How to bring back metal flake

[croSSed]

I have a boat that has metal flake accents, most of that is red, some smaller pinstripes in charcoal grey, and light grey, but the majority of the hull is white. The red is particularly oxidized now. I was thinking of hitting those spots with wet 800 grit paper attached to an orbital palm sander, followed by cutting compound on wool pad, and if needed, polishing compound on a foam pad. Follow this with a couple of coast of carnuba wax. Will this work?

[transomstand]

Do some test spots first, you might not have to be that aggresive. Preserve the clear gel as much as possible.

[rev.ronnie]

I like McGuires ultimate polish. If the gel is dull, it's porous as well. I have found that waxes sometimes actually dull or cloud the surface because it. "clogs the pores".

If it it real chalky, hitting it with 3M super duty rubbing compound first will knock it out real quick, and the finish with the McGuires.

The biggest thing is to protect it from the sun after you spend the time working the gel out again. I kicked my Viper's metalflake gel out and it still looks perfect a year later, but it has been stored inside since.

[Stitch King]

If the gel is down to the edges of the metal flakes it will oxidize again in short order. My first boat was a Glastron GT150 with silver flakes and I got sick of constantly having to compound the thing so I shot it with a PPG Concept clear urethane. Never faded again.

[BottomsUp]

Regardless of compound. When you have no clear the flakes surface and then no matter the color turn silver because it is metal flake ,anodized aluminum in most cases.
Try one spot with aggressive compound if it works you should be ok if it turns silver well it may be to late.

1000,1500,2000 then a light cold buff not heating the clear up cause it is softer then colored gel. Colored gel has pigments and more solids. This is why clear bakes off easier in the sun.

[stevo18]

I'm buffing out my stv. I used with wool pad 3M super duty and with foam pad 3M finess it and mcguires #9 swirl remouver and it does the job I spin my buffer at the slowest speed of 600 rmp and wet my pad and surface of the boat. At some place you might have to do the ruff compound step twice if it's badly oxidize but otherwize it worked out good for me.
At the end I used colinite 885 wax since it has only 2% silicone in it.

[croSSed]

Thanks for all the great replies. When the weather here improves I'm going to have to give it a try.

[pyro]

If you choose to wet-sand, start with the finest grits like 1500 or 2000, and only move to a coarser grit if the finer grit isn't cutting enough. Take the least invasive approach necessary to get the job done.

[olboatman]

I also want to thank croSSed and everyone else for the input since I am also in the process of buffing a flake boat (84 Calson CVX-17). Gary

[croSSed]

Alright, here's what I ended up doing. I orbital palm sanded the metal flake parts with 1500 grit wet sand paper, then hit the whole boat with Production Car Care Products Synthetic Cutting Creme with a wool buffing pad, and followed that with 303's Aerospace Protectant, and here's what it looks like now. I will say that I should probably hit the gel coat again with a finishing creme, like 3M Perfect It and a foam pad to get all the swirls out, but you can't see the swirls unless the light is just right. Also, the 303 Aerospace Protectant should be a regular wipe-down regimen now, but I think it looks really good. You get an idea how beautiful these old metal flake boats were new in the showroom after doing some work like this.

[olboatman]

Nice! croSSed Have been working on my cvx17 but I have come to the conclusion that it may have gone too far. The aluminum flake has been exposed before I obtained boat. After lightly wet sanding and buffing it just is a shiney silver--where it was red! May have to paint this winter. Thanks for the info Gary

[99fxst99]

We used to scuff the deck with 180 or 220 dry, blow it down, prep sol, tack rag, and a wet coat of clear Imron. Worked great on weathered decks. To get an idea of how it will look, flow a water hose over the deck.

[outasite]

Just did a old switzer last week,hand wet with 1000 then 1500 till smooth, and slick.It was a gold flake and it did get into some of the flake,you can tell cause it turns silver.shot over with three coats clear coat.Hand sand with 1500 and buff.Looks as good as new, except for some silver flake mixed with the gold.

[idvette]

http://youtu.be/uVlNUljCK1A

My metal flake is coming through. Last winter was rough on my boat, I had to get aggressive with it. Since this video I finished buffing it, buffed again with foam pad and meguiars one step, then waxed with turtle wax liquid ice. To look at it and feel it now you'd never know the flake is exposed.