Step by step toon polishing please?

[busatom]

Ok so I got one side done, and it started to snow, so I wanted to hurry & apply the sharkhide, as I am wore out, & the sharkhide says apply 20-100* F but the colder the better. Turned out ok, happy with the top, closer to the bottom of the log doesnt look as good.

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Ok ok I have read through all the toon polishing tips, and I'm outside busting my ass trying to polish them for the 2nd time this year, this time sharkhyde products are being used. Can someone please give me their best step by step tips. I've aluminum cleaned it with sharkhyde, now I'm polishing it with sharkhyde, applying by hand and rubbing it in with my variable speed buffer. It's looking ok but no matter how many coats of polish it stll doesn't look perfect and I'm still getting black residue. Please help thanks Tom

[The_Hellbilly]

If you can post a pic it'll give us a better idea where you are and what you need to do next

[busatom]

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so here are some pics. They to me are a lil deceiving because pic 3 makes it look great, and in person it doesnt look that good. Thanks for all responses.

[HandymanHerb]

Just keep going, it is not a fast process, and the blacker you get, the better the toons will look, I don't know how abraisive shark hide cleaner is so I can't comment on that at all.

I use rouge and the other metal polishing sticks, they have differant grits for differant parts of the job.

[curtiscapk]

dang bus I can see you in the reflection mine ain't close. Which I could help....

[dockholiday]

The sharkhide polish is non abrasive, so you will need wet/dry 400,600 an up to remove the blems, or you can use mothers or meguiars both are slightly abrasive. Sharkhide works great but won't take the blems out, since it is non abrasive. Far as the black residue mine never quit putting it out even when they had a mirror finish. Laquer thinner work best to remove the black although I have used acetone an mineral spirits. The awesome cleaner work good for cleaning the polishing bonnets. Have also used some dawn dishwashing liquid along with 000 or 0000 steelwool an will not scratch the finish like say an sos pad. Some use rouge but it didn't work nearly as well as the 3 polishes I mentioned. I would leave an deep blems or scratches since you will have to remove the metal down to them. When I ripped the end off my toon a while back was able to see the thickness of the walls an they are not as thick as one would imagine. Best to experiment with the methods I mentioned so you can get a feel for when you need more aggressive products in certain areas. Polished my first toon in 89 an have tried a lot of different polishes an such, but the things, I mentioned here worked the best far as shine an time savings.
doc

[LSVLance]

My experience was that I'd use aluminum polish and a DA polisher to get the metal pretty shiny, then I'd wipe it down with acetone or lacquer thinner to prep it for the Sharkhyde and that dulled the finish just a bit. Then the first application of the Sharkhyde dulled the finish a bit more.

I was a bit disappointed that the fine mirror like finish I polished the toons to, dulled a bit, but understood that the Sharkhyde would help keep them looking great a lot longer than unprotected at all...which it did.

Keep up the good work, you'll get it satisfactory soon enough.

[woolznaz]

If you have not already done so, you can also call Sharkhide. I called them and got the owner. He was extremely helpful and generous with his time by giving advice. I got the feeling he really wanted you to be satisfied with the outcome of using his products, so he seemed willing to give out advice (step by step, as you were asking) to get the best results. Tell them what you done so far, your current results, and I bet they will put a plan together (advice) for you from here to the end.

I may be be doing mine over the winter, so I'm jealous of the head start you have! Good luck with the rest of the project.

[2250 GCW ESP]

From my research you will need a random orbital buffer to do a final polish as I learned on my last toon polish the variable speed rotary buffer will always leave dark and swirl marks.

[HandymanHerb]

Nope you use the regular buffer and then you have to wipe it down with paint thiner to remove the black stuff

[oldmn19]

Tell you what guys, I want mine polished, so I invite the 2 different camps to come work on mine and see who's toon turns out best the fastest! I'll buy the beer and the winners get TADA, the bragging rights!

[2250 GCW ESP]

Nope you use the regular buffer and then you have to wipe it down with paint thiner to remove the black stuff

Yes that is the first round, If he wants the flawless mirror finish he will need to finish with the random orbital. I know from my own first hand trial. You will never get the fine swirl free shine with a standard rotary buffer.

[busatom]

Well back at it, trying to get the logs polished, and after an hour Im sick of it! Called 3 truck stops looking to see if the polish toon logs! lol Having back surgery a year ago, doesnt help trying to polish these dam logs! Wax on wax off, dam wheres Mr Miagi?

Tom

[busatom]

Dock or Herb, is there a trick, Im applying mothers liberally, then using buffer to buff it, should I buff it forever or till its dry, leave it wet, then wipe it? Any other tips appreciated. Thanks

Tom

[partybarge]

what kind of pad are you using for your buffer? it makes a huge difference.