Sharkhide HELP!!!!

[timnjess16]

Help Help Help
I am trying to polish my toons this weekend and things are not working as planned can anyone help? I have done the acid wash with the Sharkhide aluminum cleaner then wiped everything down with lacquer thinner and started polishing this evening. I am using a new polisher with a Meguiar’s 8” wool buffing pad and these are the results I’m getting. This is a brand new South Bay that has only been in the water twice so the toon were in good shape to begin with.

[HandymanHerb]

It takes a long time and gets you very dirty, but it can be done, but it's going to be days unless you can find someone doing near you, we had a truck stop do most and we finished the rest, We used Tripoli for faster cutting

[Bryden24shp]

What are you using for a polishing pad? Are those toons seal coated from the factory with a glazing?
Search for pontoon polishing, we have a lot of information here on this, And go into Manitou's website and you'll see my magazine article on polishing, as well.

[Traillblazer]

I just finished my second year of polishing. The first time was just ok. I have now learned many ways how not to polish aluminum. Are you using a polisher or a buffer to start with? This time I did my entire boat twice. I started with a cleaning polish and then went to the sharkhide polish. There is a lot to learn when doing this. People with experience make it look easy.

http://www.autogeek.net/wolfgang-metall ... olish.html

The sharkhide polish was not abrasive enough for me to start with. Here is my Southbay....

[Ron Burgundy]

Holy cow those are some shiny pontoons! How long does it stay looking like that?

[Traillblazer]

Well last year they were pretty cloudy at the end of the season. Not sure if it was the Sharkhide or the way I did it. It was in the water a lot last year. This year will really put the sealant to the test. Even more trips planned. Hoping we have good weather this year. You do have to be extra careful not to bump anything with your toons. The sharkhide will rub off and the aluminum will oxidize giving you a dark spot. When I began repolishing the old sharkhide came off really fast and easy. It just melts when lacquer thinner is applied.

[timnjess16]

What are you using for a polishing pad? Are those toons seal coated from the factory with a glazing?
Search for pontoon polishing, we have a lot of information here on this, And go into Manitou's website and you'll see my magazine article on polishing, as well.

I am using a Meguiar’s 8” wool buffing pad. They do not seem to be coated but not sure how to tell to me honest with you. I found the article on the Maniou's website and have read around on this site just about every article I can find and think maybe I need to starting with a cleaning polisher first before I go to the Sharkhide.
.

[timnjess16]

I just finished my second year of polishing. The first time was just ok. I have now learned many ways how not to polish aluminum. Are you using a polisher or a buffer to start with? This time I did my entire boat twice. I started with a cleaning polish and then went to the sharkhide polish. There is a lot to learn when doing this. People with experience make it look easy.

http://www.autogeek.net/wolfgang-metall ... olish.html

The sharkhide polish was not abrasive enough for me to start with. Here is my Southbay....

I have cleaned them with sharkhide cleaner and went to the sharkhide polish and think I'm learning I need to use a more aggressive polish first before going to the sharkhide polish

[ToonGuy]

All new toons are anodized from the factory. You need to cut through that first. Use a cleanning or cutting compound first, or even sand with 400 grit.

[timnjess16]

All new toons are anodized from the factory. You need to cut through that first. Use a cleanning or cutting compound first, or even sand with 400 grit.

Do you have to remove the cutting compound with lacquer thinner before you start polishing?

[Bamaman]

My Bennie was 6 weeks old when I took delivery, and the toons had already begun tarnishing. It had been kept inside in a dark warehouse--perfect conditions. I too used a top quality metal polish, but I used a dual action polisher and the wool applicator pad. The big 8" polishers can be used with Tripoli and a buffing wheel (using the edge), but they can get you into trouble--with swirls. My Porter Cable polisher and White Diamond polish gets my boat shiny enough for my use. I then tried to get the toons clean with lacquer cleaner, however it takes too much work to get it so clean that Sharkhide won't smudge black aluminum oxide into the finish. It's so much easier to just polish the outside toons, nosecones and tails of my triton once per year in 90 minutes. I think just cleaning the toons with lacquer cleaner would take 12 hrs. and too much elbow grease. I'm just not willing to work hard enough to keep that mirror finish that Tripoli and a high speed polisher will produce.

[ToonGuy]

All new toons are anodized from the factory. You need to cut through that first. Use a cleanning or cutting compound first, or even sand with 400 grit.

Do you have to remove the cutting compound with lacquer thinner before you start polishing?

If you polish correctly, there is little to no residue left. If you have alot of compound left when you finish an area, you are using too much.

[timnjess16]

I just finished my second year of polishing. The first time was just ok. I have now learned many ways how not to polish aluminum. Are you using a polisher or a buffer to start with? This time I did my entire boat twice. I started with a cleaning polish and then went to the sharkhide polish. There is a lot to learn when doing this. People with experience make it look easy.

http://www.autogeek.net/wolfgang-metall ... olish.html

The sharkhide polish was not abrasive enough for me to start with. Here is my Southbay....

Did you sand any before you started polishing?

[HandymanHerb]

IF you do sand we are talking 1000 grit and up to the finest you can find

[fiddlebick]

Since most of us browse more than one forum, I guess its ok to refer you to information on the Bennington forums as well. There is a good thread on keeping your toons looking great. Someone let me know if its not acceptable for me to mention other forums. I love this forum the most and don't want to break any rules or detract from it in any way.