dgadee
Well-Known Member
Going to give a pole sander for the hull a go this year before AF. Previous posts have mentioned a mesh. What do you suggest? Looked at Screwfix site (there's one near me) but can't see anything relevant.
Pole sanding mesh
- Thread starter dgadee
- Start date
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
Pye_End
Well-Known Member
They've got sanding mesh in Toolstation, if this helps.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
I have never tried it, what advantage does it have over WOD paper?
Robin
Well-Known Member
Following a recommendation on this forum i have ordered this-- Silverline 868903 Sanding Mesh Roll 100 Grit, 5 m - from Amazon for £ 7-02 inc postage.
I am waiting delivery this week. Ordered saturday.
I have never used it before, so if it does not work I will have to slag the forumite off, as per usual forum rules
Been a while since personally doing it. cut a length of meshh off to fit the holder, like on a sander, hose hull to get it and mesh wet and off you go. a sort of slurry develops which is both normal and helpful. Best if 2 do the job, I assigned hose duties to SWMBO, whilst I sanded. I found it best to do sections say 2-3 metres wide and hose off all slurry residue before repeating on next band was the mesh off occasionally to 'clear' it of debris.. I worked left to right and we could do the entire hull of a 41 footer in under a day.
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
Could it be used to sand topsides ready for spraying and what grip would be used for antifouling and /or topsides.
thinwater
Well-Known Member
Funny, the differences here. As a part of the Clean Marina Program (EPA), every yard contract has this section:
"Contractors and DIY’s will not pollute surface waters, ground, or air at XXXXXXX. No bottom paint sanding or scraping without a ground covering and tenting in place. Power sanding and painting must be confined to an enclosure, and limited to dustless sanders. NO WET SANDING or PRESSURE WASHING. NO EXCEPTIONS. Tent materials available for purchase at yard office. (Vacuum Sanders and Wet/Dry Vacs may be rented at XXXX)"
(Most marinas have a pad for their own washing operations, with all of the run-off water collected and treated.)
Most serious boaters have their own vacuum sanding rigs. A neat and easy one-man job once you buy the gear. I would never go back to the wet mess.
As for vac sanding bottom paint, a good 35-80 grit open coat is faster than mesh and lasts longer.
"Contractors and DIY’s will not pollute surface waters, ground, or air at XXXXXXX. No bottom paint sanding or scraping without a ground covering and tenting in place. Power sanding and painting must be confined to an enclosure, and limited to dustless sanders. NO WET SANDING or PRESSURE WASHING. NO EXCEPTIONS. Tent materials available for purchase at yard office. (Vacuum Sanders and Wet/Dry Vacs may be rented at XXXX)"
(Most marinas have a pad for their own washing operations, with all of the run-off water collected and treated.)
Most serious boaters have their own vacuum sanding rigs. A neat and easy one-man job once you buy the gear. I would never go back to the wet mess.
As for vac sanding bottom paint, a good 35-80 grit open coat is faster than mesh and lasts longer.
NormanS
Well-Known Member
Well, I find that with the (wet) mesh that I use, the one piece does the whole bottom (both sides) of a 36' monohull. How much longer would you want it to last?
lustyd
Well-Known Member
My brother is a sprayer and used to do very large power boats right out of the factory, any colour the new owner desired. His recommendation was standard sanding roll on a long piece of wood for this kind of thing (NOT antifoul as per thread, just topsides etc.). Long strokes with paper are much more effective than a sander and remove material better. The long bit of bendy wood helps prevent flats and other artifacts forming, stiffer and shorter wood for actual flat parts. The downside is you need two or more people to steer the wood!
The results were impressive, at the boat show he showed me the difference between a boat he'd done (like a good mirror) and a boat straight out of the mould (like a wobbly circus mirror)
dgadee
Well-Known Member
What would your sanding rig be?
Robin
Well-Known Member
IMO for antifoul, especially the ones that wear away like micron, ideal, topsides no idea possibly not. you can use an agressive grit size on antifoul as once it is really wet and as when a slurry created it tones it down. AFAIK these things were designed for sanding plaster on newly plastered walls and ceilings, I was put onto them by a club mate about 15 years ago and pretty soon everyone in the club was using them.
Robin
Well-Known Member
When we lived in Florida we had others do the work and they dry disk sanded with no concern other than personal protection wearing masks and goggles, last time done was in 2016 mind, on a 36 ft beneteau in local boatyard.
We had a problem in around 2005 in UK with a bad batch of antifoul that had to come off in limited time available before repaint and re-launch day, it was wet slurry blasted in club boatyard and had to be tented for that and only permitted in one reserved area of yard. and all residue collected and removed.
thinwater
Well-Known Member
Any vacuum with HEPA filter, with Dust Deputy up stream to catch the bulk. A light 20' hose on the vac so I don't need to move it. Most people use a shop vac with a HEPA filter. The sander needs to be set up for it and you use matching perforated paper.
NormanS
Well-Known Member
Ah, so you're using electricity for sanding and vacuuming, with the resultant pollution taking place at the site of generation. We're sanding by hand, where at least we can clear up our own mess. (And having a physical workout into the bargain). ?
r_h
Well-Known Member
How much dust escapes with that set up?
Presumably you still need to have full PPE to protect against exposure to any antifoul dust that is not vacuumed away?
rogerthebodger
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that.
When first built the boat we did long board the hull topsides and yes it is a tough 3 person job. I will be doing that on a filled scrape along the topsides.
Its now 10 years since launch and needs a respray so was looking for an easer way to key the topsides for the respray.
crewman
Well-Known Member
I use JCB brand sanding mesh from B&Q. Comes in various grades and works well wet.