72 Thunderbird Formula w/twin 165hp Mercs

[bigdirty]

Hey mark, just getting caught up on your build here... shes lookin good man, and I get the frustration when things go wrong.. trust me.. :lol: Just gota take a break and come back to it later right? I'm no pro painter, but almost anything I've ever sprayed I've done light coats, and let it flash a bit before going back over with another coat. I friend of mine that is a pro auto painter also says if it starts to run, lay it on HEAVY and run the run right off the bottom.. that's kind of a black art tho... I agree on the rub rail, you could sand a lot of that smooth, and then shine it up good... she will look fine, and be a lot cheaper than full replacement.. just a bit of elbow grease required.

 

[zool]

let each coat flash off, at least 30 min between or anytime inside the recoat window...1st coat the lightest....then progressively heavier coats...you wont see the gloss til around the 3rd coat...so basically you do 4-5 light coats in a full session...you can either adjust the paint flow, or speed up the gun passes...

 

[kcassells]

Wow Mark....There sure is some great support and info from all the guys here!!! Boats looking Stellar and I'm sure the finish paint job will be Most Excellent! Just a new learning curve. Have at it!

 

[Mark72233]

I am working on the console piece as a side project. I filled in all the old holes.
I also put new 3/4 or 1/2 ply behind the console. The gauge cluster was mounted on a piece of plastic and I haven't decided how I want to put them back. Maybe a piece of white starboard. I don't know yet. To patch all the little holes and blemishes I mixed small batches of resin and 3m glass bubbles to a creamy paste. Easy to spread, fills small pin holes good and best of all it's easy to sand off.

 

[Mark72233]

Ok done with shooting another coat on the transom. To me it looks pretty good.

Orange peel look is a lot less and no drips, runs or drapes. After it dries I may put one more coat on it because a few spots sanded down and showed the light gray primer.

 

[Mark72233]

I am going to give this coat of paint a good look tommorow after work and if I don't see any thin spots where I can see the primer I am going to call the transom done and finalize it, so how do I polish it. I have 1000 and 1500 sand paper what else do I use to polish it. I have an old car polisher, would that work.

 

[sphelps]

No where near the op that you had before .. Some of that may be left over from previous coats shining back through ..

 

[Corjen1]

Ok done with shooting another coat on the transom. To me it looks pretty good.

Orange peel look is a lot less and no drips, runs or drapes. After it dries I may put one more coat on it because a few spots sanded down and showed the light gray primer.

Very good !!!! Definitely bringing it home now!!! MUCH MUCH better!!

 

[Mark72233]

It's not perfect but it's close. Thanks guys for all the advise, help and encouragement. I am hoping I got it figured out.

 

[Mark72233]

These pictures don't have anything to do with my boat restoration I just ran across them tonight and took a very long walk down memory lane. This is my dads old Thunderbird Cathedral hull. I think it was about 15-16 foot with a Mercury outboard. I couldn't find any pics showing the engine. Me and my sister standing on the bow. The second one is me, my dad and older brother. I am holding the fishing pole, my older brother is holding the King Mackerel. It would have been around 1969.
That was the first boat I can remember and have always loved boats and the ocean since than.

 

[Woodonglass]

WOW...Not sure what you did with the paint, but you're getting it figured out. I'd use compound and a VS Polisher. The compound is the equivalent of about 1000 grit wet sanding. Once that's done switch over to McGuieiars Boat Polish and She'll be a Mirror!!!! I LOVE the Vintage Pics. That's what all this work is all about.

 

[archbuilder]

Very cool pictures Mark!

 

[Mark72233]

Wood, are you talking about rubbing compound. I don't think the polisher I have is a variable speed polisher. It was my dads and actually I have never used it. Its still in its original box so I guess it still works. I will check it tonight. I will get the Meguiars boat polish today also, thanks

 

[Woodonglass]

Yup, some of this...http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3501...mpound+meguiar
Followed by this...http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-M4516...ar+boat+polish
I use one of these from HF... Cheap Enuf with a 25% discount coupon...http://www.harborfreight.com/7-inch-...her-66615.html
Got these too...http://www.harborfreight.com/7-1-2-half-inch-wool-buffing-pad-90451.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-in-polishing-foam-pad-61531.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece-7-inch-wool-polisher-bonnets-93591.html

I use it every year to get the BF looking good and my truck.

 

[Mark72233]

Wood, just making sure. I should let the paint harden for about a week before I use compound and polish?

 

[zool]

Wood, just making sure. I should let the paint harden for about a week before I use compound and polish?

3 days for full cure on Topside..

 

[Woodonglass]

If the temps Stay in the 90's Zool is correct 3 days will do the trick.

 

[Mark72233]

Cool, 3 days because it sure ain't cool around here. 90plus all week

 

[zool]

3 days is at 77 deg F, and 50% humidity....since you used a hardener, and it sure Is hot right now, you could probably shave a day, but I would just wait the 3 days...

looking very manageable now Mark!

 

[Woodonglass]

When I did mine 3 yrs ago temps were in the 90's and I waited 4 days and had No Problems. I'm sure the 3 days will be fine. Like Zool says, you might could get away with 2 days cuz the hardener does speed up things quite a bit but you've gone this long why chance it. If you get the HF VS polisher, when using the compound use the slow speed with the wool bonnet and medium pressure. Keep it moving so you don't burn thru the paint. When you switch to the Polish and the polishing bonnets, speed it up and lighten up the pressure.