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Old 08-07-2013, 10:31 AM   #5
Mike Phillips
 
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Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
Default Re: Product Compatibility and other questions

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post


I plan to apply the color restorer with a wool pad with the rotary.


Do you recommend the AIO with the rotary or the orbital with the foam pad?
You'll get much greater gloss and shine applying the AIO with the rotary buffer and a wool finishing pad, (not cutting pad).

I'm trying to do some research to find out just exactly why it is that pigmented polyester resin reacts better with wool or "fiber" pads on rotary buffers instead of foam pads on any type of tool.

Of course, this doesn't include machine polishing and waxing gel-coat finishes in new or excellent condition as foam pads work great.

It's when you're undoing damage, or removing oxidation that fiber pads on direct drive tools really excel.

The problem with using fiber pads on rotary buffers is that ANY time you use a fiber pad, that is a wool cutting or wool finishing pad, the fibers can leave cuts in the paint. In the car world these cuts are called holograms or rotary buffer swirls.


This is my buddy Bruno's RV and I took these pictures to show the holograms in the clear coat finish.







Of course my co-worker Nick and I removed the swirls using DA Polishers...









Now with boats...

There's not the same concerns with boat owners about swirls in the boat world as there is with car owners in the car world, primarily for 3 reasons,
1. Most boats are white and it's hard to see the swirls.

2. Most of the hull where the swirls will be is in the water, so you don't see them anyway.

3. Most boat owners don't know the difference between a squirrels and swirls.
I just want to be up front with you about the process you're talking about and the reality of the effects from different types of buffing pads.

Wool pads on rotary buffers create greater shine and gloss not to mention cut off the dead oxidized gel-coat faster but the downside is you could have swirls left in the gel-coat. If you don't see them or it's not a concern for you then it's not a problem.

Make sense?




Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post


White pad in the Lake Country brand?
For applying the AIO with any tool, "yes".



Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post
I would be using either AIO after the color restorer so that should remove the oxidation. It sounds like the Blackfire total polish and seal should do the job, right?
Yes. I always recommend doing a Test Spot on anything I work on, that means,

To a section of the hull, test out the products, pads, tools and even your own techniques to this one section and then inspect the results.

If the results look good you can take confidence in knowing that if you duplicate the results over the rest of the boat you will get the same outcome.

If the results don't look good or to your satisfaction... then you'll be glad you only buffed a small section. And of course, come back here, tell us what you're seeing and we'll be happy to help you tweak your technique and see you through to success.




Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post

I recently applied the Blackfire (two coats) to the exterior of my hull and it gives it a good look. It's tough to tell if I'm applying product on the white hull and it doesn't feel like pressing it into the hull would make a difference but I'll give it a try.

I had someone clean it and I'm pretty sure they used a cleaner wax with a rotary on the exterior. I washed with Dawn before I applied the Blackfire.
And if there's wax on the hull, this acts to "seal the surface" and that will hinder anything getting "into" the fiberglass including water, that's why you want to seal the surface in the first place and that's why for most sealants and coatings you want to work on what we call a fresh base, that is just the material, nothing on it.

Washing with a detergent soap should remove all or some of any previously applied waxes but keep in mind, a lot of products claim to be detergent proof? To what degree who knows but washing micro-abrades anyway so washing with a detergent soap should remove most of any normal type wax.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post

The guy really didn't do a good job on the inside so I'm going to tackle that.
No one ever does as good a job as the person with a vested interest...



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