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Is there a clearcoat n older Checkmates?

at100plus

at100plus

Member
My 89 Starflite deck is faded, I brought it for an estimate to just paint the red and black, and my body shop suggested I try wetsanding.

I did the star on one of the rear locker lids with 1500 by hand and it came up like new, but took a long time so I bought 1000 grit disks for my DA sander, still slow going, so I'm at 600 and its coming along, but still very slow. I think it may be clear coat that is so oxidized, because once i wear down at that top coat it is a much brighter red that will then compound and polish to a like new finish. The "topcoat" has white dots in it and just looks terrible, is this a clearcoat?
 
Take a look at the thread I made doing my Liner. Wet sanding the red produced no color in the water but when I got to the black and white stripes on the sides the water would turn black or white. A lot of work but it will look nice for a while when you're done.

John
 
It's the red that appears to have a clear coat, would clear coat be harder to sand?

Should I go 400 or perhaps even less?

600 doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot better than the 1000 did
 
at100plus said:
It's the red that appears to have a clear coat, would clear coat be harder to sand?

Should I go 400 or perhaps even less?

600 doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot better than the 1000 did
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It takes a bit of time and you want to take your time. your finger tips will be sore....and by that time you will be about 25% done:poke:
 
at100plus said:
I'm using 600 on a DA sander and it's still very slow, seems like the paper is still to fine
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set the sander on a slower speed so that your sanding it and not polishing it.paper is clogging up fast on you the speed is to high,it may be a couple of days sanding.
 
I have tried it both fast and slow, flat and with the sander on an angle, it seems to take the most off when run it fast with the sander at an angle then slow and flat, I am wet sanding so it doesn't seem that the paper is loading up, just seems like I need a coarser paper
 
When I did mine I did it by hand with one of those 3M sanding blocks. Doing from the rub rail up took a couple of hours for each step of sanding. It really didn't look too good until I started getting into the compounds and glaze. At one point I was thinking WTF? I really made a mess of my boat.

John
 
I still haven't gotten an answer, is this a clear coat???


I tried 400 today, still no improvement, it would take a lifetime to get down to the nice red at this rate. Should I dry first??
 
At100 from your pictures the gelcoat is really oxidized, I don't think you have clearcoat on the boat. I would stay at 600 grit and keep sanding working a small area at the time.
 
http://db.tt/IeRkwxvf

In this pic it looks like it may be clear coat. Gel hazes up but I've never seen the crackle look except in clear coat. I'm not telling you to do this but if it was mine I'd be able to tell with a razor blade. A razor blade at a very low to the surface angle will take that clear off IF thats what it is. I'm thinking also if you have to go to a grit so low you should consider your going to be repainting. Just thinking out loud!

But to answer your Q. They were never cleared from the factory. The chance of it being cleared since, pretty good.
 
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I'm dealing with the same condition on my starfire and haven't been able to get rid of it either. I have gone as low a 320 on a d-a to see what would happen and I am not seeing any gain. At this point I look at it as I am getting it prepped for paint. I'm still screwing with it as I have time and if anything actually works I'll let you know. I think the best fix for both of us is going to come out of a spray gun.
 
RNGRDVE said:
I'm dealing with the same condition on my starfire and haven't been able to get rid of it either. I have gone as low a 320 on a d-a to see what would happen and I am not seeing any gain. At this point I look at it as I am getting it prepped for paint. I'm still screwing with it as I have time and if anything actually works I'll let you know. I think the best fix for both of us is going to come out of a spray gun.
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get out the 80 grit...:poke:
 
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