How To Get Rid Of Oxydization?

[Brian Wise]

Hey guys,

My leg locks on my drift boat are blue and have oxyidized. I can wax them with a compound and it goes away after a while. I suppose the best bet is to buff it out but what compounds do you guys recommend?

Thanks!!

Brian

[taxidermist]

Aluminum? You can use a mouse sander and the polishing pad with any good aluminum metal polish.

I made the mistake of using a truck acid wash on my truck tool box a few years back, turned it white from poished alum. I took a old drill and put a buffing wheel onit and polished the box up looked better than when I bought the truck.

Check Eastwood Auot car parts for more info. I think you can google them.

I polished an old intake manifold last winter for a small block Ford. it being a ruff cast, I had to grind the sand casting marks and grain off then polish with a series of felt wheels and grits.

But I doubt you will need the heavy grits maybe just the lighter and a softer wheel. Hey Grizzly in Springfield has some polishing supplies.

[Brian Wise]

Forgot to mention that it is Fiberglass.

Brian

[taxidermist]

lol Fiberglass, sound like the gel coat is breaking down. Just do a good polish with any car compound then wax. Th compound removes the dead stuff and the wax will seal the good stuff.

Some gel coats that don't have a glossy finish breakdown pretty fast. Very chaulky I think its the amount of filler in the resin and type of filler, normally white calcium carbonate. This is when the white rubs off on you pretty easy.

Tooling gelcoats are a harder type of resin and normally red, black, orange or green.

[mosouthpaw]

My Clacka thats navyblue/beige also has a problem with it getting that slight white haze. Meguiars and 3M have good products. Once you get it gone use someting like turlewax ICE or bassboatsaver

Leglocks take lots of abuse, the constant rubbing of jeans, pants and bare legs will slowly wear away the gelcoat.

[Flysmallie]

Brian,

These guys are right on. You need a good compound followed by a wax. The problem that you are having by compounding and it looking good for awhile is common. The problem is that you are probably removing very little of the oxidation and the oils in the compound are hiding the rest. Once the compound washes off, you have the same problem. On gelcoat you need a pretty aggresive compound and sometimes wet sanding with 1000 grit paper is needed to do it right.

I sent you a message about coming down and looking at the other repairs that we had talked about. If you want let me know and I'll grab a buffer and some compound, we could probably get them buffed out in a couple of hours. I used to detail boats, so I've got this down pretty good.

If you have a day open in the next couple of weeks let me know.

[Brian Wise]

Hey flysmallie, returned your pm. Didn't get the notice it arrived.

Brian