Tools for Newbies

[Boatman53]

Penetrol is used on faded fiberglass but I've never tried it.
Jim

 

[snapper]

cflcanoe - Dave not only mentioned the Flood Penetrol, I was able to pick up a can from him before I left his shop. Looks like it's time to get to work; and pick up some more clamps (LOL). Again, thanks to everyone for your helpful suggestions and expertise.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[pblanc]

I have used Penetrol and it does work pretty well on gel coated, composite boats. The effect is temporary but much longer lasting than 303 Protectant. If you have oxidation of the gel coat don't expect it to remove that.

I would try this: hose your canoe down with water. If you are happy with the appearance of the canoe when wet then you will probably be happy with the appearance after applying Penetrol or buffing with a polishing compound or glaze. If you are not happy with the appearance then I would plan to wet sand it.

 

[snapper]

pblanc - Thanks for the suggestions. That's now on my list!

Until next time...be well.

snapper

PS - Any suggestion on what level of wet sandpaper I should begin with? And how far might you progress with the sanding?

 

[pblanc]

What grit paper you start with depends on how scratched the surface of the gel coat is and how deep the scratches. If you have a lot of scratches I would start with either 180 grit or 220 grit. The heavier grits will of course, leave sanding marks and the surface will appear duller after initial sanding. The progressively finer grades are required to remove the sanding marks. A final buffing with glaze or polishing compound restores the gloss.

You don't necessarily need to use every grit between 180 and 2000. You could, for example go with 180-220-400-600-1200-2000. Just keep the surface wet either by spritzing or rinsing the sludge off with a hose if working outdoors.

 

[Guest]

Just keep the surface wet either by spritzing or rinsing the sludge off with a hose if working outdoors.

I have wet sanded through the grits inside the shop (winter, too dang cold), but it is shop floor messy. Outside, with a hose, is preferable. Wet sanding produces a milky white sludge that drips onto the shop floor, grass or (sorry about that Honey) deck. Hosing that milky sludge off the boat as you sand will better reveal the undulled places you have missed.

I don’t know if it actually helps or not, but I rinse or swish the accumulated sludge off the wet sandpaper every so often. At worst I can see what corners of the sandpaper have any abrasiveness left.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Just to expand on the hearing protection thing.....I wear hearing protection for anything that involves a power tool noisier than the scroll saw or drill. My work-related hearing loss is bad enough already without adding to it at home. Even if you think the noise isn't that great, if you endure very much of it, your hearing will eventually be damaged without protection. I prefer muffs when I'm not wearing a full face shield. IME, the most comfortable brand with the highest noise reduction rating is Leight. You may not find these at your hardware store, but most likely your bigger shooting suppliers will have them.

 

[snapper]

Steve - I already use muffs for hearing protection. Too many years in a rock band during my youth when we thought ears that rung for at least 4 hours after a job was the sign of a good show. Boy were we stupid. Of course it's my right ear that's the worst off so when my wife "reminds" me of a conversation we had days before in the car, I'm at a loss for what it was we discussed. Between her soft voice and my paying attention to whatever CD is playing, well...you can guess the rest

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[Guest]

Just to expand on the hearing protection thing.....I wear hearing protection for anything that involves a power tool noisier than the scroll saw or drill. My work-related hearing loss is bad enough already without adding to it at home. Even if you think the noise isn't that great, if you endure very much of it, your hearing will eventually be damaged without protection. I prefer muffs when I'm not wearing a full face shield. IME, the most comfortable brand with the highest noise reduction rating is Leight. You may not find these at your hardware store, but most likely your bigger shooting suppliers will have them.

I prefer full coverage muffs as well. They are both more effective and more comfortable than ear plugs, and more reusable.

I didn’t mean to get into scary territory with the PPE stuff, but a lot of the impact of noise, dust, etc is cumulative. Quite a few boat builders or tinkerers I know have developed a sensitivity to resin/glass dust over time, some a lot quicker than I.

Even wood dust is a health and safety issue.

http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-dust-safety/

One of my uncles is a professional pattern maker and custom cabinet maker. He also makes custom wood dash panels for exotic cars, some using rare hardwoods. He eventually developed long-term vision problems that specialists could not identify, and I have always wondered if dust from rare woods was the culprit.

 

[Boatman53]

+1 on the wood dust cautions. I have to be very, very careful working with red cedar. My throat and sinuses close right up. I'm not sure I can even do another stripper. Full respirator will be needed when sanding that's for sure.
Jim

 

[pblanc]

I have wet sanded through the grits inside the shop (winter, too dang cold), but it is shop floor messy. Outside, with a hose, is preferable. Wet sanding produces a milky white sludge that drips onto the shop floor, grass or (sorry about that Honey) deck. Hosing that milky sludge off the boat as you sand will better reveal the undulled places you have missed.

I don’t know if it actually helps or not, but I rinse or swish the accumulated sludge off the wet sandpaper every so often. At worst I can see what corners of the sandpaper have any abrasiveness left.

I generally wet sand outdoors as well frequently hosing off the hull and I keep a pail of water with a drop or two of dishwashing detergent at hand and continually dip my sanding sponge/block and paper into it to rinse it off.

 

[Guest]

+1 on the wood dust cautions. I have to be very, very careful working with red cedar. My throat and sinuses close right up. I'm not sure I can even do another stripper. Full respirator will be needed when sanding that's for sure

WRC dust seems especially bad stuff, but check out some of the other known reactions to wood varieties. Greenheart anyone? (sensitizer, wheezing, severe throat irritation, splinters go septic, cardiac and intestinal disorders).

http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/

 

[Alan Gage]

Cedar dust is what really convinced me having a shop vac connected to my orbital sander was a near necessity. I can sand on a stripper hull for 2 hours, without a mask or respirator, and have no ill effects. But if I spend 2 minutes touching up the stems with a hand sander my nose will start running.

Alan