Ask Mike Phillips your Boat Detailing Questions If you have a question about detailing your boat with Marine 31 products or about something you saw on Ship Shape TV or in a video, please post your questions in this forum. |
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#1 |
Status: Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 13
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![]() I have a 50 ft Ocean Sport-fish (fairly new 2006 and I have kept up pretty well). I have purchased from you a year or two back the Porter Cable DA ... I also have a Northern Tools "rotary" (I am not sure if its up to the job or not) that I got a few months back... Overall the boat looks good but what I find is a few "cloudy" area that almost look like I have not got the material off ... That's not the case because I have run both machine over these areas and gone by hand...I typically have used a 1 step (duragloss or McQuires, etc) and have all the colored pads ( I use the Green mostly).... For these areas is the problem oxidation ?? Or are these product "hard to remove".... Typically a boat of this age and condition what is the best combo of products ,machine, pads to get it to "shine" ... I wax often as well but these "spots" and "leopard" looking areas drive me crazy ... Thanks for the advice
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#2 |
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
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![]() Since this is your first post....
Welcome to the M31 forum... ![]() From your description it sounds like oxidation. The PC is a great tool but it's never going to be as powerful or as effective at removing oxidation as a rotary buffer on a wool pad. I'd recommend getting a good wool cutting pad and re-cut your hull using the rotary buffer and either an aggressive compound or a medium cut compound. After that you can go over the hull with either your Porter Cable and a one-step cleaner/wax or a wool finishing pad on your rotary and a one-step finishing wax. The above is a recipe for a two step approach which is a lot a work for a boat this size but there's only one other way to cut aggressively and leave the hull protected without leaving a swirled out mess on a dark gel coat and that's to use a Flex 3401 with a one-step cleaner wax. The Flex 3401 is a forced rotation dual action polisher. It works really well for removing oxidation and laying down a coat of wax at the same time and you can use it with both wool pads and foam pads. Here's a link to the Flex 3401... http://www.marine31.com/best-boat-buffer.html You can try the tools you have try to do either a one-step or two-step to your boat, really comes down to you and how much time you want to put into the project. I think you'd find the Flex a great way to maintain your boat and keep the process to one step. Won't leave the hull looking scoured or swirled like a rotary but has a ton more power than a Porter Cable "style" DA Polisher since it's gear driven like a rotary buffer. Here's a video that shows the difference in the tools... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn_kVH3BVc ![]()
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#3 |
Status: Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 13
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![]() Thanks Mike
I agree about the time involved to do the multiple steps... Next time I'm at the boat I will get some pictures... I do think its oxidation in a few areas...I have been going back and forth as to what machine to buy (flex, Mikita , or dewalt)....I usually go down and spend a day or two working on it... Problem I have is multiple steps takes so long... I have all the pads ... If I get the flex and your cleaner/wax one step product .., what would be the best pad ??? Wool, orange, green ?? |
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#4 |
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
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![]() Is the above the exact "name" of the hull brand? I tried to do a Google image search but I'm just coming up with generic boat pictures. If you give me the exact name and spelling of the hull I can probably get a picture of your boat just for reference. ![]()
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#5 |
Status: Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 13
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![]() It's a Ocean Yachts 50 Super Sport... There company is Ocean Yachts Inc....
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#6 | |
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
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![]() Quote:
I have not tried this pad on the Flex 3401 with our one-step cleaner/wax yet but I'm thinking it will not only give good cutting action but also good finishing out results. My next boat detailing class is Thursday, June 27. That's about 2-weeks from now and I'm trying to get an oxidized dark colored boat for the class. If this combo works, it's going to be a real home-run in the boat detailing world. ![]()
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#7 |
Status: Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 13
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![]() Mike
You will see when you find the boat ... It's a lot of work ... My biggest concern is if the flex is that much stronger than the PC or should I just get a quality rotary ... This Klutch rotary from Northern Tools I have seems to slow when I apply pressure so maybe it's not up to the task....thanks for you help |
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#8 | |
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
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![]() Quote:
If you want to do the job the fastest and most effective way then get a quality rotary buffer a wool cutting pad and a wool finishing pad. I'd also recommend a steel spur and if you really want to make the job easier, get a pad washer. The Flex is a totally different tool than a PC or "PC type tool". I've been using and teaching classes on how to use the PC since it was borrowed from the wood sanding industry and introduced to the paint polishing industry. As long and in most cases longer than anyone still either working in this industry or a live in this industry. So I'm very familiar with the capabilities of the PC and all the knock-offs of this wood sander. The Flex 3401 is a forced rotation, dual action polisher. You couldn't get the pad to stop rotating no matter how hard you pressed down against it. Ain't happening. The benefit to a rotary buffer is the pure, grunt power and ability to abrade a surface. The benefit to a Flex 3401 is lots of power but two actions, rotating and oscillating. Thus you can avoid the holograms caused by a rotary buffer. I know in the boat detailing and boat "owning" world holograms are not as much of an issue as they are in the car detailing world for a host of different reasons. That is until you start working on a dark colored boat. I only type and make recommendations based upon real-world experience and I have not tried the Purple Foamed Wool Pad or any wool pad on an oxidized gel-coat surface so I don't know how well the results from this type of tool and pad will compare to a fiber pad on a rotary buffer but you can be sure I will find out. So by all means, if you want to go with the historically time-proven method for knocking out an oxidized gel-coat boat go with the rotary buffer. ![]()
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#9 |
Status: Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 13
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![]() I think I will purchase the flex 3401 from you ... I am not sure I need the rotary... The boat is new and really looks good ... I'm just fussy and want it to shine like it came out of the factory... From your post I think it will give the cut and shine that I am lacking from the Porter Cable... I see your place when I travel down the turnpike to my boat ... I assume I can stop in and get everything there ... Is that so ??
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#10 | |
Status: Director of Training
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 675
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![]() Quote:
Yes but it's best to do a "Will Call". If you call Customer Care they can pull your order and have it waiting. 1-800-869-3011 Have the person helping you come get me as I'd like to say high and if you have a few minutes we can go out into the studio and I'd be happy to share a few tips and techniques for using the Flex 3401. ![]()
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