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. |
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#1 |
Status: Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 2
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![]() Hey there, this is my first post on the forum and am glad to be on here now!
I have an issue that I have been trying to figure out but just can't seem to make any progress. I'm working with a boat with little to no oxidation. I use 3m imperial compound and finishing material with a 100% wool pad followed by finesse it ll glaze with a yellow wool polishing pad on a rotary buffer. After I imperial the boat I get clear gelcoat with swirls of course but when I follow with finesse it the Shine is more pronounced but when I look directly into the gelcoat with a flash light I see a hazing effect. This only occurs after I finesse a section, not with imperial. I attached a few photos to try to help show what I am talking about but it is hard to tell. I have been scratching my head with this issue for quite some time! Is this just the nature of this product? I am using it in the shade. I can't even begin to use this product in the sun without "staining". Any advice on this would be greatfully appreciated. Thanks! (I attached four pictures. Two of which just show the condition of the gelcoat after I have finished. The other two are to try and show the hazing from a distant direct light.) My goal is to get the gelcoat to be cryastal clear in direct light. http://i66.tinypic.com/35lyqlv.jpg http://i67.tinypic.com/149xy7n.jpg http://i64.tinypic.com/iyhp91.jpg http://i65.tinypic.com/35cj66d.jpg ![]() Last edited by SouthernShine; 04-30-2017 at 01:49 PM.. Reason: Inserted URL's because the attached photos will not load |
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#2 |
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
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![]() First,
Welcome to Marine31Online! ![]() Second, here's your pictures... ![]() ![]() [iimg]http://i64.tinypic.com/iyhp91.jpg[/img] ![]() ![]()
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#3 |
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
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![]() I teach a boat detailing class once a year here in Stuart, Florida.
I've detailed a lot of boats, wrote a book on detailing boats but I'm always learning. Couple of things, 1: Gel-coat doesn't polish out to perfection like paint. You can get close but not perfect like paint. 2: It's hard to please all these high intensity swirl finder lights and flashlights, so in your case it might be a situation of putting away the flashlight. Here's a few pictures from this year's class. For this years class I added an EXTRA step to get these results. Note this WAS using a high intensity swirl finder light and the results were impressive. Pictures: 2017 Marine 31 Boat Detailing Class - 25' Bluewater Center Console - Wetsand, Cut & Buff condition. 25' Bluewater Center Console ![]() Before After ![]()
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#4 |
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
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![]() To get the above results here's the process
Step 1: Machine sanded starting with #2000 and finishing with #3000. Step 2: Compound using Marine 31 Captains Compound with wool pad on rotary buffer. Step 3: Polish sing Marine 31 Captain's Compound with foam cutting pad on FLEX 3401 Step 4: New or extra step - Finish polishing with RUPES BigFoot 21 with RUPES foam polishing pad and RUPES Diamond White ultra fine finishing polish. Step 5: Sealed with Captain's UV50 Ceramic Boat Coating I have not had time to process the pictures and create a REAL write-up as it's very time consuming. I have a class this weekend, see the cars for the class here, Training Cars for the May 2017 Competition Ready Detailing Class here at Autogeek in Stuart, Florida After this class I need to process the pictures from it and the last car class and then I'll get to the boat class. I'm the only guy that teaches classes and the documents the class showing before, during and after pictures of all the cars and all the boats. But it is time consuming. If you're interested, stay tuned as I'll document the entire process but I don't use 3M products. Nothing against them but I get better results using the Captain's one-step compound. ![]()
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#5 |
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
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![]() For the little haze I see in the pictures with the intense light and knowing gel-coats and how they polish, I would recommend,
1: Seal the gel-coat with your favorite wax or sealant and move forward in life. 2: Re-polish everything that's hazy using the Captain's one-step Compound & Polish with a foam cutting pad on an orbital polisher then seal the surface. 3: Don't inspect the results with that light anymore. ![]()
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#6 |
Status: Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 2
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![]() Thank you for you response Mike. I will give what you recommended a shot! One other quick question. Do you see a difference in results when using a shorter throw DA vs say the 21 Rupes? Does gel coat like the longer throw or can you achieve the same results with a shorter throw just with a longer work time? Also do you ever notice when using a DA with polish dulling the surface of gelcoat when looking straight at it in light? I have always struggled with this issue. Im sure I am doing something wrong but wanted your 2 cents on it subject. I may not be explaining this in the best of ways. Thank you for your time.
Last edited by SouthernShine; 05-14-2017 at 01:38 PM.. |
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#7 | ||
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
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![]() Quote:
YES! I DEFINITELY SEE A DIFFERENCE WHEN USING A 21MM LONG THROW POLISHER TO DO THE FINISHING STEP. I use the RUPES BigFoot 21 with their blue aggressive foam cutting pad and their Diamond White Ultra Fine Cut Polish to finish out and prep for wax, sealant or ceramic coating. Quote:
What I see is when you do any polishing with soft foam pads on gel-coat you dull the surface/finish down. See what I wrote above. I cover this in my how-to book too... ![]()
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