Getting A Deep Shine On Gelcoat??

[tinkicker0]

Been out with the polishing machine getting the dreaded oxidisation off me blue gelcoat stripe.
I've been using 3M swirl and scratch remover on a medium foam pad which is supposed to compound and polish in one go.

It has removed the oxidisation but I can't seem to be able to polish it to a deep shine, it looks flat when waxed.

Used Starbrite marine polish with poor results, then rubbed it off and tried Autoglym Super Resin polish. Still looks flat after 4 coats of wax.

Any ideas how to achieve a deep shine? Tried all sorts of potions to finesse it without success.

 

[PaulGooch]

I use 3M "Finesse It" with a lambswool polisher. The lambswool bit is a Farecla G Mop. Go over a sensible sized area, spray with some water, go over again, move along and repeat. I think the foam head you're using is the problem.

 

[PCUK]

Yep, you need to use polishing mops now.

 

[tinkicker0]

Thanks guys. Now got about 8 coats of wax on the transom, put on by hand using an old terry towel and rubbed off by mutton cloth.

It's getting there, but still feels a bit rough when you run your hand over it, not the silky smooth glossy glide you would expect. Feels more like satin paint.

The transom is the worst offender as it faces due south all summer in the marina.

 

[Marine Reflections]

Thanks guys. Now got about 8 coats of wax on the transom, put on by hand using an old terry towel and rubbed off by mutton cloth.

It's getting there, but still feels a bit rough when you run your hand over it, not the silky smooth glossy glide you would expect. Feels more like satin paint.

The transom is the worst offender as it faces due south all summer in the marina.

Needed more work on the surface prior to waxing methinks, it still may have a degree of oxidation although now it is polished.

Best advice I can offer would be to get it back to the surface, no point in trying to machine polish wax on top of surface, continue with polishing raw surface paint/gelcoat until best clarity is found.
Use a strong light source to show what is going on with the finish after each pass with whatever compound/polish is being used.

Why should you bother now that you have waxed it?

Because the wax layers are trapping oxygen in the tiny fissures and pores of the surface.
If it is still oxidised or the surface has places for oxygen (micro scratches etc) it will continue to oxidize behind the scenes, certainly if it feels rough to the touch after several wax coats.
It needs to be sealed off from oxygen and that means getting the surface correct and dead smooth at a microscopic level in the first place.

An overkill?
perhaps, but easy and offers best results in terms of durability, clarity and ease of future washing.

 

[Warpa]

Thanks guys. Now got about 8 coats of wax on the transom, put on by hand using an old terry towel and rubbed off by mutton cloth.

It's getting there, but still feels a bit rough when you run your hand over it, not the silky smooth glossy glide you would expect. Feels more like satin paint.

The transom is the worst offender as it faces due south all summer in the marina.

Wax wont make it shine and any more than two coats wont add any more protection. lambswool pad with 3M fastcut bought back my wet sanding and didn't need to be further refined. I did go over it once more with 3M yellow pad and 3M extra fine plus just for a final glaze.

I didn't wet sand the transom late last year when i did the rest of the hull and it shows. The hull has been sat out there on the trailor all winter and doesn't even need a wash, the shine is still mirror perfect. I gave the transom a once over today (just having a play) using wool pads and 3M rubbing compound flattened to an extent, and even after refining the shine was not even close to the sides...will wet sand it shortly as going by the sides oxidation is kept well at bay now.

 

[Thepipdoc]

I'm a great beleiver that if the lustre isn't "there" you can't bring it out.
In other words, you can't work miracles with the gelcoat if it's gone beyond the point of return.
(I'm not suggesting this is what has occured with the OP's gelcoat by the way)

 

[Warpa]

I'm a great beleiver that if the lustre isn't "there" you can't bring it out.
In other words, you can't work miracles with the gelcoat if it's gone beyond the point of return.
(I'm not suggesting this is what has occurred with the OP's gelcoat by the way)

i doubt its beyond repair by any stretch of the imagination, though i know what you are saying. gel coat is measured in mm where as clear coat on a car is measured in microns, so there is always room for a heavy sand and cut, even if it came out of the factory slightly flat, it can still be refined to a mirror finish if you have the tools and know how, or money to pay someone to do it

Just because someone owns a rotary and has some polish, doesn't mean they can use it to its full extent, i could hand my router over to someone with a kitchen worktop jig, doesn't mean they will get a decent joint lol.

 

[Marine Reflections]

I'm a great beleiver that if the lustre isn't "there" you can't bring it out.
In other words, you can't work miracles with the gelcoat if it's gone beyond the point of return.
(I'm not suggesting this is what has occured with the OP's gelcoat by the way)

Not found one yet that could not be returned to a perfect finish and have seen more than my fair share of old oxidised / scratched gel coat.

Very unlikely that the OP's gel is this way, he just tried to wax the surface before it was ready in the hope that some extra layers will form the reflections clarity.

 

[tinkicker0]

Thanks again guys. Some top advice. Will strip it back again and polish it up some more.

 

[oGaryo]

had the same issue with mine TK and have to agree with the advice from the professionals already responding.. I spent more time messing about with the polish phase than I did making sure I had the right tools to get the initial cut right... the results in this thread were achieved within 2 hours with the first pass using a hard compound foam head and fairly course copund setting a good clear base to refine.. I think I also gave more detail within the thread.. finish looks grainy due to taking the photo on the mobile phone, looked better in reality

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=306049

not perfect by any stretch but clearly a vast improvement...