Buffing & Polishing by Hand

[Don Ferrette]

So for those of you out there who wet sand then buff & polish paint by hand, what is your polish of choice? I usually use Meguiar's no.#7 show car glaze & a buffer but this Bud T-4 hull is not one that will machine buff easily. Will wind up doing by hand so before I completely wear myself out polishing this thing I thought I'd see what others might be using. Always nice to pick up a new idea along the way .....

 

[PHM Racing]

Don i use MOTHERS mag&aluminum polish and a buffing pad on my bench grinder works really good B)

 

[Don Ferrette]

This is hand polishing paint ............

My hardware is already polished & waiting to go back on the boat..........

 

[rcboats1]

Don,

One of the things that I have had good luck with is using part of a buffing bonnet on a smaller orbital sander. It takes some finesse, but is a lot less work than doing it all by hand. I also like the Meguiar's products.

Good luck.

Kelly.

 

[PHM Racing]

3M makes a really good 3 stage buffing componds ruff,med and fine for a high gloss finish

 

[boaterbill]

Rain X has a wax that I use on my boats. You know what Rain X does to your windhsield, right. Now try it on one of your boats. I put three coats on the bottom. You might be surpised at the results. You can use whatever you want on the top, but I use it all over the boat, I like the shine, but I really use it on the bottom. Let me know your gain in mph.

Bill

 

[bsmtboy2]

Don, Bill is right the rainex wax is really good i use it on the Jeronimo just like he said at least 3 coats. Little or no friction on the bottom of the hull and watch the bud gain 3-4 mph just by waxing......... B)

 

[boaterbill]

Thats' a little secret I learned and trust me it does work. No secret any more.

Enjoy. Cheap way to gain mph. And it's easier on the motor that's why the gain in rpms, the motor is not dragging the boat thru the water.

Bill

 

[Don Ferrette]

I know all about the RainX trick but I need to get to the wax stage first guys. What we are talking about is getting the gloss back by HAND buffing/polishing after wet sanding the clearcoat. So far Mike M. is the only one close to being on the right track. <_<

 

[DJT]

Turtle wax makes a nice buffing compound that I have used with good results.

 

[Russell Bear]

Don, At your PPG dealer get the banana oil wax/compound that they have. I will try to get the details and post it in the morning. Some really great stuff.

 

[Guest]

i would use a 3 stage but if you already have some shine I'd use only the med and then the high gloss finish, Mothers also makes these prod. If you've used Mothers you know it's one of the best out there for waxes & polishes you don't have to be a trained profesional to use this stuff.......... :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[PHM Racing]

sorry forgot to log back in

 

[Lake S.P.O.R.T.]

Stop by any local autobody paint supply house that carries 3M products. Ask them for a bottle of "Finesse-It" polishing compound. This compound is white, creamy, not grit and works very well polishing by hand. The last couple molds that I built, this is what I used to final polish them. It works very well. If you have already worked up to 800 or 1000 grit wet sanding then this polish will bring up a shine without wearing out your elbow.

Mark

 

[bigjohn]

Don I use DA sander with a 4" disk and a 5" or 6" buffing pad and Meguiar's #1

then Black Ebony, then finish with Turtle wax. With this set up you can use the side of the buffer to get into tight spots.

john

 

[Kevin_R_Clark]

I mentioned this before. I am in body shops all the time. Very rarely do they buff out anything anymore. The secret is in the temp of the surface you paint at and a good hot bake for 45 minutes. Now I wish I could speak from painting experience but I am convinced that it this is the best way to go these days. The problem being the cost of running a booth just to paint a boat. And yes these are high end cars they are doing this way. If you can find a good custom painter in your area that has a booth I would be down there buddying up. Anyhow I know this does not answer your question. Ebony and Carnuba is the prefered old way. Ebony is for taking out wheel marks but it is what most custom painters prefer to use. Carnuba is the base for all good waxes. By the way the truckers use Pledge for wax.

 

[GTR]

Hi Don

I almost agree with one of the previous posts - drop past your local body shop - no drop past your local body shop supplier. They have knowledge and expertise far above the body shop. I was amused by the when you get to 800 - 1000 paper. I statr rubbing out with 1200 then 1500 or 1800 and 2000 if i want a mirror finish. If you have the paint to this stage a farily fine cutting/buffing compound (T-cut make some good ones) will give the results. You can get polish swirl removal cremes that will take any little hand polish marks out. I would never recommend using machine buffing on something small and so curved like a hydro - recipe for disaster.

If I am trying for the sort of finish it sounds like your after I think you will be happy - can anybody say it looks like it's been dipped in paint with the colour so deep you could fall right in. Sorry I'll stop the drooling.

Don't know if that's exactly what you wanted as I'm not familiar with the products on offer in the US. <_<

Have fun B)

 

[GTR]

Just read Kevins post - what he is saying is half right. The whole purpose behind HVLP guns and booths is to reduce wastage and provide an off the gun shine. This is all about production costs and quick turnaround. The off the gun shine is not hard to do - ask anybody I've painted for lately. But to get a really truly fall into shine you still need to rub out and buff.

Most buffing compounds are based on crushed pumice stone - a fine powdered abrasive in a carrier. Most do not have a wax component - that is what you do later to protect your shine.

GT :unsure:

 

[Tony Jacuzzi]

Don I have been using the 3M Finesse products, on my "dry" finishes after wet sanding with 1600 and 2000 grit. I have a small 5 inch buffer made by WEN that has worked well . The finesse is a nice product available at body shop supply houses.. Tony J

 

[Don Ferrette]

"The off the gun shine is not hard to do - ask anybody I've painted for lately. But to get a really truly fall into shine you still need to rub out and buff."

Exactly! I like the finish on my scale boats to look like they are a mile deep. The normal full deck boats are fairly easy to use a buffer on without getting into trouble but the design of the open deck Bud T-4 with all the corners & tight places is indeed a "recipe for disaster". The T-4 I had some years ago was polished up by hand for the same reason & I was sore for 3 days after that one! I've already wet sanded it glass smooth with 1500 so it's time to make it shiny again! B)