waterboy222

I'm trying to get my new (to me) Formula buffed out so the hullsides match the deck. The deck was buffed recently before I purchased it and it looks fantastic. But the hullsides are in pretty poor shape.

Im using Leverage's Oxidation Remover and I'm having trouble with either the product or my technique.

First off, the boat has a white hull with black and red stripes in the gelcoat. The colors are running and staining which is creating even MORE work. The black and red polish up to a mirror finish just with the wool pad and LOR. But when the pad hits the white, it rubs the red off the pad and into the gel leaving a stain. Should I be cleaning the pad between colors or using seperate pads?

It also seems like my pad is gunking up and burning the gel. There's a few places that I had to use the OR and a scotchbrite pad to get the brown marks out of the gel. I'm using a Harbor Freight cheapy rotary buffer with a 7" wool pad set to about 4 out of 6 on the speed.

I've tried finding some youtube videos for techniques and its all going so much smoother on the videos than what I'm experiencing. It seems like the pad gets gunked up and then it grabs the gel and tries to pull the buffer out of my hand and usually leaves a burnt mark on the gel. I've tried slowing the buffer down, using more, using less, doing it by hand, and seem to be getting poor results all around.

Am I just putting too much product on? Should I be cleaning the pad every few feet? I worked about an hour and only got a 2x2 section done and it didn't even come out that great.. I didn't think it was "that" oxidized because it doesn't feel chalky. Should I be using a less or more aggressive product?

Fenderjack

iTrader: (2)

You could try taping off the lines, do one color at a time. I have seen it happen like this before. Also from the sounds of things your letting the area get to dry-not enough product- pushing to hard-have the speed to high on the buffer. You don't want to lay the buffer down at a hard angle, have about half of the pad touch surface at all times. I buff at about 14-1600 rpms using the wool, a tocuh faster with foam. Again key is to makes sure the surface stays wet. You need to clean the wool pad, regroup, give it another shot. I try to keep a spray bottle with water/product mixed in, spray inbetween actual applying product. I also dust the pad with some water evenly time to time. And remember always to have the pad spinning away from corners. If i was there i could show you how to do it perfect, but it will take some time using a buffer. Hope this helps

John jr

glassdave

iTrader: (1)

I use a self cleaning (from the pad) polish that does not seem to drag the colors to bad. I can do an entire 38 footer without spuring the pad a single time. Course cut compounds do tend to load up on the pad quite a bit, make sure you are using a new pad dedicated to whatever product you are using, if you switch to something else get a new pad. Very poor surfaces can also be very porous and those little voids can hold compound as well. I usually start the pad off slow to spread out the compound the ramp up the speed to get the friction/heat up then let the compound burn off as i work the surface.

Not trying to knock the product you are using but the Fountain of Youth stuff cleans better then anything i have ever used. The effort i have to put into full buff jobs hwas cut in half on my end when i made the switch.

jmeng

Not sure if it makes much of a difference but are you sure the stripes are in the gel? I thought all of formula's graphics were done with Imron paint?

waterboy222

So with the FOY stuff, do you just work an area til you see a shine and all the product has disolved? I may switch products. I'm already having to reach out over the slip to get to the boat because I don't have a trailer yet. Anything I can do to cut down the amount of work and effort would really speed things up.

waterboy222

Thats a good point. I didn't think about it, but I think you're right. I noticed it said that in the brochure..

Its a 91 model.. Do I need to change my technique? Is that why the colors are polishing SO much faster than the hull?

jmeng

Funny the stuff that sticks with you. When I was 13 someone brought me back a '91 Formula brochure from an out of state dealer. I MEMORIZED that thing, looked at it every day.

It'll be interesting to see what people have to say about the paint. The wool pad and a rotary would be considered to aggresive on automotive paint. Not sure how the imron differs. Have you tried talking to Leverage Customer Service? Good luck!

VCMike

This is going to sound strange, but did you wash the boat first? Could it have any type of adhesive on the hull?

glassdave

iTrader: (1)

If your stripes are factory they are Imron.

The FOY Totally Buff is a self cleaning compound. Its the weirdest thing, it kind of spins itself through the pad as you work it and if you look at the pad between working the compound you can see just a little bit of it balled in the fibers on its way out. I did a 38 Baja Special a few weeks ago that had sat outside for the last five years. Used a QT and never spurred the pad one time. You basically work the product off the surface as you go and it kinda flys off the pad in this sort of a fine clumpy stuff that blows off. Occasionally if i am careful enough i will go straight to wax without even washing the surface. For wax i really like Hulas big Kahuna.


again not trying to knock another product just relaying my experience.

VCMike

Aqua-Buff is similar though probably initially more agressive. Compound all day with a clean pad its the strangest thing.