I just purchased a 2002 330 Express. What is the best wax and compound that anyone has used to bring back the shine? Also, Brightwork?
Chris
"Wally World"
Chris
"Wally World"
Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hull.
- Thread starter Wally World
- Start date
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
I'm a huge fan of 3M heavy duty rubbing compound and a variable speed polisher. That will make it smooth and shine again. Then wax it. As far as what wax is best, I guess that everyone has a different opinion on that.
I'm a huge fan of 3M heavy duty rubbing compound and a variable speed polisher. That will make it smooth and shine again. Then wax it. As far as what wax is best, I guess that everyone has a different opinion on that.
Parthery
GreatGrady Captain
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
Step 1 - 3M super duty rubbing compound on a wool pad. Buff off haze with microfiber towels
Step 2 - Collinite cleaner on a wool pad. Buff off haze with microfiber towels
Step 3 - Your favorite wax or polish...I've used Collinite Fleetwax in the past but have switched to the Star Brite Polish with PTEF....
Get yourself an orbital (Porter Cable or Shurhold are the 2 favorites around here.) Work in small areas - no more than 2'x2'....
This is what the Gelcoat looks like on my 1998 225 Tournament after the regimen above - nice and shiny:
IMG-20130511-00009.jpg by parthery, on Flickr
Step 1 - 3M super duty rubbing compound on a wool pad. Buff off haze with microfiber towels
Step 2 - Collinite cleaner on a wool pad. Buff off haze with microfiber towels
Step 3 - Your favorite wax or polish...I've used Collinite Fleetwax in the past but have switched to the Star Brite Polish with PTEF....
Get yourself an orbital (Porter Cable or Shurhold are the 2 favorites around here.) Work in small areas - no more than 2'x2'....
This is what the Gelcoat looks like on my 1998 225 Tournament after the regimen above - nice and shiny:
IMG-20130511-00009.jpg by parthery, on Flickr
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
3M Finness It if the oxidation isn't too bad on a wool pad. 2' x 2' section at a time until you get a mirror finish. Follow up with a good wax or polish. In the past I've used Collonite Fleetwax but tried StarBright Marine Polish with PTEF this year.
3M Finness It if the oxidation isn't too bad on a wool pad. 2' x 2' section at a time until you get a mirror finish. Follow up with a good wax or polish. In the past I've used Collonite Fleetwax but tried StarBright Marine Polish with PTEF this year.
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
What RPM do you use in step 1? Also what's the best method to clean the wool pad once it gets loaded up? Anyone use buff magic in step 1 instead of the 3M compound? Thanks
What RPM do you use in step 1? Also what's the best method to clean the wool pad once it gets loaded up? Anyone use buff magic in step 1 instead of the 3M compound? Thanks
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
I run mine between 1,500 and 1,800 rpm, and keep it moving. Don't stop in one spot. Something I learned from buffing my last boat, get a water bottle sprayer, fill it with water, and keep it on mist. Keep the gelcoat wet while you're buffing. It'll keep the compound wet longer, and make a little bit of compound go farther. You shouldn't have to worry about the pad clogging up. But if it does, just rinse it out with water. Spin your polisher up to max speed and sling all the water out of it. Then, back to work.max366 said:
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
Are you spying on me?
This what/how i do mine !!!!!!
Excellent choice. :wink:
Parthery said:Step 1 - 3M super duty rubbing compound on a wool pad. Buff off haze with microfiber towels
Step 2 - Collinite cleaner on a wool pad. Buff off haze with microfiber towels
Step 3 - Your favorite wax or polish...I've used Collinite Fleetwax in the past but have switched to the Star Brite Polish with PTEF....
Get yourself an orbital (Porter Cable or Shurhold are the 2 favorites around here.) Work in small areas - no more than 2'x2'....
This is what the Gelcoat looks like on my 1998 225 Tournament after the regimen above - nice and shiny:
IMG-20130511-00009.jpg by parthery, on Flickr
Are you spying on me?
This what/how i do mine !!!!!!
Excellent choice. :wink:
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
You should check to see if polishing compound does the trick before going with rubbing compound. The later is a coarser material and will remove more material. Your goal is to remove as little as needed. That of course depends on the degree of oxidation and the method used to rub out the finish (hand vs machine).
Make sure that you use a polisher/buffer which is a lower speed tool. Variable speed machines are easier to use for novices. The pros will use bigger and faster machines to speed up the work. It isn't all that hard to burn or gouge the finish if you are not familiar with the machine, especially the more professional models. I prefer the standard rotary buffers to the random oribital types. I use wool pads for the buffing. I have a pad system that allows the pad to be mounted using either side of the pad. That makes one pad work like two. For polishing and buffing, the more pads the better.
You should check to see if polishing compound does the trick before going with rubbing compound. The later is a coarser material and will remove more material. Your goal is to remove as little as needed. That of course depends on the degree of oxidation and the method used to rub out the finish (hand vs machine).
Make sure that you use a polisher/buffer which is a lower speed tool. Variable speed machines are easier to use for novices. The pros will use bigger and faster machines to speed up the work. It isn't all that hard to burn or gouge the finish if you are not familiar with the machine, especially the more professional models. I prefer the standard rotary buffers to the random oribital types. I use wool pads for the buffing. I have a pad system that allows the pad to be mounted using either side of the pad. That makes one pad work like two. For polishing and buffing, the more pads the better.
wrxhoon
Well-Known Member
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
You can use almost any compound you like as long as it doesn't have wax in it ( 3 m make good products) , if it has wax the gelcoat will look shiney and you will think she is done long before she is because of the wax in the compound.
