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Horizonjet

  • Karma: +0/-0
Restoring original finish
« on: January 08, 2011, 08:43:20 PM »
I have a 72 Horizon with metel flake finish that is original but faded.  I color sanded and used car wax on it but when I went to rub of car wax after it turns white......There was nothing to rub off and it turned finish white....It is like the wax was just sucked into the finish.....Should I not be using a car wax? What do yall recomend using to bring back that shine?
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72 Horizon BBC

SLCKREG

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2011, 11:58:51 PM »
Pics would be a bonus....sounds like you need to color sand a lot longer. If your sanding and the water is milky lookin...you ain't quite done. O0 :beer:
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propless

  • Karma: +12/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2011, 12:18:16 AM »
 Ummm, there is a step between sanding and waxing.  Hint,   it involves a polisher and a couple different compounds.  You didnt skip that step, did you ?  What grit sandpaper did you use for your final wet sanding ?
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Rogers Hopeful

  • Karma: +4/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2011, 01:21:35 AM »
i am doing the same process.  Started off with 1000 grit, then 1500, then 2000.  Used a polish then a wax.  but it turned out ok. i am thinking that i need to go at it longer.  some of the gel is pretty bad. Should i drop down to an 800 grit or is that to coarse?  And what polishes would you recommend? what about using Scratch x?
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Horizonjet

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2011, 04:55:57 AM »
I started using a 600 wet paper and the water is turning out milky, I did not want to go further but I should color/wet sand until the milky water and then do the 1000 and then the 1500 wet paper and then use a bufffer?  I did not want to do to much and ruin it.  What polishes and compounds are recomended? Something better than my turttle wax huh?
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propless

  • Karma: +12/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2011, 12:13:20 PM »
Horizonjet,  Sometimes the heavy metallic stuff cant be saved.  The metallic just kida dies over the years and never looks right again.  But heres a few other threads about wet sanding polishing.
http://www.socaljetboats.com/gelcoat-paint-fireberglass-repair/color-sanding-steps-again/msg141782/#msg141782
http://www.socaljetboats.com/gelcoat-paint-fireberglass-repair/how-do-i-wet-sand/

 You definitely need to go way finer than 600.  2000 is the easiest to polish, so thats where you want to end up.  Your in a bit of trouble because of the 600.  Your going to need to get all those 600 grit scratches out now.  Maybe go to 800, 1000, 1500 then 2000, you need to kinda watch for the sanding lines when your doing it.  Sand in different directions as you change grits and once you see all the sanding lines going in the new direction move along to a new area.  Dont sand more that you have to, your going to be removing lots of gelcoat, so stay away from edges and such as much as possible.  Maybe start on an area thats not to noticeable and get a feel for it.    What your after is the smoothest, most perfect finish you can get before you start polishing.  What brand polish you use is up to you (lots of opinions on that).  But even once its sanded with 2000 you do still need to polish before you wax. 

  Rogers Hopeful,
 What about it only look OK ?  Did it look good after the 2000 when it was wet and now it just doesnt shine like it should ? Or are there still oxidized areas ?  Did you use a real polisher or one of those orbital waxing things ?
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Welcome to the club of broken boats :o  Pay here$ bend over and move along.

Rogers Hopeful

  • Karma: +4/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2011, 12:36:47 PM »
Horizonjet,  Sometimes the heavy metallic stuff cant be saved.  The metallic just kida dies over the years and never looks right again.  But heres a few other threads about wet sanding polishing.
http://www.socaljetboats.com/gelcoat-paint-fireberglass-repair/color-sanding-steps-again/msg141782/#msg141782
http://www.socaljetboats.com/gelcoat-paint-fireberglass-repair/how-do-i-wet-sand/

 You definitely need to go way finer than 600.  2000 is the easiest to polish, so thats where you want to end up.  Your in a bit of trouble because of the 600.  Your going to need to get all those 600 grit scratches out now.  Maybe go to 800, 1000, 1500 then 2000, you need to kinda watch for the sanding lines when your doing it.  Sand in different directions as you change grits and once you see all the sanding lines going in the new direction move along to a new area.  Dont sand more that you have to, your going to be removing lots of gelcoat, so stay away from edges and such as much as possible.  Maybe start on an area thats not to noticeable and get a feel for it.    What your after is the smoothest, most perfect finish you can get before you start polishing.  What brand polish you use is up to you (lots of opinions on that).  But even once its sanded with 2000 you do still need to polish before you wax. 

  Rogers Hopeful,
 What about it only look OK ?  Did it look good after the 2000 when it was wet and now it just doesnt shine like it should ? Or are there still oxidized areas ?  Did you use a real polisher or one of those orbital waxing things ?

yeah i hand polished it lol.  i need to invest in a polisher.  but when i stepped back it looked great but could tell where i didnt sand it as long plus when i finished could still see some of the scratches in it.  maybe use scratch x, then polish, then wax?
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Horizonjet

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2011, 12:59:20 PM »
Yea, I know I still need to go with the 1000 and the 2000. Thanks for the helpfull info. i am including a pic of where I waxed after color sanding and the spot did not come out but I think it will after doing the other steps and polishing and wax.  I will let yall know how it turns out, I looks awesome when its wet. 
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72 Horizon BBC

propless

  • Karma: +12/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2011, 01:31:14 PM »
yeah i hand polished it lol.  i need to invest in a polisher.  but when i stepped back it looked great but could tell where i didnt sand it as long plus when i finished could still see some of the scratches in it.  maybe use scratch x, then polish, then wax?

 HAND POLISHED !!  WOW, your an ambitious guy.   ;D  I bet if you just hit it with a polisher and some mild compound it will come to life. If theres one around you Harbor Freight sells them cheap.  ;)

 
Yea, I know I still need to go with the 1000 and the 2000. Thanks for the helpfull info. i am including a pic of where I waxed after color sanding and the spot did not come out but I think it will after doing the other steps and polishing and wax.  I will let yall know how it turns out, I looks awesome when its wet. 

 I'm sure you'll get it,  just keep an eye out for the sanding lines while your going along, and dont forget to change directions when you change paper grits (like this with one grit /// and like this with the next \\\).  That way its easy to see if you got all the previous (rougher) sanding scratches out.     You just need to get all those 600 git scratches out of there
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Welcome to the club of broken boats :o  Pay here$ bend over and move along.

Rogers Hopeful

  • Karma: +4/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2011, 01:53:17 PM »
Yeah i only did half of the bow bc thats all i had time for :D..  the part i did look amazing compared the the other side.  and just talked to my dad who said i could borrow his polisher.  Just sucks i can only work on it at the river bc we have no room in the driveway at home.  I mean who wants to work on the boat when they can be in the boat on the water!!!??  lol
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SuperJet

  • Karma: +2/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2011, 03:24:07 PM »
It looks awesome when its wet.



Sig line anyone?
  • Boat #1: 1978 Sanger SuperJet
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Mine was stiff when working it back and forth on the trailer.
Once I got it on the water and under power, it was amazing!

Rogers Hopeful

  • Karma: +4/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2011, 03:59:15 PM »
DIBS~ :thumbup:
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Horizonjet

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Restoring original finish
« Reply #12 on: January 09, 2011, 09:05:32 PM »
HA! I did not even think about that when I typed it....I am funnier than I thought.
Thanks for all the info.!
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