Buffing L

[fergyguy]

Not long now before I take ownership of my boat and I’m going to give her a pre winter cut and polish but being a 57x12 with cream cabin paintwork I really don’t fancy doing it all by hand. She’s been moored last couple of years with some overhanging trees so portside is looking a little grubby so thought best give her a good spruce up. Having been in the motor trade for 25 years supplying cutting compounds and polish the products is not an issue but I need to source a buffer which will be best suited to my needs. I don’t need a monster of a tool as it only requires gentle cutting back before the intended two coats of polish. So what’s your suggestions and why?

[WotEver]

What: Halfords dual action polisher. 

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/car-cleaning/polishers-steam-cleaners/halfords-dual-action-car-polisher

 

Why: Because it’s cheap, they offer a simple replacement guarantee, and it’ll last long enough for occasional use. 

[stegra]

You can get buffing heads for small angle grinders from Toolstation, Screwfix etc. Needs to be a variable speed grinder on low speed otherwise the head will disintegrate. You'll also have a tool for cutting and grinding. Variable speed grinders start around £35 or you could take a chance on one of these:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pro-Angle-Grinder-Electric-Variable-Speed-4-Electric-Grinder-Wheel-Cut-Polish/273998741474?epid=16021085917&hash=item3fcb98ffe2:g:I90AAOSwIXldc1Gk

[mrsmelly]

1 hour ago, fergyguy said:

Not long now before I take ownership of my boat and I’m going to give her a pre winter cut and polish but being a 57x12 with cream cabin paintwork I really don’t fancy doing it all by hand. She’s been moored last couple of years with some overhanging trees so portside is looking a little grubby so thought best give her a good spruce up. Having been in the motor trade for 25 years supplying cutting compounds and polish the products is not an issue but I need to source a buffer which will be best suited to my needs. I don’t need a monster of a tool as it only requires gentle cutting back before the intended two coats of polish. So what’s your suggestions and why?

I suggest giving it a quick wash and sod the polishing mularky. Why? cos life is way too short to polish.

[Detling]

Boat enamel is not the same as car paint, it is a lot softer to start with and if it gets too warm it will wrinkle or even peel off. As they say try on a bit that can't be seen first. I have used a low speed polisher very lightly with no problems, but having seen my car touch up man working I doubt if there would be any paint left on the boat after that treatment.

[WotEver]

2 hours ago, stegra said:

You can get buffing heads for small angle grinders from Toolstation, Screwfix etc. Needs to be a variable speed grinder on low speed otherwise the head will disintegrate. You'll also have a tool for cutting and grinding. Variable speed grinders start around £35 or you could take a chance on one of these:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pro-Angle-Grinder-Electric-Variable-Speed-4-Electric-Grinder-Wheel-Cut-Polish/273998741474?epid=16021085917&hash=item3fcb98ffe2:g:I90AAOSwIXldc1Gk

That doesn’t appear to be variable speed, despite the title. At 11,000 rpm it’s over 10 times the speed of a polisher/buffer and would rapidly overheat the paint.  

 

An angle grinder, even if it went slow enough, doesn’t have a dual motion head either. If you’re going to machine Polish then you need a machine polisher. 

[fergyguy]

1 hour ago, Detling said:

Boat enamel is not the same as car paint, it is a lot softer to start with and if it gets too warm it will wrinkle or even peel off. As they say try on a bit that can't be seen first. I have used a low speed polisher very lightly with no problems, but having seen my car touch up man working I doubt if there would be any paint left on the boat after that treatment.

This apparently is painted in 2pac and should be harder than normal paint but I’m only giving her a light cutting back then two coats of polish as she needs a clean and polish before she the winter 

[Kudzucraft]

To easy to 'burn' the paint if you don't know what you doing. So I would want to use a slow speed polisher or maybe even one of the newer random orbital units. It would be a bit slower but much less risk of just burning through the paint.

[fergyguy]

Yes I agree just a nice slow polisher nothing toooooooo mean lol

[bramley]

above. 

 

Paint isn’t protected no lacquer like cars so what ever you buff is directly on the paint. Don’t go mad with a buffer you can do a lot by hand, don’t use T Cut its too aggressive, try not to mix the paints together so if you have pinstripes stay away and do them by hand.

 

Incidentally you can also get a good result from the oil everybody bangs on about.

 

Also you can get a cut / polish and wax in one from certain places.