Polishing a tinny.

[James_Rand]

My old 4.00m Stessco was pretty rough around the edges when I got her and.... it still is...
(Was an old tender left in sea water 24/7). Corrosion is visable on all exterior surfaces and looks terrible. #What can I use to bring it back? #I saw the thread re: using pig fat and a polisher? Does that work? #Is there a commercial polishing product available? #The surface has small lumps of crusty/powdery corrosion everywhere - it's easily the ugliest boat at the ramp every time! #:(

Any help please?

jr/

[Roughasguts]

Mate you could try hitting it with a buff and cutting compound.
Or the nasty very diluted Hydrachloric acid will clean it up and probably put some holes in it for you.

Then if you ever got a good finnsh spray it with a clear coat, and spend the rest of your life polishing it.

[ahoj]

LOL LOL :D ;D

[hussy]

why use a commercial product when pig fat works so well , just give a light sand first to get rid of grit and bumps ,then pig fat and a buff. goes into the ally lasts forever , or almost ...hubby

[Blackened]

G'day
To be honest James, an unpainted tinny was never meant to be beautiful. Especially one that has spent her life moored.

You will never get the pitting out of the alloy, It is just that.

There are acid based aluminium cleaners out there wich will remove any staining and this is the best thing you could do.

Just put up with it being dull surface, there's no worries about scratching then :)

Dave

[rick_k]

yep, its a tinny, love it as it is.

Do a search on hydroflouric acid on this site and you won't be so keen to use the acid based products unless very careful.

That said, a mate got in with bare hands and feet with the diluted product on a scourer, and he seems about as strange as usual.

[James_Rand]

Thanks all for your help. Will try to improve its appearance a bit. What I'm worried about is the crusty deposits harbouring salt and then causing further damage.

Thanks again.
jr/

[Roughasguts]

Give it a high pressure wash, that should move the crud.

[snelly1971]

One of the boat manufacturers down here told me to use a light buffing pad and kero...its alot of hard work but the end result looks ok ;) ;)

[finga64]

Where abouts are you JR??
If your near me I have some gunk that may get some crud off.
It's used to take the dry cement of concrete aggi's.

If you can't get the crud off look at the bright side (no pun intended), no-ones going to pinch it if a nice shiny one is next door ;)

Cheers Scott

[James_Rand]

finga, #based at Cannon Hill, Brisbane. #Tried using auto polish in a small area - makes it shiny but it looks kinda uneven when applying it by hand - and to do the whole boat would take forever. Where do you buy pig fat? Would using an electric polisher improve the finish? #If so, what type of polishing pad would you recommend.

Thanks

jr/

[finga64]

Mate, I'd be more concerned about getting the salt deposits off first. Then the big buffo.

If you want to try this stuff I have to get the gunk off send a PM and you can come and try some.

Definitely a buff with a sponge pad will make the polishing easier 8-)
I was also wondering if Lanolin grease (sheep grease) will do instead of pigs fat.

Cheers Scott :)

[bigblue]

DONT EVER TOUCH HYDROFLUORIC ACID >:(
ITS REALLY BAD STUFF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[snelly1971]

Sorry...forgot to mention the fish farms here have 17 1/2 foot unpainted dingys and all they use is Alubright....but please follow the instructions....put it on too strong and it goes streaky white..

[Feral]

Dunno that pig fat would be a great idea, unless you park the boat a long way from the house ;D or you love having the neighbourhood cats come a visiting.

[choppa]

james,,,,i've got some stuff at work that the guys in pre delivery use on utes that come in as trades with aluminium trays on the back,,,,

don't qoute me but its called """A.D.H.Q""",,,spray it on,,,leave for about a 30 second period and hose off,,

i've done my truck in it all over,,,cleaned the tray and bull bar areas like new,,,

then i gave it a quick rub down with ""Purple Gunk"",,(i think its called that),, and left it,,

that was done over 3 months ago,,,still looks like new,, even though theres a few dead bugs on the bar now,,,,,,,adds a bit of character,,,

let me know if you want to try it,,,,,i'll bring some home

choppa

[Abu]

Hydroflouric Acid.....................THIS STUFF IS NASTY..............not worth trying to polish a tinny..........may do a good job.............problem is you might knot be around to do the same thing next year.......................it eats bone!!!!!!!!!