Your Seacock Specialists Have the Best Polishing Tips Around
Raritan Engineering Company would like to share with you this week amazing information regarding seacock and the best hull buffing techniques around.
Making the move from polishing your boat by hand to doing it mechanically may be intimidating. You don’t want to mess up that shiny gelcoat, but the thought of spending another day manually massaging compound and polish until your arms almost fall off is pretty persuasive too.
So let’s say you’ve now decided to upgrade to a power buffer. There are a number of units from manufacturers such as 3M, Makita, and Shurhold, and the most popular models have common features. First up is orbital operation.
The second key feature to look for in a buffer is variable speed. You need different rpm or speed settings for different types of tasks.
He starts a project by washing down the boat with a dish detergent like Dawn to remove any oil and scum. For tougher stains, he uses On & Off Hull & Bottom Cleaner.
Fear of Wet Sanding
So you’ve applied two coats of compound and you’re still not happy with how your boat looks? It may need to be wet sanded. Relax, this is not as scary as it sounds. Working by hand, use quality sandpaper like 3M’s Imperial 2000-grit product, keep it wet, and work in small areas to remove scratches.
Your Seacocks Experts Want to Remind Us to Get the Right Materials for the Job
Your seacocks analysts know that the next step, he says, absolutely calls for the right materials. Plain wax does not restore faded gelcoat. It is a UV protectant that will look good for a couple of weeks. Instead, Hilton likes Presta Strata Ultra Cutting Crème, which is a compound and polish in one.
In any case, Hilton says when you start working, do so in a small area. Applying compound with a rag to the whole boat and then buffing it out is the wrong approach.
Hilton applies his polish with a 1-inch paintbrush in three horizontal strips in a 1- by 3-foot area. He then goes to work with a wool pad on a slower speed setting on his buffer.
A wool pad should be used for more oxidized surfaces, according to Hilton, and a foam pad works for less faded surfaces.
Swirling is a bigger issue than burning your gelcoat, Hilton says. “You have to be laying on a spot for a really long time to burn it,” he says. To avoid swirls, he adds, clean your buffing pad regularly.
Take your time, use the right equipment and material, and you’ll take the intimidation out of making your boat look great.
So don’t forget these helpful reminders when trying to buff your hull. 1) Make sure you do your homework before buying a hull buffer; 2) wet sanding is not as scary or as difficult as it sounds; 3) and a wool pad should be used for more oxidized surfaces, while a foam pad works for less faded ones.
Visit us at http://www.raritaneng.com/ and see how Raritan Engineering has more information on seacocks and on the best hull buffing tips around.