Help buffing new paint

[Buzz Killington]

Disclosure: I have searched and found mountains of information on gelcoat buffing, what compounds to use on paint to buff it, etc., but nothing on my question, which is:

With new paint, well set for months, three coats of Rustoleum topsides - how many passes can I make with a buffer?

This is after two moderately fast passes on the front half of the hull with some inexpensive Turtle Wax compound. Still some brush marks. I'd like a glossy, smooth finish but not at the price of no paint whatsoever. I'm not seeing a lot of paint on the cloth when I wipe it down, but I have already wet-sanded (by hand, ugh) with 1000 and 2000.

THANK YOU!!!

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Help buffing new paint

Whether you get to that glossy smooth finish will totally depend on how much paint is on the surface and how bad the brush marks are.

You need to remove paint from the high spots until you reach the bottom of the deepest brush marks, you do this by sanding, and then more sanding. Premature buffing will only make the brush marks glossier and possibly more noticeable.

I have no knowledge of what Turtle wax product you used, but is it a coarse cutting compound, a fine buffing compound, or just a combination oxidation remover, fine polishing, wax?

You need an actual buffing compound and a real buffer for good results.

 

[Buzz Killington]

Re: Help buffing new paint

As to your first point - there are still high marks from the brush left. Right now they are sanded/polished almost flat, but not flat yet.

I guess I jumped the gun and need to go back to sanding.

As General Lee said before going to meet General Grant, "I would rather die a thousand deaths!"