# Buffing a skiff



## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

Just looking for some information about using an electric buffer on a skiff, I always hand wax my skiff but found a brand new electric buffer for cheap and need some tips of the trade or things learned with experience and best product to use, don’t need restoration information just strictly to make her shine


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2018)

Make darn sure your pads are super clean! I like foam pads for paint and polishing. Wool pads are for compounds and cutting. There are different foam pads so make sure you get the right one for the job you are doing “they are labled”
I am a fan of the 3m products for buffing and polishing compounds and use them regularly. Hope that helps.
Now a quick question. What type buffer do you have?


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

Boatbrains said:


> Make darn sure your pads are super clean! I like foam pads for paint and polishing. Wool pads are for compounds and cutting. There are different foam pads so make sure you get the right one for the job you are doing “they are labled”
> I am a fan of the 3m products for buffing and polishing compounds and use them regularly. Hope that helps.
> Now a quick question. What type buffer do you have?


When I get home I will let you know I don’t know off the top of my head


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

JT McStravic said:


> When I get home I will let you know I don’t know off the top of my head


But very helpful thank you very much!


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I have a Harbor Freight buffer sander. Ive used clean wool buffers but prefer to just hand buff with New Finish


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

permitchaser said:


> I have a Harbor Freight buffer sander. Ive used clean wool buffers but prefer to just hand buff with New Finish


Okay yeah I’m wary of going away from hand buffing


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2018)

I don’t need to know brand but rather style. Random orbit or high speed?


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

Boatbrains said:


> I don’t need to know brand but rather style. Random orbit or high speed?


Believe it’s high speed


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2018)

Only reason I ask is because a high speed buffer takes quite a bit of practice and patience to avoid burning the paint/gelcoat. Also a lot of practice/ patience to avoid swirl marks. I’m not trying to scare you here “because it’s not a shuttle launch” I’m just giving you a heads up.


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

No the more information the better! What if it’s a random orbit?


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2018)

permitchaser said:


> I have a Harbor Freight buffer sander. Ive used clean wool buffers but prefer to just hand buff with New Finish


I keep a couple of the variables speeds from harbor freight in my tool cab! They are pretty good buffers really. I use them a lot for grinding big jobs to avoid getting all the grind dust in my good makita buffer!


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2018)

JT McStravic said:


> No the more information the better! What if it’s a random orbit?


A little more forgiving for the novice, but takes a little more elbow grease to achieve results.


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

Boatbrains said:


> A little more forgiving for the novice, but takes a little more elbow grease to achieve results.


Okay sweet thank you


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2018)

Your welcome! I’m sure others will join in and have some great advice also! Just give’em time lol!


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

If you look at dark colored cars and see all the swirl marks, that is the result of high speed grinding, I mean polishing with 1 or 2 grains of sand on the pad. The high speed is also great for tearing off paint on edges.

HF has a dual action variable speed polisher. Sell your high speed and put the $25 toward this.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Boatbrains said:


> I keep a couple of the variables speeds from harbor freight in my tool cab! They are pretty good buffers really. I use them a lot for grinding big jobs to avoid getting all the grind dust in my good makita buffer!


Right I use my HF for grinding. Keep it outside when you do. I tried doing some grinding in my garage and I'm still trying to clean the dust


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## nautilott (Oct 29, 2017)

I like using a random orbital over a high speed for a couple reasons. Although you do have to be carful with an random-orbital as to keeping it moving and watching out for those sharp edges and ridges, you're less likely to burn the gel or paint in those areas opposed to the high speed buffers. 

Then there's the number of passes. Hand buffing/waxing renders a very low number of passes (maybe 5 or 6)over a small area...unless you've got a bionic arm. Random-Orbital I've read, averages around 400 passes which would produce a much brighter shine with better depth. The directional high speed would provide less passes, unless you stay in an area longer...which could produce excessive heat and the likelihood of damage to the paint/gel.


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## not2shabby (Sep 14, 2016)

If the gelcoat is in good shape, I like the 3M Marine Compound and Finishing Material.

Keep a spray bottle handy and spritz your pad if it starts to get dry/hot too fast. It definitely helps if you don't do the work in direct sun on a hot day. Take your time and you'll figure it out quickly.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

usually a wool pad with med or hvy duty rubbing compound followed up with a foam pad and a good polishing compound like Finess-it. Use a














SLOW speed buffer not a grinder with a pad. When you get it right several coats of wax or better yet a PTFE polish. If the oxidation is bad you can get looking like new but the oxidation will come back in a year or 2 unless you wet sand.


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

Yeah this is a brand new skiff hasn’t been in the water yet and I was thinking of buffing it just to put one more layer of wax on it and keep it pretty


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

ok, then you can skip the wool pad and rubbing compound. Use a light foam pad and Finess-it. Try using around 2000-2500 rpm or so on the buffer.


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

devrep said:


> ok, then you can skip the wool pad and rubbing compound. Use a light foam pad and Finess-it. Try using around 2000-2500 rpm or so on the buffer.


Okay cool I appreciate the info man!


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## not2shabby (Sep 14, 2016)

So when you guys are talking "high speed," what does that actually mean in RPMs? Is the 2000-2500 rpms suggested by @devrep considered to be high speed? I would have guessed 1000 to 2000 is relatively slow.


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## Guest (May 28, 2019)

2-3k


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

OP, if this is a brand new skiff, use a few coats of Rejex on the hull and don't use a power buffer. If you can't find Rejex or don't want to pay the $$ for it, then a bottle of Starbrite boat wax with PTFE will do although it won't last as long.

I've been using a variable speed buffer from HF (Chicago Tool ircc) for years. I'm pretty good at using it and have never burned the gel coat. I run mine pretty slow, just enough that it doesn't bog down when I push on it. On my old boats, I'd compound them with 3M Finesse It then go over with a couple coats of Rejex. My current ride is new enough that I still hand wash and wax it. It is a lot smaller than my previous boats too so there is that...


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