Besides woodworking, I enjoy restoring fiberglass boats.
I have a 1965 Boston Whaler that I am refinishing. I have removed the Gel Coat from the flat surfaces using a special tool that looks like a rotary sander but the disk is fitted with 3 carbide inserts that very quickly remove 95% of the Gel Coat. (About 1 1/2 sq. feet per minute).
I need to sand these areas to finish the Gel Coat removal before I begin to rebuild these surfaces.
There are curved surfaces where my special tool can not be used. I will have to sand these surfaces to remove the Gel Coat.
My plan is to use a RO90 sander and a HEPA 26 Dust Collector.
I have looked at your abrasive guide. I can understand the suggestions when using the tools for wood. I need suggestions for working on fiberglass. The finest grit I will need on any of this preparation work will be 80 grit.
Can some one please suggest the type of abrasives and grit schedule that I would need to remove the remaining Gel Coat from this boat.
Thank you,
Walter Luikey
P.S. I started using Festools about 7 months ago. I built a new pilot seat and console for this Whaler project out in my driveway because I did not have a dust collector. The neighbors found this to be a great source of entertainment and frequently gathered for hours asking questions and watching the work progress. When the work was finally completed I was overwhelmed by the complements that your tools received. The comment I liked the most was from a fellow that has a workshop that would put most professional shops to shame. He said," It would have taken me three times as long to build those pieces in my shop and I never could approach the quality of the construction that you achieved using your TS75, a small drill press and a router, and you did it outside in your driveway!! WOW!!!!!".
I have a 1965 Boston Whaler that I am refinishing. I have removed the Gel Coat from the flat surfaces using a special tool that looks like a rotary sander but the disk is fitted with 3 carbide inserts that very quickly remove 95% of the Gel Coat. (About 1 1/2 sq. feet per minute).
I need to sand these areas to finish the Gel Coat removal before I begin to rebuild these surfaces.
There are curved surfaces where my special tool can not be used. I will have to sand these surfaces to remove the Gel Coat.
My plan is to use a RO90 sander and a HEPA 26 Dust Collector.
I have looked at your abrasive guide. I can understand the suggestions when using the tools for wood. I need suggestions for working on fiberglass. The finest grit I will need on any of this preparation work will be 80 grit.
Can some one please suggest the type of abrasives and grit schedule that I would need to remove the remaining Gel Coat from this boat.
Thank you,
Walter Luikey
P.S. I started using Festools about 7 months ago. I built a new pilot seat and console for this Whaler project out in my driveway because I did not have a dust collector. The neighbors found this to be a great source of entertainment and frequently gathered for hours asking questions and watching the work progress. When the work was finally completed I was overwhelmed by the complements that your tools received. The comment I liked the most was from a fellow that has a workshop that would put most professional shops to shame. He said," It would have taken me three times as long to build those pieces in my shop and I never could approach the quality of the construction that you achieved using your TS75, a small drill press and a router, and you did it outside in your driveway!! WOW!!!!!".
