I spend hours trying to get a gloss coat to look like one from the big name companies. I must be doing something wrong. Someone tell me how you get that extreme glossy look. Does the shine come from the sanding or actually from the buffing? What size grit do you go through and then what buffing or waxing compounds do you use? http://members.cox.net/austinsurfboards.htm
I spend hours trying to get a gloss coat to look like one from the big > name companies. I must be doing something wrong. Someone tell me how you > get that extreme glossy look. Does the shine come from the sanding or > actually from the buffing? What size grit do you go through and then what > buffing or waxing compounds do you use? …400,600,1500 all dry sanded,no wet stuff.Polish at high speed,above 4000rpm is best,with a natural wool pad.Watchout that you don’t burn or toss your board!!!Find a good polish too!!!Herb
do you dry sand with a power sander, or by hand? it seems that a power sander would heat up a lot. rubbing compund, by hand? what’s a good power tool to use for polishing or compounding?
I spend hours trying to get a gloss coat to look like one from the big > name companies. I must be doing something wrong. Someone tell me how you > get that extreme glossy look. Does the shine come from the sanding or > actually from the buffing? What size grit do you go through and then what > buffing or waxing compounds do you use? I’ve been trying to find out the same thing for a long time, and can never really get a straight or complete answer. I think your best bet is going to a marine supply store and talking to the ppl there.
I’ve been trying to find out the same thing for a long time, and can never > really get a straight or complete answer. I think your best bet is going > to a marine supply store and talking to the ppl there. Here is one way taught to me by a pro…its gonna be kinda long so kick back.The first thing that I assume is that you have a good level gloss coat with no lumps or brush stroke grooves.Zits are OK as they will be sanded down.I also assume that you are using gloss resin and not a “cheat” by using lam resin and surfacing agent.I use the following tools:shaping stand with tape applied sticky side up so the board won’t slide around,it also enables you to put the board up on edge.Shave the bead on the tape line off with a razor blade or file.Wet sand the rails with 320 and then 500.Get a variable speed sander-polisher and a soft 8 inch rubber sanding pad (power pad).From this point on no water is used.Sand the board with 320 until all the zits are gone and it is flat looking (no shiny spots).The key to this is to keep the speed real slow almost where it stalls the machine…this keeps the pad cool and doesn’t load the paper.I can get whole board out of one sheet of 320 but you may have to use more.Next you go to 500 using the same slow speed,at this point all you are doing is removing the 320 scratches.(Some guys use 600 but I dont).Finally you will need a wool 10 inch buffing (or maybe they are nine I never measured) pad with the proper back up pad.Apply a liberal dose of rubbing compound such as Surlustre or 3M heavy duty and start buffing.As you move along you can crank the speed up on your polisher…I use 2800 rpm but some pros got to 6000.Once the pad gets loaded with compound you can sprinkle water on the board to get it going better.The biggest mistake that is made is using compound that is too fine and not having the proper rpms.Take note that rubbing compound is nothing but liquid sandpaper and it goes from course to fine.You really have to work it to get the scratches out.To finish I must say that this not the only way but it works good for me and I can do a nice show room polish in about an hour.Finally you can clean your pad by holding a screwdriver on it while running…then go to a super fine buffing compound or machine glaze cleaner.I highly recommend the Sureluster compound avaliable from the surfboard suppliers (see the resources section in this site).In a pinch the 3m heavy duty works…it is tan in color and not white like sureluster so if you have any little pits it will show up.I realize that this is kinda long winded but polishing is hard to explain.Don’t be to hard on yourself as the board will be all scratched up in a few weeks anyway.In my humble opinion polishing weakens the surface and only makes em look good in the showroom. R. Brucker