Marine31 Online Forum
Welcome to the Marine 31 Forum.
Header

Marine 31 Forum » Boat Detailing » Ask Mike Phillips your Boat Detailing Questions » Equipment recommendation for removing oxidation and polishing

Notices

Ask Mike Phillips your Boat Detailing Questions If you have a question about detailing your boat with Marine 31 products or about something you saw on Ship Shape TV or in a video, please post your questions in this forum.

Reply
Thread Tools vBmenu Seperating Image
Equipment recommendation for removing oxidation and polishing
Old 08-06-2016, 06:46 PM   #1
jmb18
 
Status: Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 5
Default Equipment recommendation for removing oxidation and polishing

Mike,

I would like to remove the oxidation from my gel coated boat (mostly white, with a small blue strip), polish, and apply the Captain's boat coating. I would describe the oxidation as moderate. From reading your posts from previous projects I gather your recommended process would be the following:

1. Wet sand (If necessary)
2. Compound with Captain's One Step using a rotary buffer and wool pad
3. Polish with Captain's One Step using Flex 3401 and foam pad
4. Apply LSP

I don't have the Flex 3401, I only have a rotary polisher and a GG 6 orbital. So I have a few questions:

1. Do I have the above steps basically correct?

2. I understand the benefit of the forced rotation of the 3401, but without out that would you recommend the polishing step using the Captain's One step with the rotary and a foam pad or the GG6 with a foam pad?

3. Finally, I am considering getting a GG Boss 15. How would the Boss compare to the 3401 for the polishing step?


Thank you for all of your help.
jmb18 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2016, 02:07 PM   #2
Mike Phillips
 
Mike Phillips's Avatar
 
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
Default Re: Equipment recommendation for removing oxidation and polishing

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post
Mike,

I would like to remove the oxidation from my gel coated boat (mostly white, with a small blue strip), polish, and apply the Captain's boat coating. I would describe the oxidation as moderate. From reading your posts from previous projects I gather your recommended process would be the following:

1. Wet sand (If necessary)
2. Compound with Captain's One Step using a rotary buffer and wool pad
3. Polish with Captain's One Step using Flex 3401 and foam pad
4. Apply LSP
The actual order would look like this,


1. Wet sand (If necessary)
2. Compound with Captain's One Step using a rotary buffer and wool pad
3. Polish with Captain's One Step using Flex 3401 and foam pad
4. Chemically strip the gel-coat to remove polishing oils.
5. Apply LSP





Hang tight for answers to your other questions...


__________________
Made by boat people for boat people...
Mike Phillips is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2016, 02:34 PM   #3
Mike Phillips
 
Mike Phillips's Avatar
 
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
Default Re: Equipment recommendation for removing oxidation and polishing

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post

Mike,



I don't have the Flex 3401, I only have a rotary polisher and a GG 6 orbital.

So I have a few questions:

1. Do I have the above steps basically correct?
See comments in my first reply. The Captain's Boat Coating states to use the Marine 31 all purpose cleaner to wipe the gel-coat hull down after the last polishing step to remove any polishing oils.

While this will work I prefer to use a product in the BLACKFIRE line called,


BLACKFIRE Crystal Coat Paint Prep

It simply wipes easier and leaves a streak-free finish while an APC or All Purpose Cleaner doesn't wipe as easily or leave as nice a looking surface.






Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post

2. I understand the benefit of the forced rotation of the 3401, but without out that would you recommend the polishing step using the Captain's One step with the rotary and a foam pad or the GG6 with a foam pad?
I'd go with the Griot's Garage 6" Dual Action Polisher after using the rotary buffer.

In my how-to book I recommend firmer, sharper cutting pads for polishing versus polishing pads as gel-coats don't seem to like soft foam pads? Never figured out why I just know what I see.

For your Griot's Garage polisher, what size backing plate do you have?

5" or 6"



Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post

3. Finally, I am considering getting a GG Boss 15. How would the Boss compare to the 3401 for the polishing step?
The Griot's Garage BOSS G15 works GREAT for the polishing step on gel-coat boats.

Same tip as I mentioned above, that is use a foam cutting pad for the polishing step instead of a soft foam polishing pad and my experience is you create a nicer looking finish.



