Anyone? Rotary use advice please...

[glen e]

Hey guys - I have watched all the videos and poured thru most of the posts here and have a question. Below are the topsides of my boat that are oxidized. A DA won`t touch the oxidation, it`ll get clean, but not gloss.. It needs a wool/foam rotary pad. The small ridges run the length of this section as you can see here:
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h307/gersly123/219cd2cd.jpg
I have just purchased a flex 3403 and both the 3 inch and 6 inch plates and pads to go with it. I need to compound this whole area. Would you use the 3 inch and do the ridge sections separately,or use the bigger 6 in pad. I know on my DA, the 6 inch LC CCA pads ride up and over the ridges but not so sure about a rotary - I have the LC flat rotary pads for the flex abd the combo wool pad. Your opin? I hope this is clear what I`m trying to say...

Thanks!

[BIOLINK]

Wool + Meguiars Mirror Glaze #49 Oxidation Remover Heavy Duty Cleaner (http://www.autopia-carcare.com/meguiars-oxidation-remover-49.html)

[glen e]

Wool + Meguiars Mirror Glaze #49 Oxidation Remover Heavy Duty Cleaner (http://www.autopia-carcare.com/meguiars-oxidation-remover-49.html)

thanks - more asking about execution /procedure - 6 inch up and over the ridges, or the 3 inch as sections?

[glen e]

Ok guys I answered my own question by trying both - flex came today with all the toys so I went right at it. I used AQUA BUFF 2000 - a well known polishing paste in the marine biz and being water soluble it works and cleans up well. But it does sling. The 3.5 inch pad was MUCH easier and allowed me to get in the radii of the ridges better - this is one quick pass - no other treatments - flushed with water - I`m very happy -
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h307/gersly123/b71c7590.jpg
will follow on with DA and UC and UPGP.

[Stokdgs]

Glen e -

That is beautiful work there ! You totally nailed it !

Think of it this way - the smaller the pad, the more pressure can be exerted evenly across it = better, quicker results in most cases.
Larger pads mean more pressure to be evenly exerted across a larger area, and this may also work in some instances too.
All depends on what you are trying to correct, remove, etc.., your chemical/s, machine, and finally, pad/wool/foamwool/foam/etc..

You did great !

I have a good friend that just details boats, his fiancee has even written a book on how to detail them. I showed him my Flex 3403, and he said he could kill it in a few weeks of grinding gelcoat. :) Now that doesnt mean it cant work, and maybe his crew is working for all out and out speed, so they have to manhandle their tools, and that is why he routinely kills all the major brands - Milwaukee, DeWalt, Makita, etc..
You know what it`s like to correct gelcoat, so I know you can relate to this too.

In any event, you did a great job there !! Congrats !!

DanF

[glen e]

Thanks - I hate gelcoat..........it makes boatbuilders rich and customers frustrated....LOL

[Old Pirate]

Thanks - I hate gelcoat..........it makes boatbuilders rich and customers frustrated....LOL

I second that...............:bigups

[Old Pirate]

Just like using a Buffing machine, you do the same on Gel Coat with the product you have. I myself like using Gel Coat Labs with any machine with foam pads and get awesome results with it. Your boat looks great after your hard work.:bigups

[glen e]

I can`t believe how much I love the small 2.75 backing plate and the little wool pad that works on the flex...it is so manageable and gets around rod holders, molded in radii, cleats, and the thousand other things on a boat that are not on a car. A car has nice wide open panels for use of the big pads, a boat does not (speaking of the inside of the boat, not the hull)

[theamcguy]

Personally I like the smaller pads for better control. Larger pads cover more area and make the job go quicker. The bast way to tackle this is with a test spot. Tape off and work a small area with different pads and polishes until you get the desired gloss. Repeat for the whole boat.