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Paint renovation.


John Orentas

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The paintwork on Squeers is perhaps five years old now and for the past couple of years the red cabin sides have been suffering from that horrible chalky, dusty, washed out look we are all familiar with, the boat is up for sale so I have been reluctant to repaint it as the next owner may want a different colour and anyway my name is painted on it. I have tried all the usual elixirs, 'T' cut and the like, nothing has been any use at all.

 

A friend who happens to own a Body Shop spent a few hours on Sunday morning applying his expertise, he brought with him a professional power tool, best described as a low speed angle grinder with polishing disk and a magic paste, Squeers now looks like it did soon after it was last painted.

 

I noticed a thread yesterday from someone offering a valeting service for boats, I was so impressed with what we did at weekend I think it could form the basis of a business for someone.

 

 

P.S. Should have looked up this thread first. http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...amp;hl=Valeting

Edited by John Orentas
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If you look in screwfix under sander polisher that's the machine to use the paste is cutting or polishing compound depending on it's abrasive content.

 

Your local automotive body shop will sell you the stuff if you need it.

 

If you're polishing a boat to sell there are a number of instant effect products used by the trade for short time effect without too much effort available too! :cheers:

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the paste is cutting or polishing compound depending on it's abrasive content.

 

So that would be 'T' Cut then? :cheers:

 

If you're polishing a boat to sell there are a number of instant effect products used by the trade for short time effect without too much effort available too! :cheers:

 

Is anybody going to let on then :D

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What was the magic paste John, and be interesting to see how it lasts (although I appreciate you don't necessarily want the opportunity to find out)?

 

 

I will try and find out today, didn't think of asking at the time. But I think most of the technology is in the disc's and the machine, slow enough not to generate any heat.

 

Yes I am still to find out about it's lasting qualities, I think a waxing and polishing weekend is coming up.

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So that would be 'T' Cut then? :D

Is anybody going to let on then :cheers:

 

 

Well I did say I was going to sort of report back, my mate retired from his business a few years ago and left his lads to carry on though he still fiddles about with his own projects. Having talked to him today he can't add much to what others have said other than to emphasise that the polishing tool must be the slowest possible speed and the compound the finest there is, 'T' cut would be far to thin. He said much the same as others on here, motor body factors will be able to sort you out.

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I use the Farecla range of cutting fluids; much more user-friendly than T-cut, and more economical in use. I use an ancient old Sealey polisher with a 6" foam pad and Farecla G10, but that's on cellulose. There's a final finish glossing compound in the range.

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A friend who happens to own a Body Shop .....

 

Will admit to a blonde moment here - read through the thread waiting to find out which Body Shop (as in Anita Roddick) product produced this rejuvenation of the red paint . :cheers:

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  • 2 weeks later...
The paintwork on Squeers is perhaps five years old now and for the past couple of years the red cabin sides have been suffering from that horrible chalky, dusty, washed out look we are all familiar with, the boat is up for sale so I have been reluctant to repaint it as the next owner may want a different colour and anyway my name is painted on it. I have tried all the usual elixirs, 'T' cut and the like, nothing has been any use at all.

 

A friend who happens to own a Body Shop spent a few hours on Sunday morning applying his expertise, he brought with him a professional power tool, best described as a low speed angle grinder with polishing disk and a magic paste, Squeers now looks like it did soon after it was last painted.

 

I noticed a thread yesterday from someone offering a valeting service for boats, I was so impressed with what we did at weekend I think it could form the basis of a business for someone.

P.S. Should have looked up this thread first. http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...amp;hl=Valeting

If your paint is chalking then it is on it`s way out. Buffing with a compound ( yes- I ue Farecla as well! ) followed by a polish will bring the finish back but it will not last long.

The problem is the break down of the binder that holds and protects the pigment in the paint . It happens to all synthetic enamels eventually however good /bad/cheap/expensive they may be. Once it happens the pigment itself is exposed to the elements and suffers in consequence . That`s why you see your cloth or your washing water takes on the colour of the paint.Five years isn`t bad given that polishing will probably prolongue the appearance for a couple of years yet.

Another answer , and I know I will be greatly contradicted by the unbelievers here, is to varnish the sides. Two coats of GOOD (I.E. EXPENSIVE NON-POLYURETANE ) varnish properly applied will stretch the life of your paint for at least another five years if you lightly rub it down and put another coat on every two years max. BEFORE it looks like it needs it. You willhave heard how varnishing fails , ruins the paintwork, falls off in sheets , crazes and ANYWAY it`s cheating . Nonsense. Absolute utter drivel - as long as it`s done right and maintained properly. All the best fairground painting , steam engines , living vans etc are varnished as a matter of course - believe me!

Cheers

Phil

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QUITE RIGHT!

 

My father was Chief Mechanical Inspector for London Transport (in the days when they ran ALL the London buses!) and in those days they varnished all the buses after painting. (the RTs RFs and Routemasters, for the Geeks out there)

Those buses did MILLIONS of miles and still looked good after a trip through the bus wash

Edited by Prof
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If I may be so bold - Craftmaster Clear . Non Poly 98% reflective. Brilliant.

