Gel Coat Compounding Pads

For dual-action polishers (Porter Cable 7424):

Use this 7-1/2 inch, CCS technology, Cool Foam, Constant Pressure Gel Coat Orange Power Pad. This pad requires your polisher be equipped with 6 inch VelcroŽ Backing Plate. This plate is not included with the foam pad and may or may not have come with your polisher (see below).      Dual-action polishers are excellent for maintaining newer gel coats with minor dullness and chalking but can not restore excessively dull, oxidized gel coats. Restoring neglected or severely dull gel coats is best accomplished with a wool pad on a professional circular polisher.	s
For Professional Circular Polishers:     Light to moderate chalk can typically be removed and gloss restored by polishing only with a Gel Coat Polish like Gel Coat Fine Cut Polish using our Avenger Wool Pad or Orange Gel Coat Power Pad.            Neglected or excessively dull gel coats should be compounded first with a Gel Coat Compound like Gel Coat Heavy Cut Compound using our Aggressor Wool Pad on a circular machine polisher. This first step cleans the gel coat and removes the majority of chalk but does not restore surface gloss. After compounding, you must polish the gel coat with a polish like Gel Coat Fine Cut Polish using the Avenger Wool Pad on a circular machine polisher. Polishing restores the gel coat to a like-new, glassy finish but offers no protection.      After polishing you need to protect the gel coat with a sealant such as Gel Coat Labs One-step, Gel Coat, Micro-polish & Sealant or All Marine Surface Sealant. NOTE: The Aggressor Wool Pad, the Avenger Wool Pad and the GCM-C75 Gel Coat Compounding Pad are called 7-1/2 inch pads within the industry but the actual overall size is 8-1/2 inches. All three of these pads require your machine polisher be fitted with a 6-1/2 to 7 inch backing plate.
The Aggressor Wool Pad is our heaviest-cut, gel coat compounding pad. This pad requires your circular polisher be equipped with a 7 inch Velcro Backing Plate.      The Aggressor is an 7-1/2 inch pad with a 1-1/2 inch pile of nylon and 100%, twisted, 4-ply sheepswool. This pad is highly recommended for use with Bow to Stern Heavy Cut Compound. Use only on a circular machine polisher.
The Avenger Wool Pad is a fine-cut, gel coat polishing pad. This pad requires your polisher be equipped with a 7 inch Velcro Backing Plate.      The Avenger is an 7-1/2 inch pad with a 1-1/2 inch pile of 100% twisted, 4-ply wool yarn. This pad is highly recommended for use with Bow to Stern Fine Cut Polish. Use only on a circular machine polisher.
Use this medium-cut, 7-1/2 inch, GCM-C75 Gel Coat Compounding Pad on your circular polisher for both compounding and polishing. This pad requires your polisher be equipped with a 7 inch Velcro Backing Plate. This plate is not included with the wool pad and may or may not have come with your polisher (see below).
Use this 6-1/2 inch, GCM-C6 Gel Coat Compounding Pad on your circular polisher for both compounding and polishing. This pad requires your polisher be equipped with a 6 inch Velcro Backing Plate. This plate is not included with the wool pad and may or may not have come with your polisher (see below).

Note: Wool pads become caked with residues especially during compounding.  Wool pads can be fluffed using a stainless steel brush to remove residues but at some point the pad will become so dirty that it must be replaced with a fresh pad. Compounding a 28ft boat or RV usually requires two wool pads. Polishing after compounding produces much less chalk and typically requires only one pad.

To fluff a wool pad on a cirucular polisher, place the machine on the floor (or ground) with the pad facing up. Set the speed control to the lowest speed setting. Hold the machine down with your foot.      Use one hand to turn the machine on and your other hand to hold this stainless steel brush against the pad's surface. It only takes a few seconds for the wool pad to fluff up so you can continue polishing.

Pad Care:  Spray dirty foam and wool pads with Bow to Stern All Marine Cleaner and  place in a bucket of water with a pad cleaner such as Snappy Clean. Let pads soak for 5 to 15 minutes. Fluff up pad with your fingers then hand squeeze out excess water. Spin dry by putting pad back on machine, hold machine upright, away from your body, set the machine to the highest speed setting and turn the machine on. When water has spun out, remove pad and allow to air dry, preferably in the sun. Do not polish gel coats with a damp or wet pad.

Allow pad to soak for 5-15 minutes, fluff pad using your fingers, and rinse.	Spin out excess water at a high speed.

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