SAWDOC
Active member
comments please
Is Tcut suitable for cleaning manky topsides?
- Thread starter SAWDOC
- Start date
Skysail
Well-known member
T Cut is quite abrasive. Oxalic acid is OK, I think Starbrite make a product from this called Hull Cleaner . Or you can make up your own from Oxalic Acid powder and wallpaper paste. There are other cheaper cleaners like Cillit Bang (sp?) and a caravan cream cleaner, which I can't remember the name of, which I would try before T Cut.
Downsman
New member
T Cut, by hand. The reflection is off the boat alongside to starboard, out of photo..
SAWDOC
Active member
Do you mean chemically abrasive ? It is wiped on with a soft cloth and later removed with a dry cloth.
SAWDOC
Active member
T Cut, by hand. The reflection is off the boat alongside to starboard, out of photo..
Lovely - well done. I'm a long way from that standard of finish as things are! Is that tcut followed by a wax finish?
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Tranona
Well-known member
No, it is physically abrasive. It removes the top layer - usually effective when there is a bloom on the surface. Whether it is an appropriate treatment for your hull depends on the cause of the dullness. Cleaning as suggested with either a proprietory cleaner or oxalid acid will remove dirt, grease etc, and then a polish may bring back the shine. Heavily pigmented gelcoats such as the dark blue often suffer from blooming and fading and an abrasive treatment like Tcut is one way of getting back to the original colour.
Downsman
New member
Yes, wax after T Cut. Don't let the science baffle you, T Cut's abrasive, so rub hard and it's more abrasive, rub lighter and it 'aint....
SAWDOC
Active member
Before I can do any polishing or shining I need to remove black scuff marks from the rubbing strake of a hard dinghy. Tcut seems quite effective in dealing with these isolated marks - would any other product be more suitable?
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pappaecho
New member
Most surfaces oxidise specially in sunlight. To remove the oxide films T cut and Farecla were produced to "cut back" the paint surfaces. Somebody discovered you can do similar with gelcoats on boats.
Oxalic acid works on some surfaces, but it is poisonous.
If you look at the Farecla rang, there are different grades, ranging from course to very fine. You pays your money and takes your choice, but if want to remove the oxidation abrasives are probably the best way
Oxalic acid works on some surfaces, but it is poisonous.
If you look at the Farecla rang, there are different grades, ranging from course to very fine. You pays your money and takes your choice, but if want to remove the oxidation abrasives are probably the best way
rotrax
Well-known member
There is no wiping T-cut on, you apply and have to rub it bloody hard. As a previous poster said it is an abrasive cutting compound. Dont worry about the gelcoat- it is so thick compared to automotive paint ,which it was designed for, that it would take a long time to rub through.
Lakesailor
New member
If you are doing the whole hull the dark marks will come off as you are doing it. Just get on with it. Tcut is mildly abrasive. You'll get tired before you cut through the pigment.
Just as long as it's not a painted gel coat, in which case rub less hard and polish off now and then to see if the white is beginning to show through.
Seajet
...
Oxalic acid
Don't make the same mistake as I did years ago; when washing off the oxalic 'hull cleaner' the residue ran down my arms; within minutes I was in agony, and no amount of splashing under a tap was stopping it getting worse.
I certainly would have ended in hospital but a club member is an ex- Matron so knew what to do, filled a sink and had me immerse my forearms for 40 minutes, the only way to stop it.
People say that must have been stronger stuff than available nowadays - it was off a chandlery shelf, about 1991 - but either way I'd advocate care, including to passers by & other boats, and certainly wear goggles !
Don't make the same mistake as I did years ago; when washing off the oxalic 'hull cleaner' the residue ran down my arms; within minutes I was in agony, and no amount of splashing under a tap was stopping it getting worse.
I certainly would have ended in hospital but a club member is an ex- Matron so knew what to do, filled a sink and had me immerse my forearms for 40 minutes, the only way to stop it.
People say that must have been stronger stuff than available nowadays - it was off a chandlery shelf, about 1991 - but either way I'd advocate care, including to passers by & other boats, and certainly wear goggles !
tcm
...
agree with the above, tho i would use either farecla or 3m, perhaps try a fine grade first, but yeah, it’s all abrasive.
Soon enough you may consider using power tools to ease the work, and the way to go then is to add a little water, with a small garden spray, to make it less sticky.
Before any rubbing, tho, best wash and rinse and wash and rinse again to make sure there is no grit (or as little as possible) which the rubbing will make the otherwise polished surface a bit scored here and there...
Soon enough you may consider using power tools to ease the work, and the way to go then is to add a little water, with a small garden spray, to make it less sticky.
Before any rubbing, tho, best wash and rinse and wash and rinse again to make sure there is no grit (or as little as possible) which the rubbing will make the otherwise polished surface a bit scored here and there...
dleroc
Member
I tried T cut and one of the expensive Starbrite products on my whiteish rubbing strakes but despite a lot of rubbing there was little improvement.
The answer was to use my newly acquired random orbital sander with 120 grade paper and it did the trick in half an hour. I then cleaned it off with white spirit and sprayed it with silicone. It still looks great and I did the job last September.
The answer was to use my newly acquired random orbital sander with 120 grade paper and it did the trick in half an hour. I then cleaned it off with white spirit and sprayed it with silicone. It still looks great and I did the job last September.
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ghostlymoron
Well-known member
Aldi's caravan cleaner is well regarded by other forumites - if you can find some. Caravans have an aluminium skin and very thin paint so if it's OK for them it certainly won't harm your gelcoat.
RivalRedwing
Well-known member
I've never been a fan of T cut for white surfaces because I find it tends to leave a light yellow hue behind whereas the pukka boat cutting products do not.
Clive
New member
Hi I have use T cut on my X-yacht and it looks great, I usually use the coloured versions, white on the white Gel coat and dark blue on the stripes, the colouring helps cover up those micro scratches. Wash first, wax coat after (lots of coats if possible)
Plevier
Active member
I can't vouch for it but have heard that's the effect of the ammonia in T cut. I believe compounds for GRP are ammonia free. Maybe a chemist can confirm/correct this?
nigelmercier
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T-Cut is several generations away from the current cutting compounds, there are many modern products that do a better job and with less danger of scratches.
Having said that, I have been known to use Jif on occasion; it is much better than Cif
GrumpyOldGit
Member
T Cut, by hand. The reflection is off the boat alongside to starboard, out of photo..
Bet this is a painted boat, Tcut is for paint and works well, S2000 is specific to gelcoat and makes a pukka job...
