Best Buffing Compound for Gelcoat?
 

What's the best buffing compund to use for polishing faded gelcoat? I've got a 1985 Scarab that has some faded gel on the deck. What would you suggest? I've tried some automotive paint compunds, but the gel usually fades back in a few days.

I heard that Waterfoul uses an all natural, protein enriched formula. Only gets about a teaspoon at a time though. Also heard he uses his hairy butt cheeks for the final buffing.... :D :D :eek: :eek:

imq, I'm not a pro or anything, but I discovered something at the boat show called FLITZ...it works awesome, they showed you all the stuff it works on, and it is a restorer...it removes oxidation and stuff...they actually wet sanded a piece of lexan and took a dab of this stuff and viola...anybody else have any experience with this product...I actually went out and got some and am using on my car...the one thing they did say is that it doesnt protect from sun only water, so you would need to use an additional wax for sun protection after restoring the surface...

[ 01-08-2002: Message edited by: Boat Girl ]

3M Ultrafine for light colors It's a polish but it takes out Oxidation like a SOB. Hit it with the high speed and a wool pad and then high speed with a foam waffle pad. She'll be shining.
Mike

I use Meguire's color restorer #44.Then follow with a good coat of wax.Works pretty well at bringing out the color as well as putting the oils back in the gel coat.

Happy waxing. :D

flitz is some really good stuff...used it several times to buff gelcoat. its a little salty on price but very effective! :D

FLITZ

Ive used some stuff called Turbocut from Whizard. Bought it off the internet after the detailing guy from boatered told me about it. I used it on a red faded boat and It worked great. Ill try and find the web site again.

I get my car proffessionally detailed twice a year. The guy spends (no joke) 8 hrs on the car and it looks better than the day it came out of the showroom. A few months ago he used "Liquid Glass". Its a polymer not a wax and it is unreal. This stuff is so slippery you can actually "drive" the car clean, I know that sounds alittle hoakie but its true. Cant wait to use it on the boat, hoping it wont be to slick once you have shoes on. Im not sure weather it works on oxidation but there is a few products in the line, Ill see if they have a restorer when I get home.

I used to use Safety Kleen's products when I detailed boats. The stuff workd real well. Compounds ranged from mild to a black gritty substance that would cut through anything. their wax was real thick and required a buffer to apply, but it stayed forever and looked awesome.

BTW, I used this stuff on my all black 30' Shadow cat and that boat looked like a mirror! I wish I had some pictures!

Tantrum,

I used liquid glass on my Thunder and man was it nice. Smooth as a dancers bottom, but be very careful not to go up on the deck with just socks, you will be swimming. :D

i depends on how bad it is.. You could wetsand it, then wheel it out. I wetsand, the use 3M microfinishing compound, with a few other goodies, then some PPG swirl remover and color enhancer. Then two coats of mequiers gold class.... pretty simple :)

3m is good, aquabuff works for everyday jobs and McGuiers (SP) is always great. Have used liquid glass and it worked awesome also. Most of it is in the tenique and skill of the guy using it. The guy who took 8 hrs of hard work probally had the best results regardless of what he used.
Chris Reindl

http://www.dri-wash.com/ I like this stuff there metal polish works great on fibreglass. Cleans all the yellow slim from the lake without a power washer.

Re: Best Buffing Compound for Gelcoat?
 

I used to use Vertiglass and that brought it back for about half the summer. I ended up just painting to avoid that ordeal every year.

Re: Best Buffing Compound for Gelcoat?
 

Maguiers One-Step compound #67 worked great on my boat, 3-m Micro-Cut does too, but I think the Maguiers did a little better at putting the oils back into the gel.

-Greg

Re: Best Buffing Compound for Gelcoat?
 

i used liquid glass and works great but its not a wax so you have to come back with some sort of wax, it removes very light oxidation, 3M heavy one step is good for that.

Re: Best Buffing Compound for Gelcoat?
 

Buff Magic works really well.

Re: Best Buffing Compound for Gelcoat?
 

Vertiglass is a long process but I did use it to on my scarab and it seemed like it worked a lot longer than most stuff you don't have to do it as much but..... I also after one summer just ended up repainting the red stripe that was fading...

Re: Best Buffing Compound for Gelcoat?
 

BINGO !......I can make most any of them work.....Faded Gellcoat will NEVER stay nice in the sun. Scuff it & clearcoat it & it will last foreever or....Wax it constantly

Re: Best Buffing Compound for Gelcoat?
 

Aquabuff is the best effort to shine ratio!

Re: Best Buffing Compound for Gelcoat?
 

3M- Finesse It

Re: Best Buffing Compound for Gelcoat?
 

This is what I use. It is great stuff. Make sure to get the "turbo" and not the "finish" cut. Turbo is more aggresive. You will also need wax before it hits the sun. I restored a 88 boat that was so oxidized that the red was pink. Works great!