Bighoss
Petty Officer 1st Class
- Joined
- May 24, 2010
- Messages
- 354
Re: Bighoss' 16ft SS Rebuild
Jas, Shark hide was really easy to work with. I'm convinced a 2 lb can will do an entire Islander. I used about a quarter of a can for the whole rig. Before I started I sanded down any scratches / gouges with a fine drywall sponge wet. Those areas I went over with steel wool and washed the entire boat down with a small amount of dish soap in a bucket. They sell an aluminum cleaner on their web site but honestly with us stripping the boats to bare metal it's not needed. I used a variable speed polisher...cheap one from HF for $29.99. On their site they recommended a high end brand...not necessary.
Use the polisher at the lowest speed setting. HF also has the best prices for white terry cloth pads (application). The biggest mistake you can make is to use too much of the stuff and and try too big an area. Very small amount needed and work it until it turns black. Don't apply too much pressure, let the polish do the work. The black residue will come off after you work the area back and forth...continue the process. At the end I used a micro fiber (blue cloth pad) to buff the whole boat. Kick the speed up a bit during this process. If you have areas the black residue won't come off use mineral spirits or paint thinner on a paper towel.
Who baby, awesome
Hey buddy, would you mind describing polish step by step? I have a hunch there may be some fellas looking to do the same
Jas, Shark hide was really easy to work with. I'm convinced a 2 lb can will do an entire Islander. I used about a quarter of a can for the whole rig. Before I started I sanded down any scratches / gouges with a fine drywall sponge wet. Those areas I went over with steel wool and washed the entire boat down with a small amount of dish soap in a bucket. They sell an aluminum cleaner on their web site but honestly with us stripping the boats to bare metal it's not needed. I used a variable speed polisher...cheap one from HF for $29.99. On their site they recommended a high end brand...not necessary.
Use the polisher at the lowest speed setting. HF also has the best prices for white terry cloth pads (application). The biggest mistake you can make is to use too much of the stuff and and try too big an area. Very small amount needed and work it until it turns black. Don't apply too much pressure, let the polish do the work. The black residue will come off after you work the area back and forth...continue the process. At the end I used a micro fiber (blue cloth pad) to buff the whole boat. Kick the speed up a bit during this process. If you have areas the black residue won't come off use mineral spirits or paint thinner on a paper towel.
