Gel Coat Restore

shirehorse · 10 November 2007, 19:46

Can anyone advise me on the correct grade of emery/wet & dry sanding paper to use to rub down the gel coat to bring the hull back to it's former glory. Never done it before so would appreciate any advice/tips you may have.

Endeavour · 10 November 2007, 20:15

Try Farecla profile 400 or similar with a polisher before you rub it down.

blinddog · 10 November 2007, 20:26

If you are trying to bring up the gelcoat back to a shine then use 2500 w/dry with soapy water, then use Farecla G3 Then G10 with a compounding head go for white grade as blue may be too soft.
watch the corners.
Then wax up with a good quality wax.
400 WILL KILL THE GELCOAT far too rough,

Cheers gaZ

Matt · 10 November 2007, 21:21

ALWAYS use top quality 3M wet & dry. Cheaper alternatives don't have the grit consistency, some of the grit is oversize leaving scratch marks.

Farecla profile 400 is a compound, not a paper.

FWIW, if it is badly oxidised, do the wet & dry first. Just compound won't give a sufficiently good results.

When finished polishing, wax with a hard carnauba based wax - e.g. Jonny Fullers favourite simoniz original.
If it's wipe on wipe off wax, it won't last.

shirehorse · 10 November 2007, 21:24

Thanks Blinddog would i use this wet/dry with a orbital sander or block?

shirehorse · 10 November 2007, 21:33

Whats a compounding head?

Biggles · 10 November 2007, 21:37

Is this the bit of kit he needs ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TRADE-POLISHER...QQcmdZViewItem

Tim M · 11 November 2007, 11:09

Biggles is correct - that's what you want. I do this quite a lot now on various boats. I would do the following:
Wash the surface really well with a decent car shampoo.
Let it dry.
Apply Aquabuff compound (1000 if it's really scratched/oxidised, or 2000 if it's not too bad), let it dry for 5 minutes, then work off with a sponge compounding head at 6000rmp. (I have tried lambswool heads and they aren't as good as foam).
Apply Flagship boat wax, allow to dry, then polish off with a soft foam polishing head.

There's a really good place called Factor O in Portsmouth which sells everything you will need. Use the best quality foam heads you can get as cheap ones are a false economy and you end up with bits of foam everywhere. I would get the polisher off ebay though.

blinddog · 11 November 2007, 11:41

That's it, Tim's got it right.
Wet and dry with a block.
gaZ

shirehorse · 12 November 2007, 10:38

thank you very much what a helpfull bunch you are .

Matt · 12 November 2007, 10:40

The machine mart polisher is excellent value for money - soft start, variable speed, etc etc.