The technique of polishing

rwoofer

rwoofer

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I've always cut'n'polished my boats by hand as I could never really figure out how to use an electric polisher.

My hand technique has always been:

1. Apply a dab of polish to an old cloth and rub it into an area about 40cm * 40cm to remove any marks etc.
2. Do the adjacent area with another dab of polish on a fresh piece of cloth and repeat till the whole area you are trying to polish is complete. My cloth is usually an old t-shirt and by the end of a hull I've used the whole t-shirt.
3. Take a fresh bit of polishing cloth (the stuff you get in a roll from halfords etc) and wipe off all the polish that has just been applied. Here again I have to keep refreshing the cloth that I'm using for it too work effectively. Usually go through about a metre of this cloth for a hull.

Great results, but very tiring...

Now with electric polishers you obviously don't keep refreshing the cloth, but surely this means that in the polishing on bit it just starts to clog up and similarly for the polishing off bit. I did I short test with a borrowed polisher and this is exactly what happened.

So, how do people here use an electric polisher? I'm starting to tire of doing it be hand all the time so wish to give electric another go. Are there different polisher heads for the polish on and polish off bit? How often to they need changing?

Any advice gratefully received.
 
I do my 35 footer by hand. I use a lot more polishing cloth than you seem to. The best stuff I've found is Meguiars #45 Polish, followed by Meguiars #56 Wax. I do two coats of each - it's brilliant stuff and easy to apply by hand and polishes off cleanly.
 
pvb said:
I do my 35 footer by hand. I use a lot more polishing cloth than you seem to. The best stuff I've found is Meguiars #45 Polish, followed by Meguiars #56 Wax. I do two coats of each - it's brilliant stuff and easy to apply by hand and polishes off cleanly.
Click to expand...

I used to do a 44 footer by hand, but it would take me 3 solid weekends working 10 hours a day. Apart from the work, a neck injury really stops me doing it by hand these days...
 
rb_stretch said:
I've always cut'n'polished my boats by hand as I could never really figure out how to use an electric polisher.

My hand technique has always been:

1. Apply a dab of polish to an old cloth and rub it into an area about 40cm * 40cm to remove any marks etc.
2. Do the adjacent area with another dab of polish on a fresh piece of cloth and repeat till the whole area you are trying to polish is complete. My cloth is usually an old t-shirt and by the end of a hull I've used the whole t-shirt.
3. Take a fresh bit of polishing cloth (the stuff you get in a roll from halfords etc) and wipe off all the polish that has just been applied. Here again I have to keep refreshing the cloth that I'm using for it too work effectively. Usually go through about a metre of this cloth for a hull.

Great results, but very tiring...

Now with electric polishers you obviously don't keep refreshing the cloth, but surely this means that in the polishing on bit it just starts to clog up and similarly for the polishing off bit. I did I short test with a borrowed polisher and this is exactly what happened.

So, how do people here use an electric polisher? I'm starting to tire of doing it be hand all the time so wish to give electric another go. Are there different polisher heads for the polish on and polish off bit? How often to they need changing?

Any advice gratefully received.
Click to expand...

I found that using a foam head on the polisher with a very small amount of polish/cutting compound (3M) and using light pressure you can achieve a good finish. I also use a water sprayer which seems to help a lot. Took a bit of experimenting but soon found the process that suited me. You need very little polish at any time to avoid it building up on the mop head. I kept the speed down to about half of what the polisher can do. Be careful with dark coloured lines which will leave colour on any surrounding white finish.

Yoda
 
rb_stretch said:
Now with electric polishers you obviously don't keep refreshing the cloth, but surely this means that in the polishing on bit it just starts to clog up and similarly for the polishing off bit...
Click to expand...
That's where these are handy: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130544565389

I've seen people use knives, toothbrushes, sticks... But these work best.
 
I use the polisher to do the grunt but buff to gloss shine by hand.

1) wash hull
2) manually apply 3M Cleaner & Wax, simply spread over an area from gunwhale to boot top about 1m wide. No effort, just distribute polish around
3) Use polisher in horizontal and vertical pattern over aforesaid area, it will leave a lustre finish
4) With clean stockinette buff (little effort) to high gloss
5) Apply another coat of wax by hand, very easy, little effort.

Result is seen here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/049s7i181gw263n/DSC03902.JPG and here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4usz23cs8drbm7j/DSC03898.JPG

Rob
 
Robih said:
I use the polisher to do the grunt but buff to gloss shine by hand.

1) wash hull
2) manually apply 3M Cleaner & Wax, simply spread over an area from gunwhale to boot top about 1m wide. No effort, just distribute polish around
3) Use polisher in horizontal and vertical pattern over aforesaid area, it will leave a lustre finish
4) With clean stockinette buff (little effort) to high gloss
5) Apply another coat of wax by hand, very easy, little effort.

Result is seen here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/049s7i181gw263n/DSC03902.JPG and here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4usz23cs8drbm7j/DSC03898.JPG

Rob
Click to expand...

Also...

If you are trying to use a powered polisher at almost arm's length, suspend it from the toe rail or guard wire with bungy cord- you have less chance of putting your back out!!

Graeme
 
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