I tried it wet but I was going though way to much paper because the paper kept clogging. So I said screw it, I'm going to try this dry! I only used 400 in the worst areas. 600 was what I used on most of the boat. When I did it, I just used moderate pressure and kept the D/A moving. DON'T touch the Imron with it, you will certainly ruin the paint but again gel coat is tougher than you may think. Try it in a hidden area maybe the underside of the swim platform, then move out to the hull!

Great thanks. So I am going to start sanding this weekend on the red gel coat, but when I get to the buffing stage can I buff the whole boat gel and imron?

I did buff my Imron but you need to be careful. Its best to use a foam pad on the imron and wool on the fiberglass. Just take it slow and be careful. When I did my boat I started with 800 and that wasn't enough so I kept working down. Each time I would buff with 3M Super Duty to see the results. Once I figured out what I needed I then did the whole boat.

If you want send me some pictures of your boat, its possible that just a great buffer and the right compound my do the trick. My e-mail is [email protected]

be EXTREMELY careful with the imron, it doesn't take much to screw it up

OK so here is where I am.

I hit a 3 foot section of the red with 600 and then 1000 wet sanding. I then moved to 3M Imperial Compound, followed by 3M Peferct It Finish Compound followed up with Collintie 925 Wax.

The results look pretty great, but I am going to let it sit for a few days and see if it "holds".

Final questions, when I do the Pefect It can I use this on the Imron? Bottle says it is for removing swirls from 1200-1500 sanding. Also has anyone used the Collonite 925 because it says to put it on by hand let it haze and then take off by hand. Can I apply or take off with the machine and a foam pad?

Thanks.

Jed

Honestly you are playing with fire if you touch the imron with more then wax and especially with a wheel, do the red and just put a good wax on the black/gray imron,

e-mail me some pictures and I'll post them on here! As for the wax, I've always applied it by hand and I've buffed my Imron but thats me. I'm currently buffing my deck on the 292 and my Imron needs to be repainted on top. I hit a few spots with the wool pad just to see what would happen. At 1200 rpms it turned out nice, but if the side of the pad touched the imron, good buy imron. Again, I'm repainting it so who cares. Glad to hear thing are working out!

How is this project coming along?

Well so far I have wet sanded with 600, 800, and then 1000 followed by the imperial compound. I am not fully happy with the results because you can still see some fine scratches as well as not all the oxidation being gone. There is a minimal "marble" look still.

I have been doing it all by hand and it is killing me so i have paper for the electric orbital in the mail now and hoping that will eat the oxidation more.

Any ideas?