Reviving old faded gel coat

[SBH2OMan]

Can someone point me to a good thread on this topic? My brain hurts from searching and I'm just trying to figure out if I should get a circular buffer/grinder or an orbital...

I have an el cheapo random orbital buffer and I've tried using it with the 3M "heavy oxidation cleaner & wax" stuff with very little result. The gel coat is so badly oxidized that I need something that cuts through it better.

I picked up some rubbing compound today and a sears circular polisher, but the reviews on it are pretty bad, so I'll probably return it tomorrow...

With the gel coat being so oxidized, every little stain seems to stick like glue...

 

[Hannibal]

Pick up a Porter Cable (brand) machine polisher. Do a little reading on how to use it (very user friendly) along with what products to use with it. If heavily oxidized, you will need something with some sort of abrasive in it.

When I first got my boat (new to me), it needed a lot of TLC - to the point that the exterior was "dusting up" with a chalky white substance. I had it worked on while getting a couple of other things addressed and the guy did a wonderful job. According to what I can recall, all he did was hand apply a good rubbing compound followed up by a good wax. Seemed to do the trick. Looked like a lot of elbow grease was involved.

I would think that the PC would help save some time especially on the flatter/smoother portions of the hull.

 

[miky2884]

3m compound works the best. My last boat had a Bright blue hull and i got heavy oxidation through out the summer so in the spring i would have to compound the hull, and i found the 3m works the best.

 

[Bryan 2530]

You could also wet sand an area if it is real bad, maybe 400 grit or higher then finish off with the compound and wax.

 

[miky2884]

.

 

[SBH2OMan]

Thanks guys! I have some Dupont #7 rubbing compound for the heavily oxidized areas and then some 3M marine restorer and wax for heavily oxidized surfaces (combination polisher and wax for oxidized surfaces - $15 a qt at West Marine!)

My real question is whether to use a random orbital buffer or to use a circular disc buffer/grinder. I've been using the former (albeit a cheap one) and it simply isn't cutting through the oxidation, even if I spend a few minutes buffing the same 12" x 12" spot.

The oxidation is pretty bad - I just removed the vinyl lettering from the transom in preparation for mounting a kicker, and you can actually feel where the gel coat is raised where the lettering protected it from the sun...

 

[Bryan 2530]

I would use a rotary buffer with a wool pad for the bad areas, then finish off with the random orbital.

The RO is really more for applying product than for oxidation removal although it will buff a little with the right products.

 

[SBH2OMan]

I would use a rotary buffer with a wool pad for the bad areas, then finish off with the random orbital.

The RO is really more for applying product than for oxidation removal although it will buff a little with the right products.

Thanks Brian - as I suspected.

Now, unfortunately no one around here sells the porter cable units, and I need to get the work done today, so I'm going to try to find an acceptable alternative unit around here.

 

[TunaJoe]

Brent

I bought a Makita variable speed buffer/polisher online.
Heck, maybe you can even buy the buffer at Lowes or HD.
Its the kind that the autobody shops use. You can buy the replacement wool bonnets at HD or Lowes.

I like it because you can slow the buffer down to a couple hundred RPM's and not worry about burning the gelcoat.

 

[Bryan 2530]

Makita makes a nice unit.
All kinds of stuff here.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... &page=GRID

 

[pfeifferj1]

Get an angle grinder with 3000 to 4500 RPM. Use 3M Restorer for Heavy Ox. Put it on a then buff it off right away. I know this sounds aggresive but if you do 2 to 3 sqft at a shot and keep the grinder moving you will be impressed with the rusults. After I do that I use a normal wax Starbright etc. and go over it again to get all the buffer marks out. Works
Han

 

[SBH2OMan]

Get an angle grinder with 3000 to 4500 RPM. Use 3M Restorer for Heavy Ox. Put it on a then buff it off right away. I know this sounds aggresive but if you do 2 to 3 sqft at a shot and keep the grinder moving you will be impressed with the rusults. After I do that I use a normal wax Starbright etc. and go over it again to get all the buffer marks out. Works
Han

Thanks Han. Now I have to weed through all the *&#$&^ choices - 5", 6", 7" wheel, 5/16" x 24 spindle, hook & loop pad, wool bonnet? microfibre bonnet.... aargh..!

 

[pfeifferj1]

Brent
Make it easy. Get a standard spindle, Don't spend a fortune as you are only going to use it to get the Heavy Ox off. Might consider even renting one. get the cheapest buffing pads you can buy; and go for it. I have tried $35 pads and $7 pads and it makes no differance. If you have a Harbor Frieght or Lowes They will probably have everything you need except the 3M.
I have been doing this for 15 years on various boats and it works
Good luck
Han

 

[Megabyte]

This topic comes up every year and has been covered in the Projects and (I believe) the general section too.
Maybe I need to research those threads and combine them into a sticky...