Let me know which tool your going to end up using and if it's the 6" DA polisher then what size backing plate and I'll recommend a foam pad.


__________________
Made by boat people for boat people...
Mike Phillips is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2016, 02:37 PM   #4
Mike Phillips
 
Mike Phillips's Avatar
 
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
Default Re: Equipment recommendation for removing oxidation and polishing

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post

2. I understand the benefit of the forced rotation of the 3401, but without out that would you recommend

the polishing step using the Captain's One step with the rotary and a foam pad

or

the GG6 with a foam pad?


My personal preference is to not finish gel-coat boats out with rotary buffers but switch to ANY dual action polisher instead.

Although white gel-coats won't show holograms as easily as darker colored gel-coats, they can be there just the same and they create a more open surface which can lead to oxidation faster than a completely flat, smooth surface.

See my article here,


Holograms in gel-coat boats by Mike Phillips


__________________
Made by boat people for boat people...
Mike Phillips is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2016, 06:23 PM   #5
jmb18
 
Status: Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 5
Default Re: Equipment recommendation for removing oxidation and polishing

Thank you very much for your reply, Mike. I think I need to just break down and buy your book.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Marine31 View Post




For your Griot's Garage polisher, what size backing plate do you have?

5" or 6"




Right now, I plan on using the GG6 for the polishing step. I actually have both backing plates. Which do you recommend and which pads?

Thanks again.
jmb18 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2016, 01:17 PM   #6
Mike Phillips
 
Mike Phillips's Avatar
 
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
Default Re: Equipment recommendation for removing oxidation and polishing

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post

Thank you very much for your reply, Mike. I think I need to just break down and buy your book.
I get compliments on it all the time. I'd be happy to sign it for you.



Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post

Right now, I plan on using the GG6 for the polishing step. I actually have both backing plates. Which do you recommend and which pads?

Thanks again.
Kind of relative with the Griot's Garage 6" dual action polisher as it has enough power to rotate both 5.5 and 6.5" pads if they are thin.


Griot's makes great foam polishing pads in both 5.5" and 6.5" and these have holes in the center. I'm not 100% sure but I think the benefit to the hole in the center is it prevents heat transfer from the center of the backing plate to the back of the buffing pad. Thus less chance for pad de-lamination if you push the pads hard for excessive time.

The orange cutting pads should work best for polishing steps on gel-coat.


http://www.autogeek.net/griots-boss-5-inch-pads.html

http://www.autogeek.net/griots-boss-...ds-6-inch.html


Autogeek recently introduced ThinPro pads which are exclusive to Autogeek and made by Lake Country.

These are available in 3.5", 5.5" and 6.5"

http://www.autogeek.net/lake-country...foam-pads.html

For polishing, get the orange foam cutting pads.


__________________
Made by boat people for boat people...
Mike Phillips is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2016, 10:13 PM   #7
jmb18
 
Status: Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 5
Default Re: Equipment recommendation for removing oxidation and polishing

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Marine31 View Post
I get compliments on it all the time. I'd be happy to sign it for you.


I think that would be really cool. How do I go about ordering a signed one?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Marine31 View Post

For polishing, get the orange foam cutting pads.


Perfect. Thanks again for all of your help.
jmb18 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2016, 09:29 AM   #8
Mike Phillips
 
Mike Phillips's Avatar
 
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
Default Re: Equipment recommendation for removing oxidation and polishing

Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post

I think that would be really cool. How do I go about ordering a signed one?
I think there's an option for a signed copy on the website order forum here,

http://www.autogeek.net/marine-31-boat-book.html





Quote:
Originally Posted by jmb18 View Post

Perfect. Thanks again for all of your help.

That's what we're here for...


__________________
Made by boat people for boat people...
Mike Phillips is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 8 (0 members and 8 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Polishing/Removing Holograms after Marine 31 Heavy Oxidation remover geaux_preaux Ask Mike Phillips your Boat Detailing Questions 5 05-11-2015 08:41 AM
Ghosting on boat after removing letters Mike Phillips Ask Mike Phillips your Boat Detailing Questions 4 04-21-2014 07:56 AM
Which Product & Equipment RVBoater Ask Mike Phillips your Boat Detailing Questions 1 11-12-2013 05:09 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:29 AM.