:

[Totts]

I ordered a couple of blue Rupes cutting pads and Mike kindly sent some Captains Compound for me to try with them. Captains Compound is a one step compound and polish.

The blue Rupes pads are really quite course and stiff, more so than I was expecting and the Captains Compound was the opposite, that is to say, when rubbed between the fingers, its creamy with almost no discernible texture. I was expecting to feel some grittiness but then I guess Captains Compound isn't professing to be a heavy cut compound such as 3M's offering.

I waited for a sunny day so I could really see what was going on and tried the combination on two boats, one or which is gelcoat and the other has been painted.

As there's little flex in the Rupes pad, it does take a bit of getting used as they don't hug the surface like softer pads, however, the combination worked very well on both boats, which is cutting and polishing at the same time. Under sunlight, I could see that the combination had worked well on the moderately oxidised surfaces and I couldn't see any swirl marks, holograms and fine scratches were removed nicely.

So in essence, the combination works well together, a successful result. In addition, I didn't see any dulling/frosting with that annealed texture I mentioned before, the reason why this thread was started in the first place.

[Mike Phillips]

In addition, I didn't see any dulling/frosting with that annealed texture I mentioned before, the reason why this thread was started in the first place.




Thanks for the update and it sounds like you have found a combination to accomplish the goal.


Just to note - the Captain's compound is aggressive, it just uses hi tech abrasive technology, thus the reason you don't feel any grit or abrasive particles. IN fact if feels more like a hand lotion.


Also - I've never used the Captains Compound and the RUPES blue foam pads to tackle neglected boats. I START with an even more aggressive process of sanding and then buffing with wool pads and rotary buffers. I use the Captain's Compound and the RUPES blue foam pads to remove the holograms scratches from the wool pads/rotary buffers and THEN use the Captain's Compound and RUPES blue foam pads to create a show car finish on a boat.

So for anyone to use the Captain's compound and the RUPES blue foam pads to START a de-oxidation process - while it should work - it's going to take a lot more foam pads because as the foam becomes wet with product it's going to become soft and then stop cutting and polishing, which is the desired end result.


I remember the BIG PICTURE goal was how to "polish" without dulling and that's what I originally prescribed the Captain's Compound/RUPES blue foam pads for. I don't remember prescribing it for the initial oxidation removal, this will always be done better and faster using wool pad and a rotary buffer.


Make sense?


Thanks for updating both threads. For those following, here's the other thread.


Polishing gelcoat makes it go dull - what am I doing wrong? (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/boat-and-marine-craft-detailing/125600-polishing-gelcoat-makes-go-dull-what-am-i-doing-wrong.html)


:)

[Mike Phillips]

Thanks! Will do. :xyxthumbs:




Any update?


:)

[dnadrifterr]

Any update?


:)

Okay, finally got around to trying this out. The whole pandemic put a halt on a boating trip so I wasn't as motivated. I have had some success but not perfect yet. The blue rupes coarse pad didn't do much with the 3M finesse or 3M restorer. But it did do some good with 3M perfect it medium cut.

I tried the wool too but got a big wooly fiber mess I wasn't ready for (never used wool before). Gonna try the wool again with the Perfect It medium. I think I have some older Marine 31 stuff also that I may try as well. Really don't want to wet sand...that scares me.

[dnadrifterr]

Wool with perfect didn't do much again....seems the blue coarse pads were better.

Tried the blue coarse with some old Marine 31 Heavy oxidation and cleaner. This worked much better. Still not to the original gloss, but much much better. Will get a better idea tomorrow in the sunlight.

[Totts]

Good to hear you got some decent results.

I wet sanded a test area on a heavily oxidised boat recently (like chalk) with the Mirka Abralon pads that Mike recommended. They're really good. I followed up buffing with a wool pad and cutting compound and thought I'd finish it off with the blue Rupes pad and Captains compound, but it dulled the gelcoat again. The same old story of using a foam pad on gelcoat. I had to restore it with the cutting and wool pads again.

Using foam pads on gelcoat is a strange business. I've tried the orbital on both the free spinning and forced rotation modes so it's not that. I'd really like to get to the bottom of this as those blue Rupes look excellent and nice to use and of course, buffing alone brings with it swirl marks which an orbital can get out.

[dnadrifterr]

Good to hear you got some decent results.

