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Sanding Hull

JetBoy

By JetBoy
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JetBoy Explorer

JetBoy

Posted
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Hi Folks,

 

What is the best power tool to sand paint off a metal hull?

 

I have a Bosch PSM 100 A Multi-Sander (it's triangular shaped) or do I need to get an orbital sander?

 

If I need an orbital can you suggest any good makes.

 

Thinking of the future when I purchase boat.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

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boathunter Rising Star

boathunter

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I wouldn't think of getting things for a boat you don't yet have! You'll need to downsize the amount of stuff you have not increase!

ah, well, you say that, but I live on mine yet the lion's share of the storage space is rammed with tools. I don't really have much else!
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Joe the plumber Community Regular

Joe the plumber

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I can see a few fellow tool-aholics on here!

 

Get a Makita 18V cordless drill with the 5.0AH batteries and charger. You'll then be set up for over 60 other tools from the same firm, all of which use the same batteries. Their cordless vacuum (for £32.99 off Amazon) is a cracker for your boat, but only if you've already got the battery and charger.

 

This is their best drill:

 

http://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-dhp481rtj-18v-5ah-li-ion-cordless-combi-drill-brushless/2528f

 

You'll get it cheaper elsewhere, but beware non-UK imports off eBay and the like as they have absolutely no warranty with Makita UK. You'll get three years with a UK tool.

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DHutch Veteran II

DHutchDonate to Canal World

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Depends how much you are looking to take off.

 

A good random power sander can take the pain out of sanding, certainly when we do the roof the big old air-orbital comes out and makes short work of giving an overall key, and being air powered you can use it wet which on hot days and or with soft paint is a god sent. However for taking serious paint off it would be seriously slow, and for flatting off areas I have built up with epoxy ali primer I find hand sanding with 80 grit much faster!

 

The sander you have is really fairly small, it might help getting in corners where hand sanding is a pain, but in general its of a size where I would just hand sand.

 

If you want to take a lot off, say that band between the gunnel and the blacking a belt sander is much faster, but can leave sanding marks.

If you want to go back to the steel, you need scabler, needle gun, or something like that. As well as a high build primer etc.

 

 

Daniel

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dmr Veteran II

dmr

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Posted (edited)

For small "stone chip" style holes and scratches on the cabin sides I find a little grinding stone in a Dremel to be very good. Go right back to bare metal removing any and all rust, prime (Bondaprimer) with a small artists type brush. Very carefully fill with car body filler so as not to leave a depression, then paint, again with a small brush. Possibly unconventional but I have been doing this for a few years and it works. Inspect cabin sides frequently for damage and fix before the rust extends below the paintwork.

Below the "guunel" sand damage by hand with course paper (60 grit), prime, and slap paint on liberally, its a boat and that bit takes some stick.

 

Edit this applies to painted hull just below gunnel, blacking is a different matter altogether. Angle grinder and knotted wire brushes are nice tools for big boaty jobs.

 

..............Dave

Edited by dmr
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Joe the plumber Community Regular

Joe the plumber

Posted
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For small "stone chip" style holes and scratches on the cabin sides I find a little grinding stone in a Dremel to be very good. Go right back to bare metal removing any and all rust, prime (Bondaprimer) with a small artists type brush. Very carefully fill with car body filler so as not to leave a depression, then paint, again with a small brush. Possibly unconventional but I have been doing this for a few years and it works. Inspect cabin sides frequently for damage and fix before the rust extends below the paintwork.

Below the "guunel" sand damage by hand with course paper (60 grit), prime, and slap paint on liberally, its a boat and that bit takes some stick.

 

Edit this applies to painted hull just below gunnel, blacking is a different matter altogether. Angle grinder and knotted wire brushes are nice tools for big boaty jobs.

 

..............Dave

 

You will need ear defenders, a face shield, a dust mask and decent gloves for those. The wires flying off can do a lot of damage to you very quickly. If you're using a cordless grinder, even the 5.0AH 18v batteries die pretty quickly with twist knot wire brushes (I was using one yesterday).

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Richard10002 Veteran II

Richard10002

Posted
Posted

When preparing for touch up painting and full blacking last year I got by with wire brush drill attachments and a Bosch 5" orbital sander. This was 4 years after the last blacking and painting.

 

I dont know why you need to consider getting back to bare metal before you even start looking at boats. Unless you plan to buy a major project, it wont/shouldnt be necessary, (except perhaps in a few small areas).

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dmr Veteran II

dmr

Posted
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I have many coats of paint on the sides above the top rubbing band. The paint is therefore thick and really shows the battle scars nicely when they're painted back in. I wouldn't dream of bare metalling it all smooth and loosing that boaty patina. smile.png

 

Its interesting that many people find old working boats, which invariably have "textured" paintwork, to be a thing of beauty and worth taking photos of, but then go and get a "replica" working boat (Hudsons etc) and demand that the paintwork is pristine.

I am also working on the textured look above the top guard/rubbing strake.

 

..............Dave

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Cheshire cat Experienced

Cheshire catDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

I can see a few fellow tool-aholics on here!

 

Get a Makita 18V cordless drill with the 5.0AH batteries and charger. You'll then be set up for over 60 other tools from the same firm, all of which use the same batteries. Their cordless vacuum (for £32.99 off Amazon) is a cracker for your boat, but only if you've already got the battery and charger.

 

This is their best drill:

 

http://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-dhp481rtj-18v-5ah-li-ion-cordless-combi-drill-brushless/2528f

 

You'll get it cheaper elsewhere, but beware non-UK imports off eBay and the like as they have absolutely no warranty with Makita UK. You'll get three years with a UK tool.

Remarkable £400 for a drill and it gets 5 stars for value. It must be awesome.

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