slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

[mollywalk]

I have a buffer with a low speed of 500rpm and a high of 3000rpm with six selections. I hearing about wet sanding and using a buffer so where can one get wetordry disc sandpaper in fine grid to make it work. Perhaps only dry is available in fine grid.<br />Anyone know?

 

[Laddies]

Re: slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

I went to school with I guy who tried that, he is no longer with us, he was electricuted in the attempt, mull this over before you start---Bob

 

[Mark42]

Re: slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

Billha,<br /><br />Do the wet sanding with your bare hands. It is time consuming but safe. Note what laddiesservice said. That is powerful persuation in my book.<br /><br />I assume you are going to polish your gel coat? May I suggest using a plastic scrub pad and abrasive cleaner like original Comet (without bleach) before using wet sand paper. I found this was easier because you don't have to maintain the paper, trying to keep a fresh area, remove gel coat build up, and have it slip around in your hand. Wet sanding is hard enough on a flat surface without having to deal with all the curves and grooves in a boat deck. I did my whole top side gel coat with Comet and scrub pads because I was afraid to put sand paper to the gel coat for fear of sanding through a high spot/corner/edge. It worked well to remove the oxydized layer of gel. For scratches and gouges, sanding is needed. Just be careful not to sand through the gel, because matching colors is difficult. After scrubbing, I left whatever scratches were there alone. I just polished over them. I was afraid of making a bigger mess by trying to remove every imperfection than if I left well enough alone. <br /><br />Gotta keep things in perspective. This is an old boat, not a Rolls Royce.<br /><br />Note that the Vertiglass system uses scrub pads with its cleaning solution. Did they copy me? <br /><br />My article: Polishing Old Gel Coat <br /><br />Oh, one more thing. I found the Comet and scrubbers great for cleaning up the throttle, shift and steering cables. On my boat they all have a heavy plastic coating (Teleflex brand cables) that cleaned up real nice after a good rubbing. No more stains and a nice satin finish. Be careful not to get water inside the cables. Wipe them clean with a damp rag rather than hose them down.

 

[mollywalk]

Re: slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

The comet idea sounds great.I was convince on painting but with all the decals on my sides(Tri-Hull) boat being about 70% with 5" maroon strips I was told a heat gun and a razor will assit in removing those.If I was able to do that without to much trouble I may find a nice finish for the most part after wet sanding. I will remove the rub rail, hailrails, and the trolling motor for all get replace and the trolling motor painted.<br />I will look up your article on polishing old gel coat and follow the instructions.<br /><br />If for some reason I don't like the finish or I screw it up I will spray paint the top, sides, and transon leaving the botton for next year.One cannot see much of the bottom and with my motor the first to be strip ,and painted there should be enough for the spring work.<br /><br />The first wetordry sandpaper grid will be 240 and then 600 or 800 and from there I not sure as yet.<br /><br />Thanks so much for the input as I was going to paint the boat but you and others have may it clear wet sanding can be a great way to go.<br /><br /><br />Thank you, <br /><br />Bill

 

[mollywalk]

Re: slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

laddieservice,<br /><br />Good to see your fiberglass shine up so well.<br />I have almost the same top with the transon overflow in the back.The sides go straight down to the water on my boat and are in very good condition so I am looking foward to the same results hopefully.I fill my boat out with a walking deck and have all the storage a person could want. If I read correctly you may of just use comet and polish to get your results. I do have a few little repairs on top to fill but with the cream fiberglass color I think a OK.<br /><br />Perhaps after the second sanding that would be enough.<br /><br />Thanks again.

 

[flashback]

Re: slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

Billha, IMHO 240 is way too coarse to start with, I would suggest nothing below 400...

 

[mollywalk]

Re: slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

Thanks for the input Flashback, 400 wetordry first than I guess 800 to 1000 for a finish?

 

[John Carpenter]

Re: slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

I agree with Flashback...the ones I have done I started with 400, then 800 and finished with 1000 or 1200. You have to finish with at least 1000 grit or the scratches left by the wet sanding process will not be removed by buffing.

 

[mollywalk]

Re: slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

Thanks Relentless again for the input.I pickup some 400 wetordry and some 1000 wetordry grid.I may get some 1200 or 1500 for a finish later.<br />The last thing is to remove the decals on the side. I understand a heat gun and a razor blade will do. I also read spraying with something like the orange cleaner may help . <br /><br />Any input for the stripes on the side are five inches high.<br /><br />Then a good place to get new decals and pinstriping.One thing I still need to know is do I wax the boat after the new pinstripe goes on or before?

 

[bounder4465]

Re: slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

if you use the proper compound there is no need to watersand. check my replies, and email me. i will not post the info on this forum.

 

[ThomWV]

Re: slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

You start with the grade paper you need to start with, not what you want to start with. If you have scratches so deep that you need 240 then use 240. If it needs 180 then use 180. If its just faded and you don't have a scratch or gouge anywhere then maybe you can start with 400 or 600, maybe even finer paper. The point is that there is no set starting point - it is dictated by the job you have in front of you. If you have no scratches there probably is no reason to sand it at all. All rubbing compound is not created equal, some is much more agressive than others. Take advantage of that.<br /><br />I can tell you this though, it will be a lot faster to sand it with 240 and then sand it again with 400 grit than it will be to just start with 400. It will also be a lot less effort over all and its pretty likely that you would do a better job overall.<br /><br />By the way, those abrasive cleasing powders will leave a finish roughly equal (no pun intended) to about 300 grit paper, maybe a little finer.<br /><br />Also,don't worry too much about sanding through the gel coat. It doesn't just happen with one swipe of the sanding block - you can see it comming and quit. Besides that, if the scratch you are trying to sand out already goes through the gel coat then you need to do a repair, not be playing around with sanding the finish. If the scratch does not go all the way through the gel coat then you do not need to sand all the way through the gel coat to fix it. Avoiding going through the gel coat is just a matter of paying a little bit of attention to what you are doing - no kidding.<br /><br />Last thing, and I will not be so diplomatic as the others have been. You would have to be a damned-fool, and soon to be a dead-damned-fool, if you try to wet sand a boat, or anything else, with an electric appliance not designed specifically for work with water. If you want to wet sand with power use air tools. The other day I saw someone comment, in response to a similar question, that he had wet sanded his boat using a 'random orbit' sander and a GFI outlet. It was the single most irresponsible and dangerous posting I recall seeing. It was like recommending Crack for a child's toothache - guaranteed disaster right around the corner.<br /><br />Thom

 

[mollywalk]

Re: slow polishing buffer for wet sanding

No electric sander, I get it.I can guess only a air power tools for wet sanding may work if one could get it to slow down enough not to burn the gelcoat. I shall hand sand with and don't exspect a lot of work for it appears just really faded but a few deep scatches and those will be fill with clear filler after cleaning them out. I have 240, 400, and 1000 grid wetordry paper and some hand pads so now it's just waiting for warmer weather.It's snowing today here in Minnesota so picking up wetordry paper on the internet and other supplies keep me busy.If I could find a good deal on 7/8" ss pipe for replacing the handrails and a good place for new boat decals I should be all set for spring.<br /><br />I want to thank all for there input and hope my 24 year old lund Tri-Hull looks as good as some of the others I seem on this web site.<br /><br />Bill