Cheers

Phil

Thanks, I am considering doing that next time. Will contact you then.

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If your paint is chalking then it is on it`s way out. Buffing with a compound ( yes- I ue Farecla as well! ) followed by a polish will bring the finish back but it will not last long.

The problem is the break down of the binder that holds and protects the pigment in the paint . It happens to all synthetic enamels eventually however good /bad/cheap/expensive they may be. Once it happens the pigment itself is exposed to the elements and suffers in consequence . That`s why you see your cloth or your washing water takes on the colour of the paint.Five years isn`t bad given that polishing will probably prolongue the appearance for a couple of years yet.

Another answer , and I know I will be greatly contradicted by the unbelievers here, is to varnish the sides. Two coats of GOOD (I.E. EXPENSIVE NON-POLYURETANE ) varnish properly applied will stretch the life of your paint for at least another five years if you lightly rub it down and put another coat on every two years max. BEFORE it looks like it needs it. You willhave heard how varnishing fails , ruins the paintwork, falls off in sheets , crazes and ANYWAY it`s cheating . Nonsense. Absolute utter drivel - as long as it`s done right and maintained properly. All the best fairground painting , steam engines , living vans etc are varnished as a matter of course - believe me!

Cheers

Phil

 

Yep, you are correct. My Uncle was a signwriter and he also told us the same thing about varnishing the sides. Good tip Phil.

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QUITE RIGHT!

 

My father was Chief Mechanical Inspector for London Transport (in the days when they ran ALL the London buses!) and in those days they varnished all the buses after painting. (the RTs RFs and Routemasters, for the Geeks out there)

Those buses did MILLIONS of miles and still looked good after a trip through the bus wash

Yes so did the GWR on all their passenger coaches, The "cream" in their famous chocolate and cream livery was actuially off white, but was coloured by the varnish.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
We are about to paint the boat and this is a great bit of advice! But craftsmaster stuff is so damn expensive. Would water-based varnish do the trick? Is that what you mean by non-poly?

What would be the preparation of the sides before applieing the varnish?

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The paintwork on Squeers is perhaps five years old now and for the past couple of years the red cabin sides have been suffering from that horrible chalky, dusty, washed out look we are all familiar with, the boat is up for sale so I have been reluctant to repaint it as the next owner may want a different colour and anyway my name is painted on it

 

So, if your looking to buy a boat, and you see one called 'Squeers', then the paints bug***ed!! And anyway, you cant buy it unless your name starts with John...... :):D:P;)

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We are about to paint the boat and this is a great bit of advice! But craftsmaster stuff is so damn expensive. Would water-based varnish do the trick? Is that what you mean by non-poly?

 

Craftmaster costs more in the first place but is so much better in the long term. I bought some Craftmaster wax and it was fantastic.

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We are about to paint the boat and this is a great bit of advice! But craftsmaster stuff is so damn expensive. Would water-based varnish do the trick? Is that what you mean by non-poly?

Hmmm. It`s not expensive - it`s good and if it extended the life of your paintwork for a good length of time surely it`s worth it. If you use a varnish that is £10 per litre cheaper you will save the princely sum of twenty quid and not get anything like as good a result.

When I was a motorcyclist ( and I intend to be born again soon somehow although despite charging such huge amounts for paint I can`t actually afford a bike ) we would say "if you`ve got a ten pound head buy a ten pound helmet. Similar applies.You really do get what you pay for. Oh yes - I would be more than surprised if a brushing , water-based varnish would be any good at all. When I said non-poly I meant not a polyurethane. Ours is an "alkyd synthetic" like our paint and if you chose not to use ours then seek out another one of the same type.

Cheers

Phil

ps - I`ve had another thought! The good idea - to which you are welcome - came from Craftmaster Ltd along with all the other things I write here in the hope of being helpful -not from any other paint company. None of the others have the "on the job" boat painting experience we have and they wouldn`t bother with newsgrousp like this even they did . That must surely make our paint very good value indeed!

Edited by Phil Speight
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Craftmaster costs more in the first place but is so much better in the long term. I bought some Craftmaster wax and it was fantastic.

 

 

We've got some of that!

 

Cost an arm and several legs, but bloody good stuff

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Phil,

What about varnishing a new paint job, worthwhile or stuupid?

The argument is the same. Varnishing has maintainance implications in that it must be lightly abraided and recoated every couple of years - but the benefits are possibly even greater with a new paintjob. The varnish takes the rubs and light scratches, it protects the paint against ultra-violet light and atmospheric pollution and as part of the prep for re-varnishing any paint repairs can be invisibly mended. All this supposes that whoever does the work is competent to do it and the varnish is suitable for the purpose.

We stopped doing it because customers were not, by and large, following our instruction regarding re-varnishing and then blaming us when it went `orribly wrong. if I had a newly painted boat of my own and the time to look after it it would certainly be varnished.

Cheers

Phil

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Hey Phil,

 

We've just finished painting one side of the boat. I was just going to get some outdoor Ronseal type varnish, but Craftmaster seems to be the way to do it. Is your method for revarnishing as as simple as above? lightly abrade and recoat every couple of years?

 

Adam

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