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Keeping the Toons Looking Great

Ha ha ha! Me too!

My grinder was $39 at harbor freight. And it still works.

But it might as well have burned up, as I'm not doing this again!
 
One issue with the bargain priced buffers is they don't have a soft-start feature. Too much fling-off and wasted product if the wheel starts at high speed.  Even the slowest speed for the HF buffer/polisher is too fast for initial application of a fluid compound. 

I've been using the Makita 9227c that was purchased for the Coon Toon to buff my cars as well and still think it's worth the money. I was fortunate to grow up living next door to a car dealer who let me practice on his crappy cars until I was good enough, then paid me to detail the cars he bought at auction. Later on I worked at an Oldsmobile dealership detailing new cars and trade-ins. Having spent more than a little time with commercial buffers, I can say the Makita is a quality tool.
 
Yup I agree.  Last year I used a really cheap one from Harbor Frieght.  This time around I was lucky enough to have a friend of mine loan me his very nice Porter Cable one and yes it has the soft-start feature which I really liked.
 
kaydano you couldn't have been anymore on the money with your description of the process!!!  job NOT for the faint of heart
 
I have the Makita and it is a quality tool. A little on the heavy have side compared to some is the only complaint I have. I think the Makita will last longer than me though, they all give you a workout!
 
holy crap...I was wanting to know how to clean/polish my toons on my boat I picked up Aug '15 and turned this thread up..

After about the 3rd page I just had to read every post until the end...like a bad movie on Lifetime the wife is watching, this caught my eye and I just had to see how it ended.

kudos to Keith for tackling this project...they look awesome from where they came.

and WOW, just WOW at the shine on bigblock boat...unreal

maybe I'll think to tackle this one day....and then refer back to this thread.  Entertaining and informative!!!
 
Has anyone done just the nosecones?  Does that look OK?  I am thinking about knocking those out...  Also I was looking at the water line on my pontoons and I may be able to get away with just polishing above the water line which should cut the job in half :)  
 
I would say the nose cones are the hardest part.

I'd rather do the whole side of a tube than a nose cone.  The cones have lots of curves and places to get the grinder stuck between the nose and the deck.  Or the splash guard fin.  When you get a running grinder wedged in a tight spot, it kicks back pretty hard.  I dropped it on the concrete once.  Another time it got away from me and the pad left a burn mark on my arm.  But I never had any trouble on the straight sections.

Plus the nose cones have to be done on the inside too because you can see both sides.

Not sure why you'd just want to do the nose cones.  It would look odd in my opinion.  It's an all or none thing.
 
kaydano said:
 I dropped it on the concrete once.  Another time it got away from me and the pad left a burn mark on my arm. 
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Geez Griswold!!!
 
I'm getting tired and sore just thinking about when I did this 2 years ago.
 
Ha ha.  I knew that was coming when I wrote that!

Try holding a grinder spinning 3000 rpms for 10 hours and see if you drop it a couple times.
 
Thanks @Kaydano I will take your "all or nothing" advice. Has anyone perfected which compound to use?  I remember polishing some aluminum with Mothers and it was amazing how well it worked, but what is the best stuff to use with a grinder / wheel and what pad / cloth is recommended now?
 
Read this thread....I stated what I used.  Start with post #57.  Big Block was helping me.
 
I used the white diamond polish with a dual action polisher from harbor freight with a WEN wool polishing bonnet. It was a lot of work but I think it was worth it. I will be doing this again in the next few weeks. Just make sure you clean the toons first with a good acid, I used NAPA aluminum brightener.
 
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kaydano said:
Ha ha ha.

Ditto!

Jared, you'd have to prove you were dying and that shining your pontoons would somehow save your life for me to do this again.

Or buy me a six pack of Xingu. Either one.
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I'll buy you (3) six packs!!! Not till your done... That stuff will knock your socks off. I Ask me how I know.
 
Read the whole thread... I laughed, I cried, and my back hurts from sympathy...  I'll stick w/ BigBlocks shopping list when (if) I tackle this project this year... but someone commented about having a brand new boat but looks old because of the toons oxidation, that's me exactly.
 
For reference. I saw a boat with just the nosecones done. Looked awkward, like somone started a project and decided it was too hard or something. :rolleyes:
 
OK, found the pic of JUST the nosecones:  Doesn't look as silly as I expected it look?  ;)


Luxury-Pontoon-Boats-2572-Fiberglass-QX.jpg
 
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If you don't mind the half and half look, I'd recommend you polish the straight sections and leave the nose cones alone.  Much easier. 
 
How did you get a photo to post instead of the link????
 
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