Our Best Gel-Coat Turn Around EVER! Boat Detailing - B & B Detailing - Nashville TN

rider9195 said:
That thing looks absolutely new! Fantastic work Anthony!
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Thanx man - - - - - - can't wait to crank the next boat out in a week, I'll try to take good before and afters with a high tech camera (this one was a camera phone).
 
B&B Tennessee said:
IMO not at all - Gel-Coat is much harder and a DA is worthless if the gelcoat is "oxidized" or in rough shape. I did not use a 6 pass method (which I do use on clears) for this process. Also I turned up the volume on the rotary to a point beyond safe IMO that would be used on clear. I use a completely different technique and procedure than I would on clearcoat.
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amen - rotary and wool is all that works on even the slightest oxidation on gelcoat...gelcoat laughs at an orbital....
 
glen e said:
amen - rotary and wool is all that works on even the slightest oxidation on gelcoat...gelcoat laughs at an orbital....
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If you have the right pad and product, I think it's possible to use an orbital.
 
Jomax said:
If you have the right pad and product, I think it's possible to use an orbital.
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If you want mediocre results....

I agree with B&B. The only thing that's going to work on a gel coat in poor condition is a rotary.

I am detailing a boat right now for a client and My Makita rotary with a wull pad, is the only thing making a noticeable difference. I started with 105/205 and had OK results, but that's not what I'm after. I wetsanded it today, then started over with the 105/205 and it's getting there. FWIW The boat is a 93 Ebbtide and I have a thread with some pictures of it.
 
glen e said:
amen - rotary and wool is all that works on even the slightest oxidation on gelcoat...gelcoat laughs at an orbital....
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Frenchie said:
If you want mediocre results....

I agree with B&B. The only thing that's going to work on a gel coat in poor condition is a rotary.

I am detailing a boat right now for a client and My Makita rotary with a wull pad, is the only thing making a noticeable difference. I started with 105/205 and had OK results, but that's not what I'm after. I wetsanded it today, then started over with the 105/205 and it's getting there. FWIW The boat is a 93 Ebbtide and I have a thread with some pictures of it.
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While a rotary and a wool pad may be quicker, and maybe even produce better results at times, I wouldn't go so far as to say it isn't possible. Slower, sure, but not impossible.

Here's some reading:
Marine vs Automotive

Why Marine over Auto Products?

And a little proof that it's possible with a DA: 1979 Ski Supreme ski boat - back from Davey Jones' Locker

Take a look at what Mike Stoops has to say about wet-sanding gel-coat in post #9, paragraph 3 in this article: Why Marine over Auto Products?

Just wanting to point out that those who may only own DA's can be successful as well, albeit a little...maybe even a lot slower...but it can be done.

NOTE:
I'm not a guru and don't claim to be. Rather, I've been researching these same topics and questions and came across the reading material. I justthought I'd post some of it here.

Obviously, I'm not trying to hi-jack B&B's thread. He's produced beautiful results with a rotary. I plan to use a rotary and my G110V2 along with some marine products and foam and wool pads.
 
Im sure it CAN be done with a DA - but Id advise against it for time reasons for sure.... this boat still took all day long while using 2 rotaries at higher speeds than I use on auto clears. If I had busted out the cyclos instead with yellow pads it probably would've taken 2 or 3 days to get this look I would imagine.
 
B&B Tennessee said:
IMAG1371.jpg
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You must have really done some smoothing out of the gel-coat because the gel-coat really looks glossy and gloss comes from smoothness...

Looks good!


:dblthumb2:
 
B&b can I ask you your method for getting the gelcoats so smoothe? Did you sand(wet,damp)? If so what sander and discs did you use? I just finished a boat and although I am happy with the results, it does not look that nice. It could be the boat though. The one I just finished is a 93 and I swear it had never been waxed.
 
Frenchie said:
B&b can I ask you your method for getting the gelcoats so smoothe? Did you sand(wet,damp)? If so what sander and discs did you use? I just finished a boat and although I am happy with the results, it does not look that nice. It could be the boat though. The one I just finished is a 93 and I swear it had never been waxed.
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See post #4.
 
i'm going to attempt to bring back the gel on my boat in the next few weeks i'd love to hear what you used and any tips/techniques if you could spare a few words in a pm! boat looks exceptional.
 
master detailer said:
nice job hears one I did 3 weeks ago
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Very Nice man :dblthumb2:

Klasse Act said:
Great job on the boat!
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Thanks man

Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
You must have really done some smoothing out of the gel-coat because the gel-coat really looks glossy and gloss comes from smoothness...

Looks good!


:dblthumb2:
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Yeah Mike - it was MUCH smoother..... thanks for the kind words.






Everyone needing the methods and products please give me till tomorrow - I plan on taking 8 hours off lol :dblthumb2:
 
The cool thing about all this is that I have "restored" so much gelcoat to what amazed the owners or salemen over the past two years on RVs and corporate buses but I knew that it could be better. For this boat I decided to tweak my procedure and technique a bit and sure enough after a few test spots these results emerged! Im very happy to be able to turnaround gelcoat on future projects to a much higher level now! Thanks for everyone's compliments - really made me feel good to share this turnaround with my AG brothers and sisters :dblthumb2:
 
I had walked away:bolt: from boats (pontoons excepted) when I got into the RV side of detailing. Now, being here in Md. where boats are as common as RV's were in NV., I may just take up the challenge again...NAAAHHHH.

Excellent work as usual hand.
I haven't seen gloss like that since being around this forum.
Kudos to B&B.
 
Vegas Transplant said:
I had walked away:bolt: from boats (pontoons excepted) when I got into the RV side of detailing. Now, being here in Md. where boats are as common as RV's were in NV., I may just take up the challenge again...NAAAHHHH.

Excellent work as usual hand.
I haven't seen gloss like that since being around this forum.
Kudos to B&B.
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Thanks man - I always enjoyed the job security of RVs and larger projects..... but now that job security is basically here (booked for next 2 weeks) Im not so sure an RV is what Id want on my plate right now lol. Thanks for the compliment man.
 
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