Polishing black epoxy questions

[Green95LX]

I have sprayed the hull of my seadoo with black dyed epoxy, I have damp sanded an area with 1000 grit until it was level. Then i took a cheap rotary buffer i have with a microfiber bonnet?, and some Scratch X 2.0 just to see what would happen. It buffed out somewhat glossy, actually acceptable for me and the application. I have no idea what i am doing so bear with me, how should i go about buffing and polishing this thing? I didn't do a very good job at all of spraying, so it will take more sanding to level everywhere. Also, the epoxy is very hard and seems to take buffing very well. There are so many compounds, pads i don't know where to begin. I know that there are still swirl marks in the finish, mainly i was curious if the epoxy would buff back glossy after being sanded. Now, i'd like to do it right and see if there is a bit more gloss to be found.

ETA: The scratch X must not be very aggressive at all, because it takes forever to polish. Also, i understand that microfiber bonnet is probably not either. They were all i had on hand to experiment with

Thanks

[Len]

On a one-shot job I'd say to get some 1500 grit wet sandpaper and some compound from a local auto parts store. Level the surface with the sandpaper then polish it with the compound.

If you really want to do a "good" job and maybe do it again when it needs it and maybe do a good job on your car also then get some Wizards Mystic Cut and a good buffer. Sand it level with the 1500 then switch to 2000 and sand it again the polish it with the Mystic Cut using a foam pad.

Good Quality Buffer Link



Sandpaper Link



Mystic Cut Link

[Green95LX]

Well, it takes a while to level out with 1000grit and thats using it on my air D/A (similar to an airvantage)

[Len]

Well, it takes a while to level out with 1000grit and thats using it on my air D/A (similar to an airvantage)

If you want to cut if faster use your sander with some 1000 grit Trizact and use it wet. I use a spritzing bottle similar to a Windex bottle and it would cut very fast with 1000 grit but then you need to go over it with a finer grit before polishing.

[Green95LX]

How will the mystic cut with a foam pad cut? Will it polish faster than the scratch X and microfiber bonnet. Should i use a wool pad or some more aggressive compound first?

[Len]

How will the mystic cut with a foam pad cut? Will it polish faster than the scratch X and microfiber bonnet. Should i use a wool pad or some more aggressive compound first?

I've never used Scratch X so I can't compare it to Mystic Cut but compared to most other compounds that I've used Mystic Cut is faster and doesn't leave nearly as much swirl. We've been using the Mystic Cut with a foam pad on a black Vette and the result was quite impressive.

[Green95LX]

Which foam pad would be better?, the orange or the black?

Thanks

[Len]

Which foam pad would be better?, the orange or the black?

Thanks

We use the orange foam pad almost exclusively.

[Henry]

Which foam pad would be better?, the orange or the black?

Thanks

The orange and black are really 2 different animals. The ORANGE pad is a pad intended to do certain things and to do them very well. The pad is made of "ARTICULATED whatever the hell" being both hard and soft and very DIFFICULT to burn through a surface with. It can be used in place of a wool pad safely while the black foam would be more intended for a final glaze.
So, the ORANGE, you might call a 'working' need toward you better end result.

If you're following what I'm saying you would need both pads but the Orange is a definate MUST HAVE.

Henry

[mkrog1]

I've never used Scratch X so I can't compare it to Mystic Cut but compared to most other compounds that I've used Mystic Cut is faster and doesn't leave nearly as much swirl. We've been using the Mystic Cut with a foam pad on a black Vette and the result was quite impressive.

Beautiful!

[rebuilder]

Green95LX :
I know it's an older thread but just curious if you used an epoxy primer or a special marine grade top coat epoxy?
I assume it's a primer since you are polishing it to bring out a gloss?
Epoxy primer will take a lot but I can't imagine the gloss holding out under those extreme conditions. They usually have little to no UV additives and will begin to chalk with exposure. A good clear coat might have been a better long term solution.
Just curious.... thanks

[Len]

Green95LX :
I know it's an older thread but just curious if you used an epoxy primer or a special marine grade top coat epoxy?
I assume it's a primer since you are polishing it to bring out a gloss?
Epoxy primer will take a lot but I can't imagine the gloss holding out under those extreme conditions. They usually have little to no UV additives and will begin to chalk with exposure. A good clear coat might have been a better long term solution.
Just curious.... thanks

Primer? No we don't polish primer. This Vette is a Glasurit 55 Line base color coat with Glasurit acrylic urethane clear.

[rebuilder]

Len, sorry I meant the original poster..... "I have sprayed the hull of my seadoo with black dyed epoxy"