I buff with a rotary multi speed machine, a small section at the time and go over it a couple times or more if its very dull, every time overlapping the last one . I use wool pad and I have anohter machine with a sponge pad to clean off the cloudiness.
I wax with collinite fleet wax and I use Septone fiberglass compound ( Aussie made) mainly because 3m is more expensive but I have used 3M before on my boats and cars .
You can use almost any compound you like as long as it doesn't have wax in it ( 3 m make good products) , if it has wax the gelcoat will look shiney and you will think she is done long before she is because of the wax in the compound.
I buff with a rotary multi speed machine, a small section at the time and go over it a couple times or more if its very dull, every time overlapping the last one . I use wool pad and I have anohter machine with a sponge pad to clean off the cloudiness.
I wax with collinite fleet wax and I use Septone fiberglass compound ( Aussie made) mainly because 3m is more expensive but I have used 3M before on my boats and cars .
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
what about the splatter non skid on the cap of the hull? I had the inner hull sanded and buffed but he did not do the non- skid and it is white compared to the hull color next to it in the smooth parts...?? :huh
what about the splatter non skid on the cap of the hull? I had the inner hull sanded and buffed but he did not do the non- skid and it is white compared to the hull color next to it in the smooth parts...?? :huh
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
I'm a big fan of the #885 Collinite (paste). It's the longest lasting stuff I have found, yet - and I've tried alot!
For the non-skid, a big, fluffy wool pad will do the trick.
I'm a big fan of the #885 Collinite (paste). It's the longest lasting stuff I have found, yet - and I've tried alot!
For the non-skid, a big, fluffy wool pad will do the trick.
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
I just did my 1997 Gulfstream using turtle wax polishing compound. This is a white POLISHING compound and NOT the reddish brown stuff. They idea is to attack the gelcaot with the least abrasive compound especially if your a novice. I used a 90 Deg orbital buffer with polishing pad(s) that I got at Harbor frieght. Some areas required 2 passes. Gelcoat is not thick and if you get to aggressive, you'll find yourself cutting thru it to the fiberglass --- THEN you got a PROBLEM! As for polish/wax Collinite paste works very well. I used something diferent but have used Collinte 885 in the past with great results. The secret to using ANY buffer is KEEP IT MOVING! and don't use pressure to "GRIND" out a bad spot. I've always thought that if you have never done this before, find someone to show you how. I've seen rookies take the paint off corners and sharp egdes and not know how or why it happened.
BTW -- Don't be afraid to switch polishing pads frequently if the oxidation is real bad. Work in small areas. Raid the linen closet for as many old cotton towels as the wife will give you. Soft cotton towels are your best results for getting in to spots the polisher won't.
I just did my 1997 Gulfstream using turtle wax polishing compound. This is a white POLISHING compound and NOT the reddish brown stuff. They idea is to attack the gelcaot with the least abrasive compound especially if your a novice. I used a 90 Deg orbital buffer with polishing pad(s) that I got at Harbor frieght. Some areas required 2 passes. Gelcoat is not thick and if you get to aggressive, you'll find yourself cutting thru it to the fiberglass --- THEN you got a PROBLEM! As for polish/wax Collinite paste works very well. I used something diferent but have used Collinte 885 in the past with great results. The secret to using ANY buffer is KEEP IT MOVING! and don't use pressure to "GRIND" out a bad spot. I've always thought that if you have never done this before, find someone to show you how. I've seen rookies take the paint off corners and sharp egdes and not know how or why it happened.
BTW -- Don't be afraid to switch polishing pads frequently if the oxidation is real bad. Work in small areas. Raid the linen closet for as many old cotton towels as the wife will give you. Soft cotton towels are your best results for getting in to spots the polisher won't.
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
Check the link below to Boat US article. Very informative. Just finished doing my hull and it turned out great and was 3 step process with the first step the most time consuming.
1). Use wax cleaner or compound. My boat was done in Spring, so we just used Collinite Fiberglass boat cleaner. Worked great and brought color back.
2). Polish boat. This is a step I always skipped in past but did this time and it made a big difference. Seems to smooth things out and make step 3 easier.
3). Apply wax by hand. This is the easiest step and we used Collinite Fleetwax paste. Awesome finish.
Don't let the polish or cleaner dry or it will be harder to remove. The Shurhold buffer works great!
http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/re ... rglass.asp
Check the link below to Boat US article. Very informative. Just finished doing my hull and it turned out great and was 3 step process with the first step the most time consuming.
1). Use wax cleaner or compound. My boat was done in Spring, so we just used Collinite Fiberglass boat cleaner. Worked great and brought color back.
2). Polish boat. This is a step I always skipped in past but did this time and it made a big difference. Seems to smooth things out and make step 3 easier.
3). Apply wax by hand. This is the easiest step and we used Collinite Fleetwax paste. Awesome finish.
Don't let the polish or cleaner dry or it will be harder to remove. The Shurhold buffer works great!
http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/re ... rglass.asp
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Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
Sorry - linked to wrong story. This Boat US article was recent and better.
http://www.boatus.com/magazine/2013/Oct ... -gleam.asp
Sorry - linked to wrong story. This Boat US article was recent and better.
http://www.boatus.com/magazine/2013/Oct ... -gleam.asp
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
Another vote for the Collinite products
Another vote for the Collinite products
Re: Best Compound and Wax to use to bring back the grady hul
Thanks. Good article but what wax is based on bees wax & not carnauba?
grady28 said:
Thanks. Good article but what wax is based on bees wax & not carnauba?