I wet sanded a test area on a heavily oxidised boat recently (like chalk) with the Mirka Abralon pads that Mike recommended. They're really good. I followed up buffing with a wool pad and cutting compound and thought I'd finish it off with the blue Rupes pad and Captains compound, but it dulled the gelcoat again. The same old story of using a foam pad on gelcoat. I had to restore it with the cutting and wool pads again.

Using foam pads on gelcoat is a strange business. I've tried the orbital on both the free spinning and forced rotation modes so it's not that. I'd really like to get to the bottom of this as those blue Rupes look excellent and nice to use and of course, buffing alone brings with it swirl marks which an orbital can get out.

Still not completely happy as it still doesn't have that hard glassy surface look. May have to try to use the wool pads again with another product, or break down and wet sand and then try the wool. Guess I could try wet sanding beneath my platform where nobody looks.

What wool pads did you use...the rupes blue / white ones?

[Mike Phillips]

The blue rupes coarse pad didn't do much with the 3M finesse or 3M restorer.

But it did do some good with 3M perfect it medium cut.







Tried the blue coarse with some old Marine 31 Heavy oxidation and cleaner.




The more posts like yours, and we have a few now, the more I'm going to stick to what I always say,

Abrasive Technology - THE most important factor when it comes to polishing paint (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/2018-new-car-detailing-how-to-article-by-mike-phillips/120326-abrasive-technology-most-important-factor-when-comes-polishing-paint.html)


Send me your shipping address and I'll send you a bottle of some GREAT abrasive technology.

mike.phillips@autogeek.net


:)

[aplus]

Would the same process you use on gel coat work just as well on marine paint??

[Markymapo]

I found using Marine31 (compound n polish using wool pad using rotary), followed by Marine31 (polish n wax using Rupes coarse pads on orbital) worked well.keep in mind that I wet sanded last season but not needed this season

[Mike Phillips]

Would the same process you use on gel coat work just as well on marine paint??




No, at least not generally speaking.

I cover this in my boat detailing book but it's been discontinued.


The short answer is, "most" marine products for removing oxidation on gel-coats are too aggressive for marine specialty paints like Awlgrip. When it comes to marine specialty paints - you REALLY should contact the boat manufacturer and find out what they recommend.

If you can - find out what kind of paint they use for their brand of boats. Then go to that companies website and see what they recommend for their paint systems.


If you use too aggressive of a product you'll destroy the paint.


Since coming to Autogeek in 2009 I've witnessed numerous people come to the lobby here at Autogeek trying to buy a polish to FIX the damage they did to a marine specialty paint after compounding it. There is no fix except to repaint.



Now if you're talking about a boat that your buddy Jim painted, that's a whole different ballgame.


You need to find and know what type of paint is on the boat.



:)

[Taylorvert]

I have a boat I’m doing next week. It’s in good shape no crazy oxidation. I wanna get some pop out of the gel coat. My plan of attack was going to be a foamed wool purple pad from LC w/ Meguiars cleaner wax on my shurhold 3500 DA. Am I aiming in the right direction or should I change something’s up? This is going to be my first boat Detail and I’m trying to knock it out of the park.

[Trevine]

Thanks for the useful information Mike, I hope you are right on this too.

I have some black gelcoat I am dealing with. Having thrown just about every pad/polish combo I have at it, it just cant get the frosting gone.

Just ordered the blue coarse Rupes pads, Marine 31 One Step compound/polish. and the smaller backing plate for my 3401 VRG.

Let's give this a try. :)






So here's what I show for REALLY bad or DEEP oxidation.



Machine sand with Mirka Abralon.
Cut out sanding marks with rotary buffer, TRADITIONAL WOOL CUTTING PAD - not the short fiber style you can use an an orbital polisher, using the Captain's Compound.
Removing the holograms left by the fibers in the above step using the RUPES coarse blue foam pad on any orbital polisher and the Captain's compound. I use the BEAST for speed and pure grunt power.
Seal the surface - Wax, Sealant or Ceramic Coating.



It works every time. And I prove it with pictures like this,


Boat Detailing Training - Before & After Pictures - The MOST DOCUMENTED HANDS-ON Boat Detailing Classes - Autogeek - Stuart, Florida (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/2-day-boat-detailing-classes-info-and-dates/125279-boat-detailing-training-before-after-pictures-most-documented-hands-boat-detailing-classes-autogeek-stuart-florida.html)





:)