I am learning all the disiplines of surfboard fabrication
I have a rough time doing the polishing
some boards polish right up and some I realy have to put the weight on the buffing pad
Any advice from the guru’s out there?
Polishing a board, like sex, gets the best results if it’s wet and messy! Kidding aside, my best results have been achieved by keeping the polishing bonnet wet, and using a medium to light pressure. Too much pressure generates heat, and can ‘‘burn’’ the surface. Slow and steady is the best way.
G’day Ken,
It took me years to work out how to do it to get the perfect mirror finish. ( if only sways was around when I first started polishing ).
When I first started polishing longboards, everyone in this part of the world was right into speed or pro finishes, and no one in this industry would give you any tips or hints as to getting it right.
I once heard someone say that nobody under forty knows how to polish a surfboard.
I asked detailers ,spray painters ,everyone who I thought would use polish, and took advice and tips from all of those guys and from trial and error.
what you need is a good quality compound and a lot of water.
Finish your board to about #1200 with a random orbital sander.
If the gloss coat is good you can start at about #600, if its got pimples and other blemishes I start with #240.
Be careful on the rails, and dont get the board too hot.
Hope thats of some help.
Daren
Aloha Ken:
You might also want to consider investigating using foam polishing pads!
They come in different densities depending on how much cutting you want to do. They are a lot easier to use than a buffing pad with a lot more control. They also seem to do the job a lot faster.
The pads attach to the backing plate with velcro and therefore are very easy to swap. I had some information on a company that I got a set from but I don’t have it at hand, but if you want I can try to track it down and send you the information.
Years ago when I used to polish for a living this was the only way I did it, I never used a buffing pad ever. It allowed me to get the job done much faster with less mess and with no burn through. I’m very surprised that I don’t see people using them here. I used to get my pads from 3M, but that was in South Africa, I have seen them on the 3M website though. I recently got a set for my laminator to try.
I’ll track down the information and post it once I find it!
Anyway another option to consider!
BTW, if you try these you absolutely have to o have a polisher that operates at a low speed, they are not meant to be driven at high speeds!
-Robin
Robin
hey its been a while,
hey thanks for suggesting the polishing pads, Ive seen them
do they require useing the compound also?
Bill
How do you know when its polished if its all sloppy and wet,? (that just dont sound right)
Entity
I can get a polish from 600 grt ,1200 hell thats pretty shiney without a polish
big Question, how do you take out the slight waveyness of the surface?
can I guess block sanding the sand coat?
Ken,
Think it through. Wet when you’re ‘‘cutting’’, dry when you finish the process. If my suggestion ‘‘don’t sound right’’ to you, ignore it and do your own thing.
bill
you miss understood my Humor “just doest sound right” was refering to the words…polish.wet and sloppy
your knowledge sharing is greatly appriciated
but know that you say “wet when cutting and dry when finishing” I get it…
as its wet with polish use more pressure and as the polish evaporates (for lack of a better word) ease up and buff
Bill you da man
I may have been stingy with the polish juice
Ken,
You got it, bang on. One of the ‘‘secrets’’ of final polish, is a light ‘‘dusting’’ of Lemon Pledge Furniture Polish, for the final light buffing, and showroom shine. The board will sparkle!
Brasso metal polish.
Foam pads are good.
Aloha Ken:
Yes! You still use polish with them just as you would with a buffing pad. I used a different pad with the each of the compound grits.
-Robin
compound grits!!!
how many of those do you use
I just use one that says “surfboard polishing compound”
???
use toothpaste.
Then pledge burn it.
Archive this…Jerry Mowe has some info on this subject.H
Howzit Bill, I keep a wet towel handy and wet the board surface before each shurlustre application to keep the board wet. Always hated doing wet sanding due to the mess and possible electrical shock. Even if you heat up an area by rubbbing to hard which shows the weave if I put the wet towel on the area as soon as it appears it will disappear. The worst thing is to rub so hard that you melt thr resin and then you have a problem. Aloha,Kokua
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SNIP
big Question, how do you take out the slight waveyness of the surface?
can I guess block sanding the sand coat?
Yeah mate, your laps should be sanded perfectly smooth before you gloss or you’re going to see and feel ripples along your the rail.
when you get a good shine you should be able to see the reflection of the ceiling in you coat, and the detail of your face. if you have a corrugated roof you will see waves all over the board, which can sometimes trick you.
As I usually start with about #400 or #600 grit paper I make sure my hotcoat is pretty bloody good, then strain the gloss resin, and voila. (usually).
Regards
Daren
entity
sooo,is block sanding is the thing to do?
you mentioned the laps but what about the deck and bottom…
do you block sand the deck and bottom then hit it with the sanding disc?
if so whats the general procedure?
I know Im getting a good shine (most of the time) but I cant get the sheet of glass look (still slightly distorted)
need to know, must make perfect surfboards!!! (going crazy)
G’day Ken,
No I dont block sand, Just machine sand.
I usually only sand the hotcoat to #100.
I’ve used some dodgey compounds, and one of the worst I used was a product called Surfboard and boat cutting compound.
The one I use is called Max green machine grade cutting compound.
Beautiful sheen and removes swirls from #600-#1200 paper, but dont spare the water.
If its still not shiney enough try finishing with just water.
And I always use a foam pad.
There are different grades of foam pads as well, There are cutting, polishing and finishing pads.
One of the best pads I’ve used was actually a canvas faced soft backup pad with the canvas pulled off, the foam seemed just right.
Good luck
Daren
thanks for shareing your tips
so you use a foam pad with the compound?
then the wool buffer after the polish, ay?
I can’t polish worth a damn (no patience), but I use a wool buffing bonnet. Just make sure to keep the past on the board wetted down with some water. Keep it wet and go slow, or you’ll heat up the glass and the cloth pattern will show.
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Keep it wet and go slow.
Classic. But could you keep it relevant next time?