FWIW - When I bought my boat, it was very heavily oxidized, so I bought a Makita 9227 kit with a bunch of extra wool bonnets.
http://www.autogeek.net/ma927po.html

If you are heavily oxidized, the 3M product that Mikey posted works well.

I would recommend that you get a squirt type ketchup or mustard bottle and water that compound down a bit, and soak the wool pads in a bucket of water first.
Reason is, once you start using it, the compound will create heat and drag if not thinned. You do not want either. You want to remove the bad, and keep it away.
The object is to remove the oxidation, not spread it around.

Change the wool pads frequently, and when you do... toss them in a bucket of water so you can wash them out.
After washing out the chalked gelcoat from your wool pads, put the pad on the buffer and spin it up getting rid of the water.
Use caution, or you will sling that mess all over you and the boat! :shock:

Be patient. Use the (thinned) rubbing compound on the most chalked sections, and then go back and use a less abrasive product (or thin the compound further).
You will not get the hull perfect with the first product, and wax will not make a chalked hull (or swirl marks) go away.

You must use progressively finer products and get the hull completely perfect before applying wax.
If you have ever painted a car before you know that paint does not cover bad prep.
Same here. Wax will not make bad prep better.
On a heavily chalked hull, it will take time and patience, but with the proper products and technique, it can shine like new again.

One word of caution...
Compound and an electric buffer can destroy your Parker decals (been there... done that).
Either do the decal area by hand, or remove them... recondition the hull, and re-apply a new set.

Hope this helps!

 

[SBH2OMan]

Thanks Kevin. Some great suggestions there! (I like the squirt bottle idea!). I've done a lot of cars, but gel coat is new to me, therefore the q's. Sounds like the treatment is pretty much identical to any car finish..

My Parker decals are shot, so I might even just scrape them off with a razor (the black/green is showing through the red)

I seem to recall a forum member here that makes replacement decals?

 

[Megabyte]

I've done a lot of cars, but gel coat is new to me, therefore the q's. Sounds like the treatment is pretty much identical to any car finish.

Very much the same procedure. The difference being that gelcoat is much harder than clearcoat, but you are correct... the treatment uses many of the same processes.

My Parker decals are shot, so I might even just scrape them off with a razor (the black/green is showing through the red)

Don't use a razor blade or you will score the gelcoat.
Use a heat gun (not a hairdryer) to soften the decal and warm the hull, then use a plastic scraper (or a fingernail) to lift a corner.
Once a corner is lifted, heat the plastic evenly and you can remove it in one piece.
Be patient, and everything will come off cleanly.

 

[TunaJoe]

This topic comes up every year and has been covered in the Projects and (I believe) the general section too.
Maybe I need to research those threads and combine them into a sticky...

FWIW - When I bought my boat, it was very heavily oxidized, so I bought a Makita 9227 kit with a bunch of extra wool bonnets.
http://www.autogeek.net/ma927po.html

If you are heavily oxidized, the 3M product that Mikey posted works well.

I would recommend that you get a squirt type ketchup or mustard bottle and water that compound down a bit, and soak the wool pads in a bucket of water first.
Reason is, once you start using it, the compound will create heat and drag if not thinned. You do not want either. You want to remove the bad, and keep it away.
The object is to remove the oxidation, not spread it around.

Change the wool pads frequently, and when you do... toss them in a bucket of water so you can wash them out.
After washing out the chalked gelcoat from your wool pads, put the pad on the buffer and spin it up getting rid of the water.
Use caution, or you will sling that mess all over you and the boat! :shock:

Be patient. Use the (thinned) rubbing compound on the most chalked sections, and then go back and use a less abrasive product (or thin the compound further).
You will not get the hull perfect with the first product, and wax will not make a chalked hull (or swirl marks) go away.

You must use progressively finer products and get the hull completely perfect before applying wax.
If you have ever painted a car before you know that paint does not cover bad prep.
Same here. Wax will not make bad prep better.
On a heavily chalked hull, it will take time and patience, but with the proper products and technique, it can shine like new again.

One word of caution...
Compound and an electric buffer can destroy your Parker decals (been there... done that).
Either do the decal area by hand, or remove them... recondition the hull, and re-apply a new set.

Hope this helps!

That's the exact Makita I have. Even came with the case

 

[Megabyte]

This is a 1996 hull.
Trust me... it did not look like this when I bought her in 2003.
CP member Porkchunker can back me